Our practice took place at Realskole in Haderslev. Lynn and I observed Lisbeth Thompson for twelve hours. Lisbeth is an English and music teacher in the school.
About the English lessons.
Lisbeth uses a lot of songs when she’s teaching. The expressive aspect is looked up to a lot in Denmark. Even in the English lessons.
In the third year, the year where they start learning English, she uses a three or four songs to start the day. This way, they learn to say hello, their name, the name of their body parts,… The basic is taught in this grade. At the end of the year, the students know all the colors, all of the body parts and how to name their relatives.
The content is taught in a playful manner. The pupils don’t have to write anything down. They practice the speaking of the language first, by playing a lot of games. That way, they learn, without them even knowing.
In the fifth year, they know how to write in the English language too. Even here and in the years to come, they use a lot of expressive aspects to get the message across.
The lessons are all build up into a theme. The theme these pupils were working on was: ‘The wild west.’ Again, every time before starting the class, they sang the song: ‘Ooh, Susannah’. The new vocabulary is integrated in the song, so the children practice it every time they sing it.
The children learned how to describe a person and made a WANTED-poster.
The sixth year shocked me the most. These pupils are hitting puberty, and it shows. I was shocked by the lack of respect towards their teacher and towards each other. In Belgium, the pupils are taught to respect one another, no matter how different they are.
Lisbeth told us that she has had this class for a few years now, and that it will be her last year teaching them. She feels exhausted by them, and has tried everything.
Even with those feelings towards this class, she gives them fun and exciting projects to work with. Their theme of the English lessons was Scotland. They all read stories about Camelot, King Arthur,… and presented them in groups.
For the last week and a half, they were divided into clans. Each clan had to design a crest and a tartan, come up with a motto and write a story about their history. Because this is a difficult class, it’s hard for them to work together as a group. In Belgium, I wouldn’t give a fun project like this in a difficult class. They would just get the theory in a dry matter. If they prove to me that they can behave, respect me and each other, I would give them another chance.
In the end, it all came together and they each had a beautiful result.
About the music lessons
‘Wauw’, was my first thought when I walked into the music room. I saw a drum set, guitars, a piano, three keyboards, djembes. In Belgium, we don’t have a special room to teach music.
The students were practicing for their spring concert, which takes place in the week of the 26th of april. The theme of the concert is Kim Larsen. Each class has prepared a song, written by him.
They play all of the instruments themselves. I’m really impressed by that! In Belgium, we couldn’t realize this in our classes, because we don’t have any real education in music. That’s why having a music teacher is an advantage!
About my experience in general.
In my opinion, the Danish school system has got it pro’s and con’s.
I think that in Belgium, our focus is too much on the cognitive skills of our student. We don’t really let them be kids. On the other hand, our children are more mature then the Danes in their behavior, when they have to be. I know it sounds contradicting, but our pupils know the value of respect, which most pupils in Denmark lack. To be perfectly honest, I don’t think I would enjoy teaching in Denmark.
Another topic that I want to discuss, is the amount of teachers for each class. In Belgium, from the age of 2,5 until the age of 12, the pupils have one teacher each year. This teacher is responsible for every subject in that classroom (except for P.E.). A good thing about that is that the teacher becomes a confidant for his or her pupils. They know the kinds trough and trough, and can respond to their special needs.
One teacher gives the students some stability too. Especially in the lower grades, the children need consistency. They need to know what is expected from them and where the boundaries are. If one class has different teachers, and each teacher has different expectances from them, they don’t know the difference between night and day anymore.
On the other hand, a disadvantage of our system is that the teacher isn’t specialized in one subject. For instance, I could never teach music like Lisbeth does. My knowledge doesn’t reach that far. I don’t enjoy teaching music, so therefore, it is the first subject to drop when another lesson isn’t finished. That’s a pity because the young children are still very musical and it needs to be nourished.
I love the way the expressive aspect is integrated in each subject. It helps the students to be more creative and expressive in their own being. They have more courage to perform something in front of a group, even learn how to speak in front of a large group.
I got some new ideas of how I can use this aspect in my own teaching, and I will certainly do so.
What am I definitely going to take back with me to Belgium?
I will certainly use of the my experiences and knowledge of the Danish system back to Belgium. For example:
o put the child first
o try to integrate expressive aspects in as many subjects as possible
o challenge the children to think for themselves
o respect the children’s ability to think for themselves (within boundaries)
o demand respect, but give it back
o your own school system isn’t that bad ;-)
About Me
- Stefanie
- Hello everyone! My name is Stefanie and I am an Erasmus student in Denmark for the following three months.
Off we go!
Friday, April 23, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Comparative studies
The biggest chunk in our schedule must have been the comparative studies with Iben.
I must say I really enjoyed these lessons! I love it when people dare you to be critical about what’s happening around you and challenge you to think for yourself. Iben did that in almost every lesson.
The lessons within comparative studies have a wide range.
It started with the comparison between the Danish school system and the system in your own country, and ended with looking at pictures from a teacher’s point of view and telling what you saw in it. It is not surprising that these lessons were different for every person. Every experience leaves a different impression in each person. By listening to other people’s opinions, you start to look at your own from a critical point of view. Why is it that I think this, but another one doesn’t share my opinion? I love it when people challenge me to look at my opinion differently.
I just want to say this last thing: Keep the comparative studies for the Erasmus years to come!
I must say I really enjoyed these lessons! I love it when people dare you to be critical about what’s happening around you and challenge you to think for yourself. Iben did that in almost every lesson.
The lessons within comparative studies have a wide range.
It started with the comparison between the Danish school system and the system in your own country, and ended with looking at pictures from a teacher’s point of view and telling what you saw in it. It is not surprising that these lessons were different for every person. Every experience leaves a different impression in each person. By listening to other people’s opinions, you start to look at your own from a critical point of view. Why is it that I think this, but another one doesn’t share my opinion? I love it when people challenge me to look at my opinion differently.
I just want to say this last thing: Keep the comparative studies for the Erasmus years to come!
