(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)
With the start of this year's school, Norwegian students encounter an everyday life foreign to most who have attended Norwegian school throughout history. The most noticeable move that is made is that the schools become "classless". Instead of school classes of a given, fixed size with a fixed class teacher, students will now work in groups of varying sizes. Pupils no longer have a class teacher, but a contact teacher, and part of the purpose of the reform is to be able to more easily provide adapted training.
Many fear that the reorganization is first and foremost a move to push more students into the same room, and thus save money for the municipalities. With the financial situation many municipalities are in, we have a great understanding of this fear. However, we are convinced that Norwegian schools need comprehensive reforms – and that this is one of them. We are equally convinced that Norwegian schools need resources, far greater resources than today.
Among the critics, there are some who harass with the new model, and compare a school where students work in varying groups, under the supervision of different teachers, with working life organization in modern, private business – implied that with this capitalism takes the final step into Norwegian school. It is a description that is far too simple, and moreover not correct. We also do not believe that a reorganization of everyday school life will contribute to the most talented students doing even better, while the weakest are lagging behind even more.
On the contrary, we believe that traditional classroom and catheter education has been a system that has been unsuitable for seeing each student and their needs in school. It affects not least weak students, who if they make a noise are branded as crows – or who can walk through the school without sufficient help if they shut up.
As we see it, the “classless school” must only be one of many measures that dissolve the structures in Norwegian schools, which means that teachers, school leaders and the municipalities have a greater right and duty to take as their starting point the needs, challenges and opportunities. which exists for the individual student and the individual litter.
We do not think this revolution has been implemented with the changes that are now taking place in the Norwegian school. But we hope that school politicians are willing to take many, big steps forward in the future.
If such a reorganization is to succeed, however, it is crucial that the reforms provide increased quality – not savings. First and foremost because Norwegian school students deserve and need a school that prepares them for the future. But also because both employees, students and parents must feel secure that the reforms are in their best interests. Then it is useless to look at the schools and the municipal economy as a balancing item when tax cuts are to be implemented – as the current government does.
