School visits and family visits

Week 11 (06/04/16) – Professional and Personal

Between entertaining family members and having to be up at 6 o’clock every morning in order to journey to school via public transport, the past week has been an extremely busy one and unlike any others that I have experienced or will experience during my time in Copenhagen.

Having spent five days in the Danish ‘Folkeskole’, I have gained valuable insights into what I believe to be both positive and negative aspects of the education system in Denmark. Sharpe (2004) claims that professional knowledge is no longer viewed as consisting simply of a standardised, explicit and fixed knowledge base. On the contrary it is, by nature, evolutionary and is changed by experience. Indeed, my experience in Måløvhøj Skole has allowed me to develop my professional knowledge by enabling me to make comparisons with Northern Ireland’s education system and discover transferable strategies that I will be able to use in my lessons at home. Whilst leading small-group work and doing whole-class teaching, I have observed some particularly noteworthy differences; these include the pupil-teacher relationship, discipline and teaching techniques.

Children's artwork displayed in the school corridors

Interactive whiteboard in use in the Kindergarten classroom

The General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (2011) expects teachers to maintain professional relationships with their pupils which respect the pupil as a person and encourage growth and development. This formal relationship has been evident during both of my previous School-Based work experiences and so I immediately noticed a remarkable difference when I began observing lessons in my Danish school. The relationship between teachers and their pupils in Denmark is very informal compared to that in Northern Ireland and I believe that the teacher in the Danish classroom has a much less authoritative role, perhaps partly due to the fact that pupils address teachers using their first names rather than their surnames. Whilst not being seen as equals, students in Denmark are also not looked upon as being inferior and I believe that this more informal relationship has an impact on the discipline that exists within Danish schools. The classroom management strategies in Denmark contrast significantly with what I have seen in schools in Northern Ireland and I was shocked at times by the lack of respect, inattentiveness and unacceptable behaviour that was simply overlooked by the teachers. Another marked difference that I observed was the use of Cooperative Learning, a teaching technique that Li and Lam (2013) believe is particularly advantageous for the development of social skills. Indeed, having actively participated in a cooperative learning activity with a 9^th Grade class (15-16 years of age), I have witnessed the potential of this technique to enable all students, especially those who are more introvert, to contribute to a whole-class discussion. I would definitely consider employing it in my lessons at home, particularly with students with Special Educational Needs who often have difficulties with social interaction in large group contexts.

Wall displays and resources in the Kindergarten classroom

The 'Creative Room' used by Kindergarten children

 

 

 

I have thoroughly enjoyed being immersed in such a contrasting education system and it has been refreshing to observe teaching and learning that is radically different to what I am used to at home; I hope that the professional knowledge and experiences that I have gained will stay with me and serve to enhance my teaching when I return to Northern Ireland.

On top of my school placement this week, it meant the world to me to be able to welcome my family to Copenhagen and show them around for a few days. I had a fantastic time with them and was devastated to have to say goodbye once more; it’s safe to say that I am very excited to see them again in 8 weeks’ time!

 

Reference List

General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (2011) Teaching: the Reflective Profession, Belfast, General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland.

Li, M.P. and Lam, B. H. (2013) Cooperative Learning, available at https://www.ied.edu.hk/aclass/Theories/cooperativelearningcoursewriting_LBH%2024June.pdf (accessed 06/04/16).

Sharpe, R. (2004) ‘How do Professionals Learn and Develop? Implications for Staff and Education Developers’ in D. Baume and P. Kahn (eds) Enhancing Staff and Educational Development, London, Routledge.