Storytellers - (not so) Danish literature and film
During our first two weeks in Denmark, we had two lessens of Danish lit and film.
Again, I was really looking forward to these lessons, because I’m very interested in literature. In Flemish, we have a saying: ‘Op je honger blijven zitten.’, which means that you are not satisfied because you had higher expectations than what happened in real life.
I thought it would be more theoretical, that we would be given some texts which we then had to analyze. Sadly enough, we were given a few words about Denmark’s culture and got the assignment of making a short presentation about our country.
We talked for a short time about Karen Blixen and then saw a movie about her life. I think it’s a pity that we haven’t learned more about her books, maybe read some sections of it and then discussed it. Okay, we now know about her life, but not about her style of writing.
The week after, we all presented our country and our city to each other.
I didn’t want to get my hopes up, but I still expected that we would learn more about Karen Blixen. Nope, I was wrong again. This time, we watched a movie about H.C. Anderson. Again, we didn’t discuss any of his fairy tales, even though everyone knows them. We watched half a movie about his life. I didn’t really learn something interesting about Denmark or Danish literature and film.
In fact, during these three months, I learned more about the countries of the other Erasmus students than about my host country. I think that’s sad.
Again, I was really looking forward to these lessons, because I’m very interested in literature. In Flemish, we have a saying: ‘Op je honger blijven zitten.’, which means that you are not satisfied because you had higher expectations than what happened in real life.
I thought it would be more theoretical, that we would be given some texts which we then had to analyze. Sadly enough, we were given a few words about Denmark’s culture and got the assignment of making a short presentation about our country.
We talked for a short time about Karen Blixen and then saw a movie about her life. I think it’s a pity that we haven’t learned more about her books, maybe read some sections of it and then discussed it. Okay, we now know about her life, but not about her style of writing.
The week after, we all presented our country and our city to each other.
I didn’t want to get my hopes up, but I still expected that we would learn more about Karen Blixen. Nope, I was wrong again. This time, we watched a movie about H.C. Anderson. Again, we didn’t discuss any of his fairy tales, even though everyone knows them. We watched half a movie about his life. I didn’t really learn something interesting about Denmark or Danish literature and film.
In fact, during these three months, I learned more about the countries of the other Erasmus students than about my host country. I think that’s sad.
Danish gym in Aabenraa
Nine, our buddy, is a trainer in Danish gymnastics. During our first week, we were invited to view a training session. Because I used to be a gymnast myself, I really enjoyed watching the session. Danish gym is a combination of modern dance and gymnastics.
During the training, I was surprised at the way those two elements are combined.
Afterwards, Nine told us they were preparing themselves for a show in march. Lynn and I were invited and wanted to go right away.
So, on march 12th, we drove up to the gym hall in Aabenraa. Esther, Sophie and Aurélie joined us. We were surprised by the amount of people that were in the gym hall. Different groups performed their piece.
I was most impressed by the largest performing group. It was a group of 124, and they were all so synchronized! I know how difficult it is to make 6 or 7 people move in the right way at the right time. My jaw dropped at the floor and I got butterflies in my stomach when I think about my own gymnastic group.
When you think of gymnastics, you think of young people, up until the age of 25. But not in Denmark! Here, even older people practice Danish gym. This proves once again that the Danes are a very active people.
I really enjoyed watching the different performances, and take part in the atmosphere that was in the gym hall.
During the training, I was surprised at the way those two elements are combined.
Afterwards, Nine told us they were preparing themselves for a show in march. Lynn and I were invited and wanted to go right away.
So, on march 12th, we drove up to the gym hall in Aabenraa. Esther, Sophie and Aurélie joined us. We were surprised by the amount of people that were in the gym hall. Different groups performed their piece.
I was most impressed by the largest performing group. It was a group of 124, and they were all so synchronized! I know how difficult it is to make 6 or 7 people move in the right way at the right time. My jaw dropped at the floor and I got butterflies in my stomach when I think about my own gymnastic group.
When you think of gymnastics, you think of young people, up until the age of 25. But not in Denmark! Here, even older people practice Danish gym. This proves once again that the Danes are a very active people.
I really enjoyed watching the different performances, and take part in the atmosphere that was in the gym hall.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
International week
Monday, march 15th 2010
All of the Erasmus students and international student gathered around in the new cafeteria for introductions and some explanation of the program.
Personally, I was overwhelmed by the amount of people in the room. When you’re used to be with 26 other people, 45 seems like a crowd. Even for me, it felt a little bit uncomfortable. Who are those people? I can imagine what the others thought of us, a crazy Erasmus group of 27.
So, it was time to get to know each other. Everyone presented themselves, and afterwards, Jette explained the schedule.
After the short introduction, it was time to learn more about the different countries that were represented in the room. The group was divided into groups, each representing their own country. Of course, because there were a lot of Belgians, we were divided into more than one group. We had to make drawings about our country. After two months in Denmark, and presenting ourselves and our countries more than once, we knew what to draw.
Afterwards, we were given another country other than our own, to make a drawing about. If I have had Spain or the Czech Republic, it would have been fine. But now, I had to make a drawing about Austria. Pff, I can’t even locate Austria on a blind map if my life depended on it. After some discussions in our group, we were able to pinpoint some of Austria’s famous things.
After lunch, we were given a short Danish lesson by some third year students. Then, I was again confronted with my little knowledge of the language, but it was still fine. I enjoyed it.
The Danish lesson was followed by a short explanation about the Danish school system by Jette. The presentation took about half an hour, but even I, after being here for almost three months, don’t understand it completely. It is so different from ours.
Tuesday, march 16th 2010
Tuesday was a long and hard day.
First of all, we had to chose two workshops that were given around campus at different times.
The first workshop I chose, was the cooking class. We prepared a proper Danish lunch for ourselves and the rest of the group. We were given more information about typical Danish meals and how they are prepared.
