PSYC 3850 OLB - University of Lethbridge - May 2020

1. Empathy in Denmark
Democracy, Dialogue, & Hygge

2. Empathy: “helps build relationships, prevent
bullying and succeed at work. It promotes
the growth of leaders, entrepreneurs and
managers” (Newsroom, 2019).

3. Collaborative Learning: “consists in
bringing together children with different
strengths and weaknesses in different
subjects to make them help each other in
class, working together on various projects.
The latter method teaches children from an
early age that one cannot succeed alone
and that helping others leads to better
results” (Newsroom, 2019).

4. HYGGE: “It is a fundamental concept for the
Danish sense of well-being.”// “could be
defined as ‘intentionally created intimacy’ ”
(Newsroom, 2019).

5. HYGGE: “In a country where it gets dark
very early in the year, it rains, it's gray,
hygge means bringing light, warmth &
friendship, creating a shared, welcoming &
intimate atmosphere” (Newsroom, 2019).

6. 300 million
Instagram posts with the hashtag: #hygge (Newsroom, 2019)

7. “The Danish Way of Parenting: What the
Happiest People in the World Know About
Raising Confident, Capable Kids”
Book by Jessica Alexander, American
Writer & Psychologist; and Iben Sandahl
Danish Psychotherapist (2015)

8. Klassens tid: “an empathy lesson”//
“students aged 6 to 16 years”// “students
discuss their problems, either related to
school or not, and the whole class, together
with the teacher, tries to find a solution
based on real listening & understanding”
(Newsroom, 2019).

9. 60%
Teamwork in Class: “The focus is not to excel over others, but to have a
responsibility in helping those who are not equally gifted”

10. Playfulness: “The Danes give a lot of space
to children's free play, which teaches
empathy and negotiation skills. Playing in
the country has been considered an
educational tool since 1871” (Alexander, J.,
n.d.).
No Competition: “Instead they practice the
culture of motivation to improve, measured
exclusively in relation to themselves”
(Newsroom, 2019).

11. “A child who is naturally talented in
mathematics, without learning to collaborate
with their peers, will not go much further.
They will need help in other subjects. It is a
great lesson to teach children from an early
age, since no one can go through life
alone” (Alexander, J., n.d.).

12. “[...] when you explain something to someone
- like a math problem... - you [...] learn the
subject much better than [...] by memorizing it
yourself, but you also build our empathy skills
which are further strengthened by having to
be careful about the way the other person
receives the information, and having to put
oneself in their shoes to understand how
learning works” (Alexander, J.J. & Sandahl,
I.D. 2015.).

13. 5 Sets
Concepts & Practices of formative assessment that are integrated in the
processes of learning.

14. “1. The Student Profile: students write a
profile that is [...] a self-description in relation
to the multiple intelligences [,..] a
description of their expectations & goals
for learning for the next two years in this
school. [It] is a basis for a conversation
between student, his/her parents &
teachers” (Townshend, J., Moos, L., Skov,
P., n.d.).

15. “2. The Log Book which is about the
processes [,..] to facilitate & support
students in reflecting on the effort & goals
for learning. It gives more students the
opportunity to be heard. Teachers may enter
into written dialogue with students & discuss
teaching & the outcomes” (ibid.)

16. Student: “We had a visitor from an Indian
tribe. He told a lot about, how Indians live.
And all the time in English. It was very
interesting. He told how you could work
with your self to become a better person.
You are good enough as you are, he said. I
think I learnt something like: Love
yourself” (ibid.)

17. “3. The Portfolio: is about the outcomes &
products [...] Parents get [...] a better [...]
more concrete background for entering
into dialogue with teachers & their
children. They can see for themselves
some of the outcomes of students’ learning
& therefore the can better see, in what ways
they themselves can support & encourage
their children’s education” (ibid.)

18. Message for students’ Portfolio
Showcase: “You will have an ordinary desk
and a space on the walls at your disposal.
Reflect on your work in the first period: • The
camp school • Themes from the core-
subjects period…” (ibid.)

19. Message for students’ Porfolio Showcase
(cont’d): “...• Show something that you have
enjoyed working with & that you have
improved in • Show something that you felt
was difficult & that you have to work on •
Show a picture of you in the work situation
that you prefer the most. You may quote
your own logbook. We are looking forward
to seeing your outcomes” (ibid.).

20. “4. The Core Groups: ...The students’
groups are intended to be fora for student
reflection. Students help and support peers
in reflecting on effort, outcome and goals.
They help each other to choose what
material should go into the portfolio” (ibid.).

21. “5. The Student-Parents-School
Conversations: In which areas of strength did
you grow? How did you challenge your weaker
fields? How do you assess your relations to
class? What plans do you have for next year?”
(ibid.).

22. “[Suggestions:] 1. A cartoon [...] • Cue for
the conversation • Cartoon fields with your
thoughts • A poem with your thoughts &
feelings • A mind map giving an overview.
2. Bring an item that could serve as a
starting point for what you want to tell
3. Bring an item you have produced or
worked with You may bring your logbook”
(ibid.)

23. References:
1. Alexander, J.J., & Sandahl, I.D. (2015). The Danish Way of Parenting: What the
Happiest People in the World Know About Raising Confident, Capable Kids. Forlaget
Ehrhorn Hummerston, Copenhagen, 2015. Retrieved from book website:
http://www.thedanishway.com
2. Newsroom (2019). Empathy? In Denmark they’re learning it in school: A compulsory
subject of study which is taught an hour a week in the “Klassens tid”, where students
learn to help their classmates and compete only with themselves. Education section,
Morning Future blog. Adecco Italia Holdings di Partecipazione e Servizi S.p.A , Milano,
2020. Retrieved from: https://www.morningfuture.com/en/article/2019/04/26/empathy-
happiness-school-denmark/601
3. Townshend, J., Moos, L, & Skov, P., (n.d.). Denmark: Building on a Tradition of
Democracy and Dialogue in Schools. A case study of two schools in Denmark by
Townshend, J., et al., for Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD)- Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI): What works in
Innovation in Education, n.d. Retrieved from:
https://www.oecd.org/education/ceri/34260321.pdf