Vecka Femton

This week I will continue with the professional blog from last week, reflecting on my week on placement. As this is the last term of primary school for the children. The children have very few classes as they are allowed ‘to relax’ before beginning life in secondary education. Because of this, I have seen very few lessons being taught over the past week. The children appear to have a lot of free time, or are working on projects which are already meant to be finished. During anytime where they have nothing to do, the pupils should take out their Ireland projects and work on them, however, I feel that I was asked to do this project as a ‘time-filler’, that the teacher didn’t have anything for them to do and so he asked me to carry out this project with the children. They can spend up to three hours throughout the course of the day working on the projects. I feel that this ‘time to relax’ is a very bad way to prepare children for secondary school. They will never get this in secondary school and shouldn’t get into the habit of becoming lazy. I know for certain in Ireland, pupils would barely get a week of this not to mention a whole term of few lessons. I know when I was in the last week of primary school, we did some fun lessons, art, music, P.E etc.. but only for one week, not a whole term. I think this is a bad habit for the children.

I have noticed that children here in Sweden are very respectful of each other and of adults. Discipline doesn’t seem to be an issue for teachers to deal with at all. In both schools I worked in, I have never heard the teachers raise their voices once. I have spoken to the teachers regarding this and they have all said that children will do their work with little or no talking, and also without any debate which I have had to deal with before. I feel that children in Ireland lack the respect for others, whether this has to do with culture or they way we were brought up, I don’t know. On many occasions I have also seen the teacher leave the room for various reasons and the children remain in their seats continuing with their project work, I know for a fact, if this was done in Ireland, pupils would be up moving around the room messing with each other. This is definitely one of the things that has amazed me most during placement, the respect pupils have for each other and the teacher. How the pupils take responsibility for their work and need little or no instruction to do so.

If only our classrooms were so quiet and full of hard workers, I feel that teaching would be so much easier without the constant battle to get pupils to work.

Vecka fjorton

After a bit of difficulty, I have finally been placed in a local primary school for my placement. I am working with a grade 6 class where the children are between 12-13 years old. The children have been learning English for almost three years and were all extremely shy and didn’t like to speak incase they made a mistake. However, after much persuasion and with the help of an English lesson, the children felt more secure and began to speak more confidently. Towards the end of the week the pupils would come and speak English which was great. I was happy they had overcome the shyness and I could see how excited they were to be able to do this. The pupils have their national tests coming up where their knowledge of English is also examined and so I felt it was important that they practise this with me.

The class teacher wanted the children to learn about our culture and so he was happy for me to work as much as I could with the children about Ireland. He asked me to do a presentation on Ireland for the class which they enjoyed. I then asked the pupils to, over the next few weeks, do their own presentation on Ireland. I gave them some topics to choose from: food, music, famous people, famous places, sport, and the Titanic. In pairs the pupils would have to work together to make a presentation which they must present to the class during my final week. Most of the pupils really enjoyed this task and have been putting a lot of effort into their work. I immediately noticed that pair-work is no problem for these children. From my previous placements in Ireland, I know if I were to give this assignment to children in Ireland, where they go off and work together in the library or on the computers, children in Ireland would be messing and not working on what they are supposed to be doing. I feel that Swedish children really take responsibility for their work and will do it without constant supervision, which I feel many children require in Ireland.

I also took an art lesson where I told the pupils about a shamrock, and it’s meaning to Ireland. They then had to paint a shamrock or a leprechaun to put in the Ireland corner. Again the pupils were keen to learn about this, a symbol linked closely with Ireland, and enjoyed the painting activity.

The children are interested and happy to learn about our culture, and I am proud to be able to teach them about it.

Some more on placement will follow next week...

Vecka treton

This week as I am still home, I will continue with a culture blog, comparing Vȁxjӧ to home. After spending some days in Sligo, Jackie and I went to Belfast before our return to Sweden. When we arrived I showed her the city of Belfast; City Hall, Queens University and of course, the shopping centres. I have never actually walked in around queens and so I guess I learned a little of our culture. We compared the huge Queens, to the tiny Linneuniversitet where we study here in Vȁxjӧ.

The next day Jackie and I went to see the new Titanic museum. It was quite busy and so we just looked at it from the outside. Although a tragic event, it’s great to have the Titanic linked with Ireland; that it was built there. People from all across the world can come to and visit the birth-place of this historical ship.

I also brought Jackie to see some murals; to see some of Ireland’s history. I told her about some events that I have learned about, and of course there are many with I don’t know of. I spoke about sectarianism and how it still exists in many parts of Ireland. She was fascinated to learn of our cultural background and about the history of our country. We went to visit both communities involved and compared all the different art-pieces, something which was very interesting for me too. As Sweden is such a clean country, I doubt we would see any such pieces around the streets and neighbourhoods. It is well kept and always looks clean. I realise that some murals in Belfast are not art-work as such but are out to scrutinise the differences between communities. Again, Jackie was able to learn of some historical events which occurred in our country, and sadly which still does in some cases. Jackie then spoke about the aboriginal community in Australia, and how they are also often mistreated because of cultural differences. It’s clear that everywhere we are there will be cultural differences however, some of us have trouble accepting these.