Via Nostra
Our way
Educational community
For teachersCoursesA wide range of courses and training for teachers who want to strengthen their professional skills and pick up new ideas and tools for their teaching.See moreSee less
For studentsLearning materialsDiverse learning materials for different student groups, designed to meet each individual's needs and spark interest in learning digitally.See moreSee less
Do you want to learn Icelandic?Áfram íslenskaFree and digital learning materials for people learning Icelandic as a second language, accessible anywhere, anytime, and open to everyone.See moreSee less
For schools and institutionsServicesComprehensive services for schools and institutions that want to develop their operations, strengthen their staff and introduce innovations in the school community.See moreSee less
About us
Get to know Via Nostra — an educational community owned by the teachers and staff of Menntaskólinn á Tröllaskaga.
Via Nostra — Our Way
Via Nostra is an educational community owned by the teachers and staff of Menntaskólinn á Tröllaskaga (www.mtr.is)
MTR's motto is initiative, creativity and courage, and these values are reflected in the school's unique course offerings, teaching methods, learning approaches, organisation and projects. The school's work has attracted attention far and wide, especially abroad, creating demand for courses and lectures by the school's teachers, as well as visits to the school. Since such activities fall outside the operations and finances of a state-run upper secondary school, a group of enthusiastic teachers founded Via Nostra, which means Our way.
Via Nostra has 21 owners, all of whom are members of the staff of Menntaskólinn á Tröllaskaga.
Via Nostra offers Erasmus-eligible courses that draw on the knowledge, strengths and distinctive character of the MTR teaching community — including creative assignment formats, information technology in learning, arts education, and ways of weaving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, sustainability and environmental awareness into education.
Via Nostra also offers courses eligible for professional development grants from the Icelandic Teachers' Union. These courses are held both in Iceland and abroad (e.g. Tenerife) and likewise build on the knowledge, strengths and distinctive character of the MTR teaching community.
On this website you can find examples of the courses Via Nostra offers.
Via Nostra also offers tailor-made courses for groups and workplaces.
Ólafsfjörður
The Erasmus courses are held at Menntaskólinn á Tröllaskaga in Ólafsfjörður.
Photos: Gísli Kristinsson
Location and transport
The Erasmus courses are held at Menntaskólinn á Tröllaskaga, located in Ólafsfjörður. Ólafsfjörður is a town in north-east Iceland, at the mouth of Eyjafjörður. It is connected to Dalvík on Eyjafjörður by the 3.5 km single-lane Múlagöng tunnel, and to Siglufjörður by the 11 km two-lane Héðinsfjarðargöng tunnel, opened in 2010. The municipalities of Ólafsfjörður and Siglufjörður merged in 2006 and now form the municipality of Fjallabyggð.
Nature
The calm surface of Lake Ólafsfjarðarvatn often mirrors the town of Ólafsfjörður, the surrounding mountains and the sky above. Now and then a trout breaks the surface, a reminder of what is up and what is down in this mysterious mountain shelter. The lake has long been shrouded in mystery, not least because both freshwater and saltwater fish are caught there.
Outdoor activities and recreation
For visitors in general, as well as outdoor enthusiasts, Ólafsfjörður offers a wide range of enjoyable activities. In the winter months the town is a paradise for skiers and a dream for anyone who loves the outdoors: cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, ice skating, snowmobiling, or hand-line fishing on the frozen Lake Ólafsfjarðarvatn. In summer, the mountains, the lake and the black sand beaches draw visitors, and countless hiking and mountain routes through both mountains and valleys offer endless possibilities. A few hours' walk through the area's rugged landscape is a chance to enjoy the peace and quiet this nature holds. The range of leisure activities is almost endless: sea angling, or fishing in the Ólafsfjarðará river or Lake Ólafsfjarðarvatn — and fishing from the pier can be great fun too. The town has a swimming pool and an excellent natural history museum with a large collection of mounted birds, plus a nine-hole golf course just outside town.