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News | 29 August 2023

Greetings from our Principal.

It is wonderful to once again meet our students after a well deserved Summer break. Students eager to learn, make new friends and be a part of the IES Ethos continues to inspire me.

We have had a great start so far and things are starting to settle in. Hopefully by the end of next week we will be up to full speed. This year our focus at IES Johanneberg is to continue to focus on learning and how we can develop tools to make sure to provide an excellent education for all our students.

The IES Ethos is and has always been about prompting the classical approach towards education. This means that we firmly believe that the teacher teaches and the student learns. We believe in books, pens and paper. We have a very restrictive approach towards digital tools as a means for learning. To learn more about IES and our philosophy towards education please read a new edition of “Tough Love” that is now available (Ekerlids Förlag).

In the book, our founder Barbara Bergström presents the story about why she started Internationella Engelska Skolan. She describes the convictions which provided the foundation for Engelska Skolan from the start and how the organization has grown - many times through conflicts and struggles with advocates for “woke” or so called “progressive” ideas about education.

Now, in 2023 IES celebrates 30 years as the leading independent school
organization in “grundskolan”. In this second edition of the book, Hans and Barbara Bergström have written a new chapter about the last five years, 2018- 23. They show that recent research, particularly research about the brain and the learning process, provides strong evidence for the validity of the ideas and concepts which have formed IES schools

The learning process must be led by teachers. Attention and focus must not be distracted when learning, for example by the use of cell phones in school. Adult authority has to be respected in order to avoid bullying and prevent gangs from taking over. Computers cannot replace the deeper learning process which takes place when students use pen and paper.

Clear routines should be followed to create a school culture; “this is how we do it here”.

These are just a few of the IES convictions, now validated by research. A school is a learning institution which provides skills and proficiencies. But school should also foster norms and habits which helps students succeed in life. This is also what IES stands for.

For those wishing to fully and in depth understand the foundation for Internationella Engelska Skolan, this book is highly recommended. The book can easily be ordered through Bokus or Adlibris.

This year we will continue to provide guardians the Monthly letter in which we try to inform you about the latest from IESJ. I also kindly urge you to stay updated on Schoolsoft.

Finally please make sure you stay in close contact with your child's mentor and remember that any questions or concerns can always be brought up during your Monthly phone call from the mentor. If you need to contact the school leadership team. Please call Assistant Principal Mr. Patrik Ask for ABC-classes. If your child is in a DEF class please contact Assistant principal Ms. Jo Hussey.

 

Best regards,

Carl Waddington
Principal IES Johanneberg