Classroom and heritage: when the school is the only place that shows the world to children

PalmIn Magaluf, surrounded by apartments, tourist bars, and hotels, students who live there could go their entire lives without ever recognizing Galatzó, the Tramuntana mountain range, or the history hidden behind Palma's old streets. This is the reality for many children in the Balearic Islands: they live confined to their neighborhoods, unaware of the island's culture and heritage, and depend on school to show them the world around them. "Many never venture beyond Portopí," summarizes Marilena Suau, the principal of CEIP Cas Saboners. The school tries to mitigate this inequality, but it can't always succeed. "This lack of awareness isn't new, but it's much more widespread now," explains Guillem Barceló, a social studies teacher at IES Santa Margalida. He recalls how, in the 1980s, some students had never been to Palma's seafront promenade or the Serra de Tramuntana mountains; today, in his experience, this is the norm. "In high school, there are people who don't know what the Seu is. They may have been there, but they don't recognize it." The key, she says, is that many students are first- or second-generation non-natives, and their contact with cultural role models at home is limited, with families who haven't always been able to support or guide them in their integration process. This gap is addressed by schools through outings, cultural activities, and traditional festivals. Maria Antònia Reynés, a teacher at IES Antoni Maura, emphasizes the importance of experiential learning: "The curriculum isn't enough. Students need to experience the culture: participate in festivals, attend events, go on excursions... This is much more effective than theory," she argues. The teachers at Antoni Maura organize scavenger hunts through Palma's Gothic Quarter, outings, and activities that, more than teaching facts, aim to awaken a sense of belonging and curiosity in a school with a high percentage of foreign students.

At CEIP Na Peñón (Cala Millor), many students have never left the town. "Even in Palma, there are children who have never crossed the ring road. In preschool, we take trips to Son Real or the mountains, and in primary school, we go to Palma Aquarium. But it's expensive, and sometimes we can only manage one trip a year," laments Catalina Oliver, a teacher at the school. Suave agrees. According to her, almost 100% of the students at Cas Saboners have no connection to Mallorca. "We try to instill Mallorcan culture in them with festivals, fritters, trips to Valldemossa, overnight stays in Lluc, or at Galatzó," she says. The school is creative in overcoming its shortcomings: they use digital resources, show photos of landscapes, and develop vocabulary to prepare the children so they can follow the activities, even if they have never seen what they are going to learn.

Professionals agree that, despite their efforts, logistical and economic difficulties persist. In this regard, Barceló explains that buses are needed to visit the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range: "Each trip costs a fortune. Besides, the students aren't used to hiking in the mountains and get tired; we have to motivate them." Oliver, for his part, emphasizes the symbolic value of the excursions: "When we take children to see the landscape, the villages, or the heritage sites, we're opening up a world for them that they would otherwise never see," he says. However, the price of the buses is a deterrent, and therefore, the sources consulted are urging the Department of Education to use its influence to promote an agreement with transportation companies. With the support of the Serra de Tramuntana Consortium, schools such as IES Sineu, Guillem Sagrera, and CEIP El Terreno have been able to carry out Service-Learning (SL) activities in the mountains.

Engaged and curious students

Generally, the schools employ creative strategies to generate cultural and heritage experiences both inside and outside the classroom. Traditional festivals such as Saint Anthony's Day, Christmas, and rosaries, among others, serve to introduce students to local gastronomy, music, and rituals. Teachers combine theoretical explanations with practical activities: children learn to make crespells (a type of pastry) and recognize landscape features, whenever possible, in person. "They like discovering things. The less they know, the more motivated they are to learn," Reynés emphasizes. Teamwork and interaction with the environment are also encouraged: excursions, visits to archaeological sites, and guided tours of Palma, among other activities, offer knowledge that screens cannot convey. "It's a painful struggle, but it's worth it. Students need to visit towns that aren't their own and walk the streets of Palma. This helps them develop a sense of belonging and awareness of who they are and the role they play in society," Barceló affirms.

Difficulties don't disappear with willpower: socioeconomic barriers and a lack of transportation make every activity more expensive. Suave recalls how they used to use the TIB (Balearic Islands Transport Network) to go to Palma; now, however, limitations mean they can only organize excursions with small groups. "They tell us we can only have a maximum of 17 people per bus, but that's not even a group," she complains. At Cas Saboners, they used to have three outings per term. Now, only one. This year, among other activities, a group of students will visit the Fonts Ufanes (Ufanes Fountains). And, as every year, the school will go down to Palma to see the nativity scenes and have hot chocolate.

At a time when society is changing rapidly and cultural touchstones have become scattered, educational centers are a meeting point between past and future, between roots and new generations. Outings, parties, hands-on activities, and creative work in the classroom not only compensate for a lack of knowledge: they help children to love, recognize, and protect the environment around them. And it is precisely this daily, often unspoken effort that keeps the connection to their land alive for many young people.