My 'teaching' experiences in Denmark

Because I don’t speak enough Danish, we mostly observed during the two weeks of practice. However, because we (Stefanie and I) didn’t want to sit and listen all the time, we asked our mentor (Lisbeth Thompsen) if we could give a small presentation about our country and maybe play some games. Lisbeth was very excited about this offer and said ‘yes’ immediately.
On Tuesday, the 13th of april, we gave a presentation about our country to the pupils of the 6th grade. (We could only do this presentation in the 6th grade, because the younger children don’t understand enough English. )To see if they had paid attention, we did a little quiz afterwards. Most students got all the questions right. Lisbeth told us afterwards that the students really enjoyed it.


Today, at our last day of practice, we did some games with the pupils from the 3rd , 5th and 6th grade. With the 3rd and the 5th grade, we played ‘Schipper magi k overvaren?’ (Sailor can I cross the sea?)
We chose this particular game, because it’s a typical Belgian game and because the pupils could practice the English words they’d just learn. The game goes like this:

There are two sailors in the middle, the other pupils are standing in a line towards them. First the pupils have to sing a song (we’ve translated it to English). When the pupils are standing on the right part of the field, the sailors have to say a color. All the pupils who are wearing something who has this color, can’t cross the sea, so the sailors have to try to catch them. Those who aren’t wearing anything black, can just walk over. On the other side, it’s the same, accept that the pupils have to do something, a movement, again chosen by the sailors. Those who chose to don’t do the movement, can try to run, but they can be caught. Both Lisbeth as the pupils loved this game.


Because we had some more time, we also played ‘ 1, 2, 3, piano…’. (we also played this game with the pupils from the 6th grade) The pupils knew a similar game that’s called ‘ red, orange, green ‘.
There is one pianoman. He had to turn around and say “One, two, three, piano…”. While he is saying this, the other children can run and try to touch the wall, where the pianoman is standing. But after the pianoman has said his sentence, he turn around and all the other pupils have to stand still. Those who aren’t standing still have to go back and start all over again.
You can make some variations with this game, like we did. Instead of saying “one, two, three, piano…”, you can also say “one, two, three, animals” or “one, two, three, fotomodel” . And than the pupils have to stand like an animal or a fotomodel.

All three grades enjoyed those games and so did we. It was a great experience, both the ‘teaching’ as the observing. I’m just a bit disappointed that the practice was scheduled so late, because now we don’t have any time left to discuss this with the other Erasmus students or the teachers.

Teaching in Belgium or in Denmark?

After the First day of practice during the First week, I was really excited to go back to ‘Realskole’ and learn more about their way of teaching.
Stefanie and I followed a teacher, named lisbeth Thompson. A very nice and warm teacher who really loves her job. She is specialized in 2 subjects: music and English.
In Belgium, you’ve got only one teacher for one class. In Denmark you are specialized in certain subjects and you only teach those subjects. Both systems have their advantages and disadvantages:


- An advantage of working with specialized teachers is that they know (almost) everything about their subject and love teaching it. This is a big problem in Belgium. Because we have to teach everything, we just know the basic things about each subject. So if you compare the music lessons the pupils get here with the ones the pupils in Belgium get, you can say it’s a night and day difference. The children in Denmark learn al sort of things: rhythm, singing, theory, listening to music, and other exercises. While the pupils in Belgium just learn to sing some songs. I was really amazed by the knowledge of the children. For example, the children of the second grade can easily read rhythm, while I just learned to do this in my university. Another thing is that the Danish pupils are very familiar with music. They dare to sing very loud or play music, while in Belgium they are a bid shy to do these things, because they are not used to it. Lisbeth told us this has to do with confidence. The children get music lessons from when they are very young. They don’t know it differently.
So I would prefer that they hire people in the Belgian schools, who are specialized in music to transfer their knowledge to the pupils. Music can also help the children with a sort of things: from a better concentration and listing to a better coordination.
- Another advantage is that you as a teacher get a lot of variety by teaching from grade zero until grade 10. In Belgium sometimes a teacher gets fed up with always teaching the same age over and over again. You don’t have that problem over here.

