Structured Course: “Structured Educational Visit to Schools/Institutes & Training Seminars in Iceland
the hjalli model
Icelandic Education System
REYKJAVIK, Iceland — Elia climbed onto the table in front of her classmates. She threw her fists into the air and jumped on to the blue mats below.
“I am strong,” the 3-year-old said, her eyes alight with pride and exhilaration.
On the other side of this nursery school in the chic neighbourhood of Laufásborg, boys were practicing having “gentle hands” by massaging each other with lotion.
Iceland is consistently ranked first in the world for gender equality. But the Hjalli teaching model, as practiced in the nursery school, is considered progressive even in Iceland.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/iceland-s-answer-gender-equality-compensate-differences-between-boys-girls-n912606
REYKJAVIK, Iceland — Elia climbed onto the table in front of her classmates. She threw her fists into the air and jumped on to the blue mats below.
“I am strong,” the 3-year-old said, her eyes alight with pride and exhilaration.
On the other side of this nursery school in the chic neighbourhood of Laufásborg, boys were practicing having “gentle hands” by massaging each other with lotion.
Iceland is consistently ranked first in the world for gender equality. But the Hjalli teaching model, as practiced in the nursery school, is considered progressive even in Iceland.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/iceland-s-answer-gender-equality-compensate-differences-between-boys-girls-n912606
Alternative and progressive pedagogy
FOUNDED IN 1989 BY SELF-DESCRIBED RADICAL FEMINIST MARGRÉT PÁLA ÓLAFSDÓTTIR, HJALLI SCHOOLS AIM TO COUNTER STEREOTYPICAL GENDER ROLES AND BEHAVIOURS.
Boys and girls are separated for most of the day and they actively compensate for their gender by practicing behaviours usually associated with the other sex: from being daring and taking the initiative to helpfulness and being considerate of others.
“The best way to get closer to equality is to admit the differences”
MARGRÉT PÁLA ÓLAFSDÓTTIR
A kindergarten and elementary teacher with further studies in school management, an M.Ed. in pedagogy and education and an MBA degree in business administration.
An Icelandic pioneer pedagogue, educator and philanthropist.
MARGRÉT PÁLA ÓLAFSDÓTTIR
Also well known as a consultant, lecturer and analyst and has been granted numerous awards and recognition for her work, including The Knight‘s Cross of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon from the President of Iceland for innovation in education.
Author of numerous books and articles on gender equality, pedagogy and education, both for parents and academics.
MARGRÉT PÁLA ÓLAFSDÓTTIR
03
02
01
GENDERED BEHAVIOURS
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
GENDER ROLES
By keeping the sexes apart, boys and girls are free to develop their personalities and discover their interests without the pressures and constraints of conventional gender roles and stereotypes.
If children practice only the stereotypical gendered behaviours as society encourages, they risk slipping into what the founder calls the "blue" and "pink haze ".
Looking at the two poles of the gender spectrum, this is where the natural strengths of each gender tip over into weaknesses.
According to the Hjalli model...
04
Girls' sensitivity and caring natures can turn into self-pity and victimhood, while boys' strength and power can become aggression or even violence.
According to the Hjalli model...
Good girls vs Important boys
In the typical co-ed class girls are affirmed for behaving well, but en masse: “Ah, the girls are so good.” But the boys, largely because of their unruliness, are getting individual attention:
“John, sit down. Peter, read your book.”
So the girls are learning that they are not as important as the boys, although they behave well and get good grades.
The boys are also learning, “we are important”, even though they are losing their educational self-image and “a lot of them stop believing in themselves.”
According to the Hjalli model...
Nurtured on gender stereotypes
By the time they come to pre-school girls and boys have already absorbed gender stereotypical ideas from their environment, especially from the media.
The mixed class setting only reinforces this.
Boys look at the girls to see how not to behave: “I’m not supposed to be interested in my schoolwork, like them.”
And the girls similarly: “Boys are loud and they take up space. I’m not going to be like them.”
This is what she calls "the reversed mirror".
According to the Hjalli model...
Brains and Experience
According to Pala it’s a scientific fact that there are developmental differences between the sexes.
But if their brains are different at a certain age this is largely a matter of timing, not of some essential difference between male and female.
Brains are formed by experience as well as nature, and it’s the experiences she wants to change.
According to the Hjalli model...
These goals are assisted by banning standard text books (from the age of 10 children learn individually using iPads), commercial toys (with their gender messages) and other products, and substituting creative play and invention.
According to the Hjalli model...
2000
children
In over 15 centres
What started as one nursery school is now an independent scholarly organisation, Hjalli Ltd, which operates 14 kinder-gartens and three elementary schools around Iceland, with service contracts in 11 municipalities. The total number of children in our schools is over 2000 with around 450 employees.
