Hannah Emmanuele
In 2002, a new school opened its doors to over 600 children with no walls, literally or figuratively. Instead of desks in rows, students get to choose from dozens of nurturing and comfortable learning spaces to suit their personal learning style, preference and situation–alone, in small or large groups.
Located outside Copenhagen, Hellerup School has been internationally recognized for over a decade as an exemplar in redefining how teachers teach and students learn. Now comprising 750 learners aged 6 to 16, this Danish school offers more than just a glimpse of what the future of learning holds.
The school’s architects, Arkitema, designed the large-scale, open plan learning spaces to fulfill the school’s overarching vision, putting each student at the center of their own learning. The design is forward thinking, enabling learning spaces to be flexible and responsive to the needs of the students at any given time. Interestingly, the entire development process was driven by a group of local parents with a clear idea of how school needed to change to suit the needs of children.
The school’s vision, culled from best practices in the US, Italy and Sweden, is to help each child become a modern learner with agency over how and what they learn. In that regard, from the earliest years, students work to understand who they are, how they learn and make choices to suit their needs. Another goal is for school to resemble life outside of school. In that manner children are given the freedom to make mistakes and grow under the guidance of a caring adult rather then later when the stakes are higher.
Empowering students with control and ownership over their learning has a profound effect on school climate. Visiting educators report Hellerup children are unusually confident and comfortable from an early age and enthusiasm for joyful learning is palpable–there are no behavior problems, no disengaged students, no students off task.
The school places a high value on 21st century literacies, social skills, group problem solving, and decision making, in addition to the usual academic skills. Technology at the school is ubiquitous and seamless and the school embraces smartphones.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tZtRAhYGuU
By 9th grade, teenagers are ready to complete extensive and comprehensive project work, similar to capstone projects in the US, and are given much freedom to explore and do research away from school. A strong culture of respect together with interesting and engaging learning experiences account for the maturity and responsibility these students demonstrate, compared to American counterparts. Of note, the only compulsory tests in Denmark are given in 9th and 10th grades.
Another interesting difference lies in Denmark’s education system. The Primary Education Act of 1993 made it mandatory for all public schools to design learning spaces that are are inspiring, creative and flexible. Law also requires differentiated classrooms, team teaching, and integrating subjects into multidisciplinary lessons. Groups of about 75 students remain together from 1st through 9th grades and the same teachers stay with those students for 5 to 9 years, enabling strong personal relationships to develop and for teachers to know and connect with each student in a meaningful way. With team teaching, school culture has shifted to become collaborative, open and supportive –producing a higher degree of professionalism in the field.
Hellerup is a Microsoft World Tour School, an effort to introduce more educational leaders to innovative schools around the world.
