Tatjana Pešić Ilijaš

IZVJEŠTAJ S TEACHING ASSIGNMENT U OSNOVNOJ ŠKOLI

CEIP GUERNICA, SAN FERNANDO DE HENARES, MADRID

(13. travnja do 17. travnja, 2026. godine)

Zovem se Tatjana Pešić Ilijaš i radim u Osnovnoj školi Pantovčak u Zagrebu kao diplomirana učiteljica razredne nastave. Imam 39 godina radnog iskustva u učiteljskom zvanju i trenutno vodim treći razred. U školi vodim i Dramsku grupu te s učenicima pripremam priredbe za sve značajne datume i prigode.

U sklopu projekta „The Inquiry based learning“ bila sam na teaching assignmentu u osnovnoj školi CEIP, GUERNICA, San Fernando de Henares, Madrid.

Željela sam ponoviti iskustvo koje donosi teaching assignment jer je to pravi profesionalni izazov. Nakon svoje dugogodišnje prakse u radu u nastavi, uvidjeti koliko uspješno mogu prenijeti sadržaje učenicima u drugoj školi, u drugoj državi, pravi je izazov, a na kraju zadovoljstvo. Dodatni je motiv prilika što sam cjelokupno predavanje i radionice vodila na engleskom jeziku i tako usavršavala svoje jezične kompetencije. Isto tako uvijek je dragocjeno usporediti i izmijeniti iskustva s europskim kolegama o radu s učenicima, metodama i oblicima rada, a jednako tako rad  s učenicima koji imaju poteškoće u svladavanju gradiva jer u svojoj praksi imam i ta iskustva.

Tema Projekta „The Inquiry based learning“ široka je, obuhvaća mnoga područja jer sve što učimo, radimo to istraživačkim metodama. Mislim da je vrlo važno, kako bi razvili vještine istraživačkog učenja, imati motiviranog i samopouzdanog učenika. Stoga u  svom radu s učenicima provodim puno aktivnosti na temu razvoja socijalnih vještina te razvoja samopouzdanja pa sam za ovaj teaching assignment pripremila radionice kojima je to cilj. Bilo je izvrsno vidjeti kako su djeca bila motivirana, aktivna tijekom rada i kako vlada ugodno ozračje u razrednim odjelima u kojima sam održala planiranu nastavu. U nastavku slijede ishodi planiranih nastavnih jedinica koje sam održala u 3. i 5. razredu.

ISHODI:

                - Upoznati glavni grad Hrvatske, Zagreb i na interaktivan način zapamtiti
              zanimljivosti

-        Naučiti koje su zaštićene životinjske vrste u Jadranskom moru, ciklus njihovog života i način prehrane

-        Spoznati koji su postupci ispravni za vlastito sudjelovanje u zaštiti životinjskih vrsta; osvijestiti važnost ekoloških akcija

-        Razvoj socijalnih vještina kod učenika i upućivanje na pozitivne misli i komunikaciju s vršnjacima

-        Utjecaj na razvoj emocionalne inteligencije na način da učenici prepoznaju svoje potrebe i osjećaje te ih znaju izraziti

-        Prepoznavanje situacije i osjećaje koje u njima izazivaju ugodu ili neugodu

-        Naučiti kako je potrebno uvažavati osjećaje drugih ljudi

-        Prihvaćati i poštivati različitosti među učenicima

My name is Tatjana Pešić Ilijaš, and I work at the Pantovčak Primary School in Zagreb as a graduate primary school teacher. I have 39 years of teaching experience and currently teach a third-grade class. I also run the Drama Club at the school, preparing student performances for all major dates and occasions.

As part of the "Inquiry-Based Learning" project, I participated in a teaching assignment at the CEIP Guernica primary school in San Fernando de Henares, Madrid.
I wanted to repeat the teaching assignment experience because it represents a true professional challenge. After my long-term teaching practice, seeing how successfully I can convey content to students in another school and country is a real challenge, and ultimately, a source of great satisfaction. An additional motivation was the opportunity to conduct all the lectures and workshops in English, thereby improving my language competences. Furthermore, it is always invaluable to compare and exchange experiences with European colleagues regarding classroom work, teaching methods, and forms of work. This also includes working with students who face learning difficulties, as I have extensive experience with this in my own practice.

