Have a look here and see a short summary in English on a review of a novel originally worked with during Danish lessons. Among other things the students were to analyze the novel they had read, and practise their skills in group work. The most important challenge for them was to find out whether the main character actually had developed personally or just gone as they put it – “from realiable to unrealiable?”
Posts Tagged ‘Teachers’
Danish project in Lower Secondary
Tuesday, September 8th, 2009The novel’s point is that a little experience can change some things in your life and lifestyle.
Hang on to the new teacher
Monday, September 7th, 2009
The drop-out rate amongst new teachers is rather high, and at Kolding Realskole and at The Cosmo we would like to hang on to our new teachers, because when a teacher drops out at the wrong moment it is always a drawback and a bother for both the students and the other teachers. 
It is far from always easy to be a new teacher at a new school, with new colleagues and new students, new habits and new routines. There are so many new things, different routines and habits that a new teacher has to be aware of, know and take care of during their first period at a new school, which has a life of its own and its own way of functioning. It is both interesting and challenging to start at a new school.
According to Kai Frederiksen from FSL – the teachers’ union – “It is important that everybody at the school – old, experienced teachers, management, students and their parents- makes an active effort to make it a success for the new teacher and make sure that he or she would like to start at the school for a long time.
Starting at a new school is a hard job, so at Kolding Realskole and at The Cosmo we try to take good care of our new colleagues, and we ask you – parents and students – to do the same.
Simon
Souaad moves, if The Cosmo closes
Thursday, August 27th, 2009NB. This article is a direct translation from a Danish article and it is by no means an expression of the school’s or the school board’s position
High priority: Souaad Rochdi and her family moved from Morocco to Denmark, because her husband got a job in Esbjerg. They chose to live in Kolding so that the children could attend the international school – The Cosmo.
In the corridor, where the international Primary and Lower Secondary of The Cosmo are situated and occupy two classrooms at Kolding Realskole the air is thick with such stories in both English and Danish.
The corridors on Kolding Realskole hum with voices of students who are eager to talk about the events of the summer holiday with their friends, before the teachers arrive.
This school year the school starts with 16 students aged 5-16. Souaad Rochdi is one of the parents, who has chosen to place her children at the international school.
More homework
Souaad Rochdi has two children in the age of 12 and 14 years at The Cosmo. It is the fifth school that they attend, as Souaad’s German husband travels a lot in his job. And there is no doubt in their minds that the children should attend an international school in Denmark. Yesterday they started at their second year at The Cosmo.
The children have mostly gone to a German school the places, where we have lived. But we have heard from friends in Denmark that the German schools here in the country have too low academic standards, so that the students almost never have any homework for example. Therefore we chose the international school.
Focus on each student
Souaad is happy for the fact that the Cosmo is so small, because it means more focus on each individual student.
As a parent I am happy that the teachers are more in touch with the students’ academic skills. And I am also very satisfied with the level of the teaching, she adds.
Worry that the school might close
The small number of students, makes she worry whether the school will exist long enough for her children to graduate and finished their Lower Secondary education.
Just the other day I spoke to my husband about what we would do it the school has to close. He said that we would find a solution. But if it really closes, we would listen to the children’s wishes. If their wish is to go to an international school, we would move to make that wish come through, she says.
International school has challenges getting more students
Thursday, August 27th, 2009
NB. This article is a direct translation from a Danish article and it is by no means an expression of the school’s or the school board’s position
The international school of Kolding – The Cosmo – still has less than 20 students at the beginning of the second school year. The financial crisis is one of the reasons, says the school.
16 students started last Monday at The Cosmo – the International School of Southern Denmark, which is a department of Kolding Realskole.
The school has only managed to get a few students more than last year, which was the first year the school existed.
And the school is far from the targets, which its management announced at the beginning of last school year. Back then the headmaster of Kolding Realskole talked about 40 students the first year.
During the first school year the school has already used about 400,000 Danish crowns of the three yearly deficit guarantees, which two local companies have given The Cosmo.