Then it was up to us. We knew what the Danes eat for lunch, but now we had to prepare it. Because I am a very picky eater, I used some of the typical Danish ingredients and mixed them up with some Belgian customs. At noon, we all ate our lunch together. Hygge!
My second choice of workshop was the one where we had to create a pocket film.
Lynn and I teamed up with Isabel and Marie, another international student from Belgium.
First of all, we had to write down 3 things we find strange about Denmark, things that intrigue us. Then, we had to investigate why those things are the way they are.
We chose the following subject: ‘Why does the traffic light turn orange before it turns green?’
Our theory? In every light, there lives a little person. The orange person can play when the light turns red, but also wants to play before the light turns green again. That’s why the light turns orange before it turns green. Tadaaa, another mystery solved.
At night, we prepared a buffet with typical foods from our country. With about 20 people, we tried our best to cook the meal of a lifetime. And what can represent Belgium better than French fries and waffles? The right answer is: Nothing, except chocolate maybe. After pealing 15 kg of potatoes, we tried to fry them in a small frying pan. The fries have to be pre-cooked and then fried again to make them golden brown and crispy. It took about 5 people and 3 hours to prepare all of the fries. Still, you can never do wrong by me when you’re preparing French fries.
It cost everyone a great deal of blood, sweat and tears, but the buffet looked stunning! I tasted one thing of each country, and didn’t have any more room for anything else. I’m shy to say that I almost stuffed my face..
Then, it was our time to speak. We each had to team up with people from the same university or college and prepare a small exhibition. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a lot of interest from the students towards our college. Their loss. =) For us on the other hand, it was nice to see where the other Erasmus students live their lives at school. We have heard them speak of their college and university a lot of times, but now they had the opportunity to proudly present it to us. And so they did, and they did it well!
Jette called us all together in the assembly hall after the presentations to go over the program for the next day. To be honest, I was glad to be able to go home after a long and hard day at school.
Thursday, march 18th 2010
Sadly, the PE lessons in the morning was cancelled. Like I told you before, I’m not really a sporty person, but I still like Jakob’s lessons. The lesson was replaced by a literary lesson by one of the visiting teachers.
Time to go to Ribe! I was really excited about this part of the day. After a bus drive of about 45 minutes, we arrived at Eysberg, to see the lock (sluis). It was impressive to see. In Belgium, we also have a few locks, some nearby my hometown. I can understand that some people are even more impressed by it. Because of the wind, I returned fairly quickly to the bus.
Once we arrived in Ribe, I couldn’t wait to see the Viking museum. All of the museums I have visited so far are really interactive. It’s amazing how much you are focused on the child. This is what Belgium lacks. To visit a museum where children can touch and smell and experience things, you have to travel miles and miles away. In museums like these ones, I even feel like a child. It’s amazing how many of us played dress-up and fought with the swords. That’s what a museum should be like, that’s a place where children learn!
At night, we had a Eurovision song contest. Belgium was once again divided (just like in real life =) ). We were represented by 3 groups (which made our chance at winning bigger).
I was impressed by all of the performances! I knew that we all had some musical talent inside of us (except for Lynn and myself), but this much? I enjoyed listening to all of the performances and had a really good time. Everyone was cheering everyone on.
Until my heart stopped for a second: ‘And now, the third Belgian group is up. This is the group of Caroline and the others.’ Little did they know that we chose a song, made a dance to it and practiced it only an hour before the show? We just all went up there and enjoyed ourselves. Apparently, it worked. Just like in 1986, Brian called: ‘And the winner is: BELGIUM, group number three!’ We all started clapping our hands for the winner, and only later realized that WE are group number three! We were given a beautiful basket filled with Easter treats.
Still, my favorite of the day was Viki, our runner up. She performed all by herself, representing Hungary at her best!
Friday, march 19th 2010
My day didn’t start that well. I was woken up in the middle of the night by a terrible headache.
Unfortunately, the headache didn’t slow down during the day.
In the morning, Lynn and I finished our pocket film, but then, I had to leave the university behind and had to seek the company of my bed and my friend called Dafalgan.
Therefore, I wasn’t able to say goodbye to the international students at the farewell lunch.
A sad ending to a fun week, full of repetition. =)
All of the Erasmus students and international student gathered around in the new cafeteria for introductions and some explanation of the program.
Personally, I was overwhelmed by the amount of people in the room. When you’re used to be with 26 other people, 45 seems like a crowd. Even for me, it felt a little bit uncomfortable. Who are those people? I can imagine what the others thought of us, a crazy Erasmus group of 27.
So, it was time to get to know each other. Everyone presented themselves, and afterwards, Jette explained the schedule.
After the short introduction, it was time to learn more about the different countries that were represented in the room. The group was divided into groups, each representing their own country. Of course, because there were a lot of Belgians, we were divided into more than one group. We had to make drawings about our country. After two months in Denmark, and presenting ourselves and our countries more than once, we knew what to draw.
Afterwards, we were given another country other than our own, to make a drawing about. If I have had Spain or the Czech Republic, it would have been fine. But now, I had to make a drawing about Austria. Pff, I can’t even locate Austria on a blind map if my life depended on it. After some discussions in our group, we were able to pinpoint some of Austria’s famous things.
After lunch, we were given a short Danish lesson by some third year students. Then, I was again confronted with my little knowledge of the language, but it was still fine. I enjoyed it.
The Danish lesson was followed by a short explanation about the Danish school system by Jette. The presentation took about half an hour, but even I, after being here for almost three months, don’t understand it completely. It is so different from ours.
Tuesday, march 16th 2010
Tuesday was a long and hard day.
First of all, we had to chose two workshops that were given around campus at different times.
The first workshop I chose, was the cooking class. We prepared a proper Danish lunch for ourselves and the rest of the group. We were given more information about typical Danish meals and how they are prepared.
Then it was up to us. We knew what the Danes eat for lunch, but now we had to prepare it. Because I am a very picky eater, I used some of the typical Danish ingredients and mixed them up with some Belgian customs. At noon, we all ate our lunch together. Hygge!
