DNS Necessary Teacher Training College

DNS Necessary Teacher Training College sounds and looks like a wonderful education with great concepts and ideas.

I have spent some time at this college and I will tell you why it is not all as great as it seems.

First of all, DNS is a very small private college. A lot of people have joined the college over the past years, but not many have actually finished the program. I estimate about 60 percent of the students who did enroll in the past 5 years quit within the first year. There are many reasons why people quit. I believe it has something to do with some of the following facts.

The quality of the education is very poor. The teachers are students who have completed the program before and are often occupied with other tasks besides teaching. They give the impression that the students have a lot of influence on the program. The reality is that the teachers decide everything.

Another disadvantage of DNS is that the degree is not recognized by the Danish government. The bachelor degree is from a cooperating university in Mozambique. That means all the oral exams are with teachers from this university through Skype. When you want to work at a school in Western countries, you will have to do an additional education depending on your level.

In DNS people have very little privacy and time for themselves. You are expected to work/study during the weekends and evenings. There are many events and meetings you have to attend. There are also a lot of side projects going on all the time. They call it 'managing the school''. There's often work to be done which has nothing to do with the education you paid for. When you would have a day off, you are still in the community, 4 kilometers from the nearest village. You can't use a car for private stuff and there is not much to do within biking distance. Normally, you are allowed to have a vacation of 12 days, two times a year. The traveling time is included in these 12 days.

DNS has a unique way to fund their college. Students have to save up the school fees before and during the program with jobs provided by DNS and connected organizations. These jobs do not meet the Danish standards. Often students are getting underpaid. They work way too many hours. And they do work they are not qualified for such as working with mentally disabled people and people with psychological problems. Students are sometimes exposed to aggressive people and situations who require educated pedagogues.

DNS students have a common economy. All the money earned by students goes to an account controlled by the teachers. There is little to no insight into how this money is used. Students get a very small amount of pocket money each month.

DNS is an essential part of Tvind, a confederation of private schools, humanitarian organizations, and businesses. Tvind is very infamous in Denmark. A lot of different media have done research or have been reporting about Tvind. Before joining DNS, you should be aware of what kind of organization you are dealing with.

In my opinion, these are the facts you should know about DNS if you consider joining this college.

In this college I, first of all, unlearned. It appeared to be necessary in order to open my mind to the world. Unlearned all the stuff put in my head on the way. Boxes of opinions, stereotypes, prejudices, nationalism, aggression and etc. All what society taught me – to understand it and teach to my students - I first was required to unlearn it. The way to becoming a good teacher is tough.
The combination of hard work, endless experiences, creativity, community and social life here is showing incredible results. Mainly one can see individuals developing various skills. But not only that. The team work on which education is based proved all the students with an opportunity to be an active, listening and accepting part of society. For example, to see the limits of others, their needs and abilities - it is a skill of a good teacher.
In DNS College students create authentic understanding of concepts, ideas and actions. No information is taken for granted. We question everything and learn in the process of finding our own answers.
Subjects are broad and open. Many subject are unique and are not to be found in any other university. Academic studies are unique too. We support each other. No competition. We do not aim for marks – we aim for knowledge. Opposing each other, discussing, debating – teaching one another.
In DNS College people never vote. Voting is an old fashioned system which became highly capitalized lately. Voting oppresses people’s opinion and ideas and is creating social division.
Personally, I changed radically during the 4 years I stayed in DNS College. I must admit that it was extremely hard. It was a challenging experienced and sometimes I wandered if I am in a right place and am ready to become a teacher. It is easy to doubt oneself when the world is not supporting your revolutionary ideas and is ready to destroy your initiatives. In Tvind International School Center, where our campus is located, we experience a certain way of discrimination from society. Our alternative approach is not always valued by the mainstream officials. Nether the less, our active and passionate earning for knowledge is, in my opinion, indestructible.
If an individual is interested in development cautious and caring approach to the world of education – DNS College is a right place to go.
It is not only a teacher training college, but a personality training college. It is a global citizen training college, activist training college and human training college.

After I finished my Bachelor at home I was looking for something different. I was thinking to find something what is not so theoretical. I found my school, it is a place where you can do new things, where you are a person who is the driving force. We have just an outline what you are following to get the best out of it. In short I would say to understand the world and do something different you found the perfect place.

DNS Teacher Training College is an unique international place with lot of people from different cultures with different views and experiences. It is an environment in which you can learn a lot just by being with people and have a safe drug and alcohol free environment at the same time. This active College has lot of actions, challenges and you learn skills for life - more than you would expect. I warmly recommend the college to everybody. Go and visit. :)

It is a place where you can have an atmosphere of people that want to make a difference in the world. Fighting climate change, poverty. Promoting peace movement, education and development work and for sure the atmosphere of sticking together.

During three years, i was studying Sociology in a so-called conventional university. In the middle of the last year, i decided to quit after realising that it is impossible to study about the society and its people, inside a classroom. Straight after, i joined DNS and have been traveling around and finally getting to know the world, its amazing people and also studying about the big issues of our time. DNS is a rich and complete education.