Job Shadowing Alpedrete in Spain.
Date: 11th till 17th of June 2023
Written by: Pauline Boele and Loes van Ramselaar
Teachers at: OBS De Plantage in Houten (Netherlands)
Visited schools: Publico El Peralejo in Alpedrete (Spain)
We were very warmly welcomed at College Public The Peralejo in Alpedrete.
Despite the fact that it was a very busy time for our Spanish colleagues, as they
were in the last two weeks and therefore the final phase of the school year, everyone
was very hospitable and helpful. We were welcome in all classes and everyone was
ready to answer our questions.
School system and building
In one school year the children go to school for three long terms. The holidays are
from June to September, then in December/January and last in March/April. The
children go to school 5 days a week from 9 am to 2 pm. Afterwards there is a choice
to go home or have lunch at school followed by after school activities.
What immediately struck us upon entering was that the corridors are decorated with
all kinds of colorful projects by the children. It is a large two storey building. Besides
the classrooms there are extra rooms for music, a library, a computer room, a
laboratory, etc.
Outside is a large playground for the children. Everything is fenced. The
Kindergarten has a separate playground. Their classrooms have their own door that
opens onto this playground.
We have had many pleasant conversations with colleagues here at school. We were
allowed to ask them all our questions and we were welcome everywhere to come
and have a look at the classes. What strikes us is that they radiate a lot of warmth to
the children, there is a lot of cuddling and jokes. Diana Lore, the assistant
headmaster and also our contact, knows all the children and has regular contact
with them when we get a tour of the school.
The children all have their own workplace in the classroom. They are in groups with
a mix of boys and girls. The group size varies from 16 to about 25 children.
We have come here with a number of observational questions. We wanted to
investigate whether there is a lot of differentiation in level and pace at this school.
This we have not seen in class. In the conversations with the teachers, we
understand that this happens less here at school than at our school. They have a
more classical teaching system than at our school. The lessons are teacher-led and
there is a lot of interaction between teachers and the children. They work from
methods and the children all participate in the same lesson.
By talking to teachers, we wanted to investigate whether there are different school
systems here in Spain, such as Dalton or Montessori.
What we understand is that here in Spain they are mainly distinguished between
public schools, private schools and a combination of the two.
There are some schools where work is more project-based, but there are very few of them.
Some private schools do have their own vision, such as Waldorf education.
College Public El Peraleio in Alpedrete is one of the public schools. The school
specializes in Autism and has two specialized teachers for these type of children,
who supervise them according to their own program. Additional guidance is available
for each child as needed.
In addition, they also have several teachers here who guide children with various
difficulties outside the classroom. Think of language and behavioral difficulties.
We have looked at how they deal with gifted children here at school. In
conversations with various teachers, we have understood that there is an increasing
demand from parents in this area. The school indicates that it is still looking into this
and would like to learn more about this.
The government has a program for which children can qualify. This requires a lot of
paperwork for the school to be completed. The children also undergo various tests
carried out by the school psychologist. There is an upper school system that
considers all applications and decides who can participate. The children can then go
to the University every Saturday morning for a special program.
At school they have a computer room where children are made proficient in the
digital world. Laptops and ipads can be used in the classroom.
The children work in a shielded environment.
This year the school started a special program on social development. In 5th grade
they followed a serie of lessons “in your shoes”. The students have learned to better
assess and coordinate their own emotions and those of others. They made a theater
performance about this for grade 1 to 4. We were lucky to be able to attend this.
It was a nice end to one fantastic week.
