“I want to work with children, travel around the world and teach”

Although their focus is on the world, Gunnhildur Ásmundsdóttir and Solvej Asmark Jensen are crazy about the student environment at the International Honours Degree in Teaching in Vordingborg in Denmark. Here they find a strong sense of unity and closeness, which can be hard to find.

“I really like to study in Vordingborg. We all have a great relationship and even my teachers know my name when I meet them. This makes me feel at home,” 23-year-old Gunnhildur Ásmundsdóttir says.

She has travelled from Iceland to Denmark to enter her dream education, the International Honours Degree in Teaching, and she is committed to making the whole world her workplace.

“I want to work with children, travel around the world and teach. My goal is to work in as many countries as possible, gaining knowledge about different cultures and implementing human rights. I have the freedom to do all those things through this education,” Gunnhildur Ásmundsdóttir says. During her education, she has chosen to do an exchange semester in the Netherlands to teach Citizenship.

Embracing different cultures

As a student at the  International Honours Degree in Teaching in Vordingborg, the students must complete a part of their education abroad through either teaching experience at a school or through studies at a higher education institution.

“I want to embrace different cultures and students and gain a greater understanding of how we can be different,” 24-year-old Solvej Asmark Jensen says.

Her dream is to work at an international school in Denmark when she finishes her education. However, she has the same desire as Gunnhildur Ásmundsdóttir to work with the teaching profession around the world.

Prior to her studies, she did volunteer work for ActionAid Denmark in Kenya where she taught at a school. During her education, she wants to gain teaching experience in Japan.

“I really like when I get the opportunity to work with new teaching methods. I believe that I am good at teaching and I enjoy standing in front of people. I have been a scout all my life and when I was 7-8 years old, I tried to guide other kids for the first time. Already back then, I found that I was good at it,” Solvej Asmark Jensen says.

Danish educational principles

The International Honours Degree in Teaching is based on the Danish educational principles and traditions. However, it requires some skills to teach both primary, secondary and international schools and to study at the teaching education in Vordingborg.

All the students studying the teacher education have passed English at a Danish A-level or equivalent and they have passed a special 3-hours admission test. The test evaluates their competencies in written English and the ability to formulate a well-structured argument. The students compile the education themselves and combine subjects and modules in English and Danish.

Therefore, the two students have a piece of advice for those who dream of studying the International Honours Degree in Teaching:

“Focus on your English. It has to be quite good. You have to practice your English in order to be as good as possible before you start the education.”