Golden Apple: Norwegian Exchange Students Observe Bemidji Kindergarten Classes

For the past month, students from the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences have been visiting Bemidji for an exchange program regarding childhood education.

“We’re here to compare how you educate kids here in the states, and compare it to how we would do it at home,” explained Western Norway University student Sander Løvø.

The students were invited to a recent Bemidji Sons of Norway event, where they were asked a series of questions regarding the differences between Norwegian and American kindergartners.

“The kindergarten system is so different from Norway,” said Western Norway University student Andrine Bikke. “We start when we are 1-year-old to 6-years-old. That’s kindergarten. And here, kindergarten is more when you’re five, six.”

This project is the result of a collaboration with the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences and Bemidji State University, which was able to provide these students with an opportunity to sit in at local schools for observation.

“We’ve been to three different schools here,” explained Bikke, “Three days in Red Lake, three days in Lincoln [Elementary], and three days in Horace May [Elementary].”

Regardless of the differences between American and Norwegian education, this experience will hopefully bring new perspectives to these young educators so that they can better teach the youth they serve.

This exchange is meant to serve as a test run for the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences and BSU to see if more collaborations like this should be done in the future.