Teaching in Finland
So I've shared this info with my close friends and family, but didn't want to share with the world until it was official - I am employed! I'm very excited to share that I secured a full-time preschool teaching position at an international school in Tampere, Finland. There was definitely an aspect of 'being in the right place, at the right time', as a teacher unexpectedly resigned during my first week of substitute teaching at the school. I'm not sure what the universe is trying to tell me, but I am so lucky and grateful to have some amazing people in my corner who helped me get here.
An article published in The Atlantic gave me an intriguing perspective on what we are doing in America in comparison to the rest of the world. This system definitely informed my teaching style while in Chicago the last couple of years. (Read it here.) But the biggest coincidence, about being here, is that in undergrad my professors preached the gospel of the Finnish education system. In fact, in my Global Education course, I did extensive research on Finland as a country and wrote about their schools. And now I'm here, in Finland, teaching. I think that was the universe saying something...
*If you want to read the paper, I still have it so just lemme know 😉.
As a native English speaker, the value of my skills and education is immense. Not only are the children in these classrooms coming from diverse backgrounds, but they are also Finnish children. Children, whose parents find the exposure of the English language in early childhood to be valuable isn't as common as I would have thought here. As I mentioned in an earlier blog post, every Finnish person I talk to is very self conscious about speaking English. Though it is something that is taught later in their schooling, Finnish people are one of the top English speakers in the world. And yet, they're so damn self-conscious about it.
Right when you walk in, you must take off your outdoor shoes and change into your 'school shoes'. This is partially due to keeping the building clean, which is so smart in my opinion, but also a way of life in Finnish culture. Not so different from the Japanese, taking off your shoes is a sign of respect. On a more introspective note, this practice also makes you feel like you're at home. There are studies that have been put out claiming that students do better in school when they take off their shoes.
While in a preschool classroom, our day consisted of many similar things I've seen in American preschools. We spent the majority of the day outside and playing. Similar to the US, socialization and learning through play was at the center of the day in terms of a learning focus. Additionally, there was a lot of time to play in the classroom. They have tablets, board games, a kitchen for dramatic play, books, etc. As they have been in school for a month already, I found that most of the kids were very comfortable with each other.
The coolest part, though, has been the international aspect of this experience. I have been able to meet so many people with different stories and backgrounds, not to mention some people who are my age that I can actually be friends with! I definitely never thought I would be here, in an opportunity like this. But stepping out of my comfort zone, and into a foreign place, has provided me with the invaluable opportunity to learn, experience, and shift my perspective about: culture, language, and world view.
Until next time... xo
An article published in The Atlantic gave me an intriguing perspective on what we are doing in America in comparison to the rest of the world. This system definitely informed my teaching style while in Chicago the last couple of years. (Read it here.) But the biggest coincidence, about being here, is that in undergrad my professors preached the gospel of the Finnish education system. In fact, in my Global Education course, I did extensive research on Finland as a country and wrote about their schools. And now I'm here, in Finland, teaching. I think that was the universe saying something...
*If you want to read the paper, I still have it so just lemme know 😉.
As a native English speaker, the value of my skills and education is immense. Not only are the children in these classrooms coming from diverse backgrounds, but they are also Finnish children. Children, whose parents find the exposure of the English language in early childhood to be valuable isn't as common as I would have thought here. As I mentioned in an earlier blog post, every Finnish person I talk to is very self conscious about speaking English. Though it is something that is taught later in their schooling, Finnish people are one of the top English speakers in the world. And yet, they're so damn self-conscious about it.
Right when you walk in, you must take off your outdoor shoes and change into your 'school shoes'. This is partially due to keeping the building clean, which is so smart in my opinion, but also a way of life in Finnish culture. Not so different from the Japanese, taking off your shoes is a sign of respect. On a more introspective note, this practice also makes you feel like you're at home. There are studies that have been put out claiming that students do better in school when they take off their shoes.
While in a preschool classroom, our day consisted of many similar things I've seen in American preschools. We spent the majority of the day outside and playing. Similar to the US, socialization and learning through play was at the center of the day in terms of a learning focus. Additionally, there was a lot of time to play in the classroom. They have tablets, board games, a kitchen for dramatic play, books, etc. As they have been in school for a month already, I found that most of the kids were very comfortable with each other.
The coolest part, though, has been the international aspect of this experience. I have been able to meet so many people with different stories and backgrounds, not to mention some people who are my age that I can actually be friends with! I definitely never thought I would be here, in an opportunity like this. But stepping out of my comfort zone, and into a foreign place, has provided me with the invaluable opportunity to learn, experience, and shift my perspective about: culture, language, and world view.
Until next time... xo
The Finnish are known for their institutions of higher learning. Some countries have oil to export, some have gold....The Finns have education and brains and most of all, enlightenment....Other than the loss of daylight I'd say you're in the best place in the world.
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