1.

Education LAW
a. consensus
b. law stability
The Icelandic school system has been going through several changes throughout the years.
There have been extensive curriculum changes with the aim of increasing choice for each
student and better enable teacher to tailor make a curriculum around an individual stuent. A
lot of emphasis has been made on preparing each student for a democratic participation and
how to be a good citizen.There is considerable consensus about these issues and it has not
been changing with a new government.
2. COMMUNITY participation in school life.
a. Family, socio-cultural resources (libraries, toys-libraries, cinemas)
Generally the family plays a big role in school life. There is a board of parents whose main
purpose is to organise certain events and cooperate with eachother when i.e. the school is
participating in an international project like Erasmus.
Various institutions, both private and public offer students access to their facilities. This
includes libraries, cinemas, fun-parks, museums, public transport etc. It takes a village to
educate a child well.
3. TEACHER: valuation image.
Appropriate selection criteria:
a. academic competition, technological skills
b. individual interview: personal empathy and communication skills, ability to excite &
encourage curiosity.
c. Teacher evaluation
d. social prestige
To become a teacher a person must finish a university degree in the subject the person
wishes to teach or specialize in, and then take a special teacher degree, with the main focus
on pedagogy. Teachers need to hone their skills in communication, ability in encourage
curiosity and organizing. Nowadays a teacher must have good technical skills and always
seek to improve him/herselve. Teacher must take re-education classes every year for 150
hours.Teachers do not have a high social status in Iceland.
4. STUDENTS
a. Difference private / public school
b. Subsidies to private school?
c. Students Selection criteria to enter the private schools
d. School-minorities
i.
Early school leaving
ii.
minority integration
There are not many private schools in Iceland. However, there is considerable political will to
change that. Private school are fundend by the government and they can choose the
students they get into the school. The public systmen has been undergoing considerable
austerity measures over the past 2 decades which has made it difficult for them to further
evolve.
5. SCHOOL LIFE
a. Discipline
Icelandic learners enjoy quite a lot of liberty, in a balance with discipline. They main idea is to
make them self governing.
6. SCHOOL & WORKING
a. Do we prepare students for the working world?

b. Do students choose the appropriate studies?

It is very common that students from the age of 14 are working with school. This is only
allowed if the student showes he can also maintain academic performance.
At the age of 15 the students graduate from secondary school. They can then choose a
highschool they feel is most suitable for them. There is a good variety of schools with
different classes, and they all have an academic pathway which prepares them for university.
They can choose between four main subjects. Languages, natural science, physics, and
social science.