We were sent to this Academy, a model of privatisation of previous State Schools.
We were told that this school had experienced times of decline. Now it was, thanks (apparently to this Academy model) to the new managers overcoming its problems. Strict discipline, rules and norms that we had to suffer. We were accompanied by an identifying red lanyard all the time with the local teachers...Even though, the Social studies teacher treated us correctly, leading and inviting us to their classes.
Our experience was fantastic, but the did not allow us to give a lesson plan. Whatever, we learnt about the system and focus of my subject (History and Geography) at an English school.
The first, and the most outstanding thing was the number of chapters and density in History...They did only study British History, and there entertained much more time than we would expect on menial events in History. Covering such a short period, they were able to develop extensively aspects key to the History of this country such as the Reformation with episodes like the Spanish "Armada".
We managed to take some of the materials they used, and in addition, we exchanged emails to further action on behalf of future interexchanges with our schools in Madrid.

A Utopian School, lots of resources, and well managed.
Although it is located in the countryside it is the centre of reference in the area.
Since we did only have the chance of witnessing a couple of lessons, we decided to do something productive, the school being in the last days.
We went to visit the town of Reepham, a market town as the panel at the limit of the town showed.
We discovered Sir William de Kerdestone and his astonishing tomb over a bed of stones, a veteran crossed legs veteran knight at the Battle of Crécy in France during the 100 years war.
The curiosity is that he is lying on a bed of stones and that he has crossed legs (probably a crusader, or templar knight...?).

Battle of Crécy 1346 (1337-1453)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hundred_Years%27_War

"Cross-legged Knights indicate that the person so represented
died in the Christian faith. As crusaders were supposed so to do,
they were generally represented on their tombs with crossed legs.

"'Sometimes the figure on the tomb of a knight has his legs crossed
at the ankles, this meant that the knight went one crusade. If the
legs are crossed at the knees, he went twice; if at the thighs he
went three times.' —Ditchfield: Our Villages, 1889.

Reversing the order in which we teach, about homework and the use of videos for semipresential lessons, fieldtrips...

Monday 24th:
Design your own Free School by Johanna Stirling.
The activity consisted of the design of a Free School after the model we may find in the UK.
A Model CLIL Lesson by John Mac Mahon
Lesson about a CLIL lesson focusing and integrating on language and content: minerals and nutrition.
Contemporary English by Chris Rose
A lesson and reflexion about the changes and characteristics of the English language.
Tuesday 25th

Speaking Well by Jeremy Farmer
About how important is to speak well and make ourselves intelligible in a changing world. Poems and intonations in English matter.
Drama 2 by David Farmer
Interesting lesson on some drama activities to make the lesson plans ore dynamic. An inspiration.
Aspects of Connected Speech
Wednesday 26th:
Assesment by Claudia Rey
When it come to assess what we have to have into account? Rubrics to clarify the final mark we are required to deliver. How can we evaluate what our students know? Is that a metric of the quality of our job?
Language from the British Press by Maria Heron.
An review about British press today. Political bias and mass media, different types of press in the UK, what language do they use.
Wednesday Workshops: Chunks and collocations.
Chunks and collocations, expressions or words, concepts that are always together and encourage fluency and nuances in the English language.

Thursday 27th:
Language Support for CLIL
We did an activy using the principles of the CLIL approach.
TBC
Portfolio-Padlet Presentations and Feedback
Friday 28th:
Language Support for CLIL
Another activity to asses CLIL principleas in a bilingual lesson plan.
Language Development
Lesson plan over prison and a case  of dilemma, prison and murder of a 13  year old child.
Course Evaluation and Action Planning
Reflexion and evaluation of the course, poetry and pronunciation, an inspiring case of a stammer kid and the king´s speech.
DIVERSION STARTS HOLIDAYS AT LAST