Article Nordic Model Isa Jimin Timo Imma

MARCH. 2019

Bakkegårdsskolen With a group of four students from all over the world (Belgium, South-Korea, Catalonia, The Netherlands) we spend a week in a Danish school: Bakkegårdsskolen. A sport profile school in Gentofte with around 750 students. We focused mainly on the relationship between the teachers and students.

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STUDENT AND TEACHER WRITTEN BY TIMO, JIMIN, IMMA AND ISA STUDENTS TEACHER EDUCATION

After a warm welcome in the school, they organise our schedule allowing us to see different subjects in different grades. The subjects we saw were English, history, arts, music, mathematics, Danish and Physical Education (PE). Most of the time we followed Pernille, the class teacher of a 4th grade class. What surprised us was the relationship between the teachers and the pupils. Because it was very different from our own countries. We noticed that teachers and pupils are very close. This close relationship is due to a few different things. First of all the children have the same class teacher for three years. This way they can build up a real relationship with the pupils. Pernille told us at first she's very strict and makes clear what her rules are, so that afterwards she can loosen up. We saw that all the children call their teachers by their first name. This way they are more on the same level. The classes are not that big, most of the time there're around 19 pupils in one class. This way the teacher has time to interact with everyone.

- KARL A. MENNINGER

"EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT AND THAT'S GOOD" - PERNILLE

One thing that caught our attention are the PE lessons. Three teachers give the lesson together at three classes (around 60 students) at the same time. First half an hour of the lesson the students have time to get dressed and play around freely in the space. The teachers walk around too and take the time to talk and play with the pupils. Afterwards the warm-up starts, also here the teachers join the pupils. They are practicing together, instead of the teachers telling them the exercise and standing there just watching the kids. Moreover, when the class finishes all the pupils are obligated to shower together, divided by gender, since first grade. Also teachers are allowed to shower with them. Pernille told us it's a good way to see that it's normal to see that everyone is different and that we must respect our body and each other. Also that way the pupils have supervision while they shower. PE is obviously more than just sports.

MARCH. 2019

Positive and negative side of the relationship On one side, close relationships take away some of the hierarchy. Because they are together for three years they know each other and the class rules very well. If the pupils know and follow the rules, the teacher could trust them better and that leads to more freedom for pupils. First of all during spring period some pupils, that have the permission because the teacher trusts them, can go eat outside. Another example is that in music class, students can touch all the things in music room and they can pick instruments during class. The trust is also shown in letting the children make group work in the hallway by themselves. In addition, not only teachers trust pupils, but also pupils trust their teachers. When we asked students what they think of their teacher, they answered us they love their teacher. The teachers love their children back, Pernille even wants to stay with her class for three more years. This loving and reliable atmosphere makes them respect each other. Teachers don't ignore students' opinion. Whenever students want to talk or ask about something, they raise their hand freely-without any worry of being criticized- and teachers try to listen to everything they have to say. It makes students tell their opinion confidently.

Differences and similarities For South-Korea, Belgium and The Netherlands it's normal to call your teacher by their function and after that their fist name with the informal ‘you’. In Danish culture it’s normal to call your teacher only by their first name and also with the informal ‘you’, that’s the same in Catalonia.

Furthermore, main class teachers from South-Korea, Belgium and The Netherlands would give all courses from different subjects in one year. On the other hand, in Denmark we see it’s quite normal the main class teacher gives three or four subjects during a three year, period, similar to Catalonia except it's only one On the other hand, there are also disadvantages to the year. close relationship. Students really know which teacher is strict or not, so they take advantage of it. A similarity is the teacher being quite close with For instance, we observed the same 6th grade class children. In The Netherlands, as in Denmark, the with different teachers. Even though it was the same hierarchy of the teacher is not that high. The teacher class, with one teacher students really paid attention has to earn the respect of the children. That’s different to class. But with the other teacher,  pupils didn't stop from South-Korea, Catalonia and Belgium where the chatting the whole time - even though the teacher habit of having respect for the teacher is more warned them a lot. expected.

Furthermore, some believe that close relationships can even cause bullying-teacher problems. Students could see the teacher as a 'friend', not an 'educator'. So if they don't like the teacher, it could cause a lot of problems. Rasmus, a Danish student, told us that he and his friends bullied a teacher once. Finally the classroom teacher was replaced. It would be better to solve the problem through communication.

Students and teachers have a very open and close relationship in this school. There is a relaxed atmosphere where teachers encourage students. We were very happy and learned a lot from observing in this school. We, as future teachers, would like to build a similar relationship with our students in our countries. Thank you Bakkegårdsskolen!