On this May we have worked very hard with our new project called: On a Journey. Our project here in Finland and in China is about a library as a learning space. We work with our school library and so do my colleagues in ZhongGuanCun no 3 Primary School. We have shared ideas about design thinking in Education, and design in general. My students have visited their neighbor libararies and made some observations about places they think is a good place to work and to concentrate. Students have learned the difference between 2D and 3D, they have studied and learned the idea of a square meter and a scale. Now they are doing their ‘hands on’ part: beautiful floor plans and scale models are designed and made by student teams. How many fourth graders fit in a one square meter? Twenty..

We also got a photo of design work from a school in Zhengzhou, my partner no 2 Lu works there. Their idea of modelling and designing is very different from ours. But it is very good to see different ways of thinking, isn’t it!

BR,
Raini Sipilä, SYK

These pictures were taken on the very same day: 31st March 2017 in both Beijing and in Helsinki. My colleagues in China didn’t believe me when I told them the springtime in Finland is quite cold. But after this snowy picture they knew the same fact than I..

During this spring I have mostly sent text messages and photos to my colleagues in Beijing. My partner Song Liting and her colleagues have discussed a lot about the ideas I have sent them. Our project will take place next week and we will concentrate on space design. Our aim is to make ZhongGuanCun no 3 Primary school’s library a better learning environment. We will start the process here and my colleague Song Liting will start her process in her school. It will be nice to see what kind of renewals our students will invent!

Raini Sipilä, SYK

As we have worked with a Chinese school and my students have written a blog about KaiKai’s and XinXin’s visits – dolls we got last year as a present from Zhongguancun nro 4 primary school – my students’ parents decided to organize our own Chinese New Year party. The evening was a real success! First we had Chinese meal and green tea. One mother even made  real, traditional New Year’s dumblings to us. Of course we ate with chopstics!

At my classroom students gave their performances to parents. We also did Eye protection rehersals all together; we learned this from Aleena last year. Then we had a visitor from Confucius Institute University of Helsinki, Mr. Xinsheng Li gave us a short lecture about Chinese calligraphy. Our last visitors gave us a kungfu-show – for me it was a bit scary, but my students really enjoyed the show. What an evening we had! Have a good rooster’s year!

BR, Raini/SYK

The second schoolweek at SYK started with an idea of our mutual world and its’ many stories. In my classroom 28 students from different grades concentrated on China. My students did big posters about pollution in China, about Beijing and Shanghai and also about Chinese New Year. We drank tea everyday, we tasted noodles (and of course learned to use chopstics), we listened Chinese music, ate fortune cookies, wrote Chinese characters, decorated the whole classroom with paperlanterns and papercutting; older students even wrote Chinese calligraphy to  decorate our frontdoor with traditional couplets.

Students together prepared a perfomance to other students. First every visitor was given an airmask, that was because of the pollution in Beijing area on December 2016. Then my students told visitors what kind of towns Beijing and Shanghai are and what is the New Year in China like. At the end of their show students made a shadow play about 12 Chinese Zodiac Animals. Before our guests left they were given a red envelope: one won 8 euros. And as we know eight is a lucky number in China.

During this week students learned a lot about China. I must thank to my colleagues in Beijing, they helped me a lot by sendind addresses to useful websites, sending Power Point -presentations about Tea, traditions, Chinese couplets etc. It is fine to continue cooperation with Chinese colleagues this way. Thank you Aleena, Sienna, Gao JingJing, Song and Cherry!

BR, Raini / SYK

At the early of November, I had chance to go to Finland primary school, this is the place where every basic educator aspire to. The first day in Finland, I had a chance to follow the teachers from Zhongguancun No.3 primary school to Helsinki University and have a conversation with Jari Lavonen and Tiina Korhonen. From this meaningful talking, I knew that the education system in Finland, the way of teacher training, the important qualities in 21st century, teacher cooperation , crucial ability of teachers in school life and so on . I learned that teacher is the very important part in this education system.

