DNS is necessary education for a rapidly changing world, preparing you to lead people into the future, a radical program that puts traditional education on its head. Founded in Denmark in 1972, DNS has been preparing future teachers in the best and most progressive way for the next generation of students. In 2011 DNS started a new program with One World University in Mozambique. DNS offers a lifestyle and a learning process driven and nurtured by the team of DNS-students and their teachers, the common ground they build together, the decisions they make together and the big results which stem from their midst.
Description
DNS participants arrive at a teacher training college in Guinea Bissau.
DNS is an abbreviation for Det Nødvendige Seminarium, which in English means The Necessary Teacher Training College. DNS started in 1972 in Tvind, in the county-side of Denmark. DNS Denmark has influenced many educators in Denmark and further proved with its pragmatic approach that through teaching and educating it can be at the forefront regarding pedagogical issues.It is very necessary to educate good teachers for bringing up the many children in the world – the privileged as well as the underprivileged – and it is necessary to do this using many more methods than books and blackboards. At the Necessary Teacher Training College the teachers and the students, together as partners, plan the education – both the content and the concrete details, in contrast with other overly structured school forms.
The programme is untraditional and challenging (Study trip to Africa, extensive teaching practice in Europe and /or with youngsters in Denmark) and covers a wide variety of theoretical and practical skills, a lot of experiences in many areas and emphasis of personal development of the future teacher through big challenges.As a student in the DNS program you can regard yourself as part of a global movement. When facing huge tasks like education and development in rural areas, it is needed that many forces join hands. This is the road to actually influencing and changing the situation. This is also a tremendous inspiration to you as an individual teacher, who in this way will see your efforts as part of something bigger. DNS in Denmark has so far trained approximately 600 teachers that are now all over the world, teaching, training, educating, managing and leading.The DNS idea of a teacher is an interactive person who, besides his job of teaching lessons – not only the subjects but also about life and learning as such – should be integrated in the local community, using his knowledge and formation for the benefit of broadening and deepening life and progress in the society and for the people. Serving this idea, the DNS teacher education is in itself a broad cultural education and covers many different humanly based subjects.
At DNS, it is the idea that the teacher should use his training, education and cultural background not only by his teaching but also through crafting and heading cultural actions in the neighborhood together with the students, parents and the local community. As part of the teacher training, the teacher should learn and train how to communicate with people, gather and organize them for needed improvements and inspire them to be part of doing good for the community as well as raising the standards and conditions for the people. A teacher should be a cultural person in the local area and should actively see himself as such and train in producing relevant results within and around the school and the community.
In 2011, DNS joined One World University in Mozambique on a distance learning regime. It is an exciting prospect for the 2011 team, as they will be the pioneers of this type of education. Although the basic principles of DNS will remain the same, it is a whole new curriculum, after which the students will acquire a bachelor’s degree in pedagogical science; while still maintaining the DNS “learning by doing” approach.
Location
The School Centre in Tvind is a bouquet of schools, homes, and cultural centres with strong traditions of being untraditional, with solid pedagogical experiences, and with an international orientation influencing all parts of school life. In total around 100 people – hailing from more than 15 different countries – live, work and go to school in Tvind.
Today the Tvind school centre consists of:
- DNS ( Teachers Training College )
- The Heart Chambers ( Care homes for students with special needs )
- The Day school ( Integration school for youngsters between 14 and 25 years)
- PTG ( Practical Theoretical Basic Education ) for youngsters from 16 years and up
- Tvindkraft ( Wind energy centre )
Each school unit has their own programme and students, starting from around 14 years of age up to any age above, but the units also have a lot in common. They eat most meals together, they share responsibilities and they do a wide range of activities together. The students benefit a lot from an international environment, where there are adults as well as teenagers with and without social and/or learning problems. The integration of all these different students, with DNS students giving a lot of input to the other units, arranging programmes and activities for them and some also work during their teaching practise there. For the DNSers it is a very good preparation for their teaching practise, to organize and take part in weekly activities, like Centre afternoons, with sports, handicraft, art, music programmes, Tuesday cafes, political discussion evenings for DNS and youngsters together etc.
Funding
Within the 3-year education, there are working and saving up periods included in the program, where the students can earn their basic living expenses and school fees. The expenses for the 1st Year have to be saved up before the program starts. It includes school fees, the basic living costs like food, accommodation, some pocket-money and the costs of the study travel to Africa. The amount is 7000 €.
Some students can earn all the money in their home countries or somewhere else and just arrive when the program starts. Others earn at least part of the money by themselves and if they have no possibility of raising the full amount alone, they can apply for joining DNS’s saving-up group, where they seek all kind of jobs together – and at the same time build up their team – to raise the funds in a common effort.
How to Apply
You should have 12 years of schooling or equivalent work experience.
DNS college can enroll students holding EU passports and the teaching language is English. You don’t need to be fluent in English, but able to communicate and study in English. The education leads to a Bachelor degree in Pedagogy from One World University and a teachers certificate from the DNS college.
The official start of the program is 1st September each year. To apply, send DNS an email at info@dns-tvind.dk and they will forward you further information regarding the application.
Address
DNS Tvind, Skorkaervej 8, 6990 Ulfborg, Denmark
Tel: 0045 21124360
Email:info@dns-tvind.dk
Facebook Profile
Official Website Contact Page
The official website is AVAILABLE HERE.
