Feeling 'shabby' ...

We're all feeling a little under the weather today.  Guess the long journeys, huge meals and partaking of the local alcoholic hospitality has taken their toll.

Colin's breakfast consumption at the begiining of the week was cereal, fruit juice, few slices of toast and coffee.  Today he was down to one slice of toast and a cup of coffee.

Note to Ken - we need some professional development time to get some exercise to get rid of the excess weight we've all put on!! 

We're also worrying about excess baggage weight (everyone has been SO generous with their gifts), however, since we have hardly spent any money it shouldn't be too much of a hardship!

Again, we were picked up at 8.00 am and taken via a very scenic route to Burguillos del Cerro - 84 km south east of Badajoz.  A number of  us were feeling decidedly fragile by the time we arrived.  Lee  had  given out an emergency request for a plastic bag.  Fortunately, it wasn't needed.  Antonio promised that we would return by a more direct and straight route!

The countryside around here is more like the  north of England  with rolling hills and lots of trees.  There are more animals such as sheep in this area.  However, the trees are olive  rather than our native species.

Visit  1  -  IES Matias Ramon Martinez (Colin Carr)

The school which opened in 2002 is in very rural area and provides education to 122 12-16 age range only due to the socio-economic background of the area.  Students wishing to proceed past compulsory education have to travel to other towns.  The head teacher explained that due to the type of students in this rural part of the country their education is focused on vocational rather than academic education.

After a wonderful reception in the staff room (this was the first one that closely resembled a UK staff room) we were given a full description by the head teacher about the use of GNULinex 2006. 

This software allows the teacher to have full control of individual computers within a room from a cemtralised PC.  An upgrade is due shortly that will enable even greater coverage/access including the Internet.

The school is working very closely with the local council to establish a WiFi link with the community so that pupils who have or borrow a computer can access their school folders enabling them to carry out their set work and it will also give parents the opportunity to view the results and be able to have contact with the teachers.

This whole project is available through Moodle and will greatly enhance the distance learning programs available to students.

We finished the visit with a very detailed discussion comparing the Gateshead schools systems and the systems available to schools in Spain.

The headteacher was very interested in the ICT facilities available in Whickham School, the software used, the access to the system via Ranger and the VLE.

As with all the schools, the teacher's were very interested in the Ees PC, it's cost and software.  Their next step is to provide a pupil:computer ratio of 1:1 but current plans indicate that this will be achieved by attaching two keyboards and two mice to each CPU unit rather than each student having a computer to themselves.

Our final visit was to an SEN school for children aged between 6 and 21 years.

The school is a light and airy two storey building holding 56 pupils, 15 teachers, 13 assistants and many physiotherapists and other specialists.   

The facilities included a high-tech multi-sensory room, a library, ICT suite, vegetable garden, gym and a transition room where children learn life skills to encourage independent living, as well as a number of ordinary classrooms.

Between the ages of 6 and 16 the children's learning is dictated by the curriculum.  Older students spend the last 5 years at school developing skills for independent living and inclusion within society.  Once a week children enjoy the facilities of the local swimming pool to improve their fine and gross motor skills as well as their posture.  It also gives student the opportunity to mix with people outside their school life.

In the ICT suite we were shown a presentation of poetry by a student, using Open Office, a tool used to improve reading, writing and communication skills.  Presentations were also shown displaying the skills of the physiotherapists, communication technologies and interactions between the special school and other local schools.

The Linex run computer system is adapted for the children's abilities and levels ie large, colourful icons and appropriate literature. JClic was also demonstrated indicating the use of icons to assist children's phonics, reading, writing and typing skills.

We finally had experience of a 'Spanish school dinner'.  The traditional fish and pasta soup, roast pork and potatoes followed by strawberries and cream.

The school had a very child-centred and family orientated ethos with all staff working as a team towards a common goal - including the kitchen staff!

After our return from Burguillos del Cerro, we were given the opportunity to take a quick trip into Portugal.  As a number of the group were in need of a siesta ahead of this evening's farewell meal the remainder (David, Susan T and Liz, Rachel and Emma) accompanied Antonio and Imam (apologies if this is incorrect - please use comment to show me correct spelling) to Elvas in Portugal.

The border is only 5km from Badajoz and very like the Scotland/England border - blink and you'll miss it!

Elvas was amazing and well worth visiting.  It is a 17th century heavily fortified frontier town and surrounded by star-shaped fortifications with gates, curtain walls, moats and bastions, along with two fortresses.  All roads lead to the top (well some of them did because we managed to get lost).  If this town was in the UK, there'd be no cars allowed within the walls at all.  You could see where the cobbled streets had been damaged (Antonio did suggest taking one of the cobbles with us as a souvenir). 

There was a beautiful and large square surrounded by 16th and 17 century churches and buildings (photos to follow when we get them off our cameras).  There was also a smaller square with a pillory with four metal hooks supposedly used to shackle prisoners during the Spanish Inquisition (cue Monty Python take offs from everyone).

The icing on the cake was a huge aqueduct (Amoreira Aqueduct) which 7km (4.5miles) in length and took over 100 years to complete. With a total of 843 arches, and at places rising to over 30m (100ft), it still brings water to town.

We were only in the twon for about 40 mins but it certainly made its mark on us.

A quick trip back to the hotel to prepare for our farewell dinner and to start packing.