Giving our customers a full educational and Finnish experience is very important to us. So we are very happy about what our customers have to say about us – school visits, study tours, teacher shadowing, and our various events.
Here are some comments we have received.
"Visiting real Helsinki schools with Open School Tours was a truly fantastic and illuminating experience. I feel that I gained a much deeper understanding of the day-to-day experiences of teachers and students-- from classes, to eating in the cafeteria, to recess, to the break room. It was very exciting to watch the teachers at work; their energy, flexibility, and rapport with their students definitely supported their status as being among the best teachers in the world...."
Sharing experiences and learning always!!! This is so good to see how much connected our school is with the best practices around the world. Finland made me feel at home. Specially by their commitment, seriousness, cheerfulness and respect to individuals (no standards!), collaboration and lightness on carrying on their educational system (less classes and more time for the students to produce, study and create). As I always say: teaching/learning/knowledge outcome can ever and must be pleasant! This is cool to learn, investigate, create!!! I am really very happy!!!!"
The guide and staff at the host school were very welcoming and friendly. I enjoyed being among these passionate educators and the opportunity to gain some insight into the Finnish education system.”
"The Finnish teachers were very friendly, enthusiastic and helpful. We loved watching them teaching. It was very insipiring. Both are excellent, motivating teachers and persons as well. They provided us with plenty of information and support."
"Job shadowing in Finland was an amazing experience! Seeing how education can be truly both student and teacher and not exam centered was inspiring."
"The experience was more than awesome. It was excellent to learn about a total different reality and system. Although being different it was possible to grab many ideas."
"In Finland we met warm and friendly people. The welcome us and introduced us not only to their classes but even to their lives. I have never met such lively people. Moreover, I learned more than I expected."
"I learnt different methods of teaching and a better way to develop competencies."
Lithuanian teachers visited a vocational school and a high school in February 2022.
“Finland took me by surprise entirely. I was expecting to have to dig deep and drill teachers with specific questions regarding standardized testing, performance results, report cards, and assessment strategies. I wanted to memorize their curriculum and understand what each lesson meant, but rather than questioning anyone, I found it the most beneficial to quietly observe the lessons being taught, watching the teacher’s interactions with students and vice versa. What I found to be vastly different from our Canadian education system was a major cultural difference, which was breathtaking to observe in the Finnish education system. To put my observations simply, I found that Finnish people as a whole trust their teachers, and with trust comes high expectations.“
Read more in her blog “A Quiet Surprise: The Finnish Education System here“.
