In American schools our students have lockers to keep their things like coats, shoes, backpacks and books. If we did not have lockers, things would definitely be stolen. In fact, I had a full time police officer on my campus and about 80% of his time was spent on theft. Theft happens all across America in rich schools, poor schools and schools on all "sides" of town, even though we have lockers.
Kan du forestille min reaktion da jeg så dette??
Can you imagine my reaction when I saw this??
Når elever ankommer hos Herning Gymnasium, efterlader de deres ting her. De hænger deres rygsak op, sætter deres støvler på gulvet (siden de havde dem på for at cykle i regnen!!) og sætter deres hjelmer på toppen. Og GÆT HVAD?!?!When the students arrive at Herning Gymnasium, they hang there things here. They leave their things here. They hang their backpacks up, set their books on the floor (since they had to wear rain boots to bike to school in the rain!) and they set their motor scooter helmets up on top. And GUESS WHAT?!?!
Alting er stadig her når de kommer tilbage at hente!!! FORBLØFFENDE!!! Everything is still here when they come back to pick it up!!! AMAZING!!!
Jeg spurgte mine elever om de har haft noget stjålet hos skole og alle sagde de samme ting-- "SELVFØLGELIG IKKE! Vi bekymrer aldrig når vi efterlader vores ting. Elver stjålet sjældent i danske skoler. " I asked my students if they have had anything stolen while they were at school and they all said the same thing---"OF COURSE NOT! We never worry when we leave our things out there. Students very rarely steal in the Danish schools."
Anden eksempel-- Jess mistet vores kamera i fredags aften og da vi hentede hende, fortalte hun os at hun var sikker at det var stjålet. Jeg var overrasket. Jeg fortalte hende at ringe til fyren som havde festen og spørger han at kigge efter kameraet. Hun ringede. Hun spurgte han om hvem må stjæler noget ligesom et kamera og han sagde "Ingen. Mennesker stjæler ikke her. Jeg vil kigge efter kameraet når vi gøre rent." Og..... han fandt det!
A second example-- Jess lost her camera last Friday night and when we picked her up, she told us that she was certain the camera had been stolen. I was shocked. I told her to call the guy who had the party ask him to look for it as they cleaned up. She called. She asked him about who might have stolen something like a camera and he said, "No one. People do not steal here. I will look extra head for it while we clean." And....he found it!
Så hvad er forskellen???? Hvorfor i amerikanske skoler så meget og ikke i danske skoler?!
So what is the difference??? Why in American schools so much and not hardly at all in Danish schools??
12 comments:
Same thing happened to my boyfriend when we watched a movie in Dagmar cinema here. He lost his gloves (or to be precise: forgot his gloves - he took them off and put on the counter when he ordered popcorn) and it was a very nice pair of leather gloves I got him for xmas. He was devastated but he tried to call the cinema again the next day to ask if they got it and they did! So he got his precious gloves back :D
I had the exact same experience with my camera...(finn's actually) :), at the library in Sunds! I was certain that it was gone, but as we went out I saw it on the counter. The librarian said that a patron had seen it on the counter by our things, but believed that it had been left by someone else! It is good to know that we can live like the Waltons did in 2009! :) 'nite Mary Ellen
This is where my amateur zen Buddhist comes out. If you expect something bad to happen - it will happen. If you expect for your property to be safe and respected, it will be. Fear is such a vicious cycle.
We don't have lockers in Sweden either... probably not in Finland or Norway either. I think that it is because these societies are smaller and have not yet been affected by society and its influences... Consumerism hasn't got here yet.. I guess people have different values - and honesty is still one of them.
Well.... here's my hypothesis. American schools keep everyone uninformed: the students, the teachers, the parents. A constant state of ignorance keeps a person from developing critical thinking skills. When you don't have critical thinking skills, you act on impulses and very rarely think in terms of cause and effect.
American schools are also breeding grounds for impatience. Everything is about bells, calendars, and deadlines. Not just American schools, but America itself. This country is excellent at telling people they need things, but not at explaining what they need to do to get those things.
Combine those two pieces of the puzzle and it makes perfect sense why kids steal in American schools.
It does happen sometimes.
I remember when I went to Gymnasium and we had "åbent hus" (??? - when kids from folkeskolen try out the gymnasium for a few days), several people in my class had things stolen during recess. Anyway, I reckon that the kind of people who are into stealing stuff will usually go to tenth grade, HTX/HHX, or not go to any high school at all.
Amazing. In Detroit yesterday, a teen was shot because he wouldn't give up his watch. Yes, it happened at school.
I'm glad you're in a lighter blue mood. Those must be horribly painful good-byes.
Have you posted yet about how you met Mads and how you learned Danish? I think your story is fascinating.
Those sweet students in your school are so going to get themselves mugged in New York. Or Copenhagen. My brother-in-law once got mugged for his bike in Copenhagen. They shoved him off and kicked him a bit before taking it. There is a reason you insure your bike, and it is not because the chain rusts off over winter. I guess when all the students have the same stuff, same cell phones, jackets, etc, they don't have any urge to steal.
They are so sweet, your students! I feel we should wrap them up in pink tissue paper now so that the mean old world never intrudes.
Oh, and randomly in regards to the Cajun Meatloaf, if the link works in my post, it should take you to the recipe.
I think the fundamental difference is that the Danes believe everyone is equal, has value and is no more important than the next person (similar to your post on there being no middle class) and let's face it...that is NOT the case in the states. In the US and in other countries like Mexico, the thought is that if you can afford to buy it once, then you have enough money to buy it again.
As an aside. We have some Danish friends that have two teen boys. They are the most polite, interesting, and engaging two boys that I have ever met. I don't know if it is amazing parenting or a product of Danish society. On the otherhand, I know numerous US folks that have monsters for children.
Well, I'm not sure about Herning but in Aarhus, Copenhagen, Malmo and Lund you'd better NOT leave your bike unlocked, or out in the middle of town at night because it will get stolen. And the likelihood that your crappy bike you bought that's painted over is actually a stolen bike is pretty high. When I arrived at school Swedish students said just to steal a bike if you didn't want to buy one - so I guess that's one kind of theft that definitely still exists.
The truth of the matter is there are thugs in the US and thugs in Denmark. It is wonderful that you live in a small town where the crime rate is low and people are respectful of others. There are many honest, hard working Americans who would never steal from anyone - I saw a man in Biloxi that dropped his wallet and an older gentleman picke it up and chased him down to give it back. There are lots of good people if you just look for them. Of course there are thieves here and in most countries. And as for the behavior or children- mine were raised in Texas and they were always polite & respectful and now as adults - guess what - they are still polite & respectful. There are brats in Texas and I'm sure there are a few in Denmark also. I love the new things that you are learning about your new home -but don't forget there are lots of good things about your "old" home.
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