Education in Norway

From the perspective of a primary school

head teacher

Presented by Marit Mundahl Head teacher at Bergenhus primary school, Rakkestad

municipality

Marit Mundahl

Head teacher at Bergenhus school since 2005 Education: Bachelor teacher education, master in

pedagogical studies, management studies, pedagogical studies connected to children with special needs and law studies.

Teaching practice in pre-school and primary school

Personal motto: With two feet's on the ground, your are not moving………!

Contact-info: marit.mundahl@rakkestad.kommune.no maritmundahl@hotmail.com +47 917 21 160 (mobile) +47 69 22 73 10 (work)

Agenda for this workshop:

A. Information about Bergenhus primary school

B. Entrepreneurship as a possibility for connecting school to the community

C. Educational system in Norway

D. Curriculum development presented from a pedagogical and political perspective.

A. Bergenhus school Situated in Rakkestad municipality,

south-east in Norway. From august 2008 about 350 pupils, age

6 – 13 yrs (form 1 – 7) 23 teachers and 6 assistants (also

employed in “day care facilities”). Until February 2006 situated in old

buildings, but preparing for a “new life” ………

A school for the future!

Designed on the basis of a pedagogical idea document which described what functions the buildings should provide.

Combination of traditional school elements and ideas developed for Bergenhus in particular.

A school with possibilities for flexible solutions, different ways of teaching and learning and a variety of ways to organize learning activities.

The school have 7 entrances + front door. Pupils come directly into their area when they walk into the building

Form 5 - 7

Form 1 - 4

B. About Rakkestad municipality

Situated 70 km south/east of Oslo 7500 inhabitants Countryside/rural area Farming, industry, service. A lot of

people work in the nearest cities 4 schools (up to the age 15)

Norway and Østfold county

Rakkestad

Østfold county

Pictures from Rakkestad

Challenges in a rural area Traditional jobs are in change or

disappear Important to develop new types of jobs

and a variety in types of jobs How to make rural area attractive to

young people with higher education? How to train young people to be ”work

creators” not only employers? Entrepreneurship as an answer to some

of these challenges?

Entrepreneurship in school:

Strategy document from the Government: ”See Opportunities and Make Them Work!”

The purpose of the Strategy is to profile entrepreneurship as an educational objective and training strategy, as well as to motivate educational institutions, municipalities and county authorities to plan and anchor entrepreneurship in collaboration with trade and business and other relevant parties. 

Entrepreneurship promotes: Social and cultural competence Motivation for learning and learning

strategies Pupil participation Adapted education and equal opportunities The competence and role of teachers and

instructors Collaboration with homes Collaboration with the local community

From the strategy document:

Entrepreneurship should be an integrated part of education at all levels by developing a culture for entrepreneurship. The objectives are: Strengthening the individual’s personal

qualities and attitudes Making the pupils better equipped for

innovative thinking, tackling adversity, being creative and trusting their own judgment.

From strategy document to school

Entrepreneurship at Bergenhus school includes: Partnership with local business life (one

factory and one insurance company) Programme at form 4: ”Our community” – to

learn about how the society is organized in private sector and in the municipality, economical perspectives, responsibility, etc.

Programme at form 7: ”Young enterprise”. How to make an idea into a product and to get it sold!

Partnership – local business Pupils visit in the business, to

experience what is produced, information about the organisation, competence required etc.

Partners participate in the teaching at school to make a link between school subjects and ”real life”

Sponsoring …….. ?

“Our community” - at form 4

The programme is run by the school teachers and people working in the municipality. This spring the mayor where doing this job.

“Our community” is a teaching programme dealing with topics as why we pay taxes, how money is spent in the municipality (for schools, kindergarten, nursing, roads etc.) and how money is spent and distributed in the society in general

The way of teaching/learning includes a variety of methods like information, excursions, dramatizations, discussions, art and creative activities.

The programme do also include visits around in the community and to the City hall to examine where to find different kinds of organisations and to show what their tasks are.

The pupils work with special questions connected to challenges in a community, for example “what to do with the empty shop at the corner”.

“Young enterprise” – at form 7

How to make an idea into a product and to get it sold? A programme which includes cooperation between school teachers and represents from local business.  

Pupils learn to be aware resources, needs and possibilities in the community

To use and to develop creativity Competence for cooperation and team-work Self confidence, to trust one owns capacity To use knowledge, experiences and network All pupils are involved in this programme. New

talents are very often discovered, when teaching and learning are included in a context which is linked to “real life” outside school and classrooms.

Example: “Rakkestad perleri”

Programme starts by an introduction done by teachers and partners from local business: How to establish, organize and run a business.

Teachers and partners gives supervision throughout the process

One example: “Rakkestad perleri” Idea: To make jewels/bijouterie Organisation: 5 girls establish their own business. The jobs in the business was distributed by doing

applications and interviews with the applicants/pupils in order to select which pupils should be the director and the financial director!

“Rakkestad perleri”: To see possibilities and make them work!

Market: Pupils make an inquiry to check out if there is a market for the products and what the customers are willing to pay

Money: They apply for money from head teacher to make a economical foundation for their production.

Production starts. Hard work! Creativity is needed! How and where to sell the products must be decided. Accountability (account must be kept, the loan must

be paid back …….) “Rakkestad perleri” became a great success.