But the head of department at The Cosmo, Simon Mosekjær, acknowledges that the school’s management was, perhaps, a bit too optimistic when the school opened.
A bit too optimistic
The school needs time to grow, and we were perhaps a bit too optimistic. It requires more work than we thought to get students to the school, and our wish is that we get 30-35 students next year. But before the next school year the school board will probably begin to estimate if it is realistic that The Cosmo can continue without deficits after the first three years, where we have deficit guarantees says Simon Mosekjær.
He thinks that the financial crisis has a large part of the blame for the fact that it is more difficult than expected to get students for The Cosmo.
Companies lack funds
We have to face the fact that a part of the companies which said that they would support the school do not have the financial means to do so.
Some of the larger companies have phoned and asked what a student costs on a yearly basis at the school, but even so they have not been willing to use money for it. But we continue, because we have deficit guarantees for at least the first three years, says Simon Mosekjær.
It is AH industries and Bjarne Nielsen, who owns Galerie Nielsen and the shipping agency H. Daugaard A/S who each of them supports The Cosmo with a deficit guarantee of one million Danish crowns.
It has not been possible to get a comment from the chairman of the school board of Kolding Realskole, Henning Larsen.
Facts
The Cosmo – International School of Southern Denmark – is a department of Kolding Realskole. The school collaborates with Business Kolding.
All lessons are taught in English, and German and French are taught at all levels.
There are students from Germany, Vietnam, Spain, Iraq, Greece, England and Morocco at the school. The school has 16 students in the age from 5 to 16, who are divided in two classes – Primary and Lower Secondary. Due to the small number of students and the large spread in ages the school works with individual students’ plans, which are adapted to the age of every single student.
The price is between 2,000 and 2,600 Danish crows a month to have a student at The Cosmo.
This feature is a direct translation of a newspaper arctile from Jydske Vestkysten, Wednesday the 19th of August.
NB. This article is a direct translation from a Danish article and it is by no means an expression of the school’s or the school board’s position
H1N1 influenza and what to do about it!
Wednesday, August 26th, 2009Dear parents,
If your child should come down with H1N1 influenza formerly known as the swine influenza, there is no reason to panic. H1N1 influenza is only problematic for vulnerable persons, so it is advisable to avoid contact with them, should they be infected.
As with normal influenza you should be attentive to the child without panicking. The H1N1 influenza lasts approximately 7 days. Please keep your child at home for at least two days, after he or she is well and on their feet again, as it lessens the risk of contaminating our students, teachers and staff at the school.
Normally the school is informed about illnesses in the message book, when the student returns to school, but due to the large publicity about H1N1 would you please inform the class room teacher or Simon Mosekjaer, should you child be ill with H1N1.
For further information about H1N1 also called swine influenza visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swine_influenza
Welcome to the School Year 2009-2010
Monday, August 17th, 2009Welcome
Welcome to new and old students alike. The teachers and I hope that you all had a pleasant and enjoyable summer and are ready to begin a new and interesting school year 2009-2010.
Transportation
Any student at the school can apply for reimbursement of seasonal bus and train tickets, of which the school will cover 50%, if the student meets the conditions concerning distance between home and school. (See the two forms below)
Milk
The Danish dairies offer cheap milk to all students provided that the students order for half a year at a time. 1/4 litre of milk – skimmed milk; semi-skimmed milk; full-cream milk or buttermilk – costs DKK 286.00 for six months. If you are interested, please send me an e-mail before the end of this week containing; full name of the student, phone number and which type of milk you child would like, and I will order for you.
The first week
The first week the Cosmo-students follow the tradition of Kolding Realskole, where all the Lower Secondary students are off at 11.35 and the Primary students at 11.50 to give the students a gentle start. The regular timetable begins next Monday.
After School Recreation Centre
Should you wish your child to attend the After School Recreation Centre, I would like to know as soon as possible, and on Friday at the very latest.
