First days of practice

Today and yesterday we went to the Hertug Hans Skole in Haderslev. Carlos, Eliska and I will do our practice their. Before going to the lessons everyone had to come to the gym. There was a morning opening. Everyone had to sing songs and after that we went to the classroom. It's a nice beginning of the week. Everybody sits together before they have to listen and pay attention in the classroom.

We did an observation in an English lesson with Brigitte. The pupils are 11 years old. They chose a subject for a presentation a week ago. Now they had to finish it en present it. The pupils worked in pairs about an animal. They had to present it in English. I think it's a good exercice. The pupils can choose an animal according to their own interests and they had to speak the language. They could talk as much as they liked. If they can't speak English very well, they kept it short. Others spoke for a longer time. We would call this differention. They were very creative: they made drawings, collages, printings,... . It was a very creative, activating and differentiated lesson. The pupils worked also very independant. They could chose the way of presenting it, what materials (paper, computer,...) they used, chose their own words, look them up in a dictionary, ask the foreign students,... . When the children didn't understand something the teacher was never far away to help. This is also a way of teaching in Belgium. We are very pro differention.

I have one negative point about this class: they a sitting everywhere, are talking,... It's a different way of discipline and respect here. I will have to get used to it because in my class they can harldy move or I have seen it!

After the English lesson we went to the gym with Rikke. The pupils from grade 3 had sports. This was very different from Belgium! Boys and girls have gym seperate. The teacher had only 14 girls to teach. They had a warming up that I will keep in mind, it was a good one! The pupils had to run in the hall. When the music stopped, the teacher said an exercice like touch the red line with your nose, touch the blue line with your elbow, touch the blue and yellow line with your hands,... After they warmed up, they played some ballgames. Some were simmilar to the Belgian one, others I didn't know. The pupils asked for Belgian games next time, so I will prepare a whole lesson of Belgian games that we can play outside.After the lesson all pupils have to shower. Pupils in the school were I will be teaching they don't take a shower after gym. I can smell them already!

On Tuesday we saw the 11 year olds. The teacher scared me in the morning by saying that she shouts alot and that the pupils are noisy. But it wasn't totally true. They were very nice and they came immediatley to us with a few questions about our names, country's,... So after we met, they started making name tags and painting easter eggs. They made them from klay last week and now it was time to paint them. They worked individually for about an hour and when they finish they have to work in their books. Every single pupil has a book where they can write, paint, cut,... . It's good and I think it will stimulate their creativity. Every one does something different so is very differentiated. The pupils know what they have to do and the teacher walks around to watch and help them.

This was a curriculum crossed lesson! The teacher is also an English teacher and the pupils had to speak English in art lesson! Very interesting because I find it very hard to work crosscurriculum with language and an art lesson.

Tommorow we will teach this class and I'm looking forward to teach them. It's a very nice class and hopefully they will work with me!

The North coast

On Saturday the 14th of March we went to the North Coast. We = Maté, Noémi, Karsten, Chriztie and me. We left early in the morning... And because we left early I fell asleep in the car...

Warning for Maté and Noémi: REVENGE WILL COME!

So after a few sleepingpictures we arrived in Fyrkat, a vikingplace. Then we saw the castle in Voergard, the dunes, a church. The most beautiful place was in Grenen where to sea's meet! Very nice! This was probably one of the best trips so far!

Njammie...

Last week (already week 8!) we started with a cooking lesson. Njammie! One of the most tastefull lessons! Everybody cooked very nice things. I prepared typical Danish food, but of course also Belgian food, what everbody seems to like! Baked apples with sugar, a very good dessert! I even had to promise to Maté and Noémi that I would make it again for them. But of course, I want something in return! Haha! We started eating around 11.30 and we ate our thummy's round and round and round until we couldn't eat any more! And the meals that caused all this are:

- bulgur from Turkey.

- bramborové placičky flrom Czech Republic.

- goulash soup and poppy seed cake from Hungary.

- dumplings and cheese cake from Poland.

- omelet from Spain.

- frikadeller from Denmark.

- baked apples with sugar from Belgium.

International week

Last week we had the international week.

Monday: I was really looking forward to meet the new students but especially the 2 Belgian girls and the girl from Holland. But when I came in the classroom there were a lot of people. Who will be the delegation from Belgium? I decided to take a seat and they were sitting next to me! Haha, found them. We immediately started speaking! They were great! After the lessons and the tour in Haderslev we had a very nice evening meal with typical Danish food, of course ‘frikadeller’.

Tuesday: We had a lesson about stereotypes. I had to present Germany. There was also a group who had to make a drawing about the Belgian stereotypes and they were very close. Watch the picture and you will see. After the lesson we went to Ribe and the old town. I went to lunch with the Belgian girls and of course, we ate some sweets…

Wednesday: We had a music lesson. It was very nice, we made music with our body, voice and instruments. I went with the Belgian girls for thee and pancakes to Kafka. Mmm… Belgian tradition: eat sweets at 4 o’clock!




