One day in a Norwegian high school

9th March 2018.

1.-8,15-10,05 h. Preparing lessons together, they teach the same level. They plan two weeks beforehand.

High level. 5 hours a week.

One written and one oral test per term, though there are more small tests sometimes. Two terms, one in December and one in May.

Marks go from 1 to 6.

1 is failed. (From our 0 to 4)

2 is our 5.

3 is our 6.

4 is our 7/8.

5 is our 9.

6 is our 10.

2.- 10,15-11,50 h

Carl Philip English lesson ST1A. For two hours in a row.

1st hour.

Introducing me at the beginning of the class. Encouraging them to ask me a question but no one does, but the teacher doesn’t push them. 

NTaking a picture. 

Total silence. Philip doesn’t raise his voice at all.

They can drink water, tea, or eat occasionally just grab a bite.

Next week they are having a three hour test about SLAVERY, CIVIL RIGHTS AND THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT.

Two parts: the first part is compulsory and then two more to choose one.

They begin the lesson with the planning for the week on the screen.

They can download this programme.

Philip revises a bit to start: talking about the topic of slavery, the movie The Roots, etc.

They had read the text yesterday so today it’s reading comprehension.

2nd hour.

-Linking words.

-easily confused words.

The teacher tells them to look up some words in ordnett.no, a dictionary.

Affect-effect

Looose-lose

Countable and uncountable 

-translating sentences into Norwegian 

-determiners

-collocations

-many, much, few, little

-word order. Similar in English and Norwegian 

LUNCH BREAK: 11,50-12,20 h

3.- 12,20-13,05 h. Marianne. TIP C171. She is teaching another English language colleague’s lesson. 

-They had had a previous lesson before the break. They had been reading a text about government and politics.

-They have to explain some words. They look them up in ordnett.no

Constitucional 

Bill 

Legislative

Executive

Judicial

-explaining what spelling is. How the English spelling is different from Norwegian because of the influence of French, Latin, etc. 

kween changed to queen

All of them working with their computers.

THEY ARE SUPPOSED NOT TO BE DRINKING REDBULL OR THE LIKE BUT IF THEY DO THE TEACHER TRIES TO PRETEND HE HASN’T NOTICED:avoiding conflict.

WHEELED CHAIRS FOR EVERYBODY, NOT ONLY THE TEACHER

WHEN THE TEACHER ASKS A QUESTION: he listens respectfully, avoids “no”, accepts different answers though sometimes changes the answer a bit or improves it with some of his own.

4.- 13,10-13,55 h. Video documentary about adoption. Half English half Norwegian.

Philip teaches these students Communication and culture. Sometimes it’s about philosophy.

They are left in the video room with me, while Philip is with another group

They are drinking a coke, water, tea, one girl is braiding her mate’s hair, some are eating some snacks.

They have to answer some questions about the video.

Mia and Alexandra. Two Chinese twins adopted by an American and a Norwegian family.

This is meant for them to reflect on pathos, logos and logic: philosophical topics.

5.- 14,55-15,35 h. The same students are now to work in groups about the video.

They are sitting in groups, comfortably, talking not loudly, writing on their computers.

The teacher is just on his desk working on his computer or walking around the classroom offering help, etc.