Today I had the opportunity to visit a high school in Tensta, just outside Stockholm, as an excursion of a workshop. Its known as a poor neighborhood with an unusual high ethnic mix. The architecture reminded me of Soviet construction.
But what's happening here is an interesting experiment in embracing diversity and turning a problem into an opportunity. They have purposely increased the level of diversity by including exchange students from such places as a private school in Long Island. They are redesigning the physical space to include a better environment for a shift in curriculum to include more group work. They are also providing laptops to all students.
The results so far are encouraging, but this kind of change management takes 4-7 years to truly measure. When away from the tour group, I witnessed the cafeteria interaction which seemed the same as any west or east coast high school in the US. Just kids from all backgrounds goofing off and being real friends. Aside from the anecdotal stolen laptop, the kids of course took to the technology in constructive ways (despite their attempts to lock them down to prevent file sharing).
Similar experiments are happening for urban renewal throughout the US. But in white bread Scandinavia, and nationalist ethnic hate nearby, this is something to watch and learn from.
