Homeward Bound

Week 18 (23/05/16) – Personal, Professional and Cultural

As I begin writing this final blog, I feel the same sense of unbelief that I experienced when we landed in Denmark on the 18^th January 2016. Time has moved so rapidly and I cannot believe that, after living here for four months, our way of life that has become so familiar will soon be nothing but a distant, albeit happy, memory.  I have been inspired by the many places we have seen during this time and now have a newfound desire to travel to more new places in the not too distant future. As Palin (2016, np.) notes, “Once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote, and I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life.”

On Wednesday evening, we visited one of Copenhagen’s most iconic tourist attractions, Tivoli Gardens, the second-oldest operating amusement park in the world. After exploring the gardens, we decided to go on the ‘Rutschebane’, one of the world’s oldest wooden rollercoasters. Indeed, sitting beside Naomi as the tears streamed down her face and she gripped my hand as hard as she could will forever be one of my funniest memories from Copenhagen!

Tivoli Gardens by night

Naomi 'enjoying' the rollercoaster

After our last service at church yesterday, those who so warmly welcomed us when we first arrived wished us well for the future; it was sad to say goodbye and I know that it will be even harder tomorrow evening to leave Life Group for the final time and bid farewell to so many special people who have supported and encouraged us during our time in Denmark. As I reflect on how thankful I am for these people and how glad I am to have met them, Randolf’s (2016, np.) words are especially relevant: “Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave and impossible to forget.”

First International Baptist Church, Copenhagen

Participating in the Erasmus programme has also contributed to the development of my competences as a student in Initial Teacher Education. Throughout my time in university, as well as various school visits, I have reflected on many of the values and competences outlined by the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (GTCNI) (2011) such the importance of using a range of teaching strategies and resources (Competence 20) and the onus that rests on the teacher to plan lessons that will motivate and meet the needs of all pupils (Competence 21). I also believe that I have developed a broader understanding of the nature and purposes of education (Competence 2) and am now more aware of the centrality of reflective practice within the teaching profession. The GTCNI (2011) emphasise, however, that the competences are not to be viewed as a set of discrete skills; rather, “…the acquisition of any competence should be seen on a continuum reflecting the dynamic interplay between the nature of professional knowledge and the opportunities afforded to teachers by the context of their school and professional lives...” (GTCNI, 2011, p. 11). Indeed, I am grateful for the opportunity that has been afforded to me through the Erasmus Programme and I believe that it has served to enhance my professional development by allowing me to connect the knowledge I have gained to the teacher competences and better understand how they can be applied to the classroom.

I have had a wonderful time here in Copenhagen and, inspired by all of the places I have visited and the people I have met, I am truly thankful for the entire experience. I am excited for what our last week will entail and, of course, for the reunion that will ensue in Dublin on Saturday! On that note, I feel it is appropriate to end with the famous words of Baum (1900, np.); in spite of the unforgettable experience I have had and the memories I will treasure forever, I can say with certainty that “There’s no place like home.” For the last time, farvel!

Reference List

Baum, L. F. (1900) The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, George M. Hill Company.

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

Palin. M. (2016) Goodreads, available at http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/346814-once-the-travel-bug-bites-there-is-no-known-antidote (accessed 23/05/16).

Randolf, G. (2016) Goodreads, available at http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/562151-truly-great-friends-are-hard-to-find-difficult-to-leave (accessed 23/05/16).