week 15 - Proffesional development ( The Fridaskolan way) 21/04/12 - 27/04/12

Although I have found some similarities between the two Education systems during this week in Fridaskolan I have noticed many differences between The Swedish Education System and our Education System in Northern Ireland. Firstly, in Fridaskolan I was shocked that pupils were provided with their own Mac books. The teacher told me it is a great resource and it allows them to have their own online email site so they can complete their work online and upload homework. I also found that children were openly allowed to use Facebook, you tube and other sites during school. I asked the teacher did she think this was a good idea to allow this during school time and she explained that the class has their own Facebook group where she can post important notifications. She thought pupils were much more informed than previously. Sandra also highlighted that the pupils use it as a discussion page for school work and to help each other with their work as they can receive instant feedback from their peers. Initially I thought this would distract the pupils however, throughout the week I noticed that this is a good strategy for promoting independent study, as the pupils must learn not to be tempted by these distractions. In the future this will help the children be better equipped for university life and to be in charge of their own learning and work.

The most noticeable difference between both systems was that children in Fridaskolan are much more independent and have much more freedom in school due to the fact there is less influence on Health and Safety Policies and they have a more laid back approach to discipline.

‘The task of the school is to encourage all pupils to discover their own unique­ness as individuals and thereby be able to participate in the life of society by giving of their best in responsible freedom.’  SFKOLE (2010, p.7)

During the different lessons such as sewing, crafts, cooking and PE I noticed children had much more creative freedom. Children were allowed to sit on the window whilst sewing, use the sewing machine and sharp utensils for cooking without any assistance.

Sports life, P.E Hall

 Furthermore, children were allowed to cycle/walk to the PE hall which was outside the school grounds by themselves. They were given a longer lunch break so they could make their way to the P.E hall on time. This is something which would not be accepted in Northern Ireland as pupils must always be supervised during school hours. Pupils were also allowed to participate in Physical Education in their socks and climb up the walls, if you had no shoes or suitable clothing for PE in Northern Ireland you would be excluded from the lesson.

I really enjoyed teaching badminton in this relaxed environment. Grade 6 were very talented in sport therefore it was a great opportunity for me to teach the class badminton in English and try to encourage them to ask me questions about the rules of the game. At the end of the session Victoria said she was surprised to see one girl in particular talking to me so much as usually she does not speak a word during English class so I was very pleased with this. Teaching three different classes in a row was a different experience but very enjoyable. It was a great opportunity to get to know all the pupils in Grade 6 and compare the different groups. I was able to reflect and evaluate the lesson trying to improve it each time. Additionally, teaching Grade 9 pupils aged 15 – 16 was a big change as the older pupils like to do things for themselves. I found that I had to adapt my teaching style for this age group as it was more supportive than instructive.

I am really enjoying my time in this school and I'm looking forward to the week ahead.

References:

Curriculum for the compulsory school system, the pre-school class and the leisure-time centre 2011.(2011). Stockholm: Swedish National Agency for Education. Can be accessed at: http://www.skolverket.se/