During the week of November 4. 2025 we spent our time in a school in Soverato, more specifically in the Istituto d’Istruzione Superior “Guarasci-Calabretta“, or shorter the ISS. The fifth Administration finance and marketing classes focused on financial topics related to company reporting and profit analysis. These lessons helped us better understand how businesses track their financial performance through documents such as the profit and loss statement and the balance sheet.
On November 4. 2025 the lesson was a section 5c AFM, a part of a CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) session about financial reporting. The teacher, Maria Muskara, guided the students through the concepts of annual reporting and financial statements. The class listened to materials that explained the statements of profit, loss, and the balance sheet. During the listening activity, the teachers asked questions about the balance sheet and its key components, including the active and passive sides. The students reviewed financial structures from previous lectures and participated actively in discussions. One volunteer even presented data on the whiteboard, reinforcing understanding through visual explanation. After that our mentor Erika explained how every company is looking for students who understand economics and that not many people apply for this job.
The next hour, the class continued with the same theme, focusing on the profit and loss statement. Teacher Maria led the lesson and explained that profit results from the difference between revenues and expenses. The students practiced identifying these financial elements and discussed how companies use them to assess performance and make business decisions. This session built directly on the concepts introduced in the previous class. In the other half of the class, the teacher tested the students’ understanding of finances and the balance sheet.
Overall, these two lessons strengthened students’ understanding of financial documents in English. They improved both economic vocabulary and comprehension skills, while showing how financial statements are essential tools.
Later on, our mentor Erika took us to the second part of the school. The school is divided into two buildings because the first one has been under renovation for the past two years. Erika told us that it’s been quite chaotic, as teachers constantly have to move from one building to another.
When we arrived, Erika first introduced us to the school president, who greeted us very kindly. Then we visited the classrooms on the first floor, which were quite different from those in Slovenia. She explained that the classrooms are very old-fashioned, and that this is a common problem in Italy. After that, we explored the rest of the school, which was really interesting. We met many teachers who guided us around and talked about their work.
The whole day was very enjoyable, and we met many new people. The teachers here are extremely helpful and friendly. The dress code and school system are a bit stricter than in Slovenia, but the students are very friendly and welcoming, which we honestly didn’t expect. We learned a lot about Italian culture and how their school system works.
Authors: Marko and Valentin (Slovenian students)
