Teacher Exchange:
Learning Across Borders at SEK Madrid
By Cecilia Orrego
CDS Upper School Spanish Language Acquisition Teacher
This summer, Carrollwood Day School teacher Cecilia Orrego traveled to SEK Madrid through the Round Square Teacher Exchange Program, gaining new perspectives on international education, language acquisition, collaboration, and student learning while experiencing Spanish culture through the eyes of her host family. In her own words, Cecilia reflects on the people, experiences, and lessons that made her journey so meaningful and the ideas she brought home to share with her students and the CDS community.
This summer, I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in the Round Square Teacher Exchange Program at SEK Madrid in Spain. What began as a professional learning experience quickly became much more than a school visit. It allowed me to observe new approaches to teaching and learning, reflect on my own classroom practices, experience Spanish culture firsthand, and create memories that I will carry with me for years to come.
Learning at SEK Madrid
SEK Madrid is an international IB school serving students from nursery through 12th grade. One of the first things that stood out to me was the diversity of its community. Students come from many different countries and backgrounds, creating a truly international environment. The school places a strong emphasis on bilingual and multilingual education, with English integrated throughout the curriculum and French and German offered as additional languages.
I was particularly interested in observing the Language Acquisition program and the ways in which language learning is integrated into students' daily activities. During my visit, I observed Spanish, English, French, Science, Business, and PYP and MYP classes. I saw teachers use presentations, collaborative activities, games, technology, reading, and real-world communication to actively engage students in their learning.
Another valuable part of the exchange was the opportunity to collaborate and continue conversations with the Language Acquisition teachers at SEK Madrid. Sharing ideas, discussing instructional practices, and learning from their experiences gave me new perspectives that I hope to bring back to my own classroom. These professional connections also created opportunities for continued collaboration beyond my visit.
I also had the opportunity to speak directly with SEK students about their experiences. Hearing their perspectives gave me a more authentic understanding of what it is like to be a student at SEK. They shared their thoughts about the school's learning environment, collaboration, activities, languages, and daily experiences. Listening to students themselves was especially meaningful because it allowed me to see the school not only through the perspective of teachers and administrators, but also through the eyes of the students who experience it every day.
Another aspect of SEK Madrid that impressed me was its open classroom concept. In elementary and middle school, students often learn in large, shared spaces rather than traditional individual classrooms. This structure encourages collaboration among teachers and students and creates opportunities for different classes to interact. In the middle school, students remain together for core subjects while teachers rotate between groups. For subjects such as Music, Art, Foreign Languages, and Physical Education, students may change groups according to their schedules.
The physical environment also contributes to the school's educational philosophy. The classrooms are bright and spacious, with many windows and strong connections to outdoor spaces. The overall design creates a welcoming environment and provides students with opportunities to move, collaborate, and learn in different settings.
One of my greatest takeaways from SEK Madrid was the strong emphasis on collaboration, student independence, authentic communication, and international-mindedness. I returned to Carrollwood Day School with many ideas about how we can continue to encourage meaningful communication, collaborative learning, and authentic language experiences in our classrooms.
Experiencing Madrid Through My Host Family
While the school experience was an important part of the exchange, living with my host family allowed me to experience something equally valuable: everyday life in Spain.
I stayed with Luis and his family—his wife, their two lovely daughters, and their very friendly dog. From the moment I arrived, they welcomed me as part of their family. Rather than simply visiting Spain as a tourist, I had the opportunity to experience Spanish traditions, food, family life, and daily routines alongside people who live there.
After school, Luis and his family took me on walking tours throughout Madrid and introduced me to many of the city's cultural and historical treasures. We visited fairs, explored different neighborhoods, enjoyed traditional foods, and experienced Madrid's vibrant atmosphere together. I was also fortunate to visit a book fair in downtown Madrid with both my host family and members of their extended family. These activities gave me a deeper appreciation for the importance of family, community, and traditions in Spanish culture.
We also hiked in La Guadarrama and visited the Real Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial. Experiencing these historic places with my host family made the visits especially meaningful and gave me a greater appreciation for Spain's rich history.
One of the most unforgettable evenings happened completely unexpectedly. Luis's next-door neighbor sells beautiful flamenco dresses, and one evening she invited us to a special flamenco celebration. We all dressed in authentic flamenco dresses, enjoyed tapas, and celebrated together with music and dancing. I felt as if I were living in a dream. Having been a flamenco dancer in the past, experiencing that evening in Spain was especially emotional for me. It was something I had dreamed of for many years.