My second choice of workshop was the one where we had to create a pocket film.
Lynn and I teamed up with Isabel and Marie, another international student from Belgium.
First of all, we had to write down 3 things we find strange about Denmark, things that intrigue us. Then, we had to investigate why those things are the way they are.
We chose the following subject: ‘Why does the traffic light turn orange before it turns green?’
Our theory? In every light, there lives a little person. The orange person can play when the light turns red, but also wants to play before the light turns green again. That’s why the light turns orange before it turns green. Tadaaa, another mystery solved.
It cost everyone a great deal of blood, sweat and tears, but the buffet looked stunning! I tasted one thing of each country, and didn’t have any more room for anything else. I’m shy to say that I almost stuffed my face..
But the buffet wasn’t all about the food, it was about talking to each other, singing songs and having a hyggelig time.
Wednesday, march 17th 2010: International day!
The day started at the assembly hall, where we were given a presentation about internationalization and globalization and how to teach it to our children. I couldn’t tell you whether I liked it or not, because it was all in Danish. Even after Jette’s translation, my mind was slipping away. I’m sorry for that.
Time for another workshop. I chose the workshop didactics, which was taught by Iben. 
Jette called us all together in the assembly hall after the presentations to go over the program for the next day. To be honest, I was glad to be able to go home after a long and hard day at school.
Thursday, march 18th 2010
Sadly, the PE lessons in the morning was cancelled. Like I told you before, I’m not really a sporty person, but I still like Jakob’s lessons. The lesson was replaced by a literary lesson by one of the visiting teachers.
Once we arrived in Ribe, I couldn’t wait to see the Viking museum. All of the museums I have visited so far are really interactive. It’s amazing how much you are focused on the child. This is what Belgium lacks. To visit a museum where children can touch and smell and experience things, you have to travel miles and miles away. In museums like these ones, I even feel like a child. It’s amazing how many of us played dress-up and fought with the swords. That’s what a museum should be like, that’s a place where children learn!
At night, we had a Eurovision song contest. Belgium was once again divided (just like in real life =) ). We were represented by 3 groups (which made our chance at winning bigger).
Until my heart stopped for a second: ‘And now, the third Belgian group is up. This is the group of Caroline and the others.’ Little did they know that we chose a song, made a dance to it and practiced it only an hour before the show? We just all went up there and enjoyed ourselves. Apparently, it worked. Just like in 1986, Brian called: ‘And the winner is: BELGIUM, group number three!’ We all started clapping our hands for the winner, and only later realized that WE are group number three! We were given a beautiful basket filled with Easter treats.
My day didn’t start that well. I was woken up in the middle of the night by a terrible headache.
Unfortunately, the headache didn’t slow down during the day.
In the morning, Lynn and I finished our pocket film, but then, I had to leave the university behind and had to seek the company of my bed and my friend called Dafalgan.
Therefore, I wasn’t able to say goodbye to the international students at the farewell lunch.
A sad ending to a fun week, full of repetition. =)
Identify yourself! ... by your language
What happened?
In language and identity, we were confronted with our own language and how it identifies us. Deuheu, look at the title of the course.
We were each given a portrait of a person. In that portrait, we had to place the languages that we speak in a specific color at a specific place. We then had to justify why we used those colors and why we placed them at that part of our body.
I chose these for languages: Dutch (Flemish), French, English and Danish.
After the language portrait, we had to make an ‘Elfchen’ about one of the colors we used in our language portrait. Afterwards, we had to present it to each other. By linking colors to words, you notice the different meaning of each color in other cultures.
What can we learn from this experience?
In Belgium, we have a multicultural society. Some children have Flemish as their second language, and only speak it at school with their friends and teachers. The further you go into town, the more nationalities you meet. Sometimes, there are only 2 or 3 children out of 20 who have the Belgian nationality. In those types of classes, it is probably useful to do this exercise. It teaches the foreign kids to be proud of their heritage, and it teaches the other children to respect other cultures and nationalities. There’s a big chance that I’ll end up teaching a multicultural class, and if I do, I’ll certainly use this exercise!
In language and identity, we were confronted with our own language and how it identifies us. Deuheu, look at the title of the course.
We were each given a portrait of a person. In that portrait, we had to place the languages that we speak in a specific color at a specific place. We then had to justify why we used those colors and why we placed them at that part of our body.
I chose these for languages: Dutch (Flemish), French, English and Danish.I placed Dutch in my hands and my heart, because it’s my mother language and I use my hands when I’m explaining something or when I’m very excited about something. I chose the color red because it’s a color of passion.
I placed French in my head because I can speak it, but then I have to think a lot about the grammar of the language. When I have to speak French for an hour, I become very tired. I chose the color blue because I find French to be a cold language.
I placed English in my head and my stomach. The English language comes quit naturally to me, because I grew up with English programs on TV. Therefore, I have a gut feeling when it comes to speaking the English language. On the other hand, when I have to write in English, I still have to switch on my brain. So I placed it in my head as well. I chose yellow because it’s a warm color and it makes me happy. =)
I also included Danish in my language portrait. This lesson was given during the second week, so my expectations about learning Danish were still pretty high. I placed Danish in my eyes, ears and mouth, because it’s a difficult language to speak. During my stay here, I tried to keep my eyes and ears open to learn more about the Danish language, and to pick up some words here and there.
What can we learn from this experience?
In Belgium, we have a multicultural society. Some children have Flemish as their second language, and only speak it at school with their friends and teachers. The further you go into town, the more nationalities you meet. Sometimes, there are only 2 or 3 children out of 20 who have the Belgian nationality. In those types of classes, it is probably useful to do this exercise. It teaches the foreign kids to be proud of their heritage, and it teaches the other children to respect other cultures and nationalities. There’s a big chance that I’ll end up teaching a multicultural class, and if I do, I’ll certainly use this exercise!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Cooking makes people come together...
What happened?
On Wednesday, the 24th of march, we had a cooking class with Danish students. The objective of this class was: make a climate friendly meal that you eat in your own country. All of these foods were presented in a buffet.
