The project - difference and similarities

In the last month we have been working in project group across countries. My group consisted of three different countries, two Danish, one Spanish and one Frenchmen. We have been writing about young criminals, the definition of what is a young criminal and how the system work. Then we have gather information about each country and then find the different and similarities.

We started by finding information from all three countries, but it was hard to find any books about the Spanish and France system in the libraries here in Denmark and on the Internet. So we struggled a lot with that. What to do and how could we get the information. We used a lot a time on the internet to find the information and find some useful at the end, that we felt we could use, but the Spanish and the Freshman did also know some of the rules, so they could tell us some of they welfare system and how they working with young criminals in they countries. Then we went on and find our difference and similarities in all three countries. We find some interesting difference such as the age of criminal responsibility was only 10 in France compared to the Danish and Spanish where it was 14. We have some long discussion of what we where thinking was for the best and what could be done better. It was exciting and fun to listen to how we all have different opinion on the subject and how we, after some long discussion, actually end up thinking very similar. I think it has been very exciting to have this project because of all the differences and similarities, not only by the countries combined, but also by each person in our group. I’m looking forward to the next one.              

Reflection on an intercultural perspective, when working with children and young people

Cultures can be different not only between continents or nations, but also within the same institution if we look at in the pedagogue’s area. Ethnical, moral, ethical, religious, historical and social classes are just some of them. Culture teaches us rules and norms that tell us how to behave inside our culture. Right now I’m a support pedagogue for 2 young boys with special needs in an institution. I have been support for one of them for half a year now and only 2 months on the other, and even though they are both Danish they are still very different and come from different cultures. Before I can be a supporter for the kids I have to have a preconception of where they are from and why they have special needs so I can understand them better and know why act the way they do. I also have to be professional even thought if I have preunderstandings and prejudices of what kind of young people I working with and realize that is my job to meet them where they are and not where we want them to be at the moment and set a side my prejudices.

My job is not just to get them to adapt to the norms and rules in the institution, but it’s also important that I improve my intercultural communication, That my effectiveness as an intercultural communicator is in part a function of knowledge of other people and their culture, but also that the more I learn about them, I also discover more about myself, which can result in an appreciation and tolerance of them and make me a more competent communicator in the multicultural perspective. One of the young kids is mostly playing alone and doesn’t understand the codes in playing with the other young kids and therefore I’m trying to make him play with other kids, but intercultural communication refers not only to the communication between individuals of diverse cultural identities, but also to the communication between diverse groups. So I’m not just working with him to adapt to the other kids, but also to make to adapt in the context they are playing in and what group they are in. 

The beginning of it all...

I will like to start by saying that im really looking forward for the next 4-5 months. We have just startet on the international course for 2 weeks ago and it seems like its gonna be great. I expect not just to learn a lot from the teachers, but also all the cultural aspect, understanding and thinking from all the student that had just arrived to Denmark to study at this international course. We have just been on a introduction trip were we learn about communication(sender-message-receiver) and how communication can be misunderstood because of language barriers but also how religion and tradition can become a problem in communication. Subcultures such as economic and social class has been brought up and co-cultures has also been discussed.

The sum of it all: It has been nice to finally start and to learn a little bit about everybody and im looking forward for the classes to come