Last spring I worked very intensively with my Chinese colleague Sienna. During the GEC Conference we had time to really know each other. I really enjoyed working with Sienna. During this Autumn Sienna has been very busy: she has been trained by an International School. So we will continue our co-operation next year. We keep on WeChatting.
At the beginning of this November we got visitors from ZhongGuanCun nro 3 Primary School and from Beijing Capitol University. I took these five ladies to Oppimisen Fiesta -Conference where we had an opportunity to meet for example Finland’s former president Tarja Halonen. Teachers from ZhongGuangCun Primary School were very impressed!

Teachers also stayed a whole day in our school SYK. They visited different classes and took part in teachers’ meeting. After teachers’ visit, a student from Beijing Capitol University stayed on my class for a week.
Liu Jia, alias Aleena, was very interested of Finnish ways to teach and learn. Liu Jia had lots of questions, she recorded and filmed her thoughts, she interviewed both me and my students from different grades. Liu Jia gave my students many presentations about Chinese School culture – we even had a face massage moment (as every schoolgirl and -boy in China daily have at 9.20 – 9.25 am.).
We also spend our weekend together; we visited Nuuksio National park, baked cinnamon buns, had sauna and dinner. I appreciate Liu Jia’s attitude: she was brave to taste everything!
I wish my colleagues in China a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Ps. My class will celebrate Chinese New Year at the end of becoming January..!

Raini Sipilä, SYK