- A disadvantage however from having different teachers for one class is the fact that the children always have to adjust their selves to the teacher. By this I mean the following: every teacher has his own way of teaching and his own rules. I think it’s very confusing for the children. With one teacher they can run around in the class, with another teacher, they can’t. A result of this is that the pupils sometimes have lack of respect. I talked about this with Lisbeth and she couldn’t agree more. She said that especially the older pupils don’t always show respect for their teacher.
In our school system, the value ‘respect’ is the first thing the pupils learn. You will never see pupils act the way they (sometimes) do over here. As a said earlier, Lisbeth is a great teacher, but sometimes she has to be more strict. There were times that she was explaining an exercise and the pupils were just talking and running around. In Belgium, such behavior will never be tolerated.
Another thing that really amazed me is that the teachers here work very expressive. In Belgium the way of teaching is often very sec. We learn the pupils the theory and afterwards the practice the theory by making exercises. Sometimes the pupils practice the theory by playing a game. But usually, they just have to practice things by writing and making exercises in their workbook.
Over here, that’s not the case at all. Here they learn by playing. I really love that kind of didactics.

For example, we saw the lessons English of the 6th grade. They were learning about Scottish clans. In Belgium we would learn them this by giving them a text that they can read or by just teaching them about this subject. Here, in Lisbeths English lessons they taught the pupils those things by letting them make their own clan. Every clan had to make a tartan, a crest and a history. I was really amazed by this. The end result is nearly the same, yet the children of Denmark had a lot more fun than those in Belgium would have.
Stefanie and I had to accompany a clan and help them by making their assignments. I once got really crossed with some students, because they were complaining about what they had to do. When I explained them how they would have to learn this in Belgium, they realized that this assignment wasn’t so bad after all and they stopped complaining.

If I’m honest, I have to say that I could never teach in this system. For me, the system is to chaotic. The classes are a mess and the pupils don’t always give the teachers the respect they deserve. An advantage of teaching here though is without a doubt, the didactic system they use. I really fell in love with the way the teachers teach their pupils something. I definitely going to put that in my bag and take it home with me.

Nevertheless, this beautiful way of teaching doesn’t compensate the disadvantages. I think I’ll stay in Belgium and try to teach my pupils things by playing.

International week

From the 15th March until the 19th of march, we had a special schedule, because it was international week. Students from all around the country came to visit UCsyd.


On Monday we got to know the international students by playing a game. Afterwards, when we knew one another a bit better, we had to make a couple of drawings of things that represent our country. Because we already did this twice, it wasn’t too hard to come up with typical Belgian things. We drew chocolate, beer, Herman Van Rompuy, our flag, French fries and seafood.
after wards we had to do the same, but for another country. This was more difficult. Our group had Poland and the only thing we came up with was ‘Vodka’.
When everyone finished, every group had to present the drawing of the other country. Then the people of that concerned country showed us their drawing and then we could compare those two. Most of the time the drawings were representative. I think this is because the weeks before we talked a lot about the countries all the erasmusstudents come from.
In the afternoon, we got a Danish lesson. Not very interesting for us, because we already knew those basic words… What I did find interesting was the explanation about the Danish educational system afterwards. We already talked about that, but it’s always interesting to hear and discuss it again.


On Tuesday we had 2 different workshops. I chose for ‘preparing traditional food from Denmark’ and ‘Creating a pocket film’. Both workshops were very good.



From 8.15 until 11.15 we talked about Danish food. The teacher showed us some pictures from a traditional coffee table. After seeing that, I can’t believe that most Danes are so skinny. Afterwards we made some sandwiches with some typical Danish food on it. The one thing that I found the most striking was the mackerel salad with mayonnaise. It was divided: 50 – 50, so 50% of mackerel and 50% mayonnaise… So not very healthy, but of course the unhealthy things are always the best…
After the lunch (made by myself) we had to make a pocket film. This film had to be about ‘the things I find striking in Denmark’. To be honest, I find a lot of things striking in Denmark. After a short discussion, we chose this striking fact: ‘Why do the traffic lights always turn orange before they turn back green?’ First we went to the crossroads and filmed the traffic lights, afterwards we made our own little ‘theater’. Stefanie was the red light, Marie was the orange light and I was the green light.
After our perfect acting, we had to put in on the computer and edit it. I have to say, the end result was fabulous. After a satisfying day, we had to prepare food from our home country. Stefanie, some international students and I made French fries (of course!). It didn’t went smoothly. We only had one fryer and fries have to be baked twice… After 2 hours in the kitchen we were done. I really enjoyed that evening. I loved the fact that we could taste food from other countries. With my belly all blown up and the button of my pants open, we left to our apartment to get a good night sleep, because Wednesday would be very exhausting as well…

