Spanish school experience

Now that students have experienced a few weeks of spanish school, CIEE staff went to visit students at their schools to see how they were adjusting! Some takeaways:

1. Unlike American students, Spanish students usually stay in the same classroom and their teachers rotate from class to class.

2. Students also discovered that rather than taking one year of Algebra, one year of Geometry, one year of Pre-Calculus, and one year of Calculus, Spanish students begin their first year of high school with basics of all math, and each year elaborate on what they learned the previous year. The result is the same, but they reach it in a different manner. This is part of the study abroad experience, learning that there are other ways to do things. This holds true for Science as well. Spanish students that choose the Science track have Chemisty & Physics, Biology & Geology all in the same year.

3. Since Spanish students must choose a track (Science for Engineering, Science for Medicine, Social Sciences, or Humanities) CIEE students have found that the class forms a strong bond since they are together in most all of their classes.