Reflection

Although I don't speak or understand any Swedish so much of class time during the school day is completely uncomprehendable, there is still so much I have learned from being at Birgittaskolan these past few weeks. Learning about and participating in a country's education system allows you to discover what is valued in their society and there is no better way to get to know a population than by spending time with their youth. My goal for International Student Teaching was that I would be able to notice aspects of Swedish education that I could incorporate into the principles of my own classroom while also taking note of ways that American schooling is more effective than what I encounter here.

My biggest takeaway from this experience that I can carry back with me into my classroom is the Swedish education's mission for personalized learning. Frankly, they take this to the extremes in Sweden. Students are able to choose if they want to drop out as early as age 13, if a student is heavily involved in athletics they can miss school as often as they would like to play their sport with no penalty from the school or government, and students are welcome to take as much time as they need to complete their [high school] degree program, some even going until age 19 or 20. While I think many of these aspects of individualized learning would not work well for American education, I certainly admire the way that schools allow students to make choices about the education they receive based on the futures they see for themselves. In the various schools I have had placements in, I have seen teachers and administrators struggle with students who reach their Senior year and are no longer motivated to work hard or behave well in class because they do not see the value or function of what they are required to learn as it pertains to the career they are about to go into. While I do not agree that we should succumb to student laziness, I do think student motivation would increase drastically if schools allowed students to have more choice and personalization in their learning experience.

It has been such a blessing to have been able to experience Sweden on such an intimate level. For the weeks that I was here I did my best to take on the life of an average Swedish student teacher. I lived in the university dorms, rented a bike and relied on it and the occasional Uber to get me places, I taught lessons to Swedish students, ate their food, and visited their local hangouts. I also tried to make the most of my time here by traveling on the weekends. I have enjoyed my International Student Teaching experience and I am thankful that I will have so much to share with my family, friends, students, and colleagues when I return. However, it is true what they say about absence making the heart grow fonder. Being in a place that is quite different from the U.S. in many ways has made me extremely appreciative of my home and I am eager to be back! Spending time amongst a completely different educational system was a refreshing and challenging way to round off my college career. As I prepare for my first teaching job, I will remember my time here and use it as inspiration and motivation to be a better teacher.