Finland through culture

Today we have had a lecture about the Kalevala. The Kalevala is a 19th century work of epic poetry compiled by Elias Lönnrot from Karelian and Finnish oral folklore andmythology.

It is regarded as a national epic of Karelia and Finland and is one of the most significant works of Finnish literature. The first version of The Kalevala (called The Old Kalevala) was published in 1835. 

Experiential learning

Experiential learning is the process of making meaning from direct experience,  i.e., "learning from experience". Aristotle once said, "For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them".

ICT and pedagogy

Today we had a lesson with Tommi and Serkku from Kokkola, the town located in the west part of finland. They are teachers, Tommi also is a vice-principle in the primary school.
Firstly Tommy gave us presentation about The basic structure of the Finnish Education system.  The main statement that was given first is  'Equality and quality for all' .
The presentation had so many good information. We have gone through the presentation very quickly. However, I have noticed next statements: great autonomy,  trust,  flexibility in the Education system; self-evaluation system instead of inspection.
The second presentation was given by Serkku. She said many important things.  What I understood from her speech is that  'the knowledge isn't the crucial point, the most important thing is know the ways of teaching and learning students, to know how organize learning process'. You cannot tell the wind how or where to blow. Teacher's role is forming from knowing to showing how.
After these presentations they gave us a short master class with Ipads. We have learnt more about some useful applications.
Thanks a lot for Sanna, Tommi and Serkku.

Interesting

                                             

                         All that is beautiful - simply...

Interesting

Primary school

Most of pupils in the primary school come to school on bicycles. 

High school

High schools' students come to school on motobikes.

Dialogical method

The lesson with Helena Aarnio

     On 10th March we met with our new lecturer Helena Aarnio. She researchs the Dialogical method for a long time. We have an opportunity to be familiar with this approach of teaching during this week. Firstly she gave us major points about this method. Then we discovered it or searched it by doing execises. As a main rules of the dialogue are equality among participants, principle of symmetry, listening word-for-word, suspending and wonderng, inquiring, weaving a synthesis. However, there are main rules, not all of them. We need to keep all of them to make a good dialogue.

      During first lesson we became familiar with those methods of dialogue like 'As equals', 'Dialogue tickets'. First method gave us ability to unterstand that freedom to share one's thinking as an equal member of the group is a central principle of dialogue and dialogue based knowledge creation. 

       In the next one we understood that every participant by using tickets kept turn to speak and to listen to, when member od group have told something others did not disturb him or her and did not disagree with him or her. In some cases, members just asked if they wanted to know deeply what said other one.

      In addition I noticed that I have started to understand this method. I thought it was easy, but I was wrong. 

My first lesson that I observed in Finland

Seminaarin koulu
primary school
5th grade

       We observed two lessons. First lesson was for 5^th grade and second  for 6^th grade. Each lesson lasts 45 minutes. As mrs Maria said every week she has two English lessons, first lesson conducts with whole class which consists about 21-25 pupils. Second lesson conducts for group which consists about 11-13 pupils. 

She starts her lesson with questions. During the lesson teacher used next methods like a pair work, a question-answer, games (‘ping-pong’, find word). Maria used auxiliary equipment. I think her teacher’s book has CD which helps her to conduct her lessons and to do some exercises by using White board.