Lynn, Rikke, Sidsle, Karen and I were responsible for the main course, two other teams prepared a starter and a desert (two of each course!). Lynn and I decided to prepare ‘Hutsepot’, a stew with all seasonal vegetables. With a little help from Piet Huysentruyt, a tv-chef from Belgium, we went on our way.
Another stereotype of the Danes was confirmed: They are really helpful and eager to learn about another culture! It was nice to mingle with Danish student. I don’t have any optional subjects, therefore, it was a nice change.
We were given two hours to prepare our meal. Our work was fairly easy: chop up some vegetables and bacon, put them into a big pan, add some water and herbs and let it cook for three quarters of an hour. So, after half an hour, there was time for coffee and a chat.
During the buffet, we were introduced to a few Danish traditions: eating dark bread with eel and onions and drinking shnaps afterwards. The atmosphere was really comfortable, even a little bit familiar.
What have I learned about this experience?
It's nice to get to know Danish students. I felt really welcome in their group. I learned about ‘food courage’, which I lack a lot of the time. I tasted foods and food combinations that I’ve never heard of before, and the best of all is that I liked it! =) It was a very ‘hugge’ experience, that I probably will not forget for a long time.
On Wednesday, the 24th of march, we had a cooking class with Danish students. The objective of this class was: make a climate friendly meal that you eat in your own country. All of these foods were presented in a buffet.
Lynn, Rikke, Sidsle, Karen and I were responsible for the main course, two other teams prepared a starter and a desert (two of each course!). Lynn and I decided to prepare ‘Hutsepot’, a stew with all seasonal vegetables. With a little help from Piet Huysentruyt, a tv-chef from Belgium, we went on our way.
Another stereotype of the Danes was confirmed: They are really helpful and eager to learn about another culture! It was nice to mingle with Danish student. I don’t have any optional subjects, therefore, it was a nice change.
We were given two hours to prepare our meal. Our work was fairly easy: chop up some vegetables and bacon, put them into a big pan, add some water and herbs and let it cook for three quarters of an hour. So, after half an hour, there was time for coffee and a chat.
During the buffet, we were introduced to a few Danish traditions: eating dark bread with eel and onions and drinking shnaps afterwards. The atmosphere was really comfortable, even a little bit familiar.
What have I learned about this experience?
Saturday, April 17, 2010
PE
Before going to class…
I have a confession to make: I am not really a sporty person. I used to be, but during the years, I became pretty lazy. Therefore, I wasn’t really looking forward to the PE lessons, especially because they were in the early morning, when I could just sleep in.
But no, real Belgian as I am, I stood up, drank some coffee and put on my most negative face at the beginning of the lesson.
After five minutes of persistent stubbornness, I started to enjoy the lessons. They reminded me why I used to love sports. The fun games, adrenaline flowing through your body. I love it!
During class…
I loved the way Jakob taught us. I can use some of the games we played in my teaching job next year. It was really useful and, I hate to admit it, I enjoyed it very much! It was fun that the lessons were taught at a child’s level, not the level of an adult. I especially loved the lesson where each country had to present a game from their home country.
During the last lesson, we worked with a lot of materials. Everything was available for us. It was up to us to create a trail with these materials. Everyone then had to do the different exercises that our colleagues had made for us. After that, there was room for a little bit of theory; the didactics of PE in Denmark. It’s strange how this can be so universal.
What can we learn from this?
I learned, from my own experience with the lessons, that you can use PE and movement to get to know a child better, to get them to relax around you. As a teacher, you always want to talk to a child, to know what he or she is all about. I think that, if you just observe them during a PE lesson, you can get more information from them. If you give them space to let go and just enjoy themselves, you will get a better view of who they are and how they interact with each other. That is just as important as their academical skills.
I have a confession to make: I am not really a sporty person. I used to be, but during the years, I became pretty lazy. Therefore, I wasn’t really looking forward to the PE lessons, especially because they were in the early morning, when I could just sleep in.
But no, real Belgian as I am, I stood up, drank some coffee and put on my most negative face at the beginning of the lesson.
After five minutes of persistent stubbornness, I started to enjoy the lessons. They reminded me why I used to love sports. The fun games, adrenaline flowing through your body. I love it!
During class…
I loved the way Jakob taught us. I can use some of the games we played in my teaching job next year. It was really useful and, I hate to admit it, I enjoyed it very much! It was fun that the lessons were taught at a child’s level, not the level of an adult. I especially loved the lesson where each country had to present a game from their home country.
During the last lesson, we worked with a lot of materials. Everything was available for us. It was up to us to create a trail with these materials. Everyone then had to do the different exercises that our colleagues had made for us. After that, there was room for a little bit of theory; the didactics of PE in Denmark. It’s strange how this can be so universal.
What can we learn from this?
I learned, from my own experience with the lessons, that you can use PE and movement to get to know a child better, to get them to relax around you. As a teacher, you always want to talk to a child, to know what he or she is all about. I think that, if you just observe them during a PE lesson, you can get more information from them. If you give them space to let go and just enjoy themselves, you will get a better view of who they are and how they interact with each other. That is just as important as their academical skills.
Danish lessons
What happened?
Let’s cut straight to the case: I was a little disappointed by the Danish lessons.
Before I came here, I expected to be drowning in the Danish lessons, so I could communicate with the people on the street, in the shops, at the café. Sadly, this wasn’t the case. After five Danish lessons, I have learned the following:
- how to say my name
- how to say where I come from
- how to say which language I speak
- how to say ‘thank you’ in 7 different ways
- the numbers from 0-100
My impression after the first lesson was pretty optimistic. I was very proud of myself that I could say some Danish words, even if the pronunciation wasn’t always right. After the second lesson, my enthusiasm dropped. We repeated what we’ve learned the week before, and didn’t learn that much more. What frustrated me more, was that I still couldn’t order a simple bread in the store. We expressed our thoughts to Jette, who told Lone. For our last lesson, we all brought a recipe from our home country. Lone had brought some folders from supermarkets. We had to make a poster about our typical food with images from the folders. We also wrote the Danish names for each ingredient on the poster. This was actually meaningful for us.
