Arnhildur Lilý Karlsdóttir - interview

Arnhildur Lilý Karlsdóttir is a master's student in the art education department of LHÍ

„I moved to Álftanes that summer. I was 6 years old and started school that fall. At that time, the community in Álftanes was rather small and dense and the school only reached 7th grade. The countryside in the city was called Álftanes and was decidedly the right name because we jumped over a ditch on our way home from school or sneaked to cut short our way across the farmer's field in Svidholt, even though the sheep were outside“.“

After elementary school, Arnhildur Lilý went to the High School at Hamrahlíð on a music course, but her high school years were to prove to be very formative for her.

„MH is well known for its strong Icelandic and literary teaching, and I soon moved to a language course where I took all the Icelandic and literary courses I could“ The teachers were excellent and the teaching was characterized by ambition, humor and flashing enthusiasm.“

She was so impressed that after graduation, General Literature at the University of Iceland was automatically Arnhilda's next stop.

„One degree did not satisfy the hunger for literature, however, and so I also completed a master's degree in General Literature. Rarely have I seen job advertisements intended for literary critics in particular as there is no direct way after graduating from literary studies“ However, the program provides a very good foundation for all text and research work as well as the training in applying critical thinking in reading and working, Arnhildur says, but she has been involved in many places in her work since graduation and dealt with many things from project management to innovation.

„My years at MH were still to be said later when the thought began to take on me to want to become a teacher myself. Before I enrolled in pedagogy at LHÍ, I looked at adding teaching qualifications, but when I discovered that I was able to apply at LHÍ despite not having a background in the arts, I immediately found it an exciting option because I believe that the methodology of art is suitable for general teaching“, says Arnhildur Lilý, but she has really enjoyed being a student.

„I'm very grateful to have chosen the path of studying at LHÍ, I've met some great people and I feel richer as a result. I feel that there is a difference between coming back to studies after being in the workforce for such a short time and the experience of being a student will be different. I've been very happy with the study offer at LHÍ and the teaching is excellent. In fact, I somewhat grieve being a little in a diploma course knowing that the program will quickly end“, says Arnhildur, whose diploma program she's in is a one-year course for teaching qualifications for students with a master's degree.

„Now I'm in my last semester and I feel a reluctant joy as I might well consider continuing to study but I'm also really excited about the sequel I dream of teaching Icelandic and literature in high school after graduation“ The high school years are full of experimentation and emotion, then it's so exciting to exist, look to the future and try to be an adult It's nice to be able to teach this age and high school age youth are incredibly fun!“