Den norske skolen på Gran Canaria

On January 20 and 21, 2009, I visited the Den norske skolen på Gran Canaria. This is an international school located in the Canary Islands. There are around 250 students from kindergarten to grade 13 and the school follows the Norwegian national curriculum.

I visited the 8th, 9th, and 10th grade students on two different days. It was really strange being in a tropical environment in Spain, but surrounded by norsk-speaking people. The school has a lot of students moving in and out of the school with several of the students just arriving at the school with the last few weeks.

The first day, I worked with the 8th and 9th grade students and did the inquiry lesson. I had 45 minutes for each group. Once again I found the 8th graders the most involved and interested in the activity. I am starting to think that I just click better with the younger students! The 9th grade students are always a bit more cynical about the whole experience. That being said, the ninth grade students sent me notes after the presentation. Many saying "Happy Birthday". Here are some of the notes they sent me:

Dear Jennifer

Thank you for coming and learn us about the USA. I think it was good to hear an real American speak, you didn't speak too fast. I liked the way you taught us about the Americans, you didn't only speak but you let us learn for us self. It was a fun class. By the way, happy birthday. Hope you have ha great day.

Best wishes from Sofie.

Dear Jennifer

Happy Birthday :)

I really liked having you here, a little different then an ordinary class. I liked the «post's» it was fun :) Thank you.

Hope you'll come again.

- Ying

Dear Jennifer!

Happy birthday, and thanks for your coming.

It was interesting and I learned a lot of things. And it was a fun lesson.

Best wishes, Anna

Dear Jennifer

Happy Birthday! I hope you have a good one and get many nice presents.

Also, Thank you for coming and teaching us a little more about The U.S

Even if you talked a little fast, I think we all understood it and all in all you had a good presentation. :) Have A Nice Day!

(Emil)

Dear Jennifer. Katrine told us you hav bithday today so I just wanted to say happy bithday an thanks for coming and thanks for everything.

I see ya in the U.S homie;)

(Sebastian) 22.01.09

Dear Jennifer,

Thanks for the visit, it was very nice that you came here and told us about USA, I actually learned something new. I like the american dialect, it's lovely. I want to live in the United States one day, I will never get bored there!

I think you're a very nice person. Hope we meet one day.

xoxo,
Elisa Moltubakk, ninth grade.

Dear Jennifer

thanks for your visit

we have learn alot from you, thank you come agien

our teacher told us that your bursday is today so, happy birthday. :)

Your norwegian sucks, hehe.

(Helge)

On the second day I worked with the 10^th grade students and we did the book-in-a-Day lesson. I used Andrew Clements’ book, The Jacket, mainly because it is shorter than the rest, a bit easier too with less subplots, and this allowed us to get through the text in a shorter amount of time. The following were comments they made about what they were able to learn about the US from the text:

• Very many people are not racist.
• The younger generation is less racist than the parent’s and older. [sic]
• America is a huge sallot bole[salad bowl]/ mix of cultures. [sic]
• They judge people after theyre skin colour. [sic]
• It seems like black people lives harder than the white people. [sic]
• Even if you are black or white every people is very much like each other. [sic]
• Sometimes they judge black peoples befor they get to know them [sic]
• They think that The kids think that there is such differences to a persons life it you are black, then if you are white, but their life and how they live is actually very similar. [sic]