KINDERGARTEN FANØ

Six months ago, I went to one Kindergarten in the island of Fanø. This place is located off the coast from the city of Esbjerg to which is connected by ferry.

Fanø

When I arrived to this kindergarten I feel happy to see children happy in the school playing outside. I surprised that it was very easy go inside and outside for us (adult people) and for them.

I believe if they feel free to play then they´ll have their own personality, they´ll love them and like consequence to the others. I think and feel is the only way they can grow up healthy.

               

One thing I like is simple toys because with these, children can develop their creativity. For example; box with the hole. If toys are very elaborated, then all is done for children and they don´t have to create or invent things to play with these and their friends.

It´s very important they learn by playing between them and also have one good adult reference.

Maybe, what I don´t know if is there the kindergarten works with families to follow the same kind of education. This is fundamental to keep one holistic education.

In Spain I only have seen this on summer camps and I have studied like the ideal form to educate from person are children:

• New school
• John Dewey, laboratory-school.
• Modern School of Ferrer i Guardia (1901), Summerhill or freedom like auto regulation
• Freinet pedagogic (cooperation)

 

LEARN BY DOING AND DOING TO GROW UP

SIMILARITIES between Denmark and Spain:

• Children have freedom to play different games outside and inside. It is another way to learn what is good and what is bad by the own experience of play with their mates.
• Teachers and children have a closer relation without too much authority.
• Children have to be children and then they have to learn by playing.

DIFFERENCES between Denmark and Spain:

• This kind of activity (the excursion) helps us to know each other’s better because we are in other context that is not in classroom.
• Thanks to simple toys children can develop their creativity because if these are very elaborated they can´t imagine anything.
• In Spain, parents are usually very protectors with their kids. They are afraid of everything (be hurt, be sick, get dirty...).

SPORT TEST

"Even if it is hard, it is good for you".

These are the words of our sport´s teacher while we were running, walking or doing some specific steps.

It is a test without mark, the result is for oneself in order to know how is our fitness and the most important, in my view, the instinct of give the best you can.

I have a circumstance on my left leg since I was born that don´t let me follow the rhythm of the others. I accept this situation, however in sports it is not easy to feel as comfortable as in other atmospheres of the daily life; even more when it is a test.

But I feel really surprised of what I lived this day: The HELP of the OTHERS. It was amazing how I could do the difficult test of "bip" which consists in run as much and fast as possible hearing one whistle that marks the rhythm. 

The shouting of Benze, how Alexiane catch me around the waist to support me, the hands of Joka when I arrived at one side and the rest of the partners around all of us.

In the help I could feel acceptance, closeness, love... Those things I needed to follow a good rhythm and finish my run with a good smile of satisfaction. 

This was the experience of my test and I am proud of what I learnt with that. I had the friendship and affection of the others because in the "test" of my daily life in Denmark I take care of them and with this, they took care of me in this "sport test". 

LANGUAGE and IDENTITY

The languages we know make a part of our identity. These are one essential skill or instrument with we can communicate with the world, the others and with ourselves.

In this way? What is my identity nowadays?

I try to represent with this picture and the colours. Depending of the part of the body where I paint I want to express meanings in this identity, also the same with the colours. 

SPANISH: My mother tongue, the Spanish, I represent with purple. It born on the heart and it expands for the rest of my body. It is the language with which I feel and live. The purple evokes me calm, strength and  forward to sharing. 

ENGLISH: It is the language that I try to have in my mind: think, improve, learn, internalize. Blue of patience, step by step...I paint my feet too because just now are the shoes that let me walk in this adventure around Denmark.

FRENCH: French on my legs. I have the green hope of coming back to learn French in another phase or adventure of my life.

DANISH: This new language for me on my belly button. It is really small, but it is in the emotional part of the body. I don´t want to forget that the language where I am living it is Danish. It is grey, just because it is a complicated language and frustrating don´t learn as well I would like and don´t understand what people of here are speaking about. However, I try with the Danish classes, with the kids of the family I lived and with the opportunities that Denmark bring me.

BODY LANGUAGE: with an energetic orange. Orange on the face, on the hands, on the stomach and around myself. It is the strongest communication  almost universal and full of creativity and possibilities and accessible to everyone.

The floor where I walk full of all the colours that build my identity. These make me up growing up in the journey of my life. 

WHY?

Why is so difficult for me start this blog, when I have lots of ideas in my mind, feelings and actions that I want to reflect?

Maybe because the beginnings of a new method of working need time to assimilate. 

Maybe for all the mistakes of this new language, the English, that I am starting to use more in my daily life.

Maybe because it is necessary to follow one rhythm which I am not sure I can follow.

Maybe because I compare how my partners do their blog and I feel that I am not so good like them.

Maybe because my reflections are not the best...

Maybe it is time to use all these duties to start to do a "good job", not the best, but yes a first good blog where from my point of view I share with who want to read MY PROCESS OF LEARNING here in Denmark. I don´t know which will be the way or the end... Just I will flow with the opportunity of living this experience.

Then, I take the space and only the necessary baggage for walking in the society that as social educator I would like to cultivate.

ARRIVAL

Here we are... our first day of lessons. We are about thirty people from different places and cultures. Everything is new, it is true that the first semester I was studying in Denmark too. However, the city is new, now I live with three more students instead of with one family and there are only a few people from Spain.

The weather is cold, but now we have more light than in December. So, day by day the sunshine will stay more time with us.

I chose the bedroom on the attic of the house, because this is the present I received from the previous occupier.

Here, the discovering of Haderslev starts. Also, here you have my family in this new adventure around Denmark.