When choosing my courses to study in Austria, I was excited when I saw that I would have the opportunity to complete a practice placement in an Austrian primary school. I had always wanted to gain work experience in a different education system, and my semester abroad provided the perfect opportunity! The course entailed me visiting an Austrian primary school and teaching first graders (children aged six) English.  

Before starting my placement, I thought that Austrian primary schools would be similar to Scottish primary schools, considering that both countries are in Europe. However, during my placement, I was shocked by just how different the Austrian education system is from the Scottish education system. Some of the differences I observed were: 

• Austrian primary schools typically begin at 10:00. and finish at 13:00, so pupils only attend school for three hours! This contrasts with the Scottish education system, where pupils attend school for six hours from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
• In Austria, pupils refer to their teacher by their first name rather than “Ms. or Mr. *second name*”. 
• Pupils who attend Austrian public schools do not wear uniforms and dress very casually; the majority of pupils do not even wear shoes and instead wear slippers, which completely contrasts with the formal school uniforms worn by Scottish pupils. 
• Austrian pupils have to supply all of their own school materials and bring them to school everyday. This means that pupils bring huge backpacks to school each day, packed with every art supply you can think of, which look particularly funny on the younger pupils, who are the same size as their backpack! 

However, I actually feel that these differences were what made my experience so positive, as they allowed me to experience an entirely different education system than the one I am accustomed to. 

Overall, I can easily say that this opportunity was the most valuable experience of my entire semester abroad and reminded me of why I not only decided to study abroad but also why I am studying to become a teacher. It has given me a fresh perspective on teaching and inspired my practice for future placements back home in Scotland. 

-Amy, Go Abroad Ambassador 2023/24