Raise the bar

Today I had a discussion with some Swedish student about the timetable of their workplace (school). The students were year 8 and had some great arguments and were able to express them in a manor that made me come to the conclusion that they should be more included in the schedule making in the future.

Within five minutes the student had reached at least four criteria for Väl Godkänt for year 9.
As it happens the Swedish national agency for education gave criticism to Vibyskolan that we gave student higher grades than the norm would expect.

THE NORM

Well, could it be that the norm might be wrong or perhaps that not all students fit the norm? Swedish students today are a part of an English speaking community that has raised the bar of their English in a way the governing community haven't grasped. I believe we need to raise the bar of English studies in Swedish schools as well as change the curriculum to face up to the demands of our future. I still remember the comment I gave a friend in middle school (year 4) : "I know more English than my teacher"

I also would like to give a quote by some German visitors of Vinstagårdsskolan last spring.

"Your students speak better English than our teachers do"

I am, you are, he she it is . . . but what do we want to be?