Job shadowing for teachers in Bordeaux, programme coordinator with over 20 years of teaching experience in the French national education system
Erasmus+ mobility in Bordeaux

Job shadowing for teachers in Bordeaux

Job shadowing should not be a passive school visit. Our programmes help teachers observe, question, compare and transfer ideas back to their own school, guided by real teaching experience.

European Teachers organises structured job shadowing for teachers in Bordeaux as part of our Erasmus teacher training courses and mobility programmes. Our Erasmus job shadowing programmes combine professional observation, pedagogical briefings, reflective workshops and meetings with education professionals, so that every observation turns into practical ideas for your own classroom.

Your institution can apply for an Erasmus+ KA1 grant, so it may cover travel, accommodation and the fees of your job shadowing programme through the grant.

What job shadowing means under Erasmus+

Under Erasmus+, job shadowing is a period spent in a host organisation to learn new practices through observation and interaction, with a clearly identified mentor. It is a distinct format from training courses and teaching assignments, and it works best when the observation is prepared, guided and analysed.

That is exactly how we build our programmes: not anonymous mass placements, but a realistic, structured mobility designed around your objectives, your dates and your group size.

Our approach: observe, reflect, transfer

Observing a school is useful only if teachers know what to look for, how to analyse it, and how to transfer ideas back to their own context. Each observation is therefore prepared and followed by a pedagogical clinic: what did we see, what does it mean, what can be transferred, and what would need to be adapted first?

Before, during and after each observation, participants work through key questions: What should we look at? What does this practice reveal about the French system? What can be adapted? What would need to change before being transferred to another country?

Possible themes for your observation pathway

Rather than a generic visit, we build your programme around a pedagogical objective. Current pathways include:

Inclusive education and wellbeing
Digital education and AI
Language teaching and multilingual classrooms
Early childhood and neuroscience
Vocational education and training
School leadership and Erasmus+ project management

What a week can include

A typical five day programme in Bordeaux, adapted to your group profile and objectives:

Monday

Orientation and observation framework

Welcome, Erasmus+ objectives, observation grid, introduction to the French education system and to the Bordeaux context.

Tuesday

Thematic workshops and professional meetings

Workshops on inclusion, digital education, languages, early childhood or vocational training, depending on the profile of the group.

Wednesday

Guided observation or professional visit

Possible visit to an educational structure, a training centre, an association or a place of learning, or observation in a partner organisation depending on availability.

Thursday

Comparative analysis

What participants observed, comparison with their own country, transferability and limits, guided by our coordinator.

Friday

Transfer plan and Erasmus+ documentation

Action plan, dissemination, Europass mobility document, certificate of attendance and possible cooperation paths.

Guided by a former French national education teacher

Our job shadowing programmes are coordinated by an experienced educator who worked for more than 20 years as a teacher in the French national education system. This background allows us to offer more than logistical support: we help participants understand the French school context, decode what they observe and connect it to their own professional reality.

Not just access to schools: interpretation, context and transfer. She helps you understand why things are organised the way they are, what belongs to the French system, what depends on the individual school, and what can realistically be adapted in your own country.

School visits and partner organisations, subject to availability

School or organisation visits may be included depending on availability, group profile and calendar. When a formal job shadowing placement with an identified mentor is required for your Erasmus+ project, we confirm the host organisation and mentor before validation.

Because meaningful job shadowing depends on the participant profile, school calendar and availability of local mentors, each programme is confirmed individually. We do not offer anonymous mass placements. We build a realistic programme according to your objectives, dates and group size.

Who it is for

Teachers of all levels, headteachers, school leaders and Erasmus+ coordinators who want a professional observation experience in Bordeaux with genuine pedagogical value. Discover why Bordeaux is an ideal city for your mobility and who we are.

Documents provided

  • Europass mobility document
  • Learning agreement and evaluation form
  • Certificate of attendance
  • Any additional documentation required by your national agency

Frequently asked questions about job shadowing in Bordeaux

What is job shadowing under Erasmus+?

Under Erasmus+, job shadowing is a period spent in a host organisation to learn new practices through observation and interaction, with a clearly identified mentor. It is a distinct format from training courses and teaching assignments.

Do you guarantee a placement in a French school?

No serious provider can promise that honestly. Each programme is confirmed individually according to your objectives, dates and group size. When a formal job shadowing placement with an identified mentor is required, we confirm the host organisation and mentor before validation.

Who coordinates the job shadowing programmes?

An experienced educator who worked for more than 20 years as a teacher in the French national education system. She helps participants prepare their observation, understand the French school context and build a realistic transfer plan.

Can our job shadowing mobility be funded by Erasmus+?

Your institution can apply for an Erasmus+ KA1 grant, so it may cover travel, accommodation and the fees of your job shadowing programme through the grant. We provide the documents you need for your application.

Can we combine job shadowing with a teacher training course?

Yes. Many groups combine an observation programme with a short training session in Bordeaux. Tell us your objectives through our plan a mobility page and we will build a realistic combined programme.

What documents do participants receive?

A Europass mobility document, a learning agreement and evaluation form, a certificate of attendance, and any additional documentation required by your national agency.

Ready to build your programme?

Plan your job shadowing mobility

Tell us your objectives, dates and group size through our plan a mobility page, or contact us first with any question. We reply within two working days.

Plan a mobility