The Hjalli Model EM
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Transcript
Structured Course: “Structured Educational Visit to Schools/Institutes & Training Seminars in Iceland
the hjalli model
Icelandic Education System
REYKJAVIK, Iceland — Elia climbed onto the table in front of her classmates. She threw her fists into the air and jumped on to the blue mats below. “I am strong,” the 3-year-old said, her eyes alight with pride and exhilaration. On the other side of this nursery school in the chic neighbourhood of Laufásborg, boys were practicing having “gentle hands” by massaging each other with lotion. Iceland is consistently ranked first in the world for gender equality. But the Hjalli teaching model, as practiced in the nursery school, is considered progressive even in Iceland.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/iceland-s-answer-gender-equality-compensate-differences-between-boys-girls-n912606
REYKJAVIK, Iceland — Elia climbed onto the table in front of her classmates. She threw her fists into the air and jumped on to the blue mats below. “I am strong,” the 3-year-old said, her eyes alight with pride and exhilaration. On the other side of this nursery school in the chic neighbourhood of Laufásborg, boys were practicing having “gentle hands” by massaging each other with lotion. Iceland is consistently ranked first in the world for gender equality. But the Hjalli teaching model, as practiced in the nursery school, is considered progressive even in Iceland.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/iceland-s-answer-gender-equality-compensate-differences-between-boys-girls-n912606
Alternative and progressive pedagogy
FOUNDED IN 1989 BY SELF-DESCRIBED RADICAL FEMINIST MARGRÉT PÁLA ÓLAFSDÓTTIR, HJALLI SCHOOLS AIM TO COUNTER STEREOTYPICAL GENDER ROLES AND BEHAVIOURS.
Boys and girls are separated for most of the day and they actively compensate for their gender by practicing behaviours usually associated with the other sex: from being daring and taking the initiative to helpfulness and being considerate of others.
“The best way to get closer to equality is to admit the differences”
MARGRÉT PÁLA ÓLAFSDÓTTIR
A kindergarten and elementary teacher with further studies in school management, an M.Ed. in pedagogy and education and an MBA degree in business administration.
An Icelandic pioneer pedagogue, educator and philanthropist.
MARGRÉT PÁLA ÓLAFSDÓTTIR
Also well known as a consultant, lecturer and analyst and has been granted numerous awards and recognition for her work, including The Knight‘s Cross of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon from the President of Iceland for innovation in education.
Author of numerous books and articles on gender equality, pedagogy and education, both for parents and academics.
MARGRÉT PÁLA ÓLAFSDÓTTIR
03
02
01
GENDERED BEHAVIOURS
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
GENDER ROLES
By keeping the sexes apart, boys and girls are free to develop their personalities and discover their interests without the pressures and constraints of conventional gender roles and stereotypes.
If children practice only the stereotypical gendered behaviours as society encourages, they risk slipping into what the founder calls the "blue" and "pink haze ".
Looking at the two poles of the gender spectrum, this is where the natural strengths of each gender tip over into weaknesses.
According to the Hjalli model...
04
Girls' sensitivity and caring natures can turn into self-pity and victimhood, while boys' strength and power can become aggression or even violence.
According to the Hjalli model...
Good girls vs Important boys
In the typical co-ed class girls are affirmed for behaving well, but en masse: “Ah, the girls are so good.” But the boys, largely because of their unruliness, are getting individual attention: “John, sit down. Peter, read your book.” So the girls are learning that they are not as important as the boys, although they behave well and get good grades. The boys are also learning, “we are important”, even though they are losing their educational self-image and “a lot of them stop believing in themselves.”
According to the Hjalli model...
Nurtured on gender stereotypes
By the time they come to pre-school girls and boys have already absorbed gender stereotypical ideas from their environment, especially from the media. The mixed class setting only reinforces this. Boys look at the girls to see how not to behave: “I’m not supposed to be interested in my schoolwork, like them.” And the girls similarly: “Boys are loud and they take up space. I’m not going to be like them.” This is what she calls "the reversed mirror".
According to the Hjalli model...
Brains and Experience
According to Pala it’s a scientific fact that there are developmental differences between the sexes. But if their brains are different at a certain age this is largely a matter of timing, not of some essential difference between male and female. Brains are formed by experience as well as nature, and it’s the experiences she wants to change.
According to the Hjalli model...
These goals are assisted by banning standard text books (from the age of 10 children learn individually using iPads), commercial toys (with their gender messages) and other products, and substituting creative play and invention.
According to the Hjalli model...
2000
children
In over 15 centres
What started as one nursery school is now an independent scholarly organisation, Hjalli Ltd, which operates 14 kinder-gartens and three elementary schools around Iceland, with service contracts in 11 municipalities. The total number of children in our schools is over 2000 with around 450 employees.