Russian dolls (=teachers)

"Teachers in Russian are like Russian dolls with many varieties and complex"

Everybody knows the Russian dolls, dolls inside one doll going to little one. We have had honour to work with these committed and wonderful people. We are coordinating and leading education process in Republic of Carelia (Russia)http://www.peda.net/veraja/asbkarelia. This coaching process has put together Russian and Finnish teachers and schools.

In our point of view Russian teachers are very committed to their job and children they teach.
This metaphor ("Russian dolls") describes very well Russian teachers : most of them are women and schooling system is still quite hierarchical. Their system is well organized and ruled. Still teachers we work with, want to have new methods and more flat organizations. They are very willing to learn new pedagogical skills in their own educational ecosystem.

"Mixture of Finnish team learning and Russian way of thinking rocks"

Team learning and lot of discussions suite very well to co-operate. Russian teachers are very
good to depate and argue their conclusions. We Finns have lot to learn from them. They all are well educated and sophisticated. They know a lot of history, litterature and general knowledge.

We noticed that our thoughts combined to Russian way of thinking is marvellous mixture. During last year we have discovered new innovations and new small business together. We should put more foreign teachers together to get new ideas and thinking.

"Both sides respect each other"

We both know that everyone has to give and share. Our system has few good points and also Russian education system includes lot of great elements. We understand our historical background and different development, but still we can work productive together. This is really true and pure dialogue and it works. We will wait for our next meeting in February. It is awesome to get foreign colleagues. We want to have more teachers in our PLN (Professional Learning Network) to learn.

Let's share, let's care and let's dare !

Visions about leadership

In the future we need leaders who...



separate THE BIG stones from the small ones.

I am working part-time in the Institute of Educational Leadership in Jyväskylä University. Last weekend we brainstormed with 50 principal trainee, what kind on abilities leaders, principals and teachers should have in the future. Every group found out, that future headmasters should be firstly human and have a heart of gold.

"Before you can lead others you must lead yourself"

Leaders of the future know well themselves.They are aware about their feelings and thoughts, because feelings are power and energy.
Good leaders accept all their feelings and use it for good.

Our group talked a lot about Mindfullness -thinking and "downshifting". Mindfulness means that people are living "more" in present. They don't think or live in past or in future.Their most important moment is right now. Like ancient Romans think : " Carpe Diem" - mindfulness thinkers do the same. They find that their most important person is standing in front of them. So we should concentrate people we are dealing now. You notice easily, if another person is somewhere else during conversation.

Don't hurry, take it easy...

Another note was, that every group wanted slow down their working life. We can do this "slow life" for example breathing, walking or eating more slowly during work day. This kind of thinking will confirm your presence at work. And it will help us to find and see positive "forces" around us. Throught this method we encourage positive and creative attitude.It is simply and easy, we think.Our principal traineers are very motivated and clever thinkers. This "we" generation want leaders to be :

- principal as an mirror of the school
- servant and coach
- understand the meaning of silence
- break rutines
- good in dialogue
- understand the power of word and stories
- think out of the box

Sustainable development in school

"Do you want to save the earth ? We do !"
Certificate for promoting sustainable development 1.2.

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Are you Teacherpreneur ?

What is the difference between entrepreneur and teacherpreneur ? Nothing...

Teacherpreneur

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PLN - you never walk alone !

"Nowadays employers don't ask what skills do you have but what people do you know"?

If you want to enlarge your possibilities in profession and develop yourself create yourself PLN. Working alone is history and social networking and connecting other colleagues and specialist is future. My vice to new teacher or educator is simple : "Join Twitter, Facebook, Google+, communities, networks, experts, students etc." With these tools you can develop and design your skills, knowledge and get new idea in your education. It is all about learning.

PLE thinking

Most of the learning happens outside of school.Students hobbies, networks, friends, home, games, litterature, comics, societies educate them even more than school. That's why is important to clarify these Personal Learning Environments(PLE)also at school. What skills and knowledge younsters learn through these tools. This social content is crucial.

My Personal Learning Network (PLN)

My own PLN consist few communities and networks. Our school (Muurame High School) has Facebook tribe which includes student and teachers. One of best learning tool is Twitter. We are building Twitter community with other Finnish and foreign educators/experts in #finnedchat chat and blog http://finnedchat.blogspot.com/. Our school has parents' association to support students and teachers collaboration.

We are coordinating and networking with 24 Finnish High Schools in Finnish Entrepreneurship and Social Network http://www.peda.net/veraja/yrittajyyslukioverkosto. This co-operation with same level schools is fantastic way to develop and discuss pedagogical and teachership issues.

Working in Institute of Educational Leadership https://www.jyu.fi/edu/laitokset/rehtori/en gives us perspective and new thinking in education leadership and academic research.

Latest marvellous network is international contacts in Reform Symposium http://reformsymposium.com/. This community will share knowledge and contacts round the world. It has been awesome to get new colleagues and have dialogue with them. Schooling issues and problems are quite similar every parts of earth.

As a company (Team Factory ltd) we are coordinating and leading education process in Republic of Carelia (Russia)http://www.peda.net/veraja/asbkarelia. This coaching process has put together Russian and Finnish teachers and schools.

Team Factory ltd is The member of Educluster Finland http://educlusterfinland.com/ which export Finnish Edcucation system abroad. This opportunity to join Educluster Finland will open totally new world for Finnish educators. World and new colleagues are very near by.

Let's care, dare and share !

Teamlearning in Muurame High School

"1+1=3"

In Muurame High School we have done several years teamworking and teamlearning. This means that every teachers and many student are involved in teams. Our school is normal Finnish High School with two specialities : entrepreneurship and sustainable development.

So we have two teams for these issues. Both teams have two student membership to bring student's voice planning. Teams make their own team agreement with rules, leadership in team, regular meetings etc.

In that "team contract" is also clarified the goals to achieve and some kind of indicators to measure results. This common and general pact will commit people to do the job. Staff and student can influence what's happening at school next year. Principal can give one goal (this season Well-being and slow life).Everybody is heard and committed to work.Teams get small amount of money for their needs and teammembers get some salary for the work.

Teams are led by teacher leaders or student leader.We must encourage also students to lead.Students are doing exactly the same in entrepreneurship studies and their projects. Coaches give them lot of responsible and freedom to do.

Trust is everything !

Teamwork in action !

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Next blog is dealing Sustainable development and environmental education in school

Presentation in RSCON3 e-Conference

We (with my teammate Timo Ilomäki) were honoured to have presentation about Finnish education system in RSCON3 e-Conference last week.


It was excellent possibility to join and connect other educators round the world.

Special thanks to marvellous educators Vicky Loras and Shell Terrel that they gave us opportunity to join. World is nowadays very small and colleagues near. I love to share this presentation to our PLN.

Reform symposium 2011 finland education system

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Education is everything in society !