Photographs: Pexels
Text: Monika Pedersen
The new year kicks off with the usual tradition of making New Year's resolutions.This is a celebrated activity whereby many people enjoy setting themselves goals or targets to set them on a better path or to follow a dream.
Such traditions celebrate life by signposting the passage of time over the year. This practice is often followed in schools. It provides students with highlights throughout the year and usually inspires and brings joy.
Teachers often start the year by asking students to reflect on their achievements to date and to consider areas in which they wish to grow or improve. Older students often set targets to hone the skills they need to be more successful in their studies. With younger children, goal setting is much simpler and often tends to involve pastoral elements such as being a better friend or becoming a class helper. These goals are often shared as part of a wall display with a tree, and each child’s hopes written on a leaf or within the structure of a hot air balloon. There are so many options, but the very visual aspect allows children to return to the display and remind themselves of their endeavours.
"Teachers often start the year by asking students to reflect on their achievements to date and to consider areas in which they wish to grow or improve."
Traditions
Once January fades away, many Danish schools celebrate the ‘Fastelavn’ tradition in late February. This carnival tradition marks the start of Lent in Scandinavian countries.
At school, it means dressing up and enjoying the ancient tradition of ‘beating a cat out of a barrel’, which represents the removal of bad spirits in preparation for Easter. These days the barrel is full of sweets, and the one who manages to smash down the hanging barrel shares the goodies with the rest of the class. Special pastries are also enjoyed!
Valentine’s Day may also be celebrated. In the younger classes, this provides an opportunity to reconnect with pastoral affairs as children exchange hearts with warm, loving messages written for each other.
March marks the start of Spring, and either March or April heralds Easter, with Easter egg hunts and the joy of shaking off the greyness of Winter. The clocks switch, and the longer days bring both students and teachers a new lease on life and energy!
May in the Danish calendar is a time of many public holidays. Hence, the weeks are short, which means that longer weekends are spent travelling to summer houses to enjoy family time and outdoor activities.
For older students, it is the exam period, the end of their studies, and the beginning of looking forward to the next stage of their academic journey.
By June, half a year has passed, and younger students are looking forward to their long-awaited holidays. This is often a time of transition, with many mobile families leaving for a new assignment in a new country. It is bittersweet, so a big emphasis is placed on ‘giving closure’ through ‘goodbye’ parties, cards, and play dates.
July is a time for rest and recuperation.
August starts with a newness and a distinct energy. It is a time for making new friends, meeting new teachers, and learning new routines.
September is the time for bonding. After the freshness of a new academic year, it is vital to support a class in seeing themselves as a group. There is no better way of securing this than an overnight trip with specific outdoor team-building activities, making dinner together, and camping or a night at a youth hostel.
Before long, it is time for a break, quickly followed by one of the biggest dates on the calendar: Halloween. The excitement of dressing up and going ‘trick-or-treating’ is foremost for almost all students, regardless of age!
November is often marked by many ex-pats with the huge celebration of a Fall Festival and Thanksgiving. For Danes, it is the start of the ‘Hygge’ season. Hygge is all about being cosy, and coping with the darkness by indulging in simple treats such as hot chocolate with friends, beautiful candles, and enjoying delicious and hearty winter dishes.
And then, in a flash, it is December, which brings with it the tradition of making advent candle decorations to mark the countdown to Christmas Eve. A candle is lit each Sunday to mark the occasion.
A primary classroom needs an advent calendar so that each child can enjoy a treat. The children also decorate their classrooms with festive colours and creations to reflect the magic of the season.
Time flies
The start of the year brings the prospect of lots of time and opportunities. This is true! However, it is quite incredible how quickly time passes, and New Year's celebrations are being enjoyed again!