Students call for more creative, practical classes

Laura Drachmann Poulsen, the chair of the Danish student organization Danske Skoleelever, highlights the need for more creative, varied, and practical education in senior classes to improve student learning and school performance. This statement follows a new analysis by the Labour Movement’s Business Council, showing an increase in the percentage of students not passing Danish or mathematics in the final year of primary school. Compared to 2016-2019, the failure rate has risen by 2.9 percentage points to 11.5% last summer. Poulsen suggests that motivation decreases especially in older grades due to monotonous and sedentary teaching methods. She calls for an educational model that incorporates more engaging and fun activities like group work, creative expression, and playful learning that are prevalent in earlier years. Mikkel Haarder from the Confederation of Danish Industry (DI) also agrees that teaching methods in reading and mathematics need to change to be more engaging, practical, and relevant to the students’ perspectives.