The 3rd mobility in our Erasmus+ project “Breaking out of our shell to nurture global citizens” took place from the 30th March to the 7th April in Finland. Our teachers Ms Grammati Kapnia and Mr Nikolaos Tsampazis travelled to Helsinki to attend the international educational programme “Structured educational visit to schools/institutes and training seminars in Finland”, organised by English Matters.
The programme largely aimed at the participants’ professional development through their familiarisation with the guiding principles of the Finnish educational system and the enrichment of their teaching skills. Accordingly, our two participants attended lectures, visited schools, took part in field projects and self-reflected on their experience of the programme. Moreover, implementing a wide range of cultural activities in Helsinki, Tampere and Talin, they investigated the way aspects of the Finnish and Scandinavian culture led to the development of the educational system. An equally important objective of the programme was the establishment and dissemination of a common European dimension in education, which was achieved through the participants’ reflection and interaction on the characteristics of the educational systems their countries share. Last but not least, working in groups of 3-4 people, our two participants made contact and created networks with colleagues from all over Europe with a view to a future collaboration in a European project.
On their return, Ms Kapnia and Mr Tsampazis communicated enthusiastic impressions and experiences from the programme, as well as a lot of information concerning the Finnish educational system and the learning and teaching conditions in Finnish institutions.
