Shadowing for UK educators at all levels

By Jo Power and Alison Cunningham

Shadowing a colleague in a partner school or college can have lots of benefits for both sides involved. It allows for the exchange of ideas and expertise, as well as giving opportunities for staff to really experience life in an overseas classroom. Comenius 2 funding supports a range of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activity in Europe, including short in-service courses. More recently, it has become possible to fund job-shadowing opportunities. This means that UK educators at all levels, from nursery through to further education, can take advantage of grants available to fund job shadow placements in other EU countries. Staff at any British school or college with a European partner can apply to job shadow a teacher at their partner school for one to two weeks.

Comenius 2 funding

Funding is available throughout Europe, so this allows for reciprocal visits. French connection Norfolk County schools have been especially active in making the most of Comenius job shadowing so far. A number of school staff members in Norfolk, with partner schools in Toulouse, have organised and undertaken week-long visits there to experience classroom teaching using both French and English.

Making it happen

Alison Cunningham, Education Officer (Strategic Planning) with Norfolk Children’s Services, organised the project. In 2003, an idea emerged for a training project that would enable partners on both sides of the Channel to build the capacity to offer Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) in the primary sector. This became a requirement in France in 2002, and coincided with Norfolk being awarded a Pathfinder project for primary MFL. At the same time, we wanted to create opportunities for teachers to develop relationships with colleagues in Toulouse which would filter through to classrooms and eventually lead to joint curriculum projects. We therefore decided to incorporate a work shadowing and home-stay element into the project, and have been able to fund the project through Comenius 2.2.

How does it work?

Norfolk primary schools are invited to host a teacher from Toulouse, and forms are sent from Toulouse applicants. Wherever possible, applicants are matched with schools of a similar size and locality to their own. During the first week, the group stays together and follows a tailor-made course that includes five sessions of intensive English as a Foreign Language, and presentations from Advanced Skills Norfolk/Toulouse Teachers on ways of bringing languages to life in the classroom. On the Friday evening, they are collected by their hosts, and spend the second week work-shadowing and staying with the family.The following year, the Norfolk schools nominate a member of staff to go to Toulouse. After a week of intensive language training organised by the Académie de Toulouse, the teachers spend a week in their partner schools, and stay with the teacher they hosted the previous year.

Glowing reports

The scheme has benefited Norfolk schools in the following ways:

• 30 non-specialist primary teachers have improved their French language skills, giving them the confidence to teach the language
• 43 Norfolk schools have enjoyed access to a native French speaker
• School-to-school links have been set up which, in some cases, have led to pupil visits and joint curriculum work.

Frederick Payne Brown, a teacher at North Elmham Primary School in Norfolk, spent a week job shadowing at Ecole Elémentaire Sérignac, Lot. ‘I now have an understanding of how the French approach the teaching of modern foreign languages,’ he reports. ‘This has helped me reflect on our practices – it was an excellent professional experience.’ Diana Ellis from Northfields First and Nursery, who visited Ecole Elémentaire Auvillar, Tarn, says, ‘It reinvigorated me and ensured I brought enthusiasm back to help energise colleagues in our own school.’ Taking part in a job shadowing programme abroad is not only an exciting experience for a teacher, it can also benefit your school and community

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