I have found something I truly do not like in Norwegian schools. There is not enough books. There are no classroom libraries, the school library contains one bookshelf. Every other Tuesday the Book Bus comes and the students can check books out from there. But I have not seen a single 4th grader with a book. I understand that America puts too much emphasis on reading and math, but I feel like Norway is not putting enough. There needs to be a happy balance.
I created a lesson plan for the
Picasso head activity that I did a while ago. The lesson plan spans over 2-3 days and I have already started teaching it in 4th grade. It addresses
the Utah Core Standards for 3rd grade, standard one, objective one. While I was planning after school I found out that the 5th grade doesn't have an art lesson for Thursday. I volunteered this lesson and shared it with two other teachers here. I did not realize how helpful it could be to have lesson plans already written up and ready to use and share.
I have thought about teacher desks before. Do teachers actually need a desk to keep all of their stuff? To an extent, my opinion is yes. But it does not have to be the main focus of the classroom. Here in Norway all of the teacher desks are in a common room. All planning takes place there and then teaching is done in the classroom. Most teachers have a small table to set their teaching book, but no "Teacher Desk."
The 5th graders got to go to the Book Bus today so I noticed a lot of books in the classroom. I was surprised to find that most of them were Diary of a Wimpy kid, or similar books. That is the same kind of books the 5th graders were reading in 5th grade in America. I think it is good that they are reading, but I wish they would read better books!
I got a picture of the classroom so you can see how small it is!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDAYp95ylvkUlSrWuQPu2kUYNysQm3RKWfDSkV8-kVszvW2Gdh3fAdO_DqVH-EmSDGSS4FNh2E-7KQswTOjnYXJKrKAsk0ZXTwWtOfNy3yjvSqczfsHIb01A16PTuHlCX1EdKa8MmW7lw/s320/Classroom%252C+4th+back.JPG) |
View from the back, and you can see the cool chairs I was talking about! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim5DaxF7FBtw10jpdjUE83Ubrcl7xE3LnBdqvyoQhHh3cmaa8vAeK29To05-l50eFa42Kcgn381S3m0vUl5YCsTV5WEM2sM0m-ax5mbqeriYLiLKLNokEGlzU67iVtC2v89WJNHXSjaew/s320/Classroom%252C+4th+front.JPG) |
View front he front. Their chairs balance on their desks. |
That is a large classroom in Valen school. That is not very big!
I also got to go to P.E. today! Man that was fun and I learned some really cool games! When we walked into the gym today it looked like this:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJ7bBeBrnvZ7AUfWWVP9pxnwL62mcXvtKIRlMCxlYfQZGVKecW8FrNcLdrEFg5f96wwX8dt5sVBUFgN9J9L2xCOnrEWisZIcgg9t-7nKaKQcCyX9tznX6wIJt8gNscTAqTdWkkYx8vZo/s640/norway+gym.JPG) |
The ladders on the wall are permanent fixtures. Other permanent fixtures include: climbing ropes, basketball hoops, and net posts. |
The first game I call:
Obstacle Course Tag!
Object of the game: don't get tagged.
Rules of the game: you can't touch the floor, only one step in each hulahoo (in the middle of the floor), no hurting others.
How it works: One person is it, everyone else runs away. If you get tagged you have to go into the corner (upper left hand side) and jump rope 5 times, then you can go back to the course.
Every few minutes the teacher chooses a new person to be it.
We played to music today with was brilliant because the kids knew to listen when it turned off.
Second game:
Flag Tag!
Object of the game: get as many tails as you can!
Rules of the game: no shoving, no pulling on tail/flag/ tag around someone's neck
How it works: Each person as a flag (which is a loop of fabric or rope) and they stick it in their waistband. Everyone commences to run around trying to grab someone else's flag. When another flag is won that person puts it on like a necklace. If their flag is taken, they can use the necklace as a replacement. If a person has no flag at all, they can still grab someone else's and use it.
Third game:
Toilet Tag!
Object of the game: Don't get tagged!
Rules of the Game: pull gently, don't hit
How it works: Same rules as generic tag, but when a person is tagged they have to "go to the bathroom". This means they squat down with their hand up. Someone can grab their hand and pull them "off of the toilet" and then they can run again.
Today the person who was "it" was the teacher, and the students loved that!
Fourth game:
(Yes, I know. "Four games? How did they fit that into 45 minutes?!"They didn't. P.E. was 2 hours!!!!)
Norwegian Base- Ball
Object of the game: get around the bases
Rules of the game: don't hurt anyone
How it works: There are four bases, home, first, second, third. All except for 6 people are line up to hit the ball. Five people are in the middle of the gym to catch the ball, and one to pitch the ball. When the batting team hits the ball they use their forearms, like in vollyball. If the ball is caught by the team in the middle, whoever caught the ball gets to switch places with whoever hit the ball.
We did not play with a winner, but it could be changed that way if you wanted too.
Seriously, Norwegian P.E. is the best!