Personal Development
Week two is drawing to a close and what a week it has been. I am finding it hard to believe it has only been two weeks since I arrived, it feels like considerably longer. This week I have felt a lot more settled and I am beginning to find my way around Copenhagen, although there is still much to see and do! One of the most difficult things over the past two weeks has been getting used to the transport system here, it is extremely complicated- even the residents agree that it is difficult to use! There are many zones, and you have to work out how many zones you will pass on your journey, it is much harder than it sounds! I am also slowly beginning to gain confidence using the small about of Danish language that I have picked up and I am being taught it University. I was sitting on the train the other and for the first time I was able to understand a little of what someone was saying, it felt great! I think one of the hardest things for me has been the language barrier and I hope everyday I will get a little more confident and listening to and speaking the Danish language.
This weekend we headed to the coast, Ishoj with the other Erasmus students and some of the lecturers. It was an amazing setting on the coast, where the sea was frozen. We were actually able to walk out on the sea, an amazing and surreal experience. The weekend aimed at addressing the issues in relation to cultural identity and also began looking at the multi-cultural classroom ( I will expand upon this later as there is much to say!). Personally, I gained a lot from the weekend away as I was able to get to know the people in my class a lot better. I was able to ask lots of questions and was asked lots of questions in return about home- especially in relation to the troubles in Northern Ireland. I find it sad that this is one of the most significant issues that Northern Ireland is known for, so my aim was to paint a different more positive picture of the Northern Ireland to the people I have been meeting.
I have also had moments this week when I have really missed my family and friends at home, I think for the first time this week it sunk in that I am not only away for two weeks, but for four months. I think sometimes it takes you to be removed from the familiar and safety net of home to really appreciate how lucky you are. However, I have also realized how lucky I am to be in an amazing city and the opportunities that are ahead of me here, I am thoroughly enjoying my course and it is so interesting to learn from people from other parts of the world.
Cultural development.
This week I feel that I have developed significantly- not only in relation to Danish culture but also from the cultures of the other Erasmus students. One of the most significant activities for me this weekend was in relation to a visual activity which we completed. Each of the students were asked to split into pairs, each from a different nationality and we had to draw each other and then fill the page with answers to a number of set questions, which were personal to the individual and culture that we come from. From this activity, I realized that for the majority it is about getting to know the individual person and not about stereotypes or prejudices that many hold about other cultures. I gained so much about other beliefs and practices/ rituals from this activity and was also able to share about my own.
This week I also had a class on Danish Religion in University and it gave me insight into much of the religious culture in Denmark, especially in relation to the Reformation. One of the things that I have been told is that Danes are quite reserved about expressing their feelings and especially in relation to religion, so this class gave me a great insight into Danish people and religion. Over the next couple of weeks we will visit some of the religious buildings in the town and I can't wait to learn more and these places, especially in relation to Christian III who introduced the reformed church to Denmark.
One of my favourite places to visit in Copenhagen is a small cafe in the centre of town. There are many small cafes like this in Denmark, however we have become quite fond of this particular place. Danes seems to love relaxing in the afternoon with endless cups of coffee and various types of tea whilst sitting in dimly lit cafes with candles...as you can imagine a very relaxing scene. One of the problems is, as with most things in Copenhagen- the price! it is unbelievably expensive so we may soon be on the hunt for a cheaper place to enjoy this cultural danish daily activity.
Professional Development.
As I have previously said I am really enjoying the courses that I am studying at UCC. The weekend gave us a great insight into our course especially in relation to 'multi-cultural education' ( as I explained earlier) and 'comparative education'. It was incredibly interesting to note the similarities between the education system in Northern Ireland and Denmark, and indeed with other parts of Europe. One of the main questions we considered this week referred to ' How to teach in such a way that every child learns?'. This lecture opened up a huge area of discussion from differentiation, professional development, active learning to the inclusion debate. I am really looking forward to the progression of these lectures as I find comparing education systems an essential part of improving and reflecting upon our own.
This week we also were split into our groups for our teaching placement and I can't wait until the block placement in schools to get an opportunity to see first hand what Danish schools are like. In these groups we again got to discuss what teaching practice entails in different parts of Europe. One of the most significant features that I have found out is in relation to substitut e teaching, in many cases, especially in Denmark student teachers can have the opportunity to work on their days off in schools and get paid for it also- this must be a great experience.
Within Globalization and Professional change we addressed the issue of Culture Shock. It was very interesting to note the changes that people go through when beginning to live in another culture. We looked specifically in relation to what we feel a school should look like, and were able to compare our knowledge of schools to different schools and their setups across the world. Danish class has also been excellent this week and I love learning new phrases which I can use on my travels into Copenhagen town!
Speak soon. G.
No comments:
Post a Comment