Skoler i Sverige

Today I payed a visit to Jenny and Anton's school. I have to say that it truly felt like a first day of school. I was nervous that the children would ask crazy questions, or that I would break some well known Swedish rule without knowing it.

I arrived at the school late as usual and all of the children had gone inside. Kids in Sweden usually get several recesses a day, and Anton was going to wait for me until 10 AM outside his school on his first recess of the day. Earlier, at breakfast, his mother Katarina could tell that I was nervous and told me that she promised Anton would be waiting for me outside. As I arrived however, there was nobody there. All of the kids were on their way in and I was left outside alone. I had no idea where Anton's classroom was and I certainly did not want to go wandering aimlessly around the foreign school.

I chose one of the buildings and entered with caution. Luckily I was met by the principle who floored me with her beauty. This woman was probably in her sixties and had the bluest eyes I have ever seen. They were so blue that I had absolutely no problem maintaining my gaze on them. I may have even scared her since I was almost squinting to get further into them.

We introduced ourselves and chatted for a brief moment and I think she even offered me a job after I had told her that I was now living in Sweden with my family. I could feel myself starting to get silly as I was talking to her, but fortunately our conversation was cut short by Anton's teacher. She swooped me up and pulled me into the mud room in front of the classroom.

You see, schools in Sweden are practical. Because children are messy, they take their shoes and outside clothes off before they enter the classroom. It is in this room that the teacher Mary-Ann prepared me for my entrance. I was met with applause and questions the second I entered the classroom. I then proceeded to talk about America in front of the children and I gave them some background about myself.

After the lecture I was met with many questions that did not pertain to much. Most of the questions where actually the children talking about how they knew someone who had been to Spain or Africa. I tried to nicely explain that Spain and Africa are on the other side of the Atlantic and that they should try to ask questions rather than tell stories, since I did not really care about their friends who may have travelled somewhere and seen some type of animal or eat some type of food.

After hearing several stories from the children I was invited to join my cousin for lunch. Lunch in Sweden is far superior to that of America. In Sweden, all schools are required to feed every child lunch every single day. On top of that, the schools are required to provide vegetarian options along with options that are required for specific health conditions. The meals always have enough vegetables, bread, and butter for the students. The kids and teachers get to eat with real silverware, real glasses, and real plates: none of this paper plate bullshit. Now the most important part of all of this is that it is all paid for out of the taxes within the nation and the community.

Sophie, Simon, and Anton enjoying Swedish meatballs with steamed potatoes.

As you can imagine, a young adult can make a good impression on seven year olds. There were students begging me to sit at their tables and play with them outside. I have never felt so wanted in my life. I actually felt sad about letting so many of the children down.

After food, I had to leave to avoid breaking too many hearts. On my way out the kids had taken my kick sled (sled with skates that rides on the snow like a push scooter). They where all running around with it begging for rides and asking me if it was fun. I took an opportunity to snap a photo of the kids, who treated the event like they had never had their photo taken before.

The crowd outside the door as I was leaving.

I left from one school to go the next. I returned home to my aunt's house to hang out with Jenny, who was home sick. She was however not sitting around and watching TV. Jenny was busy doing her homework for the next week and studying for her math and English exams. Jenny is after all ten years old and is studying English at an alarming rate. It does help that she has an American cousin and an American uncle, but she works very hard to get things right and takes great care of her learning experience. I was speaking to her in English when she was studying and she could almost hold a normal conversation with me!

Jenny taking her English exam at home. I was the proctor.

As you can see, school in Sweden is different than in America. Swedes get more play time, good food, work hard, and learn early! I went to school here a long time ago, and it has had a profound effect on my upbringing: it seems that Americans could learn a lot from the Swedish education system.

Time to chop some wood!