First Day Jitters

With my clothes laid out, my computer in my bag, and my coffee maker’s timer activated, I was ready to get some sleep before my first day of school. Even though I am no stranger to school, I was nervous. Visiting my first upper secondary school in Finland was something new. I wanted to make the most of the experience without interfering with students’ learning. Lying in bed, my mind raced with how I would introduce myself to teachers, what questions I might ask students, and how I would best organize my notes. Sometimes I wish my brain had an off button.

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After a short ride on the commuter train the next morning, I arrived in Vantaa, a city just outside Helsinki. There I met Petteri Granat, the person who orchestrated my visit to Vaskivuori Upper Secondary School. Petteri is a teacher of philosophy, history, and social studies. He is also a Fulbright alumnus. In 2014, he spent four months at the University of Indiana attending classes, observing schools, and completing projects pertaining to his field of inquiry. Petteri has a wealth of knowledge and kindness. My transition to Finland has been quite smooth because of him.

We began the school day by brewing a pot of coffee, of course! Petteri introduced me to the teachers’ lounge, which was recently refurnished. In the lounge, teachers gather for meetings and take time mingling with colleagues. I could sense comradery among the staff. The atmosphere was casual but professional. Everyone seemed at ease, which I later noticed translates into the classroom.

Teachers' Lounge

Petteri took me on a quick tour of the school. Vaskivuori has about 1000 students, ages 16-19. The school offers a general studies program and special instruction in music, dance, and media. Most mornings, students use the stage in the lobby to conduct performances. I witnessed an impromptu performance in a music class. When the teacher asked students if they would like to play music for me, they earnestly agreed and fetched their mandolins. The students performed a few traditional Finnish folk songs, and the whole class participated! For many, they had never played an instrument until this class.  I am not sure who was more excited—me for listening to a live performance or the students for having an audience.

Next, I observed two English classes. Students were working on grammar lessons in preparation for the Matriculation Examination. This exam is taken at the end of secondary education to qualify for entry into a university. Many students choose a foreign language as part of their test. English, German and French are the most popular choices among students, but students may take Russian, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Latin, Inari Sámi, and Northern Sámi matriculation examinations (Source—Matriculation Examination Board).

After introducing myself to the class, I passed around a Google Cardboard VR headset so students could “visit” my school library back in Kentucky. I think they really enjoyed seeing all angles of the library and my young students standing on a giant map of Kentucky for that day’s activity. The 360-image helped “break the ice” as many students were shy to ask me questions. From there, I observed students listening to audio recordings of English, working in pairs to translate text from Finnish to English, and completing a formative assessment where they identified the passive voice.

Vaskivuori has an open campus policy meaning students and teachers can leave when they do not have class. For lunch, I walked to Allun Grilli, where Petteri treated me to carrot crepes. The best part of lunch was the restaurant’s Formula One racing memorabilia in honor of Finnish driver, Mika Häkkinen. Well, that and the licorice ice cream.

My afternoon was spent in observing two of Petteri’s philosophy classes. During the first class, groups of students gave presentations on issues of debate like euthanasia. Presentations included three parts: a slideshow, panel discussion, and a classroom activity. I was impressed by how students continued the discussion by asking questions and adding to each other’s comments. The teacher did not need to intervene at all. The classroom activity portion of the presentation encouraged the audience to pay attention, including me. I participated in one activity where I stood near a certain wall depending on my level of agreement with sample scenarios.

In the next class, students used Google Classroom to read an online article titled, “10 Women of Philosophy.” Students pulled out their laptops, which they are required to buy and bring to school. A couple of students showed me how they could highlight sentences and type notes for selected passages. The students explained that while technology has many useful tools, they often prefer a real book when studying. It was interesting to hear 17-year-old students say this. Perhaps it is because there is more room to be distracted online, and it is liberating to focus on just one task sometimes.

I learned many things from my first school visit in Finland. One thing in particular—there is no reason to be nervous. The school’s atmosphere was full of activity, inspiration, and warmth. I left with much more than a better understanding of a typical day in a Finnish upper secondary school. I experienced learning as a social activity where students listen, read, discuss, and present. Now with the jitters gone, I am ready to have many more first days of school.