Another special memory was going to the theater with my host family to see a play based on El tiempo entre costuras. Afterward, Luis surprised me by giving me the book. It was a thoughtful gift that connected my love of Spanish culture, literature, and language with the experience I was having in Madrid.
A Personal Dream: Amor de Dios
One of the most meaningful moments of my entire trip was visiting Amor de Dios, one of Spain’s most renowned flamenco schools. Walking into the school was an emotional moment for me. I spent hours observing classes, taking in the atmosphere, and reconnecting with a part of myself that has always been connected to flamenco.
At one point, I had the opportunity to meet a very well-known flamenco dancer. I was overwhelmed with emotion and even found myself in tears. Returning to a place so deeply connected to a passion from my past made this encounter especially personal and unforgettable.
More Than a Professional Exchange
When I left for Madrid, I expected to learn about another school's educational practices. I did not expect such a profound personal and cultural impact.
Professionally, I learned a great deal about SEK Madrid's Language Acquisition program, teaching philosophy, collaborative learning environment, and approaches to student engagement. The opportunity to work alongside Language Acquisition teachers, exchange ideas, and hear directly from students gave me a deeper understanding of the school and its educational philosophy. I returned with new ideas that I hope to incorporate into my Spanish classroom, particularly around authentic communication, collaboration, and creating opportunities for students to use language in meaningful contexts.
Personally, I learned that some of the most valuable learning happens outside the classroom. My host family gave me the opportunity to see Spain not simply as a visitor, but as a member of their family. Through them, I experienced traditions, food, history, music, literature, family life, and the warmth of Spanish culture.
From Madrid to Tampa: Continuing the Exchange
The exchange did not end when I returned home. One of the most rewarding parts of the exchange was the opportunity to welcome Luis to Carrollwood Day School as part of the reciprocal Round Square Teacher Exchange Program this past August.
Luis came to Tampa and stayed in my home with my family, just as I had stayed with his family in Madrid. This allowed the exchange to continue on a much deeper level. He was not simply visiting CDS. He became part of our CDS community, connecting with our students and faculty, learning about our school, and discovering American culture firsthand.
During his week at CDS, Luis had an incredible range of opportunities to learn about our school. He met teachers and staff members from ECC, Elementary School, Middle School, and Upper School. He attended meetings, observed lessons, and gave lessons in our Upper School Spanish classes. He also participated in discussions and learning activities in Upper School English classes, allowing our students to learn directly from a Spanish educator and gain another perspective on language, culture, and education.
Luis was given a tour of campus by our Emissaries and had the opportunity to meet with our Head of School, Sara Rubinstein; Director of Global Programs, Mrs. Glover; and several division heads and coordinators. Throughout the week, so many CDS faculty, staff members, and students had the opportunity to meet him, ask questions, exchange ideas, and learn about SEK Madrid.
At the same time, Luis had the chance to discover what makes CDS special. He saw our classrooms and learning environments firsthand, learned about our programs and educational philosophy, and saw the energy of our community. The exchange became a two-way opportunity for learning: I had learned from SEK Madrid, and now Luis was learning from CDS. Our students and colleagues also benefited from having an international educator among us and hearing directly about life and education in Spain.
Beyond the school, we wanted Luis to experience life in the Tampa Bay area and American culture outside the classroom. We visited different places around the area, enjoyed traditional American foods, and even attended a baseball game. These experiences gave him a taste of American life while creating memories with my family and our CDS community.
The week concluded with an important meeting with Mrs. Glover to discuss how we can continue and expand the relationship between SEK Madrid and Carrollwood Day School. What began as a teacher exchange was already becoming something much larger.
Looking Toward the Future
One of the most exciting outcomes of this exchange is that the relationship between SEK Madrid and CDS will continue to grow. We are already looking ahead to next year's exchange, when a CDS student will have the opportunity to travel to SEK Madrid and a SEK Madrid student will come to CDS for a week.
The possibilities created by this partnership are incredibly exciting. What started with two teachers sharing classrooms and ideas has opened the door to opportunities for students, faculty, and staff from both schools to learn from one another. Through future exchanges, students will have the chance to experience another educational system, practice languages in authentic environments, develop international friendships, and gain a deeper understanding of another culture.
I am grateful to Carrollwood Day School, SEK Madrid, Mrs. Rubinstein and Mrs. Glover, my host family, the Language Acquisition teachers, and everyone who made this experience possible. I look forward to continuing to collaborate with my colleagues at SEK, sharing what I learned with my CDS colleagues and students, and bringing a little bit of Spain back to our CDS community.
Cecilia Orrego
MYP/DP IB Language B Teacher
You can read more about global programs at Carrollwood Day School here.