Monday, 25 April 2016
DAY 2

The Icelandic school system

DAY 2

Very interesting presentation on the Icelandic school system delivered by Johanna Vilbergsdottir, the head-teacher of our host-school.

Johanna is very committed to her job, and proud for all the things she has been able to realize.

Vaettaskoli is the result of the fusion between two schools. Here – as in many other countries, as we find out – fusions have become quite common to limit the expenses for the staff.

Teachers are hired directly by the school. Within the first 4 months they can be fired. If they meet the necessary requirements they stay, and after 2 years they can get a permanent job.

They can teach whatever subject suits them, even subjects they have not studied at university but that they feel like sharing.

Their hobbies are especially useful to activate the afternoon courses: each student has to choose among a range of possibilities, that at Vaettaskoli are abot 70, from fishing to English, from dancing to chess to wood-working.

The school’s primary aim is the well-being of students. Johanna is proud that in the past year the students of her school have reduced drinking, drug consumption and drop-out rate.

At 16 students sit a national exam in the fundamental subjects, then they can decide if they want to go to high school to be able to go to university.

Drop-out rate in Iceland is quite high.

The most important aspect she has spoken about is the fact that teaching has to be flexible, as also the curriculum is.

Students are followed individually, and they have psychologists, counsellors and other staff that can help them find the best solutions to their problems or expectations.

Schools are totally paid by the state, which also funds (at least partially) the private schools. Parents are not allowed to pay anything.

Students can raise money by doing several activities, and with the money they get they can finance their extra activities, like school trips.

Next, Runa (Gudrun Kristjansdottir) gives us a presentation on Icelandic identity.

She starts with her personal reflection on what it means to be a teacher:

Then she tells us about Icelandic history, flora and fauna.

It is exactly what we need to start and discover the place, to have a background to the schools we are going to visit tomorrow and to the people we are going to meet.



REFLECTIVE JOURNAL

School principals have almost total freedom -together with parents- to decide school offer.

Teachers hired by the school, can teach what they feel like, for example their hobbies, in afternoon activities.