My name is Laura, and I am studying to become a vocational school teacher in Germany. My subjects are Business and Physical Education. As part of my studies, I had the opportunity to complete an Erasmus internship at Novida in Finland. I spent one month at Novida in Lieto and one month at Novida in Uusikaupunki, which allowed me to experience two different school locations and gain a broader insight into vocational education in Finland.
One of my main goals was to gain an insight into the Finnish education system. This is also connected to my Master’s thesis, in which I compare aspects of the Finnish and German education systems. During my internship, I accompanied different teachers, especially Josefiina Rausmaa, Sanna Järvinen and Juha Laine, observed English, Customer Service and Physical Education lessons, and learned a lot about everyday school life at Novida.
I also had the opportunity to teach myself. I planned and taught English lessons and a Business Customer Service English course. Teaching in another country and in English was a very valuable experience for me as a future teacher.
Besides regular lessons, I also had the chance to experience different school project days and project weeks. I was especially fascinated by how the different vocational fields are integrated into everyday school life. For example, Business students take responsibility in the school café, while Logistics and House Building students can contribute to the organisation and setup of school events, such as a team-building day, by helping to prepare the different activity stations. I found this practical connection between vocational training and school life particularly interesting.
I am especially grateful for how warmly I was welcomed at Novida and for all the different insights I was given. My experience also went beyond school: I joined a training session with a local girls’ football team, attended a Korihait basketball game with Sanna and took part in an evening sewing course.
My time at Novida gave me many new perspectives on education, teaching, sport and Finnish culture. I am very thankful for all the people who welcomed me, answered my questions and made this experience possible.