New Teachers
We have two new teachers this year Mr. Ripley Davenport and Monika Jensen. Read more about them at www.thecosmo.dk under Education, Teachers.
Simon Mosekjær
Concerning transportation for the school year 2009/10
The school covers 50 % of the travelling expenses; however it is only students, who meet the conditions concerning distance between home and school, who will receive subsidies. Furthermore can students who are ill or invalid apply for subsidies from special funds. Only students enrolled by September 5 can apply for the subsidies.
Minimum / maximum distance
Kindergarten – 3rd class 2.6 km/12.5 km
4th – 6th class 6.1 km/16.0 km
7th – 9th class 7.1 km/16.0 km
10th class 9.1 km/17.0 km
Provided that the student has a season ticket with more zones, than he or she is entitled to from the maximum distance, or if the student lives further away than the maximum distance, there will be a deduction in the subsidies.
The procedure is that you buy the season ticket for bus or train. Hereafter you fill out an application for coverage of travelling expenses, and we will make sure you receive 50% of the ticket’s price in your bank account, if the student is entitled to the coverage.
Application for reimbursement of seasonal bus and train tickets
The school covers 50% of the ticket cost, if the student meets the conditions concerning distance between home and school.
Please fill out the form with all the required information. We will hereafter transfer the money to your account, if the student is entitled to the refund. Remember that we must have a copy of the bus/train card and the tickets every time you request a refund. If the student moves, notice must be given at once.
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Transportation 2009/10
Student’s name________________________________________________________
Student’s address______________________________________________________
Social Security Number __________________________ Class 2009/10_________
Date of entry ___________________________
Registration’s number _______________
Account number ______________________________________
___________________ ______________________________________
Date Parental signature
For the school:
Coverage in DKK ___________________ Calculated distance____________
Own payment DKK _____________________
Validation period ___________________________________
Serious games: online games for learning
Friday, June 19th, 2009Serious games are being described by some analysts as the next wave of technology-mediated learning. As organizations intensify their efforts to engage with members of today’s workforce, serious games offer a powerful, effective approach to learning and skills development.
Read more about serious games at http://www.adobe.com/resources/elearning/pdfs/serious_games_wp.pdf
New facilities
Tuesday, June 9th, 2009
Due to a very positive increase in demands for places at The Cosmo – The International School of Southern Denmark – the international department will move to new and better facilities during the summer holidays.
During the spring semester we have experienced such a large increase in demands for places at The Cosmo that the number of international students attending the international department next year will almost be the double of the number of students, we have had this year.
We started the present school year with two classrooms in a building opposite the main building, but next year the international department will have its classrooms on the first floor of the main building together with the international classes from Kolding Realskole; in that way we are aiming at creating an even more international environment for the students – foreign and Danes alike.
The interactive Whiteboards, the wireless network and other facilities, which the students have in their present classrooms, will, of course, be moved during the holidays, thus ensuring the same high standards for the teaching in all the international classes, as we have had this school year.
Companies lament lack of international schools
Friday, June 5th, 2009A lack of international schools are causing major problems for top Danish companies
Numerous top business executives are worried that they will have augmenting difficulties in attracting and retaining international employees in the future due to the fact that there are no places in international schools available for their children.
The results of a recent survey carried out by Heidrick & Struggles shows that a number of HR managers in some of the country’s leading companies believe the problem of securing a place in an international school for the children of foreign employees is one of the major challenges faced by the Danish companies.
Foreign employees are not willing to accept a position, no matter how well-paid or how interesting the position might be, if they are not able to get a place at an international school for their child or children.
The Economy and Business Affairs Minister, Lene Espersen, said in an interview that it has made a big impression on her that there are problems finding international schools for children of foreign employees, and that she will discuss the issue with Education Minister Bertel Haarder. Hopefully, the two ministers will come up with some kind of solution.
Read more about the issue at http://expatindenmark.com/news/Pages/companies_and_intschools.aspx