I spent this week in Denmark. At Blåbjergskolen in Varde, the team faces challenges many schools around the world recognise.

I spent this week in Denmark. At Blåbjergskolen in Varde, the team faces challenges many schools around the world recognise:
learners who slowly lose motivation,
teachers who want to change but don’t know where to start,
and leaders spending more time managing the day-to-day than shaping the bigger picture.

But at Blåbjergskolen, they didn’t want to wait until it became a crisis.
They wanted to move first.

So a year ago, we began our journey together, exploring how to build a culture where motivation drives students and staff members.

This week was our third visit: four intense days working side by side with teachers, pedagogues, and the management team.
Every day ended with something made: practical tools, new lesson formats, and ideas they could use the very next morning.

This time, two out of the four days were even led by Blåbjerg’s own teachers — showing their peers: if I can do it, so can you.

The results are powerful.
There’s now a weekly project day where learners explore, create, and take ownership.
Teachers and pedagogues tell us this setup makes it easier to observe their students, anticipate their needs, and keep them in their stretch zone — where real learning happens.
It also helps them collaborate and act on the spot.

The motivation to work with us is spreading across the staff.
And our role is shifting from leading the process to quietly coaching behind the scenes.

That’s how real change takes root — when ownership and drive grow from the bottom up.
Not by telling people what to do, but by helping them discover solutions that fit them.

It’s like growing a plant: you plant the seed, make sure it gets just enough water and sunlight, and it starts growing on its own.
That’s what we do with their staff — we lead by example, let them experience how well this works, and they start doing the same with their learners.