What can we learn from this experience?
Looking back, I still think I would have loved an intensive language course. After two and a half months, I can now order a bread in the store, but I can still not have a very simple conversation with a Dane. I feel helpless each time I have to say: ‘I’m sorry, I only speak English.’ I would really like to have learned the language during my stay here in Haderslev.
Where can we improve?
I would like to suggest an intensive course in Danish for the following Erasmus students. I think it is part of the whole experience to learn the language of the country from your stay. It helps a lot with the integration. Sadly, I still feel like an outsider. The gap between the Danes and ‘the foreign students’ is still pretty big.
Let’s cut straight to the case: I was a little disappointed by the Danish lessons.
Before I came here, I expected to be drowning in the Danish lessons, so I could communicate with the people on the street, in the shops, at the café. Sadly, this wasn’t the case. After five Danish lessons, I have learned the following:
- how to say my name
- how to say where I come from
- how to say which language I speak
- how to say ‘thank you’ in 7 different ways
- the numbers from 0-100
My impression after the first lesson was pretty optimistic. I was very proud of myself that I could say some Danish words, even if the pronunciation wasn’t always right. After the second lesson, my enthusiasm dropped. We repeated what we’ve learned the week before, and didn’t learn that much more. What frustrated me more, was that I still couldn’t order a simple bread in the store. We expressed our thoughts to Jette, who told Lone. For our last lesson, we all brought a recipe from our home country. Lone had brought some folders from supermarkets. We had to make a poster about our typical food with images from the folders. We also wrote the Danish names for each ingredient on the poster. This was actually meaningful for us.
What can we learn from this experience?
Looking back, I still think I would have loved an intensive language course. After two and a half months, I can now order a bread in the store, but I can still not have a very simple conversation with a Dane. I feel helpless each time I have to say: ‘I’m sorry, I only speak English.’ I would really like to have learned the language during my stay here in Haderslev.
Where can we improve?
I would like to suggest an intensive course in Danish for the following Erasmus students. I think it is part of the whole experience to learn the language of the country from your stay. It helps a lot with the integration. Sadly, I still feel like an outsider. The gap between the Danes and ‘the foreign students’ is still pretty big.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
International evening: Belgium - Hungary
Yesterday we had our first international evening. It was up to us to present Belgium and Viki presented Hungary. Loes had put her creative mind at work and made a quiz about Belgium. The questions were fairly simple. Every country was represented in a group. After seven questions, they learned more about our culture.
Then, it was time for some real beer and chocolate! Lynn and I made sure we had some chocolate for everyone. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough beer for everyone.
Viki presented her home country with a lot of pride. She made a powerpoint presentation about her home country. After that, it was time to move our feet! We heard some Hungarian folk music and were taught a typical Hungarian folk dance. We enjoyed ourselves! It was wonderful to learn about a European culture, other than my own.
For that reason, I am reserving a place in my blog for every international evening. I think it’s important to be open for other cultures. It can just enrich your point of view over Europe.
My stay in KØbenhavn
1. Wednesday morning, bus station Haderslev.
Everyone had their bags packed and was ready to go to Copenhagen. We met at 10.30 and surprise, surprise, everyone was on time. On the bus to Vojens, it was an invasion of Erasmusstudents. The locals didn’t know what happened to them. So many people, and so much luggage.
After a three hour train ride, we finally arrived at Copenhagen central. The energy from the city hits you in the face once you step out of the train. So many people, so many different cultures. The difference between Haderslev and Copenhagen is striking. Copenhagen is a large city, you can feel the people’s energy and you can feel that the city is alive. In a way, it feels like home.
After we had unpacked our bags and settled in to the rooms, we went to the Rundetaarn, an impressive building.
I find it amazing how you can walk up to 38 meters without any stairs. After a few minutes we reached the top and were able to enjoy the beautiful view over Copenhagen.
After the Rundetaarn, we visited strØget, the longest shopping street in Europe. With its 1.1 km distance, there’s a shop for everyone. The rich and famous, but also the humble people. At the end of strØget, you find the town hall square. It’s a square that is buzzing with activity! Many lights flashing, people walking (trying not to fall down), hot dog stands, … To make a long story short, I love that square. It gives a magicalfeeling when you see it at night.
Nyhavn is another place that impressed me. I love the romantic feeling it exhumes. I can see myself sitting here on a sunny day, with a coffee in one hand and a book in the other. It’s nice to know that you can find that piece of calm in a capital city like Copenhagen.
(Other viewings of the day were: The little Mermaid, Amalienborg and Rosenborg Castle.)
This museum represents everything Belgian museums lack: interactivity. There is so much to do, to explore, to touch, to smell. Even I, at twenty-one years old, feel like a child that learns trough activity.
I enjoyed the children’s museum the most. It was a bliss to see how the children were able to climb on to the furniture, into the little stores and learn so much without them even knowing. We visited the museum in small groups. The people in my group couldn’t resist it to try out what was there. They jumped on to the horse, dressed up as knights,… You name it, we did it! If only the kids from my practice class could experience what I have experienced that day. I wouldn’t be called a boring teacher ever again!
Everyone had their bags packed and was ready to go to Copenhagen. We met at 10.30 and surprise, surprise, everyone was on time. On the bus to Vojens, it was an invasion of Erasmusstudents. The locals didn’t know what happened to them. So many people, and so much luggage.
After a three hour train ride, we finally arrived at Copenhagen central. The energy from the city hits you in the face once you step out of the train. So many people, so many different cultures. The difference between Haderslev and Copenhagen is striking. Copenhagen is a large city, you can feel the people’s energy and you can feel that the city is alive. In a way, it feels like home.
I find it amazing how you can walk up to 38 meters without any stairs. After a few minutes we reached the top and were able to enjoy the beautiful view over Copenhagen.