SYK is a historical school，and has its own long story，the basic values of this school is respect，trust and growth as a person. When we come to this school, we had chance to talk with the school principal who told us the background of this school, the school history and the management philosophy and characteristics of this school，they pay more attention on the value of open, equality, freedom. Every school has their own education culture. What impressed me the most is the school corridor. In this corridor, it is showing the pictures of school history, school building changes，and a special wall which exhibited the people’s names who make contribution to the country construction. This school share the history with students, it is also a very good education resource to encourage students to make greater progress. By understanding history, we can be better developed in every aspect in future life. I also saw the pictures which are very simple color and lines with the shape of door, the principle told us they used to encourage students should continue to progress, be brave, and have courage to open every door in their life.
In SYK, I spent one week to follow Raini to experience the real school life in Finland, it is very valuable chance for me to know the education in different country, although we have different language and culture background, but we have the same passion for better education and love for children. Raini taught me a lot and answered my questions very patiently，she tried her best to explain everything in her class, I am very touched! After I graduating from university, I want to be a good teacher and share my thinking with others.

In this school, I learned a new learning way is “Phenomenon Based Learning”, this learning way can combine subject knowledge with real life together, children can find the studying point which they are interested. Children enjoy learning, teachers are creative to use different ways to motivate students. Every teacher has their good way to teach，and all teachers can be trusted by school, family and society. In the process of learning，teacher will have a clear study plan, pay attention to every student, and give special guidance to children. Students can have their own choice to join in or not. In different project phase, the teacher will have different arrangement, teaching method and works exhibition. In this school, I saw all teachers and all children can be treated equally. The atmosphere here is relaxed and fun, but rules are also strictly required.

In Finland school, technology science is used widely. Every student has their ipad and phone. I had chance to join in a computer courses，we learned how to use an website called ’’Prezi’’ to make a topic presentation which they are interested. In another school, I saw teachers guide students to play an interesting “coding game”, the degree of difficulty according to their grades. They are having fun by learning. In Raini’s class, I saw every students be encouraged to solve the problems by using technology, search the information what they need. It is very good way to learn the knowledge what they can not learn in limited class. I asked a boy ”Can you control yourself not to use your phone and play games in school ?”, the boy answered me: ”I like school very much, I just use my phone when I am allowed to use.” So excellent answer! We should try our best to let children love school, it is the basic explanation for all question.

From my observation, I know that every teacher at SYK pay much attention on the topic of “environment protection”, from lower grade to higher grade, they all have environmental studies. In fourth grade, teacher led children to know nature in different way, like “nature watch”; in 9th grade, they had an expert teacher to teach them to promote the awareness of environmental protection by using shadow play; in their school activity, I was lucky to see their material recycling Design show, very interesting！They used very creative way to design the wasted material. This kind of learning related to our real life, the development of society and the world environment, very meaningful!
I think teachers are the most important part in Finland school. In SYK, I saw many nice, warm, talented and experienced teachers. Through talking with Tiina and practicing with Raini, I found that “teacher cooperation” is very useful way to have self-development for teachers. In Raini’s fourth grade, every Wednesday, four teachers will gather together to have a discussion，aim to make a new study plan，share expericences，solve new problems and so on. In Raini’s study project, she want to help children to know the different weather, temperature，plants and animals in different areas in Finland at the same time, she will cooperate with teachers in different areas, they use video, pictures to know each other, it is very informative way to teach with the way of teacher cooperation. In future work and study life, I will try to make self-improvement, strive to become a professional teacher, and provide better learning resources to my students. Thanks for Raini set a good example for me.

After half month visiting in Finland, I was deeply impressed by very nice teachers and students. I saw Raini apply drama in their literature study very well, I saw very creative children in the class. I am really grateful for this valuable experience happened in my life, it help me to have better progress. I will work hard in the future, and strive to become a good teacher！
BR, LiuJia,  Capital Normal University

This week our Global Innokas Network experienced global education in many angles. First, we participated in a state grant applicants’ seminar day organised by Finnish Board of Education. We heard speeches of global competences, how to grow up to be global citizen and new sights of language education. We also had an opportunity to connect with actors from Finnish educational field that implement global education in their municipalities. 

Second, we had a meeting with Finnish Global Innokas teachers in the University of Helsinki. The teachers shared best practices from the last school year and planned this year’s activities and events. Fruitful face-to-face conversations and working together for the same goal is fairly important to teachers as well as us organizers. In such skilful and ingenious group, new kind of educational innovations can truly nourish!