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Case Study:

Inward Visit to Wales by CEIP Flor de Azahar (February/March 2024)

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Introduction

In February 2024, a group of teachers from a primary school in Cártama near Malaga in Spain participated in a job shadowing experience in two Welsh primary schools: Cwmffrwdoer Primary School in Torfaen and Magor CiW Primary School in Monmouthshire.

The visit was designed to foster international collaboration, share best practices, and provide fresh perspectives on teaching methodologies and school management. The overwhelmingly positive feedback highlights the significant impact on their professional and personal development.

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About CEIP Flor de Azahar

CEIP Flor de Azahar is a public preschool and primary school located in Cártama Station, in the province of Málaga. The school was inaugurated in 2019 and has an area of 10,000 square meters.

CEIP Flor de Azahar is committed to educational innovation and is a "Reference School of Google" center. The center uses Google technologies to facilitate student learning and promote collaboration among teachers.

https://www.ceipflordeazahar.es

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Professional Development & Key Learnings:

Pedagogical Innovations: participants were particularly impressed by the use of active and participatory methodologies, project-based learning, and the transversal nature of the curriculum, noting the focus on developing student autonomy, collaboration, and preparing pupils for the ‘real world.’
Classroom and School Management: Key takeaways included new ideas for the organisation of physical learning spaces the effective use of recycled materials, and the collaborative ‘commission system’" of school governance involving staff.

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Professional Development & Key Learnings:

Student Behaviour and Ethos: Multiple teachers commented on the calm, respectful, and focused atmosphere in the Welsh classrooms, noting the students' strong engagement and the teachers' patient and loving approach.

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Impact on the School and Dissemination Plans:

The benefits of the exchange are expected to ripple across the entire school community.

Whole-School Benefits: The experience provided ‘new methodological points of view’ and resources to use in their school. It prompted participants to question and reflect on their own teaching methods, aiming to replicate successful practices like cooperative learning and reducing reliance on textbooks.

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Impact on the School and Dissemination Plans:

Sharing Knowledge: The group plans to share their experiences widely through staff meetings, the school's radio station (podcasts), social media channels (Facebook, YouTube, TikTok), and the school website. They aim to energize the classroom and involve students in learning about Welsh culture.

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Perceived Benefits and Barriers

Benefits for Staff: Participants selected a range of benefits, including gaining practical skills, learning from good practice, extending their professional network, increasing cultural competences, and boosting job satisfaction.
Benefits for Learners: Participants believed the links would empower learners, raise self-esteem, provide crucial skillsets for life, encourage engagement, and improve global citizenship.
Barriers: it was noted that language could be a challenge for some, and others mentioned potential obstacles like lack of financial resources, covering absent teachers, and reluctant families.

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Perceived Benefits and Barriers

Benefits for Staff: Participants selected a range of benefits, including gaining practical skills, learning from good practice, extending their professional network, increasing cultural competences, and boosting job satisfaction.
Benefits for Learners: Participants believed the links would empower learners, raise self-esteem, provide crucial skillsets for life, encourage engagement, and improve global citizenship.
Barriers: it was noted that language could be a challenge for some, and others mentioned potential obstacles like lack of financial resources, covering absent teachers, and reluctant families.

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Conclusion

The job shadowing visit to Wales was an unqualified success. The Spanish teachers returned not only with a suitcase full of positive memories but also with a tangible toolkit of ideas and a renewed passion for their profession. The experience successfully built a bridge for international collaboration, with the potential to directly influence teaching practices and improve learning outcomes for pupils in both countries. The overwhelming consensus was that this was a highly valuable, well-executed, and profoundly impactful professional development experience.