My first week clinical teaching at the Malmö International School has been such a great experience. Hailee, Anna, Eliza and I have a twenty-minute walk to school and love popping into coffee shops on the way over each morning. The school is filled with students from all over the world, but all students speak English while at school.
I was placed in an IB PYP-2 (International Baccalaureate Primary Year Program) classroom, which is similar to a first or second grade American classroom. In my class, I have students from many countries such as Sweden, China, India, France, Saudi Arabia, and even one from the US. My cooperating teacher is from Singapore, which deepens the presence of diversity in the classroom environment.
Each day the students have a different schedule. Some classes mirror typical American subjects, such as Language (like English or Language Arts) and Maths (like Math). All lessons are tied to a “unit of inquiry” where students focus on a certain topic. My students are currently learning about simple beginning-middle-end literary structures and 2-D and 3-D shapes in relation to the Solar System. In addition to these basic subjects, my students engage in Drama, Art, Music, and Swedish. Also, the students also have a 30-minute period each day called “Mindfulness” where they learn about social skills. The school also gives the students a full hour of outdoor recess each day (even been its below freezing and raining!)
My travel buddies and I are looking forward to going to a class at Malmö University this Friday and heading off to our first weekend trip to Stockholm!
Hej då för nu,
Mar