The theme of the "Inquiry-Based Learning" project is broad and encompasses many areas, as everything we learn is approached through research methods. I believe that in order to develop inquiry-based learning skills, it is crucial to have motivated and confident students. Therefore, in my work, I implement many activities focused on developing social skills and self-esteem. For this teaching assignment, I prepared workshops aimed at achieving these goals. It was wonderful to see how motivated and active the children were during the sessions, and to experience the pleasant atmosphere in the classrooms where I conducted the planned lessons. Below are the learning outcomes of the planned teaching units that I held in the 3rd and 5th grade.

OUTCOMES:

- Get to know the capital of Croatia, Zagreb, and memorize interesting    facts in an    interactive way

- Learn which animal species are protected in the Adriatic Sea, their life cycle

- Learn what actions are correct for one's own participation in the protection of animal species; raise awareness of the importance of ecological actions

- Develop social skills in students and encourage positive thoughts and communication with peers

- Influence the development of emotional intelligence in a way that students recognize their needs and feelings and know how to express them

- Recognize situations and feelings that cause them pleasure or discomfort

- Learn how to respect other people's feelings

- Accept and respect differences among students

1. dan – Ponedjeljak, 13. travnja, 2026.

Moj prvi radni dan u školi započeo je u 9.00 h, a dočekao me je moj domaćin, tajnik škole i profesor Glazbene kulture Raul Martin. On me je upoznao s ravnateljicom škole Agustinom Perez, gospođom  pedagoginjom i ostalim kolegama koji su taj dan bili u školi. U školi se odmah osjetila vrlo srdačna i ugodna atmosfera. Prvo su me proveli po cijelom kompleksu ustanove u kojem je šest zgrada. Svaka ima drugu namjenu, od učionica, dvorana za tjelesnu kulturu, glazbenu i likovnu kulturu te velike blagovaonice. I okolni prostor je izuzetno velik i obuhvaća nekoliko igrališta te veliki povrtnjak. Ova osnovna škola obuhvaća učenike dobi od 4 do 12 godina, dakle od predškolske dobi do 6. razreda osnovne škole. Nakon obilaska škole bila sam s kolegama na ručku koji imaju u blagovaonici škole, a zatim sam održala prve satove svoje planirane nastave. Učenici 3. A, a potom 3. B razreda i njihova učiteljica Raquel srdačno su me dočekali. Zapjevali su i zaplesali kratku točku dobrodošlice. Održala sam prezentaciju o Zagrebu, a nakon toga kviz koji sam pripremila na španjolskom jeziku. Učenici su, tijekom moje prezentacije, upoznali naš glavni grad, njegove glavne znamenitosti i običaje. Kako je nakon prezentacije uslijedila aktivnost s kvizom imali su priliku pokazati koliko su zapamtili od sadržaja koje su upravo vidjeli.
Bilo je primjetno koliko im se dopala prezentacija, postavljali su puno pitanja, a u komunikaciji nam je pomagala učiteljica Raquel koja je po potrebi prevodila s engleskog na španjolski i obratno. Usprkos tome, nije bilo jezične „barijere“, učenici su puno razumjeli i cijelo smo vrijeme komunicirali, upravo na engleskom.

Moj prvi radni dan završio je u 14 h.

Day 1 – Monday, April 13, 2026

My first working day at the school started at 9:00 AM, and I was welcomed by my host, Raul Martin, who is the school secretary and a Music teacher. He introduced me to the principal madam Agustina Perez, the school pedagogue, and other colleagues who were at the school that day. A very warm and pleasant atmosphere could be felt immediately. First, they took me on a tour of the entire school complex, which consists of six buildings. Each has a different purpose, ranging from classrooms, gyms, music and art rooms, to a large dining hall. The surrounding outdoor area is also exceptionally large and includes several playgrounds and a big vegetable garden. This elementary school accommodates students aged 4 to 12, meaning from preschool to the 6th grade. After the school tour, I had lunch with my colleagues in the school dining hall, and then I held the first classes of my planned teaching program. The students of 3rd A, and then 3rd B, along with their teacher Rachel, gave me a warm welcome. They sang and danced a short welcome routine. I gave a presentation about Zagreb, followed by a quiz I had prepared in Spanish. During my presentation, the students got to know our capital city, its main landmarks, and traditions. Since the presentation was followed by a quiz activity, they had the opportunity to show how much they remembered from the content they had just seen.It was noticeable how much they liked the presentation; they asked a lot of questions, and teacher Raquel helped us with communication, translating from English to Spanish and vice versa as needed. Despite that, there was no language "barrier"—the students understood a lot, and we communicated in English the entire time.

