Sweden-Stacy+Isbell



By Stacy Isbell

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Brief Overview
“The Kingdom of Sweden”, more commonly known as Sweden, is located in Northwest Europe bordered by Norway to the left, and Finland to the right as well as the Baltic Sea, the Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak. It is the third largest country in Western Europe with an area of 174,000 square miles, making it just slightly larger than California. Sweden’s population is comprised of 9.3 million inhabitants, most of whom speak Swedish, the country’s official language. The terrain consists mostly of flat or gently rolling plains with a few mountainous areas to the west. In terms of religion, 87% of the population is Lutheran, and the remainder of the population is Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, or Buddhist. Sweden’s government is that of a Constitutional Monarchy.

Sweden is said to be the second most technologically advanced European country. They also have one of the highest life expectancies as well as one of the lowest birth rates in the world. “Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole of the 20th century, Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living under a mixed system of high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It has a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external communications, and a skilled labor force”. Sweden’s “rich culture and historical legacy” along with its “picturesque coastline and tranquil islands of the country only add to its attraction”.

====Education in Sweden ==== “In Sweden the meaning of basic knowledge in a wider sense is gaining currency, which means that basic knowledge is not limited to mathematics, reading, writing, but also includes communicative, social and creative skills. In this respect cultural education is seen as part of basic knowledge.” The passing on of cultural heritage from one generation the the next is a major function of Swedish education.

 “During the past decade, Swedish creative culture has undergone a rebirth and opened its doors wide to other countries. The phenomenon of contemporary Swedish creativity has attracted attention internationally, in traditional cultural genres such as literature and art, and especially in more recently recognized art forms such as design, fashion, pop music and gastronomy.”

 Access to and participation in Swedish culture is a primary goal of this European country. They see art education as a way to promote this as the arts “enhance creativity and expose the public to new experiences”. For all public cultural institutions, involvement with schools is standard. Workshops, special performances, and joint projects are just a few ways they collaborate. Ten years ago, a program of “regional arts consultants” was initiated. The program is funded by a particular region and a government grant. “These regional arts consultants are great promoters of their respective art sectors and are responsible for initiating contact between schools, individual artists and institutions to engage in projects, visits, long term initiatives etc.” This national, extracurricular program which involves a professional approach to encourage the arts, has been a huge success in “stimulating cooperation between art and culture institutions and schools and to formulate a national strategy to stimulate more cultural activities in schools and in the learning process of children and young people.”

 Schooling is free in Sweden, except for nurseries and higher education. For children ages 7-16, schooling is mandatory; however, a very high percentage of children attend non-compulsory preschools at the age of six. “The preschool class is designed to stimulate each child’s development and learning, and provide a platform for their future schooling.” Children attend elementary school for the first three years of their schooling, followed by middle school for the next three years, and ending in junior high school for the remaining three years. Recommendations for the amount of time that should be spent on arts subjects over the course of the nine years of compulsory education include 230 hours of art, 330 hours of craft, and 500 hours of sport/health. Although forms of art such as drama and dance are not required courses they are commonly part of other core subjects. For example, theatre is included in the Swedish language and dance is included in other compulsory areas such as music and sports. It may also be important to note that no formal compulsory assessments for arts subjects exist. As some Swedes admit, the arts have been "a bit neglected with time" as the arts does not fall into one of the key learning areas. Children do, however, learn traditional hobbies in school that are very much art related such as "knitting, embroidery, woodcarving, lace making, rug making, candle making, and blacksmithing".

 After the ninth year of schooling (which for many is actually their tenth year as most attend preschool for a year), students who have passed Swedish, mathematics, and English may choose to further their education at a senior high school, which most decide to attend. Here, students can choose from seventeen different programs designed to prepare them for college or university level education, one being the Arts Program which consists of art and design, dance, music, and theatre. The senior high school program lasts three years and each program consists of the following eight core subjects: Swedish (alternatively Swedish as a second language), English, mathematics, science, social studies, religious studies, arts and crafts, physical education and health.

