Eva Černošová

From June 8–13, 2025, I had the opportunity, thanks to Erasmus+, to take part in a week of job shadowing at the Franciscan secondary school Franziskus-Gymnasium Wels, a prestigious eight-year grammar school in Austria. Both students and teachers value their position, and I appreciated the combination of a modern environment and approach with the continuity of traditional grammar school education. This was evident both linguistically—teachers are always addressed as “Frau Professor” or “Herr Professor”—and in their professional commitment.
Classrooms are modern and well-equipped, with up to 25 students per class. Seminar groups are smaller, as in our schools; for example, Latin lessons in the 7th year were attended by just 9 students. The most striking difference I noticed was the great independence and responsibility of students in the learning process. They did not use mobile phones at all (unless allowed by the teacher) and did not disrupt lessons. Their motivation was incomparable—it was clear they truly wanted to learn!
Interestingly, this motivation did not correspond to the teaching methods. In our schools we use far more activating and interactive methods, which I had also expected in Austria. Instead, frontal teaching with textbooks (both printed and digital) or worksheets clearly prevailed. I must note, however, that the textbooks I reviewed were of very high quality—especially in history, where such resources would be very welcome.
This stay brought me plenty of inspiration: realizations of what could be done differently, but also the awareness of what we already do well. I am very grateful for such an experience and happy to share my reflections. Erasmus+ is an excellent opportunity to broaden one’s horizons. I am thankful for it and would wish such a chance for everyone.