Arts and Cultural Education in Iceland : Professor Anne Bamford
Arts and Cultural Education in Iceland : Professor Anne Bamford
Arts and Cultural Education in Iceland : Professor Anne Bamford
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Almost everyth<strong>in</strong>g we do is arts related. The children learn through the arts. It is part of their lives. Free play is very<br />
important. They learn to make choices. We encourage the children to use their imag<strong>in</strong>ation. Their work is always their<br />
ideas. Work<strong>in</strong>g with the arts is an important form of communication.<br />
I th<strong>in</strong>k with<strong>in</strong> the school system, pre-primary school is def<strong>in</strong>itely the most creative. In the pre-primary school you are<br />
free to experiment with everyth<strong>in</strong>g. I th<strong>in</strong>k the compulsory school teachers need to learn from the pre-primary school<br />
teachers. Teachers want to come here. It is a nice place to work. It is a good place to let your ideas grow. I really try to<br />
support the staff. We encourage <strong>and</strong> support creativity. The atmosphere <strong>and</strong> attitude affects the mood <strong>and</strong> then this<br />
view spreads across the school. In the town there are 6 pre-primary schools <strong>and</strong> we all share our practice. Two days<br />
per year the pre-primary school is closed to pupils <strong>and</strong> we can have a meet<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> br<strong>in</strong>g someone from the university,<br />
but it is expensive, maybe 120,000 ISK for 4 hours. So as much as possible we try to use the talent of the staff here.<br />
And participate <strong>in</strong> courses the town offers. These only cost around 30,000 ISK. But there are very few offers <strong>in</strong> the<br />
arts. They had an offer ‘Dance for Children’.<br />
The f<strong>in</strong>al vignette (1.9.5) is for a preschool that follows an Icel<strong>and</strong>ic early years’ philosophy<br />
known as Hjalli 12 . The preschool separates boys <strong>and</strong> girls for learn<strong>in</strong>g. They have highly<br />
developed assessment techniques <strong>and</strong> take the children to professional exhibitions. They<br />
employ specialist arts teachers to work with the children.<br />
Vignette 1.9.5We give students the freedom to shape their world<br />
This pre-primary school operates under Hjalli pedagogy – an Icel<strong>and</strong>ic early childhood theory of learn<strong>in</strong>g that<br />
promotes outdoor learn<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> discourages giv<strong>in</strong>g toys to children, <strong>in</strong>stead favour<strong>in</strong>g the development of a child’s<br />
imag<strong>in</strong>ative potential. Boys <strong>and</strong> girls are taught <strong>in</strong> separate classes but mix socially at po<strong>in</strong>ts throughout the day.<br />
The school has been operat<strong>in</strong>g s<strong>in</strong>ce 2007.<br />
They encourage the employment of specialist teachers <strong>and</strong> have specialist teachers for art, music <strong>and</strong> computers.<br />
The children are encouraged to work with open materials <strong>and</strong> to make the most of the <strong>in</strong>side <strong>and</strong> outside<br />
environment.<br />
The children are regularly taken to museums <strong>and</strong> exhibitions.<br />
The pr<strong>in</strong>cipal of the school has noticed the impact on pupils <strong>and</strong> teachers; “Parents say that their children talk a lot<br />
more. They notice that the children are calmer <strong>and</strong> creative <strong>and</strong> that they are more curious. We have had a lot of<br />
comments that the children’s behaviour has improved. They use space imag<strong>in</strong>atively. It is very positive to not have<br />
toys. We give the children real th<strong>in</strong>gs. The children do plays <strong>and</strong> s<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> dance every day. We provide open<br />
clothes that they turn <strong>in</strong>to costumes. They make puppets. Teachers who come here notice that the children are<br />
more positive to one another.”<br />
“The staff work closely together. The children are well-behaved <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>dependent. They have good self esteem.<br />
There seems to be a challenge though when the children go from here <strong>in</strong>to the compulsory school. One parent told<br />
me, “My son got bored so quickly <strong>in</strong> compulsory school. He started clos<strong>in</strong>g his m<strong>in</strong>d to th<strong>in</strong>gs.” We give students<br />
the freedom to shape their world.”<br />
“Teach<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the pre-primary school is exceptional, then there is a gap between the compulsory school.”<br />
12 http://www.hjalli.is/ The Hjalli pedagogy is mostly known for its method of segregat<strong>in</strong>g girls <strong>and</strong> boys <strong>in</strong><br />
preschool classes to liberate the children from traditional sex-roles <strong>and</strong> stereotypic behaviours. Children at the<br />
Hjallastefnan preschools receive tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> all human qualities as we believe that all children should have all the<br />
possibilities <strong>in</strong> the world regardless of their sex. The Hjalli pedagogy only uses open ended material <strong>in</strong>stead of<br />
traditional toys <strong>and</strong> believes that positive discipl<strong>in</strong>e is the way to tra<strong>in</strong> social skills. The Hjallastefnan organization now<br />
runs n<strong>in</strong>e preschools <strong>in</strong> Icel<strong>and</strong>; Akur, Ásar, Hjalli, Hólmasól, Hraunborg, Laufásborg, Litlihjalli, Litluásar <strong>and</strong> Vollur.<br />
Hjallastefnan also runs three elementary schools for students up to n<strong>in</strong>e years old; Hafnarfjörður, Reykjavík <strong>and</strong><br />
Vífilsstaðir.<br />
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