If one wishes to pursue higher education in the arts, they may choose one of the seven universities organized under the Ministry of Education as listed below.
 * University College of Dance
 * University College of Film, Radio, Television and Theatre
 * University College of Arts, Crafts and Design
 * Royal University College of Fine Arts
 *  Royal College of Music
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif;">University College of Opera
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif;">National Academy of Mime and Acting

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Recent changes to the national curriculum have caused education in Sweden to be debated. In 1991, the government handed a lot of power and responsibility over to local governments, but these 290 municipal governments still follow national regulatory and legislative frameworks. Equality among all students is seen as an important goal and national measures have been taken to promote that all children have equal opportunities to education and are treated fairly. "Encouraging creativity is one major influence in curriculum reform. There is a massive implementation of using ICT (information and communication technology) in schools, including using it in creative ways as it can be a great way to teach music and the visual arts. One website, called "The Cultural Window", created by the National Computer Net for Schools, encourages schools to share and present work and "offers examples of successful cooperation between schools and artists".

<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif;"> ====<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffff00; color: #0000ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 200%;">Accomplished Artist ====

<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Anders Leonard Zorn, an internationally known Swedish painter, sculptor, and printmaker was born in 1860 and died in 1920. At a young age he displayed a unique artistic ability and interest, particularly in sculpting, but painting became his main discipline. He entered into the Royal Academy of Art located in Stockholm, Sweden, at the age of fifteen. Anders Zorn worked occasionally in the medium of etching and produced 289 etchings in his career, and now and then, he would return to the art of sculpting as well, but he is most well known for his paintings, many of which were portraits. He had an unbelievable ability to capture the essence of his models and this earned him international acclaim. He has done portraits of three American Presidents, among them Grover Cleveland.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif;">In Mourning, a watercolor piece portraying a young girl in a time of grief, was shown at an art exhibition in 1880. He received special recognition for the painting, paving his way into the art world which would later lead him to fame and fortune. His art career continued and his technique matured. A period of artistic growth was noted in the early years of his marriage, as his wife’s support as well as critical eye really had an effect. He developed an interest in water motifs and learned how to beautifully and realistically depict water. A focus on the elements of light and shadow also found their way into his work. He became drawn to the way light bends and reflects, especially off of water. <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif;"> <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif;"> <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Early in his painting career, most of his work was done in watercolors, but he later transitioned to oil painting around early 1888. A genre which he became renowned for was the nude depicted outdoors, which allowed him to do portraits while also incorporating motifs of nature such as water. Zorn believed an artist should work in a natural environment so he did not believe in the artificial work studio. He also believed in traditional culture. In 1906, he set up a music contest which would later preserve Swedish folk music. The Zorn award is still given out today and is highly prestigious among folk musicians. Best known as being a portraitist, Anders Zone is one of the most popular Swedish artists of all time. He had multiple talents and an undeniable and unique skill for doing art.

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__**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Society of Swedish Composers **__ <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> The Swedish name found above can be translated into English as the "Society of Swedish Composers", and so it is often abbreviated by its Swedish name as FST. Founded in 1918 by some of the greatest Swedish composers of the time, the society’s focus is on contemporary classical music composition, representing Swedish composers of this genre. “FST’s objective is to look after the artistic, financial and social interests of its members, to help spread Swedish music nationwide as well as worldwide, and generally to promote Swedish musical culture.” 319 members comprise this society of which 294 are professional composers. “Anyone who is established in a not too tightly defined sphere of Swedish musical life can become a member”.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">FST communicates regularly with other composer organizations in other countries as well as arts organizations, in part to “strengthen international co-operation both in artistic and copyright matters”. “Moreover FST is the body to which political proposals involving music are referred. FST is also represented on the boards of various institutions, foundations and administrative groups involved in music.” They do a lot of different kinds of work, from financial advising, to arranging social gatherings, to working in schools with educators and other professions in the education field. One of their hopes is that the efforts of the composers will lead to “new methods in teaching and working with creative and musical ideas in the classroom”. Another reason they work closely with schools is because rarely is the topic of contemporary Swedish music extensively taught and learned about, one reason being it is not exactly easy to understand, and so ill-equipped teachers can become more knowledgeable in the subject area when members come into the schools and work with school staff. This project in which FST collaborates with schools is known as the Stenhammar Project, which is named after one of Sweden’s most famous composers. Several steps are involved in these projects which have been going on for years…