After the Rundetaarn, we visited strØget, the longest shopping street in Europe. With its 1.1 km distance, there’s a shop for everyone. The rich and famous, but also the humble people. At the end of strØget, you find the town hall square. It’s a square that is buzzing with activity! Many lights flashing, people walking (trying not to fall down), hot dog stands, … To make a long story short, I love that square. It gives a magical2. Thursday, the first whole day.
On Thursday, we had a whole day planned. First, we went to the Royal Library (a.k.a. The black diamond). In this library, they have a copy of every Danish book ever published. It’s an enormous building, that leaves an impression. At least it did on me. Danish people are very proud people, and it shows in a building like this. I love how they incorporate old history with the present time. The black diamond exists of two buildings, that are combined with a bridge.
When you look to the older part of the building, you can still feel the effort that people have put in. Maybe, in a few hundred years, they will think the same of the Black Diamond, and it will have a historian value for them. I hope so, because it would be a sad to let this building go to waste.
Nyhavn is another place that impressed me. I love the romantic feeling it exhumes. I can see myself sitting here on a sunny day, with a coffee in one hand and a book in the other. It’s nice to know that you can find that piece of calm in a capital city like Copenhagen.
(Other viewings of the day were: The little Mermaid, Amalienborg and Rosenborg Castle.)3. Friday, more sightseeing and bag packing.
On Friday, we visited the National Museum in group. I enjoyed the fact that we were free to look around and explore.
I visited three exhibitions: The rainforest, the children’s museum and the history of Denmark. 
This museum represents everything Belgian museums lack: interactivity. There is so much to do, to explore, to touch, to smell. Even I, at twenty-one years old, feel like a child that learns trough activity.
I enjoyed the children’s museum the most. It was a bliss to see how the children were able to climb on to the furniture, into the little stores and learn so much without them even knowing. We visited the museum in small groups. The people in my group couldn’t resist it to try out what was there. They jumped on to the horse, dressed up as knights,… You name it, we did it! If only the kids from my practice class could experience what I have experienced that day. I wouldn’t be called a boring teacher ever again!
4. What have I learned in Copenhagen?
People have high expectations when they go to a capital city like Copenhagen. There is so much to see and so little time to see it. I learned a lot about myself. I enjoy the vibe that other people, nationalities give me.
You can learn a lot about a country by just keeping your eyes and ears open. Active learning is always a key word. This is something I have experienced a few times in my short stay in Denmark, and is something I want to pass on to the pupils in Belgium.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Stereotypes
Before I came to Danmark, I didn't know a lot of the Danish people and their culture. These were my thoughts:
- Danish people are blond and have blue eyes.
- In Denmark, there's a lot of snow throughout the whole year.
- Danish people are very organised.
Apparently, I was wrong. The Danes aren't used to the snow, they only have two of three day of snow per year. And not all Danes have blond hair. I did notice that the Danish women have a similar haircut. I find that amusing.
The Danish people are very friendly and well organized. Everyone is very punctual in their behaviour.
Now, let's hear about some Belgian stereotypes.
I am Belgian because:
- I drink a lot of beer.
- I am very hard working.
- I am perfectionistic.
If you have any more stereotypes about the belgian people, place a comment and I'll confirm or deny it. =) I'm curious..
- Danish people are blond and have blue eyes.
- In Denmark, there's a lot of snow throughout the whole year.
- Danish people are very organised.
Apparently, I was wrong. The Danes aren't used to the snow, they only have two of three day of snow per year. And not all Danes have blond hair. I did notice that the Danish women have a similar haircut. I find that amusing.
The Danish people are very friendly and well organized. Everyone is very punctual in their behaviour.
Now, let's hear about some Belgian stereotypes.
I am Belgian because:
- I drink a lot of beer.
- I am very hard working.
- I am perfectionistic.
If you have any more stereotypes about the belgian people, place a comment and I'll confirm or deny it. =) I'm curious..
The Danish school systems and my vision upon them..
On Thursday, the 4th of February, we visited a primary school in Haderslev. Together with five other students, we visited Realskole, a private school.
After a short introduction, we observed a few lessons in year zero. The children are 6 years old.
What surprised me the most, was that the children don’t get a lot of lessons during the day. They only have four hours. In Belgium, children of that age have lessons between 08.30 and 15.30. The transition between preschool and primary school is smoother here in Denmark. In Belgium, when children finish preschool and enter primary school, they only get 1,5 hours of playtime in-between the lessons. In Denmark, there is a lot of time for them to play. I think that’s better.
The classes in Denmark are similar to the ones in Belgium. A lot of theory is visualized, so it’s easier for the pupils to remember it. I did notice that the pace is slower here. In Belgium, we have learning plans with everything a child needs to learn is written down. I think that’s why the pace is higher in Belgium.
In the comparative studies with Iben, I’ve learned a lot! I learned why the pace in Danish schools is much lower than in Belgian schools. In Scandinavian countries, they focus more on the total development of the child, rather than the cognitive development. They have built up their entire school system around the visions of Rousseau, Montesorri, … The child is more important than the adult, the individual is more important than society. The children are challenged to make their own choices, to chose their own path in life. Cognitive knowledge comes second.
This is the total opposite in Belgium. In our country, we put cognitive knowledge first. Children are tested all the time. The outcome of these tests, may have consequences for the child. If a child from the first grade can’t read or write the way he or she should, they are held back and have to do the year again.
What is my opinion about this subject?
I think that both school systems have got their pro’s and con’s. I think the child should be a teachers first priority. If a child isn’t stimulated in the right way, or if he or she doesn’t feel safe with you and in the classroom, it will never come to a good learning process. Still, I place cognitive abilities of a child at a higher place than they do in Denmark.
The school system in Belgium is built in a way that a child will not be able to learn if they don’t have the knowledge of the lower grade. That’s why I still think that the children have to be tested. On the other hand, Danish children get their motivation from within. In Belgium, children learn to please their parents, their teacher,… This might be one of the reasons children don’t like to go to school in Belgium. A lot of children in their puberty are ‘school tired’. They just sit there without learning anything and sabotage the others.
