Erasmus+ Journal (Issue 2) 2013/14
Anna Schenn, Viktoria Ebner, the Netherlands, Katholieke Pabo Zwolle, Mobility for Studies
Autorinnen/Autoren: Anna Schenn, Viktoria Ebner
Overview
ZWOLLE
Zero boredom
Wonderful time
Open-minded people
Lots of green spaces
Lots of bike tracks
Experiences for life
Description of the city
The Dutch city Zwolle, the capital city of the province “Overijssel”, is a paradise for students in a lot of ways. First of all the city isn’t too big. There are about 118.000 inhabitants. The lively city combines modernity and relicts of the past. In the city centre are historical buildings like the city gate Sassenpoort, the tower Peperbustoren, remains of the City wall and the star-shaped moat. There are lots of bicycle tracks that make cycling to a real pleasure. Like several other Dutch cities Zwolle is intersected by canals and offers a lot of green spaces. Beside large chain stores like H&M and Lidl you can find small speciality shops in the city centre.
Description of the university: Katholieke Pabo Zwolle
One characteristic of Hogeschool Katholieke Pabo Zwolle is the personal relationship between students and tutors. In this university it is common that students address their tutors with their first names. Furthermore the tutors convey their subjects with a lot of passion and enthusiasm. The school building is modern and appeals welcoming. The equipment is great – There are a lot of computers available, printing in black/white is for free and KPZ offers tools which the students can use to prepare themselves for teaching practice.
Comparision of Dutch and Austrian primary school education
Teaching in a Dutch primary school gave us the opportunity to compare two different school systems: The Dutch and the Austrian. However has to be regarded that Anna taught in a Dutch school which applies Jenaplan pedagogy and Viktoria in an ordinary primary school which also applies some alternative methods.
Anna:
Jenapleinschool Zwolle
Especially Jenaplan pedagogy wants children to develop to an individual personality. According to Jenaplan concept the personality of a child gets developed over years and needs community for glowing. Through working in groups the children are learning from each other – differences are regarded as a big enrichment. The Jenaplan concept wants the children to develop social skills at an early stage through sharing obligation. Projects are considered as very important. The period the children are working on a project always adapts on the importance of the topic and interest of the children (Herker, 2009, p. 1-2).
Jenaplan schools should be places where the children feel comfortable. They should feel like they are at home. The concept wants all members of the school including the parents of the children acting like a big family. This is also a reason why the children are in groups with mixed ages – The elder ones care for the younger ones. In Jenaplan school it is very common to discuss topics in a so-called circle talk. The children are sitting in a circle to ensure better communication and interaction. The children are working in groups of mixed ages to give them the possibility to learn from each other. They are just in groups of the same age when they get taught Maths and Dutch language. Four main activities are characteristic for Jenaplan schools: speaking, playing, working and celebrating. These activities should flow into each other.
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Netherlands - primary school which applies Jenaplan concept |
Austria – traditional primary school |
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The “basisschool” gets attended by children of the age of four until twelve (Seitz, 2001, p. 17). |
Children attend the “Volksschule” at the age of six until ten. |
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The children are in groups with mixed ages. Vey common is this division: Lower grade: four until six year old children Middle grade: six until nine year old children Upper grade: nine until twelve year old children (Seitz, 2001, p. 19). |
The children are divided in groups of the same age. |
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Every week the children get a plan with given aims which they should achieve within one week. They can organise everything by themselves (Seitz, 2001, p. 20). |
Every lesson lasts 50 minutes. After every lesson rings a bell. (there are some exceptions)
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The main goal is to help children to develop their own personalities. The children become confident because they experience that they are able to reach their targets (Herker, 2009, p. 1-2). |
The main goal is to learn the children basic knowledge of Maths and German. |
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The social skills are regarded as very important. The children get a lot of possibilities to develop them (Seitz, 2001, p. 74). |
The social skills are just one of a whole lot of skills the children have to acquire.