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> "Create a “day of inspiration” focusing on the potential of classical contemporary music. Music teachers and composers meet to discuss: - What is classical contemporary music today? Contemporary music is presented with its wide range of genres. - “Listening – Performing – Composing”: are all three aspects represented in the classroom? - Practical questions regarding which ensemble/choir/class will participate in the project."
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Step 1 **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> "Reflections and thoughts from the “day of inspiration” are summarized and presented together: where to go from here? Suggestions: a) Students meet a composer. The composer meets a class/ensemble/choir and presents his/her music. b) Students meet a composer (2). The composer and music teacher arrange a composition workshop – guided and supervised by the composer and teacher together. The students write for those voices and instruments that are available. c) Students meet a composer (3). The students’ compositions are performed at a concert. How do you best perform your own music? How do you provide guidelines for music that no one has heard? All of these steps are documented and evaluated in the group together."
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Step 2 **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> "After having summarized the experience from the previous steps, we continue by collaborating with professional musicians. Additional resources are presented by the composer – how to develop a musical idea?"
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Step 3 **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> "A practical-oriented teacher’s guide is derived and developed from the project material. Classroom ideas, reflections on the project, contact persons and institutions are listed and presented. The Time Perspective and Financing The time required would invariably depend on how many steps are realized at each school. It is important to keep in mind that the project should be organized and patterned after the actual needs of the music teachers and students, and should reflect the real-life situation that exists. However, steps 1 and 2 should be able to be carried out during the academic year, and possibly even within a semester. FST will cover the costs of the composer. Concerning step 3, collaboration is required with a music institution/ensemble. FST will assume responsibility in attempting to achieve this. Which part, or parts, of the project one wishes to participate in or develop, depends naturally on the needs and preferences of the school’s music program."
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Step 4 **

__**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Involvement with 'Nordic Music Days' **__ <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Nordic Music days is a festival that has been put on since 1888, and as of three years ago, it has been held annually (instead of every other year). The festival lasts four days and focuses on the contemporary classical musical genre meant to promote the music of Nordic composers. The Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) alternate hosting the festiva. The Society of Swedish Composers arranged the 2007 festival on behalf of the Nordic Composers Council which was held in Norkopping, Sweden. It is a great time to engage in the local musical culture and its fun for people of all ages. Below is some footage of the 2009 festival which was held in Oslo, Norway.

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<span style="background-color: #ffff00; color: #0000ff; display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 250%;">Teacher Training
<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">To become a teacher in Sweden, the general policy is to complete what they call the long teacher-training program which consists of 3.5 years of study for those wanting to teach younger students (ages 1 to 12), and 4.5 years for those who wish to pursue working with teenagers. The program has a lot of flexibility and it also depends on what subjects will be studied. Each institution is a bit different in their approach to teacher education. They have different directions and guidelines which can create problems for those prospective teachers who wish to change institutions for any reason. Student teaching takes place over three semesters which are referred to as Allmänt utbildnings-område, or AUO. Some may apply to jump right into AUO if they can show documented proof of subject knowledge. This alternate path is called the short teacher-training program. Although the three-semester program may vary slight among institutions, there is common content that must be covered.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> The separate educational institutions in which one studies to be a teacher have the responsibility of awarding teaching certifications, but they are supervised by the National Agency for Higher Education (NAHE). One national qualification states the following: “To obtain a teacher‟s degree, the student teacher has to show the ability to use information technology in teaching and the pedagogical development and realize the role of mass media in this respect”. This means that a teacher must demonstrate competence in the area of information and communication technology and thus have the ability to use technology for pedagogical purposes. While some institutions have very developed policies that focus on teaching the innovative use of ICT in education, others appear to be lagging beyond, but the overall trend is that "the management of Swedish teacher training institutions are aware of the importance of integrating ICT in initial teacher training and that there is ongoing work to try and develop better strategies." This is taken very seriously as the NAHE checks up on these qualifications, and if degrees are being granted to those who don't fulfill the requirements, the institution can lose their ability to grant the teacher certifications.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">While I didn't find much mention of general arts training for all teachers in training, regardless of specialization, there was of course a lot of talking about the technology aspect, which is very important to Swedes and is also used in promoting creativity. Although technology is just one medium through which arts approaches can persist, it is a start. The fact that technology use in the classroom in so standard sets Sweden apart from many other countries; it gives students ample opportunities to foster their creativity and opens up doors for education in general as well.

