The third day at school and we are getting an idea of what is going on. We are job shadowing different teachers in various subjects the whole day and there are some things that catch our attention as regards to organizing school work, lessons and methodology.

This is a massive school with 2000 students taught in two buildings. The groups are small, though, from 15 to 28 students. So you can imagine the number of classrooms and corridors! Both students and teachers find it difficult to study the daily timetable to know where to go next. Luckily there are assistants to let them into classrooms and to tell them where to go. School buildings are quite large, partly like a complicated labyrinth. The cage-like staff room does not advance co-operation between teachers and does not invite any real job-related discussion.
When following different lessons, we were a little taken aback by continuous interruptions of various kind. The exams - test di recupero - were held in the same classroom with the ongoing lessons. We started to wonder whether students and learning were not the key issue. It seems that disturbances prove disrespect for teaching and learning processes. Barren classrooms without sound-proof panels, curtains, and good seats affect students' concentration and performance - let alone wide open windows letting in traffic noise due to lack of proper ventilation.

Despite all this, we think that students' dedication to maintain the high level of involvement in debates and classroom discussions was very impressive, i.e. they do want to learn and participate. Their enthusiasm disarms us. Italian schools and teachers' choice of traditional methodology produces working outcome.