Studying abroad offered a new dimension to my Columbia education

"The courses provided a critical lens through which to view various pedagogical structures, and the first-hand experiences were invaluable."

I studied Scandinavian education and child development in Copenhagen, Denmark, with DIS Copenhagen: Study Abroad in Scandinavia. The seemingly endless praise for the Nordic system in popular media motivated me to understand the region’s unique approach to child and family-centered public policy.

Exploring the ‘forest kindergarten' and walking the snowy grounds

During this time, I had the opportunity to teach at a school in Copenhagen. I spent some days talking with student refugees about their experiences as newcomers in Denmark and some days exploring skovbornehave, or ‘forest kindergarten,’ where groups of four-year-old children bravely led me through their daily exploration of the Danish forest.

The courses provided a critical lens through which to view various pedagogical structures, and the first-hand experiences were invaluable. I continue to keep in contact with students, advisors, and faculty from my program. I have been able to apply my observations on multilingual education and childcare to my research in the various facets of child language acquisition.

Studying abroad offered a new dimension to my Columbia education.