And it was! Wednesday was the international day. At 8.15, all the students had an introduction to the day in the assembly hall. What I found very funny was the fact that the speaker was talking about cultures and how important it is to learn and speak English, but she only spoke Danish, while she could speak English…
Anyway, after this presentation we went to our workshop about internationalization. I chose the workshop ‘didactics’ with Iben. I loved it! It was so interesting! Every time when I had a lesson from her, I go out with my head filled with thoughts. She can really challenge you to think further… That wasn’t different this time…


After lunch, we had some time to prepare an exhibition about our home university. Stefanie, a few international students and I are all from the same university, so we worked together. I drew a poster from the college, Stefanie helped me with the colors and the international students made a more general poster about Belgium. Afterwards, there was a small exhibition. It was nice to see each other home universities. The only thing I found a bit regrettable was the fact that there were almost no Danish students… The weather was nice, so I think they all went home…


On Thursday we normally had ‘movement and physical activities’ in the morning, but the teacher was sick. Instead we worked with books. I didn’t really liked this alternative… After lunch and after a presentation about the university of Valencia, we went to Ribe. I’d already been there with my parents and my sister, but I didn’t find it annoying to go back, because I really love this village. It so small and cozy there and all the old buildings tell a story.


We didn’t went straight to Ribe though, we first made a stop at the sea. It was wonderful. The view was phenomenal. After we had the change to walk a bit around and take some pictures, we had to go back on the bus. The bus driver drove through Ribe, what actually is forbidden. I can see why… The streets are so narrow, you can easily get stuck in one… He stopped at the museum, which we went to visit. I really love this museum. There are 3 parts. Upstairs you can see a film about the old Vikings. Downstairs there is a part especially made for children and then you also have the ‘normal museum’. I went to see all three. As a teacher to be, of course I liked the part for the children the most.
It looked like a little ‘Vikingvillage’. The children can dress like knights or princesses and do all sorts of activities. After one and a half hour in the museum, we had some free time. We just walked around. Because it’s such a small town, we still had some time left before the bus would leave, so went to a café and drank a thee.

Back in Haderslev, it was time for the ‘Eurovision song festival’. Loes, Ine, marie, Caroline, Stefanie and I started practicing for our act. We chose a song of K3 (A very famous group in Belgium) and made up some dance moves to go with our play backing. We were ready. Every country did something. Most people sang a song. I was a bit scared after I’d see some great performances. But it was too late. We had to do it. And I’m glad we did, because Belgium got 12 point, meaning: our group won! I was so happy! We got our price and it was a basket of chocolate. (Not a great price for me, because I don’t like chocolate…)


After an exciting night, my alarm went off very early (a bit too early…). When I arrived at school we got some more time to work on our pocket film, because we had to present it later that day. At 12 o’clock we saw each other pocket films and we saw the end product of the music class. They sang a song and I have to say, it sounded great! Then the final activity took place: the farewell lunch. The lunch ladies made some lunch, especially for us and it was delicious. (I like the Danish food now, more than in the beginning)


It was a very exhausting week, but I’m glad I experienced it…!

How to make Belgian 'Hutsepot'...

Ingredients:
• 3 potatoes
• 3 onions
• ½ Savoy cabbage
• 3 carrots
• 3 turnips
• 2 leek
• 4 pieces of bacon (thick)
• Thyme and laurel
• 3 dl water
• Mustard
• Butter
• Pepper and salt

How to prepare it?
1. Cut the vegetables in big pieces (4 à 5 cm).
2. Stew the vegetables 5 à 6 minutes in a big pan.
3. Add some pepper, salt, thyme and laurel.
4. Add the water en let it boil.
5. Put the bacon on the vegetables. Let it stew for 45 minutes.
( ! : Put the lid on the pot !  otherwise the vegetables will be burned)
6. Every 10 minutes you have to shake the pot. If the water is evaporated, you have to add some water.
7. Let the ‘Hutsepot’ cool down. (remove the lid)
8. Serve it with mustard.

