Week Eleven - Vecka Elva (Professional Development) 24-03-12 - 30-03-12

My module ‘Education and School Practice’ has finally started this week and our lecturer Ulla has given us some background information about the course, the Swedish school system and the curriculum. It has been quite enjoyable to listen and learn about the Swedish curriculum and I am looking forward to learning more about it as it will be interesting to compare it to Northern Ireland’s curriculum to see if there will be any similarities. I have found out that during this module I will visit a school that has a lot of children from immigrant backgrounds therefore they do not speak Swedish and have limited understanding of English. I think that this will be really good for me to do as there are not many children in schools in Northern Ireland with English as an additional language (EAL) or children from immigrant backgrounds. It is good to get this experience whilst in Sweden and it will also help me with my career in the future. 

Throughout this week our class had a wonderful opportunity to meet with Dr. Wim Voskuilen, a teacher trainer from the Instituut Theo Thijssen Hogeschool Utrecht in Holland.  He happened to be visiting schools in Vänersborg, Trollhättan and Gothenburg and also University West for two days. He gave us a short PowerPoint presentation on the Montessori approach to education which is a long tradition in The Netherlands. I feel that I have learnt a lot about Montessori education in this short amount of time and I found it intriguing to listen to how the children have free choice of what they do in the classroom and a lot of their time is spent working independently rather than in groups like Northern Ireland. The children are also split into heterogeneous groups which is a big difference from how schools in Northern Ireland work as it is not desirable in Northern Ireland to have composite classes. It was great to listen to Wim talk about Montessori schools and the teaching methods that teachers use and it is something I never knew existed until now therefore I have definitely learnt something knew this week!

As well as learning about the Montessori approach to teaching our class has also focused on Special Educational Needs and learning difficulties as well as the transition of a child/adolescent with SEN to adulthood. From previously visiting three special needs schools in Sweden I found that I actually remembered a lot of the things that teachers had told me and from studying the readings we were given I realised that a lot of the learning tools that are put in place for children with Special Educational Needs are similar to those that we use in Northern Ireland but that there are restrictions for resources due to finance.

Overall it has been an educational week for me and not quite as relaxing as last week but I have learnt a lot of new and interesting things about Swedish education and different ways of teaching. Despite being in class there is always time to socialise and enjoy the company of the other Erasmus students by visiting the park or having a BBQ. 

Week Ten - Vecka Tio (Personal Development) 17-03-12 - 23-03-12

The lovely blue sky from my window.

I am starting to feel like I am on holiday as the sun is shining in the sky without a cloud in sight. The temperature has reached fifteen degrees Celsius this week which is an improvement from the snow we had several weeks ago and according to the weather forecast the upcoming week is going to be quite warm so I can sense that there will be a few BBQs and parties to attend. The Erasmus group are already sticking out amongst the people of Trollhättan by wearing vest tops, shorts and flip flops whilst the Swedish are still wearing their winter coats and scarves. 

I am feeling rather carefree after completing all my university work on Wednesday and I haven’t got class until Monday, which is when I start my new module - ‘Education and School Practice’. So until then I am making good use of my free time and the sun. 

I took a walk into the town of Trollhättan and I was amazed to see how busy the town was but I soon figured out that it was because it was a market day. I enjoyed walking around the stalls at the market and experiencing some Swedish culture I hadn’t yet had a chance to see. I didn’t notice any bargains so I left with nothing but on my return to Lantmannavägen (where I live) I noticed how lots of little flowers were beginning to poke up through the grass and amongst the trees, a true sign that spring is here. 

The best day this week was without a doubt, Friday. Weather wise and fun wise it has been one of my favourite days in Sweden. Everybody was in good spirits and we were all preparing our meals for the ‘International Dinner’ and competing for first place. Megan, Maria and I as well as Ryan (a student from University of Ulster) had previously practiced making Irish stew but after a failed attempt we decided to play it safe with cottage pie instead. It turned out pretty well but we didn’t win first prize, although I think we had more fun making our food compared to actually eating it. 

The ‘International Dinner’ gave me a good opportunity to get to taste foods from all over the world including Ukrainian, Turkish, Chinese, Latvian, Korean and Polish specialities. I know I will never have an opportunity like this again so I made the most of it by tasting everything and enjoying some more than others. It was interesting to see the different types of foods and strange to see a few more countries having potatoes as a speciality! The dinner ended with the very late arrival of the Italian students and their home made pizzas singing their national anthem – showing how they eat much later than most of us, yet the pizza was gone in a matter of seconds. 

Some of the different foods at the 'International Dinner'.

 

Megan. Maria and I visited the same park that William and I went to but it was a totally new experience this time as there was no snow or ice on the ponds/lake. I was able to dip my feet into the cool water and relax by the side in the heat of the sun. Hopefully there will be more weeks like this.