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Jenaplan schools offer their pupils a lot of different ways to gather new knowledge f. e. through listening to the teacher, working in groups, presenting topics, listening to presentations… The children get used to learn independently very early (Seitz, 2001, p. 145–150). |
Children mostly learn through listening to the teacher. Even the children in the 4th grade get a lot of instructions. There are not so many possibilities to become independent. |
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The teachers try to take the holistic development of the child into account and evaluate the individual stage of the child (Seitz, 2001, p. 238–239). |
The teachers often focus on one particular subject and take the marks of tests very seriously. |
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The parents of the pupils have a very important role in school. They participate in decision-making. Furthermore they are more often present in school (Seitz, 2001, p. 238–239). |
The parents get information about school but they are not really involved. |
Herker, S. (2009). Jenaplan-Pädagogik. Available at: http://www.kphgraz.at/index.php?id=229 [21.09.2014].
Seitz, O. (ed.). (2001). Jenaplan 21. Schulentwicklung als pädagogisch orientierte Konzeptentwicklung. Hohengehren: Schneider Verlag.
Though the Dutch system allows its pupils more freedom and independence than the Austrian, I discovered a lot of similarities. In the last years a lot of Austrian primary schools started focussing on the pupils and teacher-centred-teaching is not anymore the main method to convey new knowledge. Furthermore daily rituals like beginning the day with a circle talk, a song, a short game get more and more common in Austrian primary schools. Austrian teachers try to think about how to transfer the theoretical knowledge to practice. Fortunately learning happens often in an interactive way. The pupils are learning by doing.
Courses
Period 1
Culture and Society 1
Tutor: Emilie Grizell
Content: The students get an overview of Dutch culture.
Requirements: The students are giving lessons about their home countries considering art, music, architecture, sports, food, customs and so on. (teaching practice) Through these activities the children get an insight into different cultures. (project World Citizenship)
English
Tutor: Herman Engelsman
Content: The students get to know criterias of written papers.
Requirements: The students transfer the aquired knowledge through being aware of the criterias while writing the research paper.
Pedagogy 1
Tutor:Edith ten Berge, Dirkje Visser
Content: These lessons convey didactical teaching methods to the students and prepare them for teaching practice.
Requirements: The students have to hand in a lesson plan for teaching practice.
Dutch Language 1
Tutor: Veronique Damoiseaux
Content: The students aquire basic language skills of the Dutch language. The lessons are very interactive (dialogues, learning in a playful way...).
Requirements: The students have to pass an oral and written exam.
Research 1
Tutor: Wenckje Jongstra
Content: The students learn about research to be able to use it as a means of providing theoretical foundation for improved professional development and practice.
Requirements: At the end of the first term, a pair of students has to write a research plan and present it in a proposal.
Coaching/Counselling and Tutorship 1
Tutor: Bert Thole
Content: The wishes and needs of the students get discussed. Moreover the students receive a lot of information about the programme of the International Minor.
Requirements: All students keep a logbook of each meeting in which they describe situations and answer some questions. Furthermore the students have to present their home countries in groups.
Music
Tutor: Harrie Poulssen
Content: The students receive information how to use voice in a proper way and get taught a lot of games concerning the subject Music.
Requirements: During the first term the students are teaching each other childrens' songs from their home countries. After a few times practising these songs, the students are recording the songs.
Teaching Practice
Two students are teaching together or separated about 15 days in a primary school in Zwolle or in suburbs of Zwolle.
Requirements: The students have to write lesson plans before a lesson and a kind of reflection after each lesson.
Project Week (3 days)
During these three days the students accompanied by some tutors are travelling to Den Haag and Amsterdam to visit some cultural and social institutions.
Requirements: The students have to answer some questions about the project week in a short written paper.
Teacher in Europe Conference (3 days)
The first day the students get input, the second day they have time to develop a concept of a project (topic: values, international relationship), on the third day they have to finish their concept and present it to the coaches and fellow students. After getting a feedback the students have the possibilty to improve their project.
Period 2
Culture and Society 2
Tutor: Johan Koers
Content: The students get involved in critical discussions concerning topics like culture, religion, art and so on.
Requirements: The students have to write a creative and critical essay.
Pedagogy 2
Tutor:Edith ten Berge, Dirkje Visser
Content: After getting a short instruction, the students get time to write on their papers.
Requirements: Groups of students have to describe the educational system of their home country according to different keywords and write it down.
Dutch Language 2
Tutor: Wenckje Jongstra
Content: The students gather insights in functions and components in languages, theories on language development and differences and similarities of languages.
Requirements: The students have to give a presentation concerning the documentary "why do we talk". Moreover the students need to include some linguistic aspects in one teaching practice lesson and have to document them. Last but not least two students with different mother tongues have to compare their languages and write down their conclusions.
