INTERVJU: KARA BARKER-ÅSTRÖM
Rektor Campus Viktor Rydberg
Kara Barker-Åström har varit rektor för Campus Viktor Rydberg, tidigare VRG Odenplan, sedan hösten 2020. Hennes engagemang inom stiftelsen sträcker sig tillbaka till år 2005, då hon började som lärare i biologi och naturkunskap på VRG Djursholm och senare även som skolledare. Med den nyligen genomförda sammanslagningen av VRG Odenplan och VRG Jarlaplan, är Kara nu en nyckelfigur vid Campus Viktor Rydberg, som sträcker sig över två imponerande byggnader på Frejgatan 30 och Norrtullsgatan 41A. Kara är en skolledare som sätter eleverna i centrum och strävar efter att skapa en skolmiljö där konst och vetenskap går hand i hand, vilket är tydligt när man kliver in på campuset och möter dess personal och elever. Kara är en av organisationens många medarbetare som har engelska som modersmål.
Fråga
What do you enjoy most with being principal?
Svar
I appreciate that I get to be a part of the learning process that happens every day at school. I also love working with the 16-19-year-old age group. Being around young adults every day means being a part of their positive energy, frustrations, enthusiasm and general exuberance for life. Generally speaking, schools are dynamic places where needs, resources and priorities change all the time. I find myself energized by trying to keep up and even stay a step ahead of the constantly changing variables.
Fråga
Could you share some of the innovative educational approaches or programs that have been implemented at Campus Viktor Rydberg since the merger to enhance students’ learning experiences?
Svar
One of the things about Campus Viktor Rydberg that you won’t find elsewhere is our flexible schedule. Instead of letting our schedule guide the activities, we do the reverse. The teachers decide how the content is best presented and practised, and we build the schedule around their decisions. This allows us to maximize opportunities like external lectures, study visits etc. I also think our collaborative cross-curricular approach sets us apart. Our teachers work to find the similarities within their courses and brainstorm how they can work on the material together. Every subject crosses over with other subjects in projects/theme days etc. This helps the students develop meaning and make connections that might otherwise be missed. It’s holistic, real-world learning that helps the students develop the skills they need in the future.
Fråga
As a leader, how do you prioritize and balance the integration of science and the arts in the curriculum at Campus Viktor Rydberg? What advantages do you believe this interdisciplinary approach brings to students?
Svar
A student’s time at gymnasium is all about trying to understand the world and how interconnected it is. We know that the combination of arts and science breeds innovation. We know that creativity and logic problem-solving go hand in hand. These connections between arts and science are great examples of how we work with a wider holistic perspective in the classroom.
Fråga
Which of stiftelsens ledord would you say is most important at Campus Viktor Rydberg?
Svar
One of the reasons I have chosen to stay in the Viktor Rydberg Schools Foundation as long as I have is that my personal values align well with what the foundation has always emphasized. “Tillsammans åstadkommer vi mer” is an important one. From a professional perspective, it’s important that teachers collaborate with each other for the best results in the classroom. From a student perspective, we know that the ability to cooperate and collaborate with others is a key skill for success now and in the future.
Fråga
How do you foster a sense of community and inclusivity among the diverse student body at the campus?
Svar
I think that following our stiftelse’s vision is an important part of fostering a sense of inclusion. The fact that our teachers work together so purposefully is an example and our whole school is set up around being there for each other and taking care of each other. Mentors and teachers work hard with group processes to help bring the best out of every individual. Our students are key to this process. The activities that the student union sets up, the different clubs and committees, the way students find ways to help each other with school work etc. all contribute to a feeling of belonging.
Fråga
How would you describe a competent teacher?
Svar
A competent teacher knows their content and gets the information across to students in an efficient manner. A great teacher is also curious, self-aware, willing to be flexible, creative, collaborative, and interested in the students’ experiences inside and outside of the classroom. Just to name a few!
Fråga
How do you think the students at Campus Viktor Rydberg would describe their school?
Svar
I’d defer to the students on this one and let them answer. I do know, though, that they are proud of their school and proud of the culture that they have created within the walls of our two buildings.
Fråga
How is it to work in a bilingual environment?
Svar
One advantage our VRG students have is that they are exposed to a broader set of experiences from the very beginning, based on the fact that their teachers come from a variety of countries and bring with them a variety of perspectives. At the same time, being immersed in an English environment helps build students’ language skills which is very beneficial at university, whether in Sweden or abroad. There is a steeper learning curve to start with, but our teachers are experts at helping students along the way. We’ve been pleased to hear from our alumni that the English they learned at VRG has been a tremendous help later on in their academic studies and careers.
Fråga
What is your best advice for students that are about to choose gymnasium?
Svar
My best advice is to forget about what your friends are doing and consider what you want to be doing for the next three years. The three years you spend in gymnasium will help you polish your academic skills but they will also create the memories you take with you. Visit schools if you can, talk to students, and ask questions. Gymnasiet is what you make it to be, so whichever school you decide for, jump in with both feet!
Fråga
How do you envision the future of education at Campus Viktor Rydberg and the role it plays in preparing students for higher education and a dynamic workforce?
Svar
On a school development level, we will continue to improve and fine-tune the collaborative processes we have started working on this year. Based on research and best practices, we expect our students will graduate with the skill set they need to excel at university and in the workforce.