My first working day ended at 2:00 PM.

2. dan – Utorak, 14.4.2026.

Drugi radni dan započeo je u 10.30 h i taj sam dan bila u 5. A i 5. B razredu koje vodi učitelj Jorge koji odlično zna engleski jezik. I u tim sam razredima održala prezentaciju o Hrvatskoj te o glavnom gradu Zagrebu, a potom je uslijedio kviz o naučenom sadržaju. Učenici tih razreda jednako su pozitivno reagirali na prezentaciju, bili vrlo zainteresirani i postavljali su mnoga pitanja, uspoređivali običaje svoje zemlje s Hrvatskom. U veselom i radnom ozračju prošli su nastavni satovi. Učitelj Jorge je po potrebi prevodio s engleskog na španjolski i obratno. No, većina sadržaja i moje komunikacije i interakcije s učenicima tekla je bez problema jer su to bili stariji učenici. Postavljali su puno zanimljivih pitanja vezanih za našu zemlju i glavni grad. Zanimalo ih je koje sadržaje ja radim sa svojim učenicima i koji razred sada vodim. Nakon nastave, družila sam se s učenicima i učiteljicama i tijekom pauze za ručak te slobodnog vremena. U dogovoru s mojim domaćinom Raulom, provela sam i poslijepodne u razredu s učiteljicom Raquel te vidjela kako se, uz pomoć asistentice, provodi individualni rad s učenikom koji ima poteškoće u praćenju nastave. Osobno sam željela tome prisustvovati i vidjeti primjere dobre prakse jer i u svom razrednom odjelu imam učenicu koja radi po prilagođenom programu. Vidjela sam osmišljeno pripremljen didaktički materijal i listiće za rad. S učiteljicom Raquel sam izmijenila iskustva o radu. Uočila kako nam se poklapaju sadržaji iz Prirode i društva jer su njeni i moji učenici iste dobi, isti razredni odjel. Nakon rada  u razredima prema mom rasporedu i prisustvovanju na satu tijekom rada s djecom s poteškoćama, nazočila sam i probi učenika u dvorani za tjelesni koji su uvježbavali plesnu točku za veliku manifestaciju i priredbu koja će se održati uz Dan grada San Fernando de Henares, sljedeći tjedan.

Day 2 – Tuesday, April 14, 2026

The second working day started at 10:30 AM, and that day I visited classes 5A and 5B, which are taught by teacher Jorge, who speaks excellent English. In these classes, I also gave a presentation about Croatia and its capital city, Zagreb, followed by a quiz on the presented material. The students in these classes reacted just as positively to the presentation; they were highly interested, asked many questions, and compared their country's customs with Croatia's. The lessons passed in a cheerful and productive atmosphere. Teacher Jorge translated from English to Spanish and vice versa when necessary. However, most of the content, as well as my communication and interaction with the students, flowed without any problems since these were older pupils. They asked many interesting questions about our country and capital city. They were also curious about the activities I do with my own students and which grade I currently teach.

After classes, I socialized with the students and teachers during the lunch break and free time. In agreement with my host Raul, I also spent the afternoon in the classroom with teacher Raquel, observing how individual work is carried out with a student facing learning difficulties, with the help of an assistant. I personally wanted to attend this and see examples of good practice because I also have a student in my own class who follows an adapted curriculum. I observed thoughtfully prepared didactic materials and worksheets. Teacher Raquel and I exchanged experiences regarding our work. I noticed that our Science content overlaps, as her students and mine are of the same age and grade level. After completing the work in the classrooms according to my schedule and attending the session with the student with difficulties, I also attended a student rehearsal in the gym. They were practicing a dance routine for a major event and performance that will take place next week for the Town Day of San Fernando de Henares.

3. dan – Srijeda, 15.4.2026.

