Discovering Finland's Education System: Visit Espoonlahahti Junior High and High School

Teachers' sleeping quarters. Teachers are allowed
to take a nap in the middle of the day!

Teacher Lounges are comfortable

Samuel, Sara and I visited the Espoonlahti Junior High School on Monday morning. The address for the school is Opettajantie 3, Espoo. We settled in principal’s office. He gave us a book describing the history of the school. The school is located in a “rich” neighborhood with 360 students and 37 faculty members in Junior High and 400 students and 26 faculty in High School. There were originally 100 students, now close to 800. The school also had a 100-seat auditorium for natives and for foreigners. The school has been renovated and now the auditorium can seat all 800 students. In 2015 Finland accepted many Iraqis, and Finnish government paid for their education. Finnish government gives money to schools, based on the population.

The best way to get there from downtown Helsinki is to take the metro to Matinkylä, and switch to bus number 143, 145, 146 or 147. The metro was great. I walked to Ruoholahti Metro and got off in Matinkylä. Then I started to find the busses. They were all aligned indoors with good numbers on top of the doors where we entered the busses. I took 143 and asked the bus driver to drop me off on stop closest to the school. Well, she did but it was a wrong school. Then I had to ask around to get to the proper school. I walked through a forest, through an outdoor stadium and finally found the right building. Luckily I had left early enough so I was the first one there. I found the principal’s office and said hello to him and at the same time we spotted Sam walking in his orange jacket.

Teacher lounge

We visited the school library. Nice. School libraries communicate with public libraries. That means that if you borrow a book from a school library, you can return it to any library.

There are two vice principals. Both have to teach just like any other teacher. In addition, they have responsibilities and they get paid extra. One is in charge of scheduling and the other one deals with substitute teachers.

Notes from the principal talk: OK, I am writing these sentences based on my notes, I am not sure if I remember everything that goes behind them.

The Finnish Law / School Law say: Educate for Life.

There is a special Education Class where students study the same subjects, but get extra help.

Parent association exists, communication with parents is good.

Everyone belongs to union.

The calendar is shown in the faculty room, everyone know what's going on around the campus

To get a full-time teaching job, you usually have to teach for two years as a substitute teacher.

Competition is high; 10+ applicants for math position vs. 100 applicants for elementary teaching.

Edu.fi, wide range of learning

19.4 Debate between junior High schools in Espoo, big thing.

Phenomenal learning Helsinki

Integration learning Espoo: physics, math and gym teachers working together in a lesson plan

Everyone in grades 6-7 have tablets, 8-9 chrome books. Classes are 75 minutes long.

YHR, Social media, alcohol – drug, for every student, teachers focus on problems beforehand.

YHR class level

OTR support for learning---- testing if problem

YAR-personal, family, personal things, need a permit from parents, social worker, crisis group,

Church involved, not as a religion but help.

3 personal holidays for one child, 15 holidays for 5 children,

new curriculum, parents, requirements, has to have good grades to get to high school. Parents get upset—one law suit in this school, sometimes all the way to parliament. (ex: broken leg-no taxi)

Burgers email:

Yours Birger

Mr. Birger Holm