Economical results where 700 EURO. The most important result is connected to what they

learned about to see opportunities and make them work!

C. Educational system in Norway

“Education for all” is the basic concept of Norwegian educational policy.

Children and young people must have an equal right to education, regardless of where they live, gender, social and cultural background or any special needs.

Inclusive school – for all types of children All public education in Norway is free of charge,

while kindergarten have parental fees. Education must be organised in a lifelong

learning perspective, to meet changes in society constructively.

The Norwegian educational system

D. Curriculum in Norway Curriculum seems to change faster and

faster Curriculum development might be studied

from different perspectives. Pedagogical and political perspectives are

often connected to each other Curriculum development in Norway is

influenced from Europe and USA. NB! Curriculum as a document vs.

curriculum in teaching practise. Connection or conflict?

Curriculum in Norway - briefly historical overview (1)

1939 – curriculum ”NP 39” Education for all as a basic principle (7 yr) Curriculum based on Deweys ”Learning by

doing”, but with few consequences for daily life in school, also because of the 2 world war.

1974 – curriculum “M 74” 9 yr compulsory education Teachers autonomy, local decisions, focus on

practical and aesthetic subjects.

Curriculum in Norway- briefly historical overview (2)

1987 – curriculum “M 87” Local decisions & methods from Dewey still important School as an organisation highly emphasised. One

slogan is from “me & school” to focus on “we & school”.

School management more than school administration!

1997 – curriculum “L 97” 10 yr compulsory education (from age of 6 yr) National decisions about what to learn and how to

teach! Curriculum with lots of details!

Curriculum in Norway- briefly historical overview (3)

2006 – curriculum ”LK 06” (for more info, see brochures)

New curriculum/reform called ”Knowledge promotion”

More focus on the outcomes of teaching/learning National standards/targets, national tests. Local decisions about teaching methods Individual focus, adapted teaching Key competences should be integrated in all

subjects Increased focus on school management and

connections between management and learning outcomes.

Society and curriculum development Globalisation and multicultural society Economical situation Integration and inclusion ICT and technology Knowledge society Individual development as a “human right”

Consequences for teaching and learning ……?

Knowledge promotion – LK 06

Some important principles in LK 06: Basic skills - inclusive use of ICT – are

to be strengthen Adapted teaching, individual focus Inclusion of all pupils Cooperation with

parents

After the PISA …… basic skills! PISA, TIMMS and OECED-reports has

documented results at the average or worse! Politicians and pedagogical experts discuss

the reasons for this! The new curriculum LK 06 put a main focus

on five basic skills, which should be integrated in all subjects. These skills are:

The ability to express oneself orally The ability to read The ability to do arithmetic The ability to express oneself in writing The ability to make use of ICT

Adapted teaching for each individual

Bergenhus school according to LK 06: Individual plans and targets for each pupil are set

in order to stimulate every pupil to have an optimal development

Individual plan is made for one year, presented/discussed with parents in the beginning of the school-year. Based on this, teachers are making individual plans for each week.

Parents are expected to give feed-back to inform teacher about homework.

Routines for checking out the outcomes of teaching. Support for pupils who need special attention.

Teacher and pupil are discussing the individual plan for this week

Cooperation with parents

According to the legislation, parents and teachers should cooperate. Parents are also responsible for pupils learning

The home should receive info about the goals for classroom teaching in each subject, about how the teaching is organized, work methods and assessment.

Conferences between each pupil, parents and teacher 2 times pr year.

Contact with parents by phone, mail or meetings when needed. Special routines for contact when pupils have problems with learning, social competence etc.

Parents board and representation in school board. National Parents Committee (www.fug.no)

ICT – one of five basic skills ICT is a priority area throughout the

whole educational sector Digital competence is regarded as basic

competence ICT should be integrated in “all”

subjects All pupils should be able to use ICT in a

secure, conversant and creative manner so as to develop the knowledge and skill they need in order to be full participants in the community

Pupils with special needs

Every pupil has the right to attend the “neighbourhood school”.

Special schools for disabled children are nearly no-existing (after a reform in 1991). Some municipalities have special groups located inside school (multi-handicapped children, children with autism etc.)

Education in Norwegian school is to be adapted to the individual pupils abilities and capabilities, according to the legislation.

Pupils who do not, or cannot, achieve satisfactory learning yield from the ordinary teaching, has the right to special needs education. This education should be a part of the inclusive school, not organized as segregation.

Schools can ask for supervision from specialist centre, but the “daily life” must be organized and run by teachers in the local school.

Responsibility is placed upon the head teacher.

Integration of language minorities Important that children from language

minorities attend kindergarten. Also important that parents learn Norwegian Strategy document from Government “Equal

Education in Practise” Bergenhus school: About 15% pupils from

language minorities, refugees, immigrants because of work, marriage etc.

These pupils are not a homogenous group! Many presents very good results, but some (too many) do really struggle with the integration and the language.

To build out communication with parents and competence in the staff is important.

Curriculum theory and pedagogical

praxis.

1939, 1974, 1987, 1996, 2006 ……. Curriculum change is connected to both

political and pedagogical processes. Implementation of a new curriculum is a

heavy job. Implementation takes time! Important q: What kind of impact does the

curriculum make in the daily life of school? Hypothesis: Frequency of curriculum-

changing is opposite proportional of the realisation of curriculum intentions!!!?????

The final comments ……