Treći radni dan započeo je u 10:30 h kada sam imala razgovor s ravnateljicom i pedagoginjom te kolegama iz razredne nastave o španjolskom obrazovnom sustavu. Uspoređivali smo ga s hrvatskim sustavom osnovnoškolskog obrazovanja. Družila sam se s kolegicama i iz predškolskih odjela te obišla učionice i vidjela sve njihove projekte. Imaju kutke u kojima vježbaju praktične vještine – primjerice prodajni kutak, muzejski kutak. Nakon ručka s kolegama imala sam satove u 5. B i 5. A razredu. Učenicima sam prikazala „Kratku priču o emocijama“, animirani film u kojem se prikazuju najvažnije emocije (strah, ljutnja, sram, sreća). Nakon filma uslijedila je rasprava, a nakon toga su učenici dobili zadatak, a aktivnost je bila da svatko o svakome napiše nekoliko lijepih riječi, ono što pozitivno misle o toj osobi. Na listiću s ogledalom trebalo je napisati: To sam ja! i svoje ime. Učenici su vrlo ozbiljno prihvatili zadatak, izveli ga do kraja, a zatim vrlo pažljivo i emotivno čitali što su im vršnjaci napisali. Bilo je vidljivo kako se stvorio osjećaj zadovoljstva kada su vidjeli sve dobre osobine koje se odnose na njih.

Nakon nastave, družila sam se s učenicima i učiteljicama i tijekom pauze za ručak te slobodnog vremena.

Moj radni dan završio je u 14 h, a nakon nastave sam s kolegicama Raquel i Mayte išla u povijesni grad Alcala de Henares – grad koji je upisan pod  UNESCO-vom svjetskom baštinom.

Day 3 – Wednesday, April 15, 2026

The third working day began at 10:30 AM with a meeting involving the principal, the pedagogue, and primary school colleagues regarding the Spanish education system. We compared it to the Croatian primary education system. I also spent time with colleagues from the preschool departments, visited the classrooms, and saw all their projects. They have corners where they practice practical skills—for example, a shop corner and a museum corner. After lunch with colleagues, I held classes in 5th B and 5th A. I showed the students "A Short Story About Emotions," an animated film depicting the most important emotions (fear, anger, shame, happiness). The film was followed by a discussion, after which the students received a task. The activity required everyone to write a few kind words about each other, sharing their positive thoughts about that person. On a worksheet featuring a mirror, they had to write: "This is me!" along with their name. The students took the task very seriously, completed it, and then read what their peers had written very carefully and emotionally. It was clear that a sense of satisfaction emerged when they saw all the positive traits attributed to them.

After classes, I socialized with the students and teachers during the lunch break and free time.

My working day ended at 2:00 PM. After school, I went with my colleagues Raquel and Mayte to the historic city of Alcalá de Henares—a city inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage.

4. dan – Četvrtak, 16.4.2026.

Četvrti radni dan započela sam u 10:30 h, a na redu je bila radionica „Život morskih kornjača u Jadranskom moru – zaštićene životinje“ koja je uključivala prezentaciju i video-materijal. Radionice sam provela prvo u 3. A, a potom u 3. B razredu. U uvodu smo na zemljovidu promatrali Jadransko more i položaj Hrvatske u Europi. Tijekom prezentacije učenici su upoznali koje vrste morskih kornjača žive u Jadranskom moru, njihovu građu i prilagodbu, životni ciklus i razmnožavanje te opasnosti kojima su izložene. Učenici su spoznali i kojim vlastitim postupcima i djelovanjem mogu doprinijeti zaštiti ugrožene životinjske vrste. Učenici su s pozornošću pratili pripremljene sadržaje, bili vrlo zainteresirani, a pokazali i koliko znaju o toj temi. Aktivno su sudjelovali mnogobrojnim pitanjima, posebno nakon prikazanog video materijala koji sam pripremila u suradnji s Hrvatskim prirodoslovnim muzejom.  Završna aktivnost bila je nastavni listić na kojem je trebalo složiti pravilnim redoslijedom životni ciklus morske kornjače. Nakon provedene nastave provela sam još jedan sat kod učiteljice Raquel i njezinih dviju asistentica koje rade s učenicima koji imaju poteškoće u učenju, a zatim smo otišli u školski povrtnjak s učenicima prvog i drugog razreda koji su taj dan bili zaduženi za berbu dozrelih plodova, zalijevanje biljaka, te sadnju novih sadnica. Rad je bio organiziran u grupama, te je svaka grupa učenika sa svojom učiteljicom odrađivala svoj zadatak. Sve se odvijalo pod nadzorom majke koja je predstavnica u Vijeću roditelja. Školski povrtnjak, koji je impresivan, rezultat je suradnje roditelja i škole.

Poslijepodne sam imala razgovor s kolegama i kolegicama iz razredne nastave, o metodologiji rada te sam provela jedan sat u prvom razredu kod mlade kolegice koja je osmislila didaktičke igre i materijale za učenike i primjenjuje grupni oblik rada u kojem učenici prođu sve postaje sa zadacima, od lakših prema težim.

