Busy!

Hello, long time no see!

The only reason for that is that it is very busy over here. I like that it is very busy, but work also has to take place!

Last week was a very busy week. This was so because there were 3 birthdays (Charlotte, Daniel and me) and also we had some interesting courses.

Last monday we had history and school and education in Denmark. The lesson about history last monday gave us a global vision about the history of Denmark. The lesson went fast, but I like an energetic teacher. I think Jorn who tells us about this is really an expert. He also teaches with a lot of passion.

We also had a lesson of history on friday. Then Jorn told us about the area overhere, that they became independent in 1920, he told about the relationships with Germany and about the wars. He really tries to interact us in the lessons. This is a teaching style I really appreciate.

Often we also has lesson about school and education. I think the education system in Denmark is becoming clear to me. The main differences with the education system are clear. Because this week we also visited a school, and the same differences came clear to me.

The differences with the Belgium education system:

- The pupils has a lot of freedom, but also more responbilities;
- The teacher is more a guide then really "he knows everything and he wants to tell everything";
- Lessons overhere in general only last untill 14.00. In Belgium lessons last untill 15.30.

On wednesday we had an artistic lesson. We had to draw a portrait about ourselve. That didn´t work out for me, because I don´t have the patience. But it turned out that Daniel is a pretty good drawer!

In afternoon, we had a meeting with the cooking class. It was an international buffet, with food from Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany and Denmark. First we cooked together and then, off course, we ate it and we had a good time!

On thursday there was a guest speaker. He told us more about "English across the curriculum". For me, who hasn´t English as a subject it was also very interesting. Because I also can use some tips for learning French when I am back in Belgium. I think the most important thing to do is to give the children always a context.

Then the birthdays...

With 3 birthdays in one week, you are obliged to give a party! So, on saturday evening, we had a birthday dinner. Daniel, Charlotte and myself cooked, with assistence from Iva, Manu and Gerard (Charlotte´s boyfriend). We also invited the 2 German students who are here for 2 weeks. It was really a cosy evening, with good food, a good chat and wine. Sunday it was like a lazy sunday for me, because I could use the rest!

So, that was the most important of last week,

Mojn,

Tim

Icehockey

Friday night I saw an ice hockey match. I found it very exciting. It was Vojens against Elsbjerg, a "derby".

In the beginning the match was equal going on, but in the second half it was clear that Vojens would win it.

The match ended 6 - 1 for Vojens. You can see pictures in the picture section!

Difference in school systems

Today we had our first lesson about the difference in schoolsystems. It provided to be a very interesting lesson.

At first we had to tell our impressions about the observations we did. After we said our impressions, our lector agreed with this.

Our impressions:

- Few rules;
- A lot of freedom for the pupils;
- A little bit chaos during te lessons;
- The goal of the lesson isn't always clear.

Also there is not much discipline from the pupils, en I think that makes it very hard to teach sometimes.

I think the most important of the Danish schoolsystem is the participation of the students. Like our teacher said, they like to go to school overhere and I believe it. And that is also very important.

Tomorrow we have this lesson again, so to be continued...

Copenhagen

During the holiday we visited Copenhagen. It was a very lovely trip, also thanks to Carsten and Monica. Because Monica had live in Copenhagen for a couple of years, she knew some nice places.

The first day we visited The National Museum. After this visit we went out for dinner. When we were back at the hostel, we just drunk something in the bar and then we went to our rooms to sleep.

On Wednesday, We visited the Museum of Art. I really liked it. There were a lot of weird sculptures, but I thaught it was very nice. Before this visit, we visited the Little Marmaid (or how do you write it?). She was little, like the name.

In the afternoon we had some free time. I used it to walk around and to discover were Fiserk Tower, the great Shopping Center was.

On the last day we saw the quards changing, and we also took a water taxi. This was very nice. We saw Copenhagen in a different way.

When we were back home in Haderslev, I was really tired. So when I was home I went straight to bed!

Citizenship and globalisation

On friday we had a course called citizenship and globalisation. In advance, we had to read a difficult text about it.

In course we found out that citizenship and globalisation is about the Danish identity, and how to achieve that. I think. It wasn't easy, but I hope to understand more of it during the following courses. For the moment it is all a little bit abstract to me.

In course we also had to write down our pre understandings about Denmark. Then we had to tell to each other.

I think and I hope that during this course, there will be also some discussions with the others about our own identity and the differences. We will see about that.

School visit

Today we went to a school to see how they teach overhere. There are some great differences with how they teach in my country:

- The children have a lot more freedom than they have in Belgium. They go for exemple alone to their class rooms.
- Overhere the teacher gives a short instruction, and then the children work on their own in groups. The main idea is that they learn from each other.
- The children talk to their teachers with their first name.

I liked it very much, and I will tell more about it the next time but now I have a course!

Mojn,

Tim

Pictures!

Hello,

I have put some pictures online! You can see them on the right of my weblog. As you can see, there are 3 divisions:

- Students (This is my class and people I meet at school);
- Haderslev (This is the campus and the city);
- My Home (This is where I sleep).

I hope you will enjoy them!

Mojn,

Tim