Bergen Handelsgymnasium, a myEUROPE school from Norway, is a hundred years old! “Even though we are a hundred years old”, says Ewa Bivand, “and
the teaching stuff may be described as vintage, in both senses of the word, we are young in spirit and open for modern ways. We try to give our pupils flexibility in choosing working and assessment methods and we use data communication daily.”
Today we are just an ordinary secondary school for 16 to 18 year olds. But our name "Handelsgymnasium" suggests something else. "Handel" - that is trade, commerce, refers to the school's primary aim: training Bergen's young people to work in trade and business. It was exactly hundred years ago that Bergen Handelsgymnasium opened its door. We celebrated our centennial on the 3rd and 4th of September with parties, official speeches and a show in Bergen's largest concert hall - Grieghallen. The oldest alumnus participating in the celebrations is now 94 ! If you want to learn more about our school - visit our Web site.
To mention just some advantages of using modern technology, the Learning Managing System "It's learning", quite popular in Norway among schools and universities, is getting more and more fans at our school. It is just great to be able to communicate with your pupils also outside the classroom. And it is so much easier when they can find all the plans, tasks, homework, projects and what not without asking the teachers for a copy. But then there cannot be any excuses for not having done homework, either...
Our school has also a Web site which the pupils can use quite freely to present their work and projects - just go to http://bhg.vgs.no/ and have a look. Part of this Web site is "Zeitung" Pupils' website in German. They are learning German as their third language and they are producing a magazine. It is neither weekly nor monthly, it depends on their work schedule. The board consists of three pupils: Egil O.Paulsen, Sindre Fjell Raaum and Erik Knudsen. Their teacher, Christiane Schmidt, helps to keep quality standards.
Let me explain how it is done. Groups of pupils choose different topics which they are interested in. Then they discuss them in the class, exchange ideas and write notes. Eventually they write articles, either individually or two together. This working method ensures differentiation in the classroom and gives the pupils a lot of satisfaction. But we also use this as a starting point for learning grammar and having some small tests and quizzes.
When the texts are ready, the pupils decide which texts should be presented on the website. However the teacher has to accept the text as good enough in German - that means that we use process-oriented writing methods - the pupils have to produce several drafts if they want their product to be published. And they do it! Also in their leisure time.
One may say there is something fascinating about being able to see your own text published. It may be dangerous too, if you publish "rubbish", and unfortunately there are many Web sites of this sort. But here "quality control" makes sure that they do no publish "bad" German. And the advantages with respect to their motivation to learn, and the final learning results, are measurable and quite impressive. And, mind you, German is generally perceived by Norwegian pupils as difficult and boring subject, (all these long sentences with the verb at the end, and why do they still use dative and accusative?)
If you would like to learn more, contact one of the editors. You will find their e-mails on the our Web site.
To mention just some advantages of using modern technology, the Learning Managing System "It's learning", quite popular in Norway among schools and universities, is getting more and more fans at our school. It is just great to be able to communicate with your pupils also outside the classroom. And it is so much easier when they can find all the plans, tasks, homework, projects and what not without asking the teachers for a copy. But then there cannot be any excuses for not having done homework, either...
When the texts are ready, the pupils decide which texts should be presented on the website. However the teacher has to accept the text as good enough in German - that means that we use process-oriented writing methods - the pupils have to produce several drafts if they want their product to be published. And they do it! Also in their leisure time.
