The pedagogical relationship lost in translation? Insights from a segregated Ukrainian refugee school in Norway

Despite Norway’s long-standing tradition of integrating refugee children into mainstream schools, local authorities in Western Norway decided to establish a separate school for the hundreds of children arriving from Ukraine. Informally referred to as the “Ukraine school,” this school was staffed by a dedicated team of teachers, teaching assistants, special educators, a nurse, and a psychologist, several of whom spoke Ukrainian or Russian. In this paper, we examine some of the implications of this unique, segregated approach to refugee education, with a particular focus on the constraints and possibilities of cultivating pedagogical relationships. Grounded in a phenomenological framework, our analysis draws on the lived experiences of six teachers, alongside researcher observations conducted in classrooms and playgrounds during the spring of 2024. As understood in continental philosophy, the pedagogical relationship is dialogical, spontaneous, and situated, requiring teachers to engage authentically and responsively with the child in the moment. This study reveals the constraints on pedagogical relationships that arise when teachers and children are unable to communicate directly through a shared language. The immediacy and spontaneity of their interactions were lost in the translation process, which not only hindered the emergence of “teachable moments” but also curtailed teachers’ capacity to foster meaningful pedagogical engagement.