Thursday: We had a morning off. The international students went for school visits. Later that day we prepared the ‘Plopdans’ for the Eurovision song contest! That was very funny! We had the most people dancing! I enjoyed it!

Friday: We presented ‘the Danisher’. Our self made newspaper with our reflections and thoughts. It was very special to see that every other country had made something different! After the presentations we had an international lunch. Eating, again! The Belgian girls left and I’m staying here for another 1.5 month, which I of course don’t mind!

It was very nice meeting all of you!

Gymnastics!

On sunday the 8th of March I went to the idraetscenter in Haderslev. There was a gymnastic show. But, it was so different then in Belgium! The biggest difference was that the boys are doing the 'dangerous' things on the trampoline, doing tumbling, using the mat,... . The girls were only dancing or doing a little bit of rhithmic gymnastics. I would go crazy if I couldn't jump into the trampoline!

Did you know...

... we went to Kolding last Saturday?
... I went with Maté, Noémi, Zeb and Eliska?
... I was on time at the house to leave?
... we saw the castle, the shopping centre, the church and many more?
... we had lunch in the streets of Kolding?
... Eliska went for a swim?
... we went to a nursery museum?
... it was oké, but we won't repeat that museum?
... we went to the fjord?
... the fjord is beautiful?
... I played poker that evening?
... I can play poker now?
... I didn't lose, but also didn't win?
... we ate international food?
... it was 'njammie!
... I will cook next time?
... we had art lesson this week?
... we got coffee during the lesson?
... we had to draw portrets?
... I already did this in Belgium?
... you can see the result on the pictures?
... it was Eliska's birthday on Wednesday?
... we got a 'Werther's Original'?
... she gave a party?
... that this party was fun?
... we played games?
... it were difficult but fun games?
... we arrived late at home?
... we had to see movies in school (after this party)?
... my eyes were 'a little bit' tired?
... I joined the 'erasmuschoir' this week?
... we sang a few songs?
... it was fun?

school visit: Kristne Friskole

On wednesday the 25th of February we (Misa, Eliska and me) went to the Kristne Friskole in Harderslev. When we arrived the teachers invited us to the staff room. It's was very nice in there. All teachers spoke with us, offered us coffie, the, Danish bolls, breakfast,...This school is a smaller school then the last one we visited. This one is a private school with 150 pupils. Every morning they start with a prayer. All pupils and teachers are gathered in the hall were they sing and pray.

After the prayer we went to see an English lesson. We had to introduce ourselves in English, so that was easy. Wait till we had to do this in Danish... They had to read a text. I think this took to much time, some of the pupils started to wisper, started to move on their chairs,... . After they read the text, they had to do a grouptask. They had to combine sentences from the text. It's good that they do this in groups because they will learn from eachother. I noticed that groupwork and learning from another is very importent in the Danisch schools.

The next lesson we saw was again an English lesson with the same teacher. I don't have to teach English but I thougt that maybe I could find a new practice method to teach language. The children had to read a text and after that they had a listening exercice. In this class there were 2 teachers. The other teacher was helping 3 other pupils who had difficulties with English. Maybe it's good to have a helping hand in the classroom. The weak pupils get extra help and the stronger one's can continue on their own level.

After two lessons of English it was time for something else! A music lesson, I really looked forward to see this lesson. Maybe it will give me some new ideas! And yes, I found one! All the children listend to Vivaldi and the four season. There was a stop after every season and the children had to tell what they tought, how they feld,... Then they listend again and they had to tell which season it was. I will use this in my own music lessons. Nice detail: they had their own music class. Wauw, this was so big en so much space. There were instruments all over the place. I want this to! You have so many possibility's in a big room then in just a small classroom.

And for the last lesson, we saw English again. But this was special... We introduced ourselves in Danish. Jeg hedder Anja. Jeg kommer fra Belgien. Jeg er treogtyve ar. (It's a special a but I can't do this on my computer...) After the introduction the pupils asked if we could say something in our own languages. I said something and the teacher answered me back in Flamish... Finally, I could speak in my own language! Woehoe! After the lesson I spoke with her in my language and i turns out that she lived in Roosendaal, 5 kilometers away from the place where I live. Small world, isn't it?

I have found a few differences comparing to Belgium:

- Teachers are teaching 28 hours a week. I have to teach 36 hours. Teachers in Denmark can correct tasks and evalutions when they are free. We have to do this in the evenings.

- When teachers are free they can help weakers students in the classroom. In belgium we have special 'remedial teachers' to help those pupils.

- In the Kristne Friskole they work with grades and I still don't know what grade is what age. I know they have a primary and lower secundary school. The children are going to the same school till they are 15 or 16 years old. In Belgium that age is 12 and after that they go to the secundary school.