PROGRAM

Sunday

Objectives: impact of the cultural context and getting to know Finland

learning outcomes: analysing the environment by using your senses, making notices

WELCOME TO HELSINKI & EUNEOS

12:00 Prepare your Europasses
13:30 Make a little plan of introduction: what you will tell about your own school,
curriculum, and the way you teach (pedagogical approach)
15.30 A little sightseeing tour of Helsinki (a walking tour, optional)
18.00 Welcome Dinner

Monday

Objectives: Impact of the cultural context behind the Finnish Education system. To realize the importance of future thinking and future aspect in education, to become familiar with
Finnish Primary & Secondary Schools in practice, to see the possibilities of a library to support sustainable future, to understand the big picture of the development

learning outcomes: Analysing the environment by using your senses, making notices. How to specialize in a high school and reflect for the needs of students for seeing alternatives,
what are the best practises in a modern library to fulfil the needs of the inhabitants and how
to make the welfare of the whole community better.

9:30 WELCOME TO FINLAND: Introduction to Finland & the course
/ Mr. Petri Ilmonen, Principal of TRYcamps Language School & Your Host
A Get to Know Each Other!
/ Mr. Petri Ilmonen, Principal
The Pisa Studies
/ Mr. Petri Ilmonen, Principal
12:00 Lunch break
13:00 The Basics of the Finnish School System
/ Mr. Petri Ilmonen, Principal
Coffee break
14:45 Special Needs in Education in Finland
16:00 Workshop: Personal or team time for notes, diaries & talks

Tuesday

objectives: an understanding of how education implemented in a bilingual country and how the position of minorities is taken into account, the importance of pupil welfare for the student’s well-being (e.g. school meals) & SEN

learning outcomes: implementation of entrepreneurship into studies, follow-up of the lessons, peer review
9:00 A visit to School A OR
A visit to School B
Wellbeing at school and anti-bullying program.

11:45 Lunch break
13:00 Thoughts about the school visits + Q & A?
14:30 Inclusion and co-teaching -visitor speaker
* Inclusion and flexible special education
* Open start – flexible grouping as a form of support during first school years
* Co-teaching and teaching in teams
* Shared learning environment
16:00 Workshop: Personal or team time for notes, diaries & talks

Wednesday

objectives: identify opportunities for how inclusion can be used as a key element, the
implementation of a “nobody is left behind” in school education.

learning outcomes: observation of the hands-on ICT tools and Finnish as a second language
education can help learning.
9.00 A visit to School C
Flexible special education
How to transform an old school into a new one (renovation of the building & the pedagogical approach of the staff)
11.30 Thoughts about the school visits + Q & A
Lunch break
13-16 Coffee & Workshop: Team talks and networking – “present your own school”
ICT in SEN education workshop / Mr. Petri Ilmonen, Principal

Thursday

objectives: identify opportunities for hands-on learning and learning can happen also outdoors
9:00 An Educational field trip (just like every pupil & student in the Southern part of
Finland)
Lunch break

13.00 A visit to City library Oodi, Helsinki city center
Special education in my Teaching -visitor speaker
16:00 Coffee & Workshop: Erasmus diary, Team talks and networking

Friday

objectives: identify opportunities for how inclusion can be used as a key element, the
implementation of a “nobody is left behind” in school education. identify opportunities for hands-on learning and learning can happen also outdoors

learning outcomes: observation of the migration and Finnish as a second language
education, school develepoment & Circle of trust in ways of influencing and solving
problems
9-11 A visit to School
How to transform an old school into a new one to serve all kind of learners
12.00 A visit to University of Helsinki’s Thinkers corner
Seppo outdoor learning game -session -visitor speaker

Saturday

learning outcomes: observation end and reflection begins. What will you be taking home?
How to share what you have learnt during the week?
10:00 Conclusions of the week
“What I am taking home with me and my first steps towards the future” -workshop
The final Q&A
“Strengths and weaknesses of Finnish & French schools systems, similarities and differences of Finnish & French curricula, daily schedules, the ways teachers interact
with their students, the classroom furniture, the school lunches, the type of homework and assignments”
Lunch
Evaluation talk & Certificate ceremony
Chocolate Factory Visit (optional, a fee applies

REGISTRATION AND PRICES

How can I participate?

All registrations must be done using the online registration form. 

Discounts available for groups of 5 or more participants! Contact courses@euneos.eu for more information.

The course will be confirmed later. For the moment, we take binding pre-registrations. If you want to send a group, but you don’t know yet all participants’ names, it is possible to add them to the registration form like this:

participant 1, participant 2, etc.   

If you have problems or questions about completing the online form, please contact courses@euneos.eu

REGISTER (Registration takes place on our sister company, Euneos’ website)

Prices
(Read more about grants and other options for financial support.) 

If you have Erasmus+ KA1 funding, it should cover the fees. For those who come from outside the EU countries, there are other professional development grants for teachers. We have tried to keep the costs so low that self-funded participation is also a real option.

