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In January and February this year, two student teachers from Universidad Pontificia Comillas in Madrid swapped pleasant Spanish temperatures for the frost of Central Europe. In Pilsen, the Czech Republic, they completed five weeks of teaching practice in schools where instruction is usually conducted in a language unfamiliar to them. Mariam joined classes at the František Křižík Primary School, while Clara worked at the university kindergarten.

They tried to communicate with children and teaching staff in English, sometimes in Spanish, and at times only through gestures or smiles. At the primary school, Mariam taught English lessons and took part in art classes and practical activities. As a result, children encountered a foreign language from a non-native speaker and even in contexts where they would not normally expect it. “I felt very free and understood by all the teachers. They consistently asked for my opinion and gave me the freedom to decide whether or not to lead activities. I always chose to participate,” said Mariam Estela Crespo Sánchez.

At the kindergarten, things were initially more difficult for Clara. Young children did not speak English. Patience, therefore, played an even greater role. “I decided to go abroad because I wanted to experience something different and not just stick to the usual. I thought that doing my internship abroad would help me grow a lot, not only as a future teacher but also as a person,” shared Clara Rodríguez Salido.

“Future teachers must be open to new cultures and to the diversity of pupils. The best way to learn is to experience it,” said Tereza Havránková, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen and coordinator of international teaching placements.

A Wellbeing journal as a space for development

Within the EUPeace Alliance, which brings together nine universities across seven European countries, a Wellbeing Journal was created for future teachers participating in international internships. The journal is a collective initiative developed within the EUPeace Alliance as part of Work Package 3 focusing on the internationalisation of teacher education. The initiative is coordinated by Sandrine Simon (University of Limoges), Wiebke Nierste (Justus Liebig University Giessen), and Teresa Ting (University of Calabria). Tereza Havránková (University of West Bohemia) and Vincent Enrico (University of Limoges) contribute as co-authors and will present this work together at the conference in New York. This structured diary accompanies students from the moment they start packing their suitcase to the final reflection. It asks about fears, first impressions, small cultural shocks, and moments when one feels lost. “Little by little, I understood that I needed to trust my own abilities and my past experiences in order to face this challenge, which scared me especially because I was going to live it alone, in a country where I did not even speak the language,” Mariam described her concerns before travelling to the Czech Republic.
Although the journal was used by the Spanish students during their stay in Pilsen, they represent only one group of participants. The Wellbeing Journal is intended for student teachers across EUPeace partner universities who take part in international placements and document their professional and personal experiences during their mobility.
It is precisely this journal, kept emotionally by the two Spanish students throughout their five weeks in Pilsen, that Tereza Havránková and Vincent Enrico will present at the international conference in New York.

“For the alliance, we will introduce how the diary was created, the students' initial experiences, and plans for further analysis. The analysis of the diary entries will serve to improve the experience of foreign interns, but also the schools that accept them," said Havránková.

The school's feedback on both Spanish trainee teachers has been extremely positive so far. “I see the main benefit in the long-term nature of the cooperation. The children got used to her; she attended the first stage regularly, teaching English and Spanish, and also had observation lessons. When she didn’t come one day because she was needed elsewhere, the children immediately asked where Mariam was and why she wasn’t teaching that day,” evaluated the five weeks with Mariam her teaching supervisor Ondřej Němeček from František Křižík Primary School.

Ondřej Němeček also appreciated that the international project focuses on the well-being of young teachers, something he actively works on himself. “I try to do all my work at work and keep work at home to a minimum. So far, it’s working. Setting a clear boundary between work and home is my basic prevention against burnout,” he said.  The model, developed by the alliance of nine universities and described in detail in The Teacher Handbook, aims to create a deeper connection between schools and universities. “The goal is to build a network of schools in the region that will host international trainees regularly, while also opening doors for Czech students to go to partner countries,” explained Tereza Havránková.

The Teacher Handbook serves as a guide to incorporating EUPeace values into the preparation of future teachers—namely, justice, peace, and the much-discussed issue of inclusion in education. “For me, peace, justice, and inclusion mean that all children should feel safe, respected, and valued, no matter where they come from, how they are, or what difficulties they have. In a classroom, there should be an environment where nobody feels less than others,” said the Spanish student Clara.

Going abroad and back again

As early as March, five students from the French university in Limoges will arrive at a primary school in Chrást, where they will mainly teach English. In the next academic year, the first group of students from the University of West Bohemia will also head abroad to EUPeace partner schools. “Personally, I was impressed by the system at Comillas. Students are strongly encouraged to take part in international placements, and they have a well-developed network of schools. At the Faculty of Education at the University of West Bohemia, we have now also clearly defined the conditions for recognising international practice, so students know what to expect and do not worry that their credits will not be acknowledged,” she explained.

“Not all future teachers can spend a semester abroad. But everyone should encounter another language, a different teaching approach, a different experience during their studies. This can also be passed on through online meetings or short-term placements,” she concluded.