Claudia Rodríguez

Born in Mallorca and raised by a family of educators, Claudia Rodríguez pursued her degree in Spanish Language and Literature at the University of Barcelona. After working as a researcher at the University of the Balearic Islands, she embarked on the adventure of moving to London. She had always aspired to teach in a cosmopolitan city with some of the best schools in the world. During her ten years in London, she taught at two of Britain's most successful institutions, Highgate School and Latymer Upper School, where she also served as Deputy Head of Spanish. Following the pandemic, life brought her back to Mallorca, and she has worked as Head of Languages and Directora Técnica for the past four years at another International School. Claudia has always had a strong interest in Scandinavian teaching methodologies.

RWIS represents what Claudia has always sought in a school: a prestigious British curriculum, the latest Scandinavian pedagogical approaches, and a wonderful Spanish setting. She is completely aligned with the school ethos, advocating for an integral and holistic approach to education. She strives not only for academic excellence but also for the development of well-rounded individuals as active agents of change. To achieve this, she aims to include, in every lesson, a diversity of skills and values which she calls habits of the Head, Heart, and Hand. All her lessons promote independence, critical thinking, collaboration, acceptance of others, and courage. The value that attracted her the most about RWIS is Drive. She believes it is drive, rather than innate talent, that is the key to success. With drive, determination, and grit, all students can learn a language. She trains her students to be perseverant and hardworking, always reminding them of what Pablo Picasso once said: “Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.”

Claudia’s planning is innovative, stimulating, and tailored to the needs of individual students. She includes activities that challenge them to think critically and promote lifelong learning habits such as teamwork, resilience, or courage. She also makes the most of e-Learning platforms to reinforce learning and promote engagement. Effective Assessment for Learning is a common practice in her lessons: active questioning, mini-plenaries, and formative marking prompt her students to self-reflect and learn from their mistakes. She has excellent classroom management skills. "Firm, fair, and fun" are the core values of her teaching style. Inclusive education is her goal.

The aspect of her job that she enjoys the most is interaction with young people. Thus, she has always been involved in school life outside the classroom. She envisions RWIS as a strong school community where not only excellent language learning is promoted, but also the local and Hispanic culture, through a wide range of activities. These include cultural celebrations, visits to the Town Hall, museums, radio stations, school exchanges, debating competitions, drama plays, and, of course, language trips. These activities enhance the personal growth and wellbeing of students, and she would like to involve the whole school community (parents, teachers, and students alike) in such events.

Equally important to her teaching is the academic rigour and excellent subject knowledge. She holds high expectations for all her students, and the targets she sets are realistic but ambitious. This approach has allowed her students to consistently achieve top grades and Oxbridge entries. However, she seeks to strike the right balance between rigorous exam preparation and inspiring students to become well-rounded individuals. This ethos has driven her to implement the latest pedagogical approaches such as project-based learning, skill-focused teaching or Global Citizen values. She takes a similar approach in her pastoral duties, encouraging empathy and resilience through social interactions, shared perceptions, and sense humour. Claudia aims to bring her expertise, drive, and values to RWIS and contribute to the holistic education of tomorrow's citizens.