The price excludes Finnish VAT 24%. For VAT exemption, you need to register as a representative/employee of a company, school or other organization, and during the registration, provide a VAT-number or Erasmus-related OID (Organization ID) number. If you don’t have those, please send a tax certificate, trade register extract, or similar from your country to courses@euneos.eu

Course fee 660€ 

Price includes

• Free 30-day access to Finnish Education Online Courses
• Course program
• Materials
• Certificates of attendance 

The meal package (140€ excl. VAT) is obligatory, and it includes:

• Lunches (including a School lunch) and refreshments each day
• Entrance fees (on the planned excursions)

Other expenses

Airline tickets, accommodation, and local travel tickets must be bought separately.

Payments

When we confirm the course we send a link to pay with a credit card or an invoice to make a bank transfer. The participant should assume all the bank transaction fees. 

Please note that all payments must be made in advance and in euros (€).

Frequently Asked Questions about Registration and Fees

TRAINER

Petri Ilmonen

• Chair of Board at Language High School of Helsinki
• English teacher, principal and owner of TRYcamps

ERASMUS+

VisitEDUfinn (OID CODE: E10020922 / PIC CODE: 899855324) and Euneos Corporation (OID CODE:E10124150 / PIC CODE 950782555) organise ERASMUS+ Staff Mobility job shadowing and  professional courses designed for teachers at all levels. Our programs are organized in different parts of Finland in cooperation with other stakeholders in the field of education (schools, universities, municipalities). 

All the courses are designed following the Quality Standards for courses under Key Action 1 and participants are provided with certificates that meet the Europass criteria.

Course title: Special education and Inclusion in Finland

Audience

• Kindergarten, primary, and secondary school teachers
• Special education teachers
• School management and leadership
• All other non-teaching experts

Working Methods

• Exploration of pre-assumptions
• Workshops (also together with Finnish school pupils)
• Facilitated discussions / shared brainstorming
• Teamwork and Presentations
• Field visits   
• Personal learning diary

Outcomes

• Gain insight into Finnish schools and education
• Facilitate team-building activities
• Implement teaching sessions by utilizing participatory methods
• Create a concrete development plan for your own school

European/ International dimension

We wait participants from many European countries as well as from outside Europe. Sharing ideas together with colleagues from different countries offers a broader perspective on the topic. The course is also a great opportunity for networking for future collaboration.

ACCOMODATION

Helsinki, Finland

If not in the Helsinki area, please mofidy: The participants can freely choose their accommodation. However, we highly recommend being located close to Senate Square as the most interesting sights are within walking distance from the Square. We have negotiated special rates or discounts for our clients with the companies below. After your purchase, we will give you the necessary codes.

Scandic Hotels (12% discount)

Omena Hotels (special rate)

Hotel Arthur (10% discount)

Forenom apartments (10% discount)

20 Rooms Hostel (special rate)

Tell us what kind of accommodation you prefer, and we can help to find a place for your stay!

GENERAL INFORMATION ON HELSINKI

Is Helsinki the coolest city in the world?

Probably yes! In the capital of Finland, you can find the influence of both our neighbors, Sweden and Russia, but still the city is unique. It’s a modern metropole with over 650, 000 inhabitants (1,5 million in the larger metropolitan area) and yet you are never more than a 10-minute walk from nature. On the same day, you can pick berries in a forest and go to the Opera. Helsinki is a lively big city that never sleeps, but so safe that you can see 7-year-old first graders the take the tram to school on their own. 

Feeling the fresh breeze of the Baltic Sea while wandering around the picturesque streets of this easy-going city, it is not so difficult to imagine why Finns are the happiest nation in the world. After the walk, warm yourself up with a cup of coffee and a cinnamon bun. These coffee breaks with friends and colleagues are almost sacred moments to Finns. 

While in Helsinki, check out the libraries as a social innovation in Finnish education, interactive museums, the islands around Helsinki and the sauna. There are many more attractions that promise unforgettable experience in Helsinki such as  Alvar Aalto’s studio, Helsinki Cathedral by Carl Ludvig Engel, Senate Square, Old Market Hall, Löyly sauna and restaurant, and much more. 

Check out What’s up in Helsinki during your study visit!

EDUCATION IN FINLAND

How is education in Finland?

During our events and courses, you will get familiar with all the characteristics of Finnish education:

• One of the basic principles is that everyone must have equal access to high-quality education and training.
• Each student has the right to educational support.
• Special needs education is generally provided within mainstream education.
• The Finnish education system is based on the philosophy of inclusion.
• Educational support and guidance covers support for learning according to the individual capacity of the learners, school attendance, pupil welfare, and guidance and counseling. The learning of gifted pupils and students is supported.
• The education system is based on trust and responsibility.
• Educational autonomy is high at all levels.
• Most education is publicly funded.
• National core curriculum gives space for local variations.
• Learning outside the classroom is common.
• The first national examination is at the end of general upper secondary education.
• Teaching continues to be an attractive profession.
• Finnish schools have highly educated teaching personnel.
• Continuing teacher education is widely encouraged.

Read more about Finnish Education.