What can we learn from this?
I know for certain, when I go back to Belgium, I’ll try to implement what I’ve learned here. Some teachers are focused on the cognitive abilities of the children, and forget that they are little people, who have to learn from their mistakes. I don’t want to be a teacher that the children are afraid of. I want to be their confidant, their mentor. Children learn from example. As their teacher, you can teach them more from your actions than books ever will. Some teachers forget about this important aspect of the job. They’re only there to transfer knowledge. I don’t want to be that type of teacher. I want to challenge them, appreciate them as they are and give them the ability to grow. Sounds great, doesn’t it? =)
(We are a 4-star class!)
After a short introduction, we observed a few lessons in year zero. The children are 6 years old.
What surprised me the most, was that the children don’t get a lot of lessons during the day. They only have four hours. In Belgium, children of that age have lessons between 08.30 and 15.30. The transition between preschool and primary school is smoother here in Denmark. In Belgium, when children finish preschool and enter primary school, they only get 1,5 hours of playtime in-between the lessons. In Denmark, there is a lot of time for them to play. I think that’s better.
The classes in Denmark are similar to the ones in Belgium. A lot of theory is visualized, so it’s easier for the pupils to remember it. I did notice that the pace is slower here. In Belgium, we have learning plans with everything a child needs to learn is written down. I think that’s why the pace is higher in Belgium.
In the comparative studies with Iben, I’ve learned a lot! I learned why the pace in Danish schools is much lower than in Belgian schools. In Scandinavian countries, they focus more on the total development of the child, rather than the cognitive development. They have built up their entire school system around the visions of Rousseau, Montesorri, … The child is more important than the adult, the individual is more important than society. The children are challenged to make their own choices, to chose their own path in life. Cognitive knowledge comes second.
This is the total opposite in Belgium. In our country, we put cognitive knowledge first. Children are tested all the time. The outcome of these tests, may have consequences for the child. If a child from the first grade can’t read or write the way he or she should, they are held back and have to do the year again.
What is my opinion about this subject?
I think that both school systems have got their pro’s and con’s. I think the child should be a teachers first priority. If a child isn’t stimulated in the right way, or if he or she doesn’t feel safe with you and in the classroom, it will never come to a good learning process. Still, I place cognitive abilities of a child at a higher place than they do in Denmark.
The school system in Belgium is built in a way that a child will not be able to learn if they don’t have the knowledge of the lower grade. That’s why I still think that the children have to be tested. On the other hand, Danish children get their motivation from within. In Belgium, children learn to please their parents, their teacher,… This might be one of the reasons children don’t like to go to school in Belgium. A lot of children in their puberty are ‘school tired’. They just sit there without learning anything and sabotage the others.
What can we learn from this?
I know for certain, when I go back to Belgium, I’ll try to implement what I’ve learned here. Some teachers are focused on the cognitive abilities of the children, and forget that they are little people, who have to learn from their mistakes. I don’t want to be a teacher that the children are afraid of. I want to be their confidant, their mentor. Children learn from example. As their teacher, you can teach them more from your actions than books ever will. Some teachers forget about this important aspect of the job. They’re only there to transfer knowledge. I don’t want to be that type of teacher. I want to challenge them, appreciate them as they are and give them the ability to grow. Sounds great, doesn’t it? =)
(We are a 4-star class!)
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Here we are! Our first day..
Hi everybody!
Sundaymorning, 6.00 AM: A very loud and irritating sound wakes me up. It´s time to go! After my morning coffee, my mother and I tried to put all of my bags in the car.
Sundaymorning, 7.15 AM: I arrived at Lynn´s place. When I saw all of the luggage Lynn had packed, my heart stopped beating for just a few seconds. Is all of this going to fit in that little car? With the help of our parents, we jammed it in.
Sundaynight, 16.30 AM: After an 8,5 hour drive, we arrived in Haderslev. Finally!
Because we left with a lot of snow in Belgium, we were really careful on our way over here.
With every hundred km that passed, we became more excited. Lots and lots of cds were played over and over again.
After a while, boredom sat in.. A little stop here, another cd there... Then, we noticed the funny names of the cities we passed by. Fx: Okselaar is a little city nearby the Danish border. In Dutch, when you add an h inbetween, you get the word "okselhaar" which is the hair underneath your armpits.. Like I said before, bordom sat in. Not a minute too soon, the GPS indicated that we only had onother hour to drive. Our energylevels hit the roof.
More adventures and funny comments are still to come.. So visite me again when you get a chance, so you can follow my tracks.
Blogmessages in the making:
- The adventures of the missing frying pan.
- And many, many more..
Sundaymorning, 6.00 AM: A very loud and irritating sound wakes me up. It´s time to go! After my morning coffee, my mother and I tried to put all of my bags in the car.
Sundaymorning, 7.15 AM: I arrived at Lynn´s place. When I saw all of the luggage Lynn had packed, my heart stopped beating for just a few seconds. Is all of this going to fit in that little car? With the help of our parents, we jammed it in.
Sundaynight, 16.30 AM: After an 8,5 hour drive, we arrived in Haderslev. Finally!
Because we left with a lot of snow in Belgium, we were really careful on our way over here.
With every hundred km that passed, we became more excited. Lots and lots of cds were played over and over again.
After a while, boredom sat in.. A little stop here, another cd there... Then, we noticed the funny names of the cities we passed by. Fx: Okselaar is a little city nearby the Danish border. In Dutch, when you add an h inbetween, you get the word "okselhaar" which is the hair underneath your armpits.. Like I said before, bordom sat in. Not a minute too soon, the GPS indicated that we only had onother hour to drive. Our energylevels hit the roof.
More adventures and funny comments are still to come.. So visite me again when you get a chance, so you can follow my tracks.
Blogmessages in the making:
- The adventures of the missing frying pan.
- And many, many more..
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
