This is the best Professional development I have ever done! I was engaged every second of the 2…read moreday training. I learned more so much and I have a learned to use my strategies more effectively !

John Kongsvik is nearly legendary among TESOL Teacher Trainers, although I didn't discover that…read moreuntil after I earned my SIT TESOL certificate and was exploring the job market. I think the fact that I studied with him gave me an edge over equally-qualified candidates. Of course, I recognized that Kongsvik was a dynamic teacher during the training. His mastery was obvious the minute he began to address the class in Bambara, the indigenous language of Mali, thus putting us in our students' experiential shoes. I took his one-month intensive, and it was indeed intense. I worked hard, laughed a lot, slept little and learned so much. Not only did I learn how to teach English to speakers of other languages, I learned how to teach anything, and more importantly, I learned how to facilitate student-centered learning. The opportunity to immediately apply theory in an actual classroom situation is invaluable, but it's Kongsvik's extraordinary energy and sincere caring that transform this educational course into a memorable life experience. To use an idiom, the proof is in the pudding. With my certificate, I've landed paying jobs as a TESOL instructor.

A great small school that customizes learning for each student. My daughter gets all the fun…read moreclasses she loves like art, african drumming, spanish, latin, music, and yoga.

From the owner: NM Academy of International Studies elementary education the way it should be. 100% of our students…read moreare operating at or above grade level, in all subjects (mostly above), and 100% of our students can't wait to get to school again each morning. No exaggeration. How many schools can (honestly) claim that?

The Alliance Française D'Albuquerque offers French language classes for children and adults and it…read morehas been around for quite a while. I took French when I was in college a few years back, so when I decided to sign up for French classes here, they told me about the "False Beginners" course. This is an intensive 1 week program to refresh all your basics of French, so it's perfect for those who have taken French before and don't want to start from Beginners I. They offer opportunities to practice your French outside the classroom as well, they meet up in coffee shops roughly once a month to practice your French language skills. I have taken two courses in this institution, and in general the professors are great, ones more dynamic and creative than others. The one thing I don't love about their teaching system is that the textbook they use for the courses is a 2001 edition, almost 20 years old! I know the basics of the language is the same, but the examples, vocabulary and illustrations could use an update!

I'm on my second French course at the Alliance and so far the experience has been great. It is a…read morerelatively small school, which gives a very familiar and friendly feeling when coming to learn here. They offer all levels of French, from beginner to advanced at very convenient times and often more than one class a week. The classes are small groups. So far for me they have not been larger than six people, but they can have up to ten students per class. My two French teachers have had very different teaching styles, but both have been very fun, motivating and successful. Every time French class is over, I feel that I don't want to stop. I'm sure you'll love it too!

This class is structured to introduce you to Spanish language and the cultures where it is used, in…read morea more organic and usable fashion. I have taken Spanish in the past (a very, very long time ago), and the way this is put together did not seem intuitive at first, but I'm so glad I'm in this class. It's incredibly well organized and I'm learning so much. Instead of walking away with days of the week and months, etc. you are walking away from your first class understanding how to speak to somebody that's what you really want out of a language right? They do speak to you in Spanish in class and it's hard sometimes, but everyone is in the same boat and the instructor that I've had has been supportive. In addition, the way in which the Spanish is taught, using the cultures of the different countries that are Spanish speaking as a source for discussion and learning is wonderful. I'm getting so much more out of this classthan learning how to speak Spanish.

During a recent class I tried to answer a question using the Spanish word submarinismo. The…read moreinstructor first ignored me and then, thinking that she didn't hear me, I repeated it. She then spent about a half a minute degrading me in from of the class stating that she knew of no such word and that I probably made it up. Before the next class she told me (in private) that the word actually did exist. This attitude toward some students seems to be a consistent part of the how classes are taught.

The worst experience I have ever had with a teacher. The owner/teacher in this business was several…read moretimes unable to explain grammar to me or gave me incorrect answers. She told me that in Spanish, 2 infinitives cannot be used together (eg "to be able to say" or poder decir). That is clearly incorrect. She did not know the rule for using ser vs. estar with a past participle (ser is used in passive voice and estar used when the past participle is an adjective). Worse, I felt disrespected for asking questions. she did tell me after I said "right" in agreement with her, that "of course I am right I am the teacher". She constantly interrupted me to correct me before she knew what I was trying to say. She appeared angry when I asked for an explanation of her corrections to guide me in getting it right in the future. I felt this was unprofessional in a teacher. I finally quit as I felt she was rude and I lost faith in her answers to my grammar questions.