Sitting by the pond in the park.

Week Nine - Vecka Nio (Personal Development) 10-03-12 - 16-03-12

My module ‘Intercultural Studies – Global English and Media Discourse’ has come to an end this week which has resulted in another ‘home exam’. I have really enjoyed this module as we studied how English is used around the world and the different purposes of English in other countries. 

I have had plenty of university work to keep me busy this week as I also have a twelve-page field study report to write on the inclusion of children with Special Educational Needs in special schools and mainstream schools and a presentation to prepare. This week has therefore resulted in several more visits to schools in relation to this work as well as my first visit to the school I will be teaching at in April.

 

Some art work at Fridaskolan.

A teacher from the school who has close links with University West picked us up on Thursday morning and drove Megan, Maria and I as well as a student from Manchester to the ‘Fridaskolan’ in Vänersborg and Trollhättan. It was great to see around both schools and get a feel of the atmosphere in each school and meet many members of staff who I will be working with in April. The school environment does seem very relaxed and informal as children can come and go as they please from the classroom and do not have to ask permission to go to the toilet as we do in Northern Ireland. I think that this will be strange for me when I am actually teaching as children cannot leave the room without agreement from the teacher. 

 

I will be teaching at the ‘Fridaskolan’ in Trollhättan which is very convenient and within walking distance from where I live so I shouldn’t have to get up too early as school lessons commence at 8.15am! The class that I have been assigned to is grade five which is primary six in Northern Ireland therefore I will get to see the early stages of English being taught as a foreign language which is something that I am keen to see as I have an interest in this area. The teacher who I will be working with was very welcoming and had great English so I do not think I will be using the few Swedish words that I have learnt. The current topic in grade five is Great Britain and Northern Ireland and I was asked if I liked the band ‘One Direction’ as they come from the UK, I think I am going to get along very well with the pupils in my class as they have such good taste in music! 

Some English on a grade one door and the Fridaskolan's golden rule; 'do to others as you would have them do to you'.

 

So this week has been another busy week but a good week as I have had my first visit to ‘Fridaskolan’. I think I am going to enjoy my time teaching here as everyone is friendly and helpful. The school is really big compared to schools in Northern Ireland but I am sure in time I will find my way around it and not get lost.

Week Eight - Vecka åtta (Professional Development) 03-03-12 - 09-03-12

The front of 'Norra Skolan'.

This week I had the brilliant opportunity to visit a primary school as part of my field studies for the module, ‘Power, Gender, Ethnicity and other Inequalities’. The school that I visited is known as ‘Norra Skolan’ and is situated in Vänersborg, a nearby town to Trollhättan. Before going to the school I thought that it was a special needs school and only catered for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) but it is actually a mainstream school with specific classes for children with SEN. I have never heard of this type of school in Northern Ireland where children with SEN are taught in the same school but also separately from the rest of the children, this surprised me as I had never thought of this method of teaching. 

It was really good to visit a school and see the way in which things are taught as well as the different methods of teaching that the staff use compared to the way in which teachers in Northern Ireland teach. Throughout my time at the school I did notice some major differences between Sweden and Northern Ireland.

 

Firstly, how easy it was for Megan, Maria and I to be able to visit a school. The visit was organised through University West but the school did not ask us for any background checks, indicating how laid back and relaxed the Swedish way of life is. Secondly, I noticed the difference in behaviour of the children in this school and the way in which children behave in school in Northern Ireland. The children at ‘Norra Skolan’ definitely behave a lot better than the children at home, they appeared to be more independent in the sense that they could get themselves organised for lessons, going home and even out in the playground. Unlike Northern Ireland where the teacher has to constantly remind children what they need for lessons throughout the day and going home as well as the huge emphasis many schools put on lining up outside after the bell rings. It was a big shock for me to see every child at ‘Norra Skolan’ lift different apparatus they were playing with and run inside straight away when break or lunch time was over in order to start lessons again. I guess this is another way in which Sweden is much more efficient in time keeping than Northern Ireland. 

This opportunity at ‘Norra Skolan’ also allowed me to talk to the teachers about their school and the methods of inclusion they apply in the classroom as this is what I will focus on when writing my field studies report. The teachers were also able to provide me with some insights into the Swedish education system by explaining that dinner in the school is free for children and all members of staff (another difference from Northern Ireland). I am a little unsure as to how this works economically but I am definitely looking forward to getting free lunch every day while I am on teaching practice! 

The making of the apple crumble.

 

The visit to ‘Norra Skolan’ was something I have been looking forward to for a few weeks and I was not let down as I had an amazing day, talking with the teachers and the children as well as enjoying a lovely home-made apple crumble made by the children whilst looking out at an extraordinary view!

The view from the playground and most of the classrooms.