Tour del Talento: best practices, workshops and innovative projects in Malaga.

written by Sara Casagrande, Raquel Carrasco and Annalisa Sartor — translated by Adriana Torrecilla Sanchez, DP1 student

On March 7th-9th, we had the pleasure and privilege of participating in the opening of Tour del Talento in Málaga, an annual event organised by Princess of Girona Foundation (FPdGi). The event promotes competency-based teaching and highlights the talents of each individual and offers equal opportunities for personal and professional development

FPdGI funds Teacher Generation, a program that selects 30 students to live an experience of innovative learning that includes a unique formation, manageable mentoring and 4 months of practice in rural centres in Aragon, Extremadura and Galicia.

As part of this experience of educational innovation, the foundation organises a Teaching Expedition for this community of “Future Teachers” where they visit pioneer centres from a select Spanish region. In addition to learning, live the educational practice from each one of these referents, the participants attend conferences and workshops and weave together, with time, a connection of innovation and educational transformation.

The teachers have the opportunity to be part of a connection line and exchange cultural and professional skills that will last over time.

The program was very intense, interesting and varied. On Monday we participated in different workshops and presentations that were very aligned with the vision of H-Farm international school that is to give priority to transversal skills (ATLs) taking into account, not just academic formation but also emotional wellness of the students.

The first day we were pleasantly surprised by the arrival of the Majesties, King Felipe and Queen Letizia that initiated the tour of talent together with the president of the regional government of Andalucía, Juanma Moreno and the Mayor, Francisco de la Torre. The surprises continued when Mr. Bordignon (Head of School) had the opportunity to talk directly with the king and with the participants of “Teaching Generation” presenting them our educational project. Various professional figures and enlightening people we spoke with highlighted the importance of the “change for education” as the progress motor, the professional motivation, the power of emotions and creativity and the inclusion and digital accessibility.

The next day we had the opportunity to visit the school CEIP Andalucía Fuengirola by Sandra Camos Bataller, a person full of life and Director of the transformation area of education from the Princess of Girona Foundation. Sandra is engaged with the education and growth of the talents of young people. There we met the principal of the centre, Francisco Jose Gutierrez Gonzalez, a very professional person who encourages his school and his students, not only from the human side but also from the technological side, motivating them to grow together. What to say about this school? CEIP of Andalucia is a public centre of infantry and primary with a long history in educational innovation, with a model that impacts social and learning of the community. It is important to highlight the projects that this centre is working on, for example: leeduca. The project of innovation in collaboration with the university of Malaga and educational debates together with multilingual school television, to which we assisted. It was a privilege to be in a school that received an award to the school of the year of the FPdGi 2018.

Last, on Wednesday, we moved from Málaga to Seville to meet the school SAFA Écija, a State-subsidised school with multiple initiatives towards innovation. With this, they want to enhance the learning between the students at all the educational stages, developing abilities and object skills in order to prepare transformative people and real agents of change in our society. The project takes place from the ages of 3 and continues with the next steps of development in the chosen curriculum.

Some examples are: the Infant project of the Magic glasses of entrepreneurs or the one from high school, Tiktok for social entrepreneurship. This centre also received the award of the school of the year of the FPdGi 2018.

Here we had the opportunity to interview the principal Jorge Antonio Arribas Diaz who gave us more information about the centre, his vision, his values and the most important projects that are developing.

The pedagogical expedition ended in the CEIP Cervantes, Carmona, a public centre for Infants and Primary, a reference in working on healthy habits and the well-being of its students from the age of 3, always within a curricular framework.

The actions of the FPdGi, together with the presence of motivated human capital in schools, has demonstrated that the educational direction of this territory is growing. Just like us, and with the conscience and the necessary determination, they are investing in young people promoting the acquisition of knowledge and the abilities to transform them in competition across disciplines…all seasoned with enthusiasm, motivation and a lot of determination!

The authors

Raquel teaches language acquisition Spanish at H-Farm International School. She has a teaching degree and a Master in Speech Therapy. She is from Barcelona and she has lived there as well as in the Uk and Italy. She has always worked in International schools since she finished University, apart from a public school in the UK. She has worked in H-FARM since 2012. She likes positivity, happiness, loves life, teaching, to let her imagination fly, achieving new goals, travelling, learning, and spending time with her family and friends.

Sara teaches Spanish Language Acquisition and Economics at H-Farm International School. She has a Master’s in teaching Spanish as Foreign Language and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. She lived and worked in Spain for a couple of years where she could develop her passion for the language. Besides Spanish, Sara is passionate about technology, music, and good food.

Annalisa is an Italian, History and Geography teacher and Inclusion Referent in the Primary School in Rosà.
She is a DSA/BES tutor, skilled in the Socio-Psycho-Pedagogical field, and is currently specialising as an expert in School Pedagogy, to be able to meet the educational needs of the younger generations more effectively and accurately.
Committed and passionate about her work, she loves reading, doing outdoor sports and walking with her dog!