Danish lessons

I was really looking forward to learn another language. I was a bit amazed about the quantity of lessons we had. It’s very hard to learn a language in only 5 lessons, 10 hours. But I was hopeful… Very excited I went to the first Danish lesson in the first week. We learned to say our names and where we come from. I think this was a very good introduction. Satisfied with those two Danish sentences I went home. Stefanie and I practiced this the whole week. We kept asking each other’s name. 
But week after week I was more and more disappointed in these lessons. The teacher was really trying, but we went to slow. After these 5 lessons, this is all we can say:

1) Our names (Jeg hedder Lynn)
2) Where we come from (Jeg kommer fra Belgium)
3) What language we speak (Jeg taler flamsk or lidt dansk)
4) We can thank someone in 7 different ways (tak, tusind tak, selv tak,…)
5) We can ask if someone wants thee or coffee (Vil du have kaffe/te?)
6) And we can count until 100

So I’m a bit disappointed. We can’t have a conversation with a Dane. We can’t speak with the children of our practice school. I still feel like an intruder in Denmark after 2 and a half months, because I always have to speak English. I think it’s a matter of respect to learn the language of the land you’re in.
Maybe it’s a good idea for next year to increase the Danish lessons. Or arrange some outdoor activities in Danish. (Danish games?)
But I do have to say that Lone Selmer really had some good ideas to let us practice the sentences and words we already know. And I know it’s hard for her to learn us a lot of Danish in only 10 hours, because it is a very difficult language…

Climate and cooking

Finally, our First lesson with Danish students! (I don’t have any optional subjects)
I was looking forward to this lesson. And I have to say, it was great! The teacher was very friendly and she really tried to make us feel welcome. (But I think this is a quality all Danes have… )
The 8th of march, we had our first lesson. The Danish students were very friendly and helped us a lot. We started by brainstorming about climate friendly cooking. I think it’s very good that we started the way we did. These days, it is very important to be climate friendly. Afterwards we had to divide the tasks. Stefanie and I, together with 3 Danish students were responsible for the main course. With the climate friendly cooking rules in our head, we (Stefanie and I) decided to make a typical Belgian meal, named ‘Hutsepot’ during the cooking lesson. It was climate friendly because the ingredients were seasonal.
The 23th we met again. We had to go shopping for our ingredients. As always the Danish students helped and learned us a lot in the store: ‘Which potatoes were better, why they chose ecological vegetables, and so on.’ With a bag of Føtex in my hand I knew I was ready to make a delicious meal.
The 24th, the day the Danes would love our Belgian food or the day they hated it… Everybody started to make their own climate friendly meal. An hour went by and the kitchen was filled with delicious aroma’s. We laid the table, so that we could see if our noses didn’t tricked us. And I’m very glad to tell you that it wasn’t the case. Everything I ate that morning, was delicious. EVERYTHING!
The only thing I struggled with that morning was the fact that, although I skipped my breakfast, I was already full after the first soup. I can’t remember how I did it, but I managed to eat/taste it all. I do remember that I went home with my button of my pants open… 
In general, I can conclude that I really loved this lesson. It was great to work with Danish students and to learn a lot about climate friendly cooking, ingredients, typical Danish food,….

Danish literature and film

I was looking forward to this lessons. I’m very interested in this topic.
Unfortunately, I have to say that I was disappointed. I was hoping that we would read some stories / poems and then analyze and discuss them. But we didn’t do such things. We only saw 2 writers: Karen Blixen and Hans Christian Andersen. I already knew Andersen, his stories for children are famous, also in Belgium. But I agree, he is a very known writer and he comes from Denmark, so it is logical that we talk about him. I didn’t mind at all.
There are a lot of things that we could do with these authors writing work or even their life stories.
Unfortunately, we just saw a film about their lives. it was interesting, but the teacher could just tell us those things in 15 minutes. Then there would be some time left for reading their stories. Because, let’s face it, we know those people now and we know some titles of their most famous work, but we don’t know their stories.