Radni dan mi je završio u 14 h.

Day 4 – Thursday, April 16, 2026

The fourth working day began at 10:30 AM with the workshop "The Life of Sea Turtles in the Adriatic Sea – Protected Animals," which included a presentation and video materials. I conducted the workshops first in 3rd A and then in 3rd B. In the introduction, we looked at the Adriatic Sea and Croatia's position in Europe on a map. During the presentation, the students learned about the species of sea turtles living in the Adriatic Sea, their body structure and adaptations, life cycle, reproduction, and the dangers they face. The students also realized how their own actions and behavior can contribute to the protection of an endangered animal species. They followed the prepared content closely, showed great interest, and demonstrated how much they already knew about the topic. They actively participated with numerous questions, especially after the video material, which I prepared in cooperation with the Croatian Natural History Museum, was shown. The final activity was a worksheet where they had to put the sea turtle's life cycle in the correct order. After class, I spent another hour with teacher Raquel and her two assistants who work with students with learning difficulties. After that, we went to the school vegetable garden with first and second-grade students who were in charge of harvesting ripe produce, watering plants, and planting new seedlings that day. The work was organized in groups, and each group of students completed their task with their teacher. Everything took place under the supervision of a mother who is a representative on the Parents' Council. The school vegetable garden, which is impressive, is the result of cooperation between parents and the school.

In the afternoon, I had a discussion with my primary school colleagues about teaching methodology and spent an hour in a first-grade class with a young colleague. She designed educational games and materials for the students and uses a group work approach where students go through different stations with tasks, ranging from easier to more difficult ones.

My working day ended at 2:00 PM.

5. dan - Petak, 17.4.2026.

Posljednji radni dan počeo je u jutarnjoj smjeni, u 9.00 h. Prisustvovala sam kada se školsko igralište pripremalo za humanitarnu utrku "La Vuelta al Cole", koja se taj dan održavala u školi.  Sudjelovali su svi učenici te škole, od predškolske dobi do 6. razreda, a roditelji i učenici davali su dobrovoljan novčani iznos. Događaj je bio ispunjen nevjerojatnom energijom, zajedništvom i solidarnošću učenika, učitelja i roditelja koji su trčali s istim ciljem – pružiti podršku djeci oboljeloj od leukemije. Sva prikupljena novčana sredstva bila su namijenjena Udruzi za djecu oboljele od leukemije.

Nakon nastave, vrlo sam se emotivno pozdravila s učenicima i svim kolegama i kolegicama, tehničkim osobljem, ravnateljicom škole CEIP, Guernica koja će mi ostati u divnom sjećanju. Zahvalila sam im na dobrodošlici i rekla kako mi je radni tjedan kod njih bilo izuzetno iskustvo te da sam uživala u druženju i radu tijekom tjedna. Učenicima sam uputila veliku pohvalu za aktivnost, a kolegicama na suradnji i pozvala ih da dođu u moju školu. Ravnateljica i moj domaćin Raul Martin uručili su mi certificat o sudjelovanju, te smo obostrano izrazili nadu kako ćemo opet imati priliku za suradnju.

Poslijepodne sam provela u kulturnim aktivnostima i posjetila znameniti El Prado Museum.

Day 5 – Friday, April 17, 2026

The final working day began with the morning shift at 9:00 AM. I was present as the school playground was being prepared for the charity race "La Vuelta al Cole," which took place at the school that day. All the students of the school participated, from preschool age to the 6th grade, and parents and students made voluntary financial contributions. The event was filled with incredible energy, unity, and solidarity among students, teachers, and parents who ran with the same goal—to support children suffering from leukemia. All funds raised were intended for the Association for Children with Leukemia.

After classes, I said a very emotional goodbye to the students, all my colleagues, the support staff, and the principal of the CEIP Guernica school, which will remain a wonderful memory for me. I thanked them for their warm welcome and expressed that my working week with them had been an exceptional experience, and that I truly enjoyed the socialization and work throughout the week. I highly commended the students for their activity, thanked my colleagues for their cooperation, and invited them to visit my school. The principal and my host, Raul Martin, presented me with a certificate of participation, and we mutually expressed our hope for future opportunities to cooperate.

I spent the afternoon engaging in cultural activities and visited the famous El Prado Museum.