Erasmus+ Journal (Issue 4) 2015/16
Sanne Smeeman, Freinetschool Klimop, België, Mobility for Internship, KPZ
Contact of Klimop Freinetschool: Klaas Mulder
Contact Erasmus Office of the KPZ: Harrie Poulsen
Contact Erasmus Vives Hogeschool: Els Callens.
My name is Sanne Smeeman, i am 19 years old. I am going to Freinatschool Klimop in Oostkamp. This wil be a internship for three months. Klaas Mulder, is the principal of the school. Els Callens (Eramus Vives) recommended me the school. It’s a primary school with 12 classes. The school is in Oostkamp, near Bruges. I will teach to oldest children with the ages of 10/11/12. I emailed Klaas a lot. It was a very nice process. So my internship was settled very soon. It was difficult for me to find a room in Bruges. Eventually I got a room in the centre of Bruges. I will pay 400 euros a moth.
Two weeks
It has been two weeks already! It feels really nice to be in Bruges. I go to school every day and I have a lot of work to do, like cooking and cleaning. That’s rather new for me and also very frustrating. Because it takes a lot of my free time. When I'm free during the weekends, I love to plan some trips: last Saturday I visited Ghent and the day after I went to Oostende.
I have met some international students while staying in Brugge. They are from Austria and Switzerland, and are studying in Belgium, just like Anne and Lotte. If I hadn't known Lotte and Anne it would have been boring in Bruges. My roommates are not very friendly and don’t speak proper Dutch very fluently. That's why I don’t understand them most of the time.
The past few days I had to work as a full-time teacher at a very nice school. The team is helping me, and everyone is very supportive, which feels very nice.
Eight weeks
It's my 8th week in Bruges. Time flies while I’m enjoying myself. In the weekend I have discovered a lot of new places in Belgium. On Sunday for example I went to De Haan and Blankenberge with Lotte and Juliet. We walked on the beach and enjoyed the sun. Unfortunately, I woke up yesterday with an angry feeling: I didn’t want to go to school, I didn’t like it. Then I said to myself: Sanne, it’s only for 3 months! Time flies! You need to enjoy it! So that was exactly what I did. I went to school and it was great! Ever since that day, I enjoy being in Bruges. I’m making a lot of new friends, I’m partying a lot (of course :P) and I’m learning a lot at my internship. I have had a lot of fun with the children. I will go to another grade! I completed my first weeks in the second grade (groep 4 in Holland). We have experienced some beautiful things in such a short time. On Monday, March 21, I will start teaching in the third and fourth grade (groep 5 and 6). There will be 14 boys and 5 girls in the class and to be honest: I have to get used to the boys. Why you ask? Well, the boys are very tall. They are a lot bigger than me, so I feel slightly intimidated… But I know one thing: I can handle it!
Reflection
- Review of your stay abroad in academic terms
It has been 8 weeks already! It feels really nice to be in Bruges. I go to school every day and I have a lot of work to do, like cooking and cleaning. That’s rather new for me and also very frustrating. Because it takes a lot of my free time. I love my room, it’s perfect for three months.
- Review of the stay abroad in cultural/social terms
I have met some international students while staying in Brugge. They are from Austria and Switzerland, and are studying in Belgium, just like Anne and Lotte. If I hadn't known Lotte and Anne it would have been boring in Bruges. My roommates are not very friendly and don’t speak proper Dutch very fluently. That's why I don’t understand them most of the time. When I'm free during the weekends, I love to plan some trips with the international students: last Saturday I visited Ghent and the day after I went to Oostende.
CC by Sanne Smeeman
- Did you gain any learning experiences you wouldn’t have gained without staying abroad?
I learned to take care of myself. I learned to cook, clean and a lot of other things. I now know how to entertain myself on a evening. There were some lonely nights in Bruges. It was hard but I learned a lot of myself. I know what I want and I know how I will get it. So I learned to stand up for myself.
- Do you think staying abroad provided benefits for your future job (as a teacher)?
Yes, I am an independent person. I know how to survive in another country. I met some international people. My English (writing and as well speaking) is improved, I am not afraid to talk English. I can teach children in Belgium, through another education system. I have showed the teachers of the Freinetschool that I can adjust. I am open for other education systems.
- Did this stay abroad affect or change your personality?
A bit. I met international students. They talked about their countries, I have learned a lot. Now I am a lot more open for other people and their (different) cultures. After the attacks in Brussels, we went with the children to Molenbeek. We walked in the area where Salah Abdeslam lived. It was peace full and weird. But it showed me that those people are very open to us. Not everybody is a terrorist.
- Review of the school practice
Unfortunately on 23 march, I woke up with an angry feeling: I didn’t want to go to school, I didn’t like it. Then I said to myself: Sanne, it’s only for 3 months! Time flies! You need to enjoy it! So that was exactly what I did. I went to school and it was great! Ever since that day, I enjoy being in Bruges/Oostkamp. I’m making a lot of new friends and I’m learning a lot at my internship. I have had a lot of fun with the children. We have experienced some beautiful things in such a short time. On Monday, March 21, I will start teaching in the third and fourth grade (groep 5 and 6). There will be 14 boys and 5 girls in the class and to be honest: I have to get used to the boys. Why you ask? Well, the boys are very tall. They are a lot bigger than me, so I feel slightly intimidated… But I know one thing: I can handle it! The past few days I had to work as a full-time teacher at a very nice school. The team is helping me, and everyone is very supportive, which feels very nice.
CC by Sanne Smeeman
- Reflection (how their stay abroad was/ is beneficial for e.g. their teaching practice in their home countries in terms of diversity and internationalisation)
It was a experiment, which I liked a lot. It’s a different country, with their own uses. I learned some of those but I also learned how to survive on my own. I needed to take care of the finances, the cooking, teaching and a lot more. Three months wasn’t enough time for me! It should be more like 5 months.
- Useful tips (housing, traveling …)
Bruges is West-Flanders, they speak with an accent. It’s hard to understand for most Dutch people. Also you need to learn people. Most people are very tight-lipped. I arranged a lot of stuff with Erasmus Vives. They helped me a lot.
CC by Sanne Smeeman
Costs
Travel: gas (my parents paid it)
House: €1600,- (4 months)
Live: +/- €200,- (1 month)
Trips: what you want, you can make it as expensive as you want +/- €600,-
Bicycle: Free from the Klimop school
I have had a wonderfull time. I would recommend it to everybody!
What offers de Klimop Freinetschool?
The school believes in equality. Everybody is equal. You are a student but they will treat you as a teacher.
What do you need to know before you come to de Klimop Freinetschool in Oostkamp?
Well of course you need to know what Freinet education is. So read a few things about this education. I think it is also important to know where you will stay. Please contact the principal and the teacher a few times.