Sponsored by Alison Brown
Program: Live and Zoom: Education in Denmark, Compare and Contrast
Speaker: Lene Pind, MA, former Principal of Tornbjerg Gymnasium, Syddamark, Denmark
Introduced By: Alison Brown
Attendance: NESC: 86; Zoom: 13
Guest(s): Vicky Ko, Miles Kowalewski, and one unlogged.
Scribe: Ruth Schmidt
Editor: Carl Warner
View a Zoom recording of this talk at: https://www.scientechclubvideos.org/zoom/05192025.mp4
Alison Brown introduced Lene Pind, the former Principal of Tornbjerg Gymnasium 1990 – 2017, 27 yrs in Syddanmark, Denmark. Her degree at the University of Copenhagen was in English. The thesis topic dealt with the Reformation and the importance of the bible in the vernacular, in this case English, spurring it on. She was not only a professional educator, but also an active member of the Danish Women's Society, including as Chairwoman for many years, lobbying, researching, and organizing seminars. She organized the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). In addition, she was Alison’s successor as Secretary General of International Alliance of Women and currently serves the organization as Membership Secretary.
Lene Pind covered the following focal points: “Who am I?”, the current education requirements in Denmark, the Danish education system, teacher education and school curriculum, relationships, and folk high schools.
“Who am I?”: Lene is a farmer’s daughter, happily married with 2 daughters and now a grandmother. After attending the Folkeskolen, she graduated from the University of Copenhagen; she then graduated from Kings College, London with her advanced degree. In the gymnasium (equivalent to our high schools), she taught English, Latin, and classical studies. She served as a student counselor and regards this as the most important part of her career. Then she became the principal for 27 years.
Education required in Denmark: "Folkeskolen" refers to the free public primary and lower secondary school system, covering ages 6 to 16. It is a free, state-funded educational system where children of all backgrounds and beliefs attend. Lene appreciates the value of this system to expose children to all types of people and promote a unified and diverse society. The compulsory years may be served by free schools
(like our public schools), religious schools, socialist schools, special focus schools (music, art, athletics), and after school care. In addition, there are schools set up to help those who have failed in some way or have an illness or disability.
Danish education system: In addition to the schools serving the compulsory years, the higher education has three separate purposes: academic, technical, and professional. The academic system is like our university system. The technical focuses are on building infrastructure necessary for society: electricians, plumbers, maritime services, etc. Commercial focusses on skills for business purposes: IT, accounting, management, etc. Some professional schools focus on teaching and practice but not research. These include teaching, healthcare, nursing, physical therapy, social work, etc. All schooling in Denmark is available in public schools that do not charge tuition, but competition can be intense for a limited number of positions. Additional opportunities are available by paying tuition to private school systems in Denmark. The private school system has approximately 30% support through tax dollars.
Teacher education: Teacher education is served by 4-year teaching schools focusing on pedagogy, didactics, and practice in the classroom. These graduates serve the early years of the compulsory education system. Teachers serving the later years of compulsory education take another 1 to 2 years of school to specialize in one or two academic subjects. Lene believes that a good teacher knows the subject matter, cares about each student, and has authority without being authoritarian.
School curriculum: The curriculum focuses on both academic and personal development. Topics include Danish, math, English, Christianity, history, social sciences, and another foreign language besides English. Lene would like to see more policies to encourage use of the Danish language.
Relationships: Teaching is done through dialog. Teachers and students use informal language and first names. School governance is democratic. Students learn life skills. After graduation she asked some “bad boys” who spent considerable time in the principal’s office: why did you persist in school. One answered: I became “more clever” by being among clever people.
Folk high schools: Folk high schools were started by N.F.S. Grundtvig (1783-1872). These schools were to move the people from plow to book, they are optional for adults; there are no grades or exams. The emphasis is on mutual learning between students and teachers. Students begin to develop personal authority and lifelong interest in learning through these schools. Lene’s dad, a shoemaker’s son, saved money to attend a folk high school, thus giving her family an interest in higher education.
Editor’s Note: The following paragraph was generated by AI analysis of the talk video. The scribe requested that it be attached to the human-generated write-up.
Conclusion: Denmark’s educational traditions reflect a commitment to inclusivity, innovation, and cultural engagement. By comparing its practices with those of other countries, adapting teaching methods to engage diverse student populations, and fostering a supportive environment for various subjects, Denmark continues to develop a robust educational framework that promotes social mobility and prepares students for the future.
Lene Pind
