– We hadn’t really heard anything about it before the first day of school. There are much fewer hours – we only have English and a bit of maths now. That’s what Åse Vik Larsen says, who comes from Hattfjelldal in Nordland. Recently, she was one of the excited students who had the first day of school at Steinkjer upper secondary school in Trøndelag. – Otherwise we have training sessions. The days are short and the class is not very social, says she, who has started at VG1 sports. – We are starting to become a group anyway, but it would have been more social if we had had more hours. Here, the teachers are on strike outside Steinkjer high school. Photo: Tariq Alisubh / news – We have become used to it Municipal psychologist in Steinkjer, Trude Hoff, points out that it is never convenient for teachers to strike. – The students are excited, and there is a bit of joy mixed with horror. But we must remember that we have become accustomed to tolerating both plan b and c, and that we have come to expect to be flexible, she says. Hoff believes that most young people will be fine with a teachers’ strike. – And then there will be some who feel quite alone, because everything is new and they have not established friendships and the like. Then I would like to remind you that it is the teachers who are on strike; not the health nurses and the health center – all the support services are there. Trude Hoff, municipal psychologist in Steinkjer, encourages the pupils to come up with something social – and include those who are new. Photo: Sigrun Hofstad / news Peder Grønnesby Bragstad from Inderøy is also new to the school in Steinkjer. He takes the bus to school himself, and says that there is a lot of waiting when there are few school hours a day. – If we’re lucky, we can catch a bus, but if we don’t, we can be waiting for two hours. We will get a plan, but there will be a bit of a wait. And the dormitory residents go home quickly, so I have gotten to know them the least. Good at self-learning Both the recent high school students had hoped that things would be different after two years of corona. – It has been a little heavier than the other years. I come from a small place, and have not been affected that much. But we have noticed it, and I had hoped that this year would be a little more normal, says Larsen. – Right now at the start, the social thing is what we lose the most. But if it lasts longer, it will move to the professional side as well. Peder Grønnesby Bragstad says he has become good at self-learning in recent years. Photo: Tariq Alisubh / news Hell i hell – after the last two years, the students have become good at self-learning, according to Bragstad. – I have added some routines, so self-learning should go well for me. But I hope it will pass soon, so we can go back to normal school. – Tolerates a lot In addition to the municipal psychologist encouraging students to contact the services if necessary, she encourages everyone to take the initiative to come up with something social – and include the new ones. – It is always worst for those who have arrived new and who live in a dormitory. If it feels very broken, I would encourage them to go home when they know that they have no lessons and know that this is no big deal, says Hoff. – For those who know that it is still possible to be social, I would encourage them to do so. Furthermore, the municipal psychologist refers to research and mapping after corona. – Although we can get the impression that it has gone badly for many – it has gone very well for many. Some have had a difficult time, and have needed help afterwards. But it is important that we normalize this. We tolerate quite a lot when we are otherwise safe. Liv Karin Olsen Flakk, assistant principal at Steinkjer high school, says the school management is trying to make the best of the situation. Photo: Tariq Alisubh / news Gaining understanding Life Karin Olsen Flakk is assistant principal at Steinkjer Vgs. When asked if she is worried about the new students, she replies that the school management tries to make the best of the situation and help the students as best they can. – We are aware that there are individual students who find it a little unsafe to come to school when there is little teaching and large parts of the day are not planned. We use the resources we have and try to have extra supervision. Ingrid Fornes sits outside the school wearing a yellow vest. She is a striking teacher at Steinkjer Vgs. – We feel that people are supportive and understand why we have had to make such a drastic choice. We are prepared that it could be long-term, she says. The teacher also experiences support among the students, which first-year student Åse Vik Larsen can attest to. – It is clear that we understand that. It’s an important issue, and not all the teachers have chosen it themselves – so we can’t be upset about it either. Ingrid Fornes, striking teacher at Steinkjer upper secondary school, is experiencing support. Photo: Tariq Alisubh / news
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School students were hoping for a normal school year after several years of the corona pandemic, then came the teachers’ strike – news Trøndelag
