Uge Elleve (Week Eleven: 05.04.12 - 12.04.12) - Professional Development

This week saw the beginning of my teaching placement and so far I am really enjoying it.  I spent the majority of my time with the Class 0.  The teacher; Annette, explained that Class 0 is for children aged between six and seven years old and children attend after they have been in kindergarten and before they attend 1^st Grade in the Primary School.  Initially I found this quite complicated to understand but after observing and participating in this class I have realised that it is almost like a preparation for starting school as although the children mainly play formal teaching does take place in writing, reading, number work, social skills and phonics.  This is very similar to our Year 1 class in Northern Ireland although the obvious difference being that the children start this class at six years old and it is also at the teachers discretion to decide whether the child is ready to move onto 1^st Grade or whether they need to remain in Class 0 until they are ready, meaning that the learning takes place at the child’s pace rather than complying with Government guidelines.  The class consists of 24 children, the teacher and a classroom assistant as there is a child who requires extra help.  However, the classroom assistant has undergone no training and this was something I found very strange as in Northern Ireland you have to complete a course in order to have the correct qualifications.  Through talking with Annette she explained that she also thought it would be better for the assistants to undergo some sort of training as the children need specific help that may not also be possible if the assistant hasn’t been taught how to do so. 

I have realised from my time spent in school that the parents are very involved in every aspect of school life.  Teachers are expected to not only give parents their personal email address but also their mobile number.  I was informed that there was an over-communication and involvement from the parents and that teachers often received calls in the evenings or weekends to discuss small problems, or issues they had with their teaching.  The parents also receive a weekly detailed timetable of the activities and tasks their children are doing.  In some ways I see this involvement as a positive thing as it ensures they know what their child is learning and they feel part of school life but as a prospective teacher I can see the negative aspects, in that out of work hours and during holidays you are being called upon to sort out numerous problems, many of which are very minor.

The classroom was a very welcoming environment and there was a even a bunk bed where children could go to sleep if they felt the need to do so!  This is another good example of how relaxed the Danish school system is.  I was surprised by the freedom they have in their curriculum and the lack of specific guidelines and targets they have to meet.  Children are tested but much less frequently and informally and it is the responsibility of the municipality to do so and report the results back to the government.  It is very different how the local municipality plays such a big role in the school life in Denmark.  Depending on how much the municipality can afford to give to the school determines the quality of equipment and other resources.  This is in a stark comparison to Northern Ireland as schools are Government funded unless private.

Overall I have enjoyed my time in school and I am amazed by the amount of differences and new things I am learning daily.  I feel that through visiting a Danish school I have got numerous ideas, approaches, attitudes and techniques to reflect upon  and I hope to implement some of these in my future teaching.