Organised by the University of Eastern Finland, an international summer school brought together experts of education from all over the world.
- Text by Nina Venhe
- Photo by Varpu Heiskanen
The ballroom dance floor of Kummun koulu school in Outokumpu, eastern Finland, is filled with people, as pupils and teachers are giving it a go. Every now and then, the music and the dancing stop: it is time for some reflection.
“How did you feel during this dance? Please use an emoticon to show me,” the teacher asks.
The pupils lift up their emoticon signs, most of them depicting joy. The group reflects on their feelings together and, in the end, everyone gets to say “joy” in their own language. The dancing continues again.
Peter Schiel and Macarena Garnica Alarcon doing the “emotion dance”. According to them, it is admirable how Finnish primary school classes are based on activities and games.
The interactive lesson is part of an international education project by the City of Outokumpu, which attracted a group of 12-year-old pupils and their four teachers from South Korea to Finland for a two-week visit. The group learnt about and participated in daily school life at Kummun koulu.
The interactive class and the entire theme day, on the other hand, were guided by experts of education from a variety of different countries. They all participated in the Education in Diverse Cultures summer school organised by the University of Eastern Finland last summer, bringing together education experts from all over the world. The international weeks at Kummun koulu provided the participants with an environment where they could put theory into practice.
“Naturally, many of the summer school participants also work in international environments back home, but this visit to Outokumpu gave them a concrete and authentic introduction to Finnish comprehensive education and Finnish teachers,” says Professor Ritva Kantelinen, who was in charge of the summer school.
Cultural diversity is increasingly prevalent everywhere around us. This makes it extremely important to recognise cultural diversity and its impacts, especially in the context of education.
“In this summer school, we wanted to place specific emphasis on collaboration. Making the most of people’s diversity can bring plenty of additional value to teamwork,” Kantelinen says.
Thanks to the ensemble of participants gathering from 10 countries from around the globe, the summer school was truly multinational and multicultural.
“The summer school included studies in issues relating to diversity, and these are things that people don’t usually learn to recognise by reading theory alone. This is why it was great to have the opportunity to try things in practice over the summer,” Kantelinen continues.
In addition to the theme days at Kummun koulu, the participants also visited other schools in the Joensuu region, gaining practical insight into the Finnish education system and its underlying principles.
Finland embracing multiculturalism as a source of richness sets a good example for us all.
Peter Schiel
The Finnish education system did, indeed, make an impression on the participants.
“Many things seem to be based on the fact that the teaching profession is held in high regard. We also noticed that here in Finland, no student is left behind and everyone matters,” says Macarena Garnica Alarcon from Chile.
Finnish special education, equality and small class sizes also received praise from Garnica Alarcon.
For Peter Schiel from Germany, the content of the summer school and the opportunity to meet colleagues were important.
“Teaching here has been truly inspirational and concrete. I work with people who come from different cultural backgrounds, and that can sometimes be very challenging. The summer school has provided me with a clearer framework for my own activities and work.”
According to both of them, it is vital for the foundations and activities of an educational system to be rooted in research.
“The high educational level of Finnish teachers is both visible and audible.”
Over the summer, the participants formed a close-knit group. According to Schiel, their network is important, and hopefully they will stay in touch after the summer has ended.
“I truly believe that by working together, these 20 motivated people are enough to change the world. In many countries, the education system is in need of reform. Finland, embracing multiculturalism as a source of richness sets a good example for us all.”