Frequently asked questions
What is an IB Education?
An IB Education is not just one thing or one way of teaching. It is a way of learning for life, and it immerses students into every single thing they learn. It teaches them to discover things about themselves like how they learn and think. It asks them to think about issues from other perspectives than their own. It shows them how to respectuflly communicate with someone they disagree with while maintaining their own belief. It promotes innovation, inquisitiveness, and creativity.
For more information please watch this video:
"What is an IB Education?"
or read this PDF:
"What is an IB Education?"
Is Discovery International School only for students from foreign countries?
No! Discovery International School is for families from ANY country (absolutely including Norway!) who are looking to give their child an education that will prepare them for life in an ever-changing world!
My child doesn't speak English at all or very well. Can he or she still go to Discovery?
Absolutely!
Most children starting in an International School won't have strong English skills. Everyone has to start somewhere! The good news is that it takes an average of three to four months for most students to get up to speed with their new language.
In what language will classes be taught?
Most of the classes will be taught in English, however we will also have some math classes in Norwegian. In addition, we will have Norwegian language classes that will be taught by a native Norwegian speaker. We will also have additional languages that will be taught by a native speaker of that language. We hope to offer Spanish, German, and possibly an Asian language in addition.
Will there be homework?
We encourage every parent to read this answer completely.
We, who are the leaders of Discovery, have talked with other people who have studied in other countries, such as the USA, Germany, and Swizerland, and we have found that they, like us, have not encountered anything like this debate elsewhere.
There seem to be two main arguments in this homework debate, and our response will focus on the first argument:
1. Parents have told us that their kids don't have time for homework because when the children get home from school, they have to eat dinner quickly and then race off to whatever other activities their child is involved in. When the other activities are over, it is soon bedtime.
2. We also understand that there is an argument that homework gives some kids an advantage: This arguement says that if some kids do homework at home, and learn more because of it and actually better themselves, there might be some kids who don't do thier homework or don't get help from their parents, and therefore are at a disadvantage. We are not going to address this aspect of the homework debate other than to say, we believe it is absolutely wrong to oppress anyone from learning more and bettering themselves. To hold anyone back from achieving more so that they don't get ahead of others is oppressive. It is like tying all the cross country skiers together in a race or in practice, and telling them that it is wrong if one of them gets ahead of the other.
Let me ask you: What happens to a child who is taught that they don't have to study outside of school? What happens to that child when they go to High School or University? Every University professor will expect that students come to class prepared for the discussion. That means they must have read the chapters for that class, ahead of time, at HOME. Professors will not spoon-feed students information. Students who do not know how to study on their own will be set up for failure. Homework helps kids learn how to study on their own. It is an essential part of preparing children for their future education.
Taking the discussion a step further: What happens to the work ethic of a child who is taught that they never have to do anything extra or take any work home with them? If they plan on working in a blue-collar job, they most likely won't have to take work home, but it doesn't mean they won't be expected to give their best when they are on the job. If, however, a child wants a professional career, they absolutely will be required to take work home.
The bottom line is that eliminating homework sets children up for failure in the real world.
From a practical standpoint, the problem really isn't homework, but rather a perceived lack of time, if we are getting to the heart of the matter.
Let's look at how things function in the USA, for example: Most children have all of their extra-curricular activity practices right after school because they are mostly offered by the school, whether it be sports, music, drama, dance, debate, or any other club. Most activities run a few hours, and by the time it is 17:00 - 17:30, they are finished and ready to go home. Once home, kids eat some dinner, hang out with family, and do a bit of homework before going to bed.
At Discovery School, we have a big plan to change the way kids participate in sports. Here in Norway, all sports are done through Sports Clubs, and perhaps the reason is that most of them are run by volunteers who have jobs during the day. Our plan is to have sports and additional individualized lessons be offered during "SFO" time, for students of ALL ages. That means that whether it is handball, basketball, soccer, skiing, swimming, gymnastics, or any other activity, we hope to offer your child the opportunity during our
DASA: Discovery After School Activities program. This will make use of the time that is currently spent waiting for parents to get home from work. It will also make participating in sports easier on parents and give kids more time at home, once activities are finished for the day, which will also give kids the time to get homework done.
To summarize, yes, we will have homework because learning to study at home, individually, will set up students for success in the real world. The amount of homework will be dependent on the age of the child. Homework will not be assigned over holidays.
We hope this helps you understand our position on this issue. Please let us know if you have any questions.
Will students be allowed to keep their mobile phones with them?
Mobile phones are distracting in a learning environment. Students are at school to learn and providing an environment dedicated to maximizing their learning potential means putting the phones away.
We will have a secure mobile phone check-in system when students arrive for school. They will be permitted to check their phone out for lunch, but then they must check it back in before classes resume.
If you need to contact your child while they are in school, you may call the office. If it is an emergency we will get the child from their class so he or she can speak with you. In non-emergent situations, we will take a message and deliver it to the student. If they need to call you back, they can call you from the office phone during their next break.
Is the school affiliated with any church?
No. The school is a non-profit private school owned by Discovery International School AS.
What is the legal status of Discovery International School?
Discovery is a non-profit private school that is partially funded by the government. It is owned by Discovery International School AS, which was established in 2019. According to Norwegian law, the owners of the school may not take any money out of the school as profit. The school is largely governed by a school board currently consisting of four people. When the school opens, we will add two more members to the board: one parent representative, and one teacher representative.
Board members:
Chair - Heidi Jo Hannisdal
Agnar Hannisdal
Anne Lise Hansen
Linda Thunshelle
