Teaching in English vs. Teaching in Spain

Guest Post: Matt from 
The Learning Curve

Little known fact: my boyfriend is a teacher. Also, he has a blog. So, for my first ever guest post, I decided to let him fill you in on some of the differences between the school system in Spain and the school system in the United States. For most of us auxiliares, we've never set foot inside a classroom in the States (except for when we were in school. Duh.). Our knowledge of teaching is largely based on what we experience in Spain. 

So, without further ado, Matt from Experience the Learning Curve:

After spending 2 years in University, I learned how to teach effectively, and with my students needs in mind. Combine that with over a year’s worth of “teaching” in the Spanish school system and you come out with a pretty mixed up teaching philosophy. 

On one end of the spectrum I’m trying to look for creative ways to actively engage my students in the learning experience.  On the other end, I’m trying to get my students to communicate though any means necessary.  I’m not supposed to instruct them on grammatical issues.  I’m not supposed to give them homework. I’m not supposed to evaluate them in any sense of the word.  Which coincidently gives them all the power, and myself virtually none.  See the problem?

It’s the little things:

  -In Spain, using the teacher’s first name is sufficient, even changing your name in order to accommodate them.  

--Outright refusal to participate in an activity or saying “no”, because they know that you can’t really do anything, is common.

-Using curse words as if they were filler words.

 Some determining factors that you should take into account to get the whole spectrum:

  First, I only see each class once a week, therefore, I remember very few of their names and can’t always stop them before they get going.  In addition, I’m speaking to them in a language that they can’t always understand.  So confused, bored, and lost students tend to act out more than the others.  

Let me state that the educational system in the United States is flawed, but Spain makes our system look pretty good.  

Spain runs its schools like businesses and expects its alums to do the same.  In Spain they spend less time in the class, but tend to have higher expectations.  The only problem with this mentality is that its not necessarily shared by the students.  

Coincidently, Spaniards neglected to imitate the one facet of the educational system that the United States does relatively well; providing community and preparing their youth to take the next step in their lives.  It’s time for the next step.

Originally published 12.9.11