Research 2
Tutor: Wenckje Jongstra
Content: The students get time to work during the lessons. The tutor answers questions if necessary.
Requirements: The students have to hand in a portfolio which contains a research report, a research poster and log book.
Coaching/Counselling and Tutorship 1
Tutor: Bert Thole
Content: The students get time to work during the lessons. The tutor answers questions if necessary.
Requirements: In groups the students have to design their ideal school. This final assignment gets presented on the last day of university. The students should use information which they gathered during the five months in teaching practice and in the seminars.
Drama
Tutor: Harrie Poulssen
Content: The students gather information about how to include drama in primary schools and how to record short videos.
Requirements: In groups the students are drawing a story board and recording a short video.
How to enroll
1.) First of all, you need to fill in an application form and send it to the International Office of the Hogeschool Katholieke Pabo Zwolle. Here you can find the link:
http://www.kpz.nl/index.php?page=applicationform
2.) If they accept you as a student for the next International Minor, they will send you the appropriate learning aggreement.
Contact
Kontaktdaten der Universität
Name der Universität: Hogeschool Katholieke PABO Zwolle
Strasse: Ten Oeverstraat 68
Ort: 8012 EW Zwolle
Land: Netherlands
Website: http://www.kpz.nl/
Name des Koordiantors/ der Koordinatorin
Strasse: Ten Oeverstraat 68
Ort: 8012 EW Zwolle
E-Mail: h.poulssen@kpz.nl
Telefonnummer: 0031(0)384217425
Website: http://www.kpz.nl/
Student's accomodation
Name der Unterkunft: Camping de Agnietenberg
Strasse: Haersterveerweg 27
Ort: 8034 PJ Zwolle
Land: Netherlands
Website: http://www.campingagnietenberg.nl/de/
The KPZ organises accommodations on the campsite Agnietenberg for students of the International Minor. Three students live together in one chalet. Everybody has its own room with a bed, little desk, wardrobe and cabinet. The living room, that includes a kitchen, and bathroom get shared. The campsite is about 5 km away from the city centre.
One monthly rent costs 325 € excluding water and electricity. For water and electricity the landlord of the campsite charges about 50€. The costs are always depending on the season of the year. The wireless LAN is for free.
Life
About 20 students are attending the same courses together. In general the tutors are requiring a lot of teamwork. This is one of a whole lot reasons why it is a big advantage to live so close to each other as on the campsite.
The life on the campsite offers a lot of possibilities for leisure activities such as cycling, going for a walk, playing ball games, swimming (in summer) and so on. Especially in summer times the life at camping Agnietenberg is very enjoyable! From our experiences we can tell you that the life on the campsite is never boring. Very often we were cooking, eating, playing and studying together – we can guarantee you, you will never be lonely there! Although the chalets are quite small, they are comfortable and modern.
We can highly recommend you to choose the campsite as accommodation, but there are also disadvantages. Firstly you have to go by bike about 20 minutes to reach the city centre and secondly skyping didn’t work this year. For us going by bike was always fun and skyping is also possible at the university.
Our marvellous fellow students
Tips
- You will buy in Zwolle a bike for sure. So don’t forget to take a rain jacket and rain trousers with you, in case of rain.
- Don't buy the cheapest bike, because it is more likely to get broken. A bike that costs about 90€ should be fine.
- Here is a link to a nice song. Through listening and singing this song you can learn some useful Dutch phrases. -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QkKG2gNF_w
- Be aware that in “Agnietenberg” Skype doesn’t work.
- In the drugstore “Kruidvat” you can buy daytickets for travelling by train for abou 14€. With these tickets you can travel one day through whole Netherlands. Some of them are just valid for the weekend and some for the weekend and also during the week. If you decide to buy some of those "Kruidvat" travelcards you may want to purchase as soon as possible as they are quite often sold out.
- Places you should definitely visit in the Netherland: Beside Amsterdam, Utrecht, Den Haag, Leiden, Haarlem, Giethoorn...
Anna: Living in Zwolle for five months was an experience that definitely has changed my life. I especially enjoyed living on a campsite closely to so inspiring people from different countries and travelling to so many beautiful places. In this time I found one of my best friends and it helped me to learn more about myself. My advice: Go abroad! :-)