<span style="background-color: #ffff00; color: #0000ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 200%;">Funding for Arts Education
<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">While Sweden is a "welfare" state, the government funds most activities, with a lot of money going to the culture of Sweden and to the arts. "Sweden has its own assortment of groups that sponsor the arts and culture. A government authority known as The Swedish Arts Council maintains national cultural policy, which is determined by Parliament, and a large responsibility of the council is determind the allocation for state cultural funding. "When it comes to music, the Swedish Arts Council is the body that awards money to music ensembles, orchestras, and other groups, while the Swedish Arts Grants Committee makes awards to individual artists. The Swedish Arts Council supports, develops and initiates interaction between the state, the regions, municipalities and representatives for cultural life in Sweden, e.g. libraries, museums and performing arts centers" With these findings, it is apparent that art related activities are encouraged and can exist because of the great amount of funding received, yet when it comes to the arts in school, I could not seem to find any proof that the government puts money directly toward arts education. This could be perhaps that the schools are locally ran and decisions on what to do with the money is up to the individual school. I would guess, however, that since "The Swedish Arts Council gives grants to groups, cooperative projects, and non-profit organizations", some of the art-related groups, projects, and organizations likely are involved with schools and in this way government funding is able to reach arts education in schools. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Also worth mentioning is that a significant amount of state cultural expenditure goes to liberal adult education in which aesthetic courses are overwhelming popular and pursued.

<span style="background-color: #ffff00; color: #0000ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 250%;">Conclusion
<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">I was quite surprised that I had such a hard time finding information on arts education in Sweden. I found a lot about culture and cultural policy and what not, but very little that focused specifically on arts in schools. As mentioned previously, this may be due to the fact that most schools are municipally run and so different curricula exist in different schools making it difficult to come to a general assumption and/or conclusion in regards to what kind of approaches are used.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> As far as how Sweden's education and the arts compare to my own experiences, it seems like there are a few things in common. Art is not considered a compulsory core subject and it is apparent that the arts are a bit neglected, as I would argue is the case in the United States. Also, as my education continues, technology is becoming more and more prevalent and more integrated into teaching and class projects/assignments. I am able to do creative things with technology that I would consider to be very related to the arts. One example being this project involving creating a virtual "Wiki Page", and another being my Unique Creation assignment in which I designed a slide show via Microsoft Power Point using pictures and music. I'm sure practices like these are very common in Swedish classrooms all over the nation.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Of course, many differences exist as well. One being if a student is highly interested in the arts and wishes to pursue a career in the field, they have the option to begin focusing on arts beginning in senior high school around the age of seventeen and they may continue on into a higher education institution following the three-year program. In America, students do not have this option until college. While Swedish educational institutions include the teaching of cultural hobbies such as woodcarving in general education, the U.S. does not seem to have a unique class like this, although one may sign up for such a class as an elective. In Sweden, it seems like cultural hobbies are practiced both in and outside of schools, while in my own experiences, cultural activities are either extracurricular activities or not associated with school at all.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Overall, I found the project to be somewhat frustrating because I could not find what I had hoped to, but all in all, it was very beneficial and I enjoyed learning so much about a country I previously had little to no knowledge about.

__<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 200%;">Sources __

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