2009 Thema Plaats - Hogeschool van Arnhem en Nijmegen

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Coming out of my comfort zone My ERASMUS experience - combining life with learning Rhiannon English (Nrd. Ierland) 24 My name is Rhiannon English and I am from a small fishing village on the North coast of Northern Ireland. I am twenty two years old and training to become a primary school teacher. This year I took part in an ERASMUS exchange programme. My host university was Pabo Groenewoud, where I spent four and half incredible months. Goodbye leprechauns, hello bicycles, windmills and extremely tall Dutch men!! When I first heard about ERASMUS I knew immediately that I wanted to take part. One of the main reasons was due to my teaching practice experiences in Northern Ireland. I was becoming increasingly dissatisfied with how we teach and treat our children. I felt that if I was going to be a successful innovative teacher, I would have to experience another Education System, ERASMUS provided the perfect opportunity. I have a personal belief that in order to grow and learn it is vital that you come out of your comfort zone and experience a culture other than your own. Experiencing another culture allows you to reflect upon your own culture, values and beliefs. It also helps you to be come independent whilst coping with the challenges of living abroad without the help of your family and friends. By coming to Holland I had nothing to lose and everything to gain academically and socially. Coming from a divided society I was most impressed by how the Dutch society accepts differences and embraces many cultures. In Northern Ireland religion plays an important part of our society and identity. We are a very religious nation, which can influence everyday life. Although Northern Ireland is a country that is divided by religion the younger generation is more accepting and religious problems within Northern Ireland are increasingly becoming a thing of the past. Studying at the Pabo was an enlightening, inspiring and joyful experience. Compared to my traditional predominately white protestant university, it felt like a breath of fresh air studying at Pabo Groenewoud. I felt free to express my opinions and a new release of passion and enthusiasm for
teaching, which I felt was trapped inside me due to the confining boundaries of ‘old school’ Stranmillis. I was especially impressed by the relationships between teacher and student at the Pabo. In Northern Ireland we have a very distant formal relationship with our lecturers. I felt the Pabo teachers were more open, approachable and reasonable on both a personally and professional level. The entire teacher staff made a huge effort to build strong and meaningful relationships with the international class. After spending five weeks in a Dutch school, I realised that there were vast differences between a Dutch and Northern Irish classroom. Every day I was surprised and amazed by incidents I observed. The first incident which shocked me was when the teacher introduced me by my first name. In Northern Ireland I would be addressed as “Miss English”. The second aspect which surprised me was how casual the teachers were dressed. In Northern Ireland we have a strict dress code for teachers. Jeans and trainers are forbidden. The relationship between pupil and teacher shocked and amazed me the most. In Northern Ireland there is a huge gap between pupils and teachers and we have a very formal relationship. We would never share or tell the children personal information about our families or lives outside of school. On my second day I was amazed to learn that my teacher openly discussed his husband with the children and how he was gay and married. In Northern Ireland this would not happen. I think this approach is effective as it creates deeper relationships between pupil and teacher. Another incident that shocked me was the level of physical contact allowed between teacher and pupils. In Northern Ireland we have strong child protection regulations. We are encouraged not to even hug a child or allow them to sit on our knee. I nearly fell off my chair when I saw my teacher playfully wrestle a pupil!! I was inspired by the close and personal relationships Dutch teachers have with the children. I think this has great benefits and leads to more effective learning. This was evident as the children freely expressed their opinions and were not afraid to make mistakes. This type of environment is vital for children to learn and develop a love of learning Living among an international community I learnt about different eating habits, social habits, hobbies and relationships. I can now cook a great Spanish omelette, drink polish vodka straight and speak some German. Being part of an international class has provided me with the opportunity to challenge and reflect upon stereotypes. I now realise that, no matter what county a person is from, they are unique with individual values and attitudes. Everyone has the right to their own opinion and choice of lifestyle. Lastly I would like to thank the Pabo staff for the warmth and wisdom they showed our international class. I will definitely bring home the Dutch attitude to teaching and lifestyle. It was a truly memorably experience, which will stay with me throughout life. 25
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Page 3 and 4: ten geleide ‘De wijk nemen’ kun
Page 5 and 6: Bron: Blokhuis, J., Aardrijkskunde
Page 7 and 8: Figuur 4 Foto gemaakt door Mandy en
Page 9 and 10: Een voorbeeld: Een leerkracht wil m
Page 12 and 13: Opgroeien en uitvliegen Jos Marell,
Page 14 and 15: Groene ruimte Mathilde Stoffele, do
Page 16 and 17: de favoriete plek van... We hebben
Page 18 and 19: Machtig is het landschap aan de zui
Page 20 and 21: Jan Pouwels, Bureau internationalis
Page 22 and 23: De uitdaging - de verandering Auke
Page 26 and 27: Een beetje Nederland in Zweden Jane
Page 28 and 29: minstens vijf kinderen in een gemee
Page 30 and 31: www.samenonderwijsmaken.nl is onlin
Page 32: samens telling: Chronos-bes tuur ei

2009 Thema Plaats - Hogeschool van Arnhem en Nijmegen

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