A Question for Entrepreneurs and Those Who Act with Entrepreneurial Mindset

Please reply to the question on the right column (right top). I just want to gather a rough idea how you feel about co-operating with schools. Thanks!

Finland Top 1 in Education

Finland got a great result from a global ranking of education systems. We should not anyway stop working on developing our system. But what is the direction we take in the future? Are there going to be fees in the higher education? Are there any small schools existing in the future? Will staff reductions be part of school's every day life? Or do we actually try to make schools more inspirational and learning friendly?...

Link to BBC's article:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-20498356

Conflict!!! How to deal with it?

According to Tuckman, groups tend to develop through certain stages. These stages are:

1. forming (people indentify with the group)

2. storming (clarifying goal and finding the role for each member of the group)

3. norming (what kind of behavior is expected)

4. performing (working on the task in order to achieve the goal)

5. adjourning (feedback and the future of interpersonal relationship).

Our group is developing through all those stages as well. In the beginning we formed and got to know each others. We were polite to each others and did not want to talk about possible problems until the first task was over. Finding the best ways to work as a group took time.

At the end of the first task our group moved to the next stage "storming". The roles became clearer and we discussed about our rules (norming) again. After discussing the rules, the group payed lots of attention to behavior of all the group members. It sometimes felt that norming took way too much energy, and working itself became harder.

Unfortunately our group was not able to communicate openly enough to solve the problems.  At the norming stage the group had to ask help from outside in order to be able to move to the next stage. 

So what could have been done differently at the storming and norming stages? How the conflict should have been dealt with?

I am not sure I have answers. Emails, for sure, are not the best way to deal with problems. It is much more civilized to discuss than write emails. When you are working online all the time, sending an email sounds like an easy option. But arranging an online meeting would probably be better. Asking and getting help from the tutors while the issues are still "fresh" is important, too. Otherwise the problems just grow bigger and bigger, until solving them becomes hard. 

So how will I help my students with team developing in the future? 

At least I will try to explain them how teams develop, and what kind of issues they may have to deal with. I will also regularly talk with them about their group performance and possible problems they have faced. I will not leave them alone to deal with the problems, but rather help them to find solutions by standing next to them.

Now our group is performing pretty well and getting ready for the last task. We do not know yet if we are going to work as a group ever again. Maybe it is time for adjourning soon. If not just yet, then at least sometime next spring. I hope we will stay in touch, personally and professionally.

Learning New Skills: Editing

I have just edited my first video. 

I interviewed two specialists for our last virtual session. And I even opened a Youtube account. Wow! 

I have to say editing is a never ending process. You could try to make improvements after improvements. I am pretty happy with my first video ever though. Of course it could be even better, and some editing was not that great - but hey - I did it! And it was fun! (But took hours!)

Some Interesting Articles: Where is Finnish Education Going?

I find this quite sad.. 

http://yle.fi/uutiset/parents_shopping_for_good_schools/6288231

And it is quite the opposite where we should be going to..

http://www.oecd.org/newsroom/educationspendingrisingbutaccesstohighereducationremainsunequalinmostcountriessaysoecd.htm

This is only in Finnish (sorry) but the message is shortly that the level of higher education in Finland is increasing lower than average among the OECD countries. Another important notice is that only 87% of 15-19 years old Finns are studying.

http://www.minedu.fi/OPM/Tiedotteet/2012/09/education_at_a_glance.html?lang=fi

Good News: Going International!

Today I got good news about the scholarship. =) Fingers crossed that the partner in the UK will welcome me.

Training Abroad

Today I started looking for an opportunity to do part of my teaching training abroad, most likely in the UK. The school supports students financially. So now I should find an interesting receiving college and figure out how I could take my family with me. I am not ready to leave my children home for two weeks.

I think I will make a new page for this project..

How I Became a Student

I have been working quite hard for the last couple of years to get in to the local University of Applied Sciences to get vocational teacher's qualification in Finland. Five years ago I would have said "No thank you" to the idea of becoming a teacher (two teachers in a family is enough)! But then I started to work as a coordinator at the local vocational college, and found out that the kids and workmates are actually nice. Our director of the unit asked me to get the qualification, and here I am - studying.

This year I was able to apply for the first time. Earlier it was mandatory to have Master's degree, but the law changed and my Bachelor's degree is now enough. And to my big suprise I got selected! Our group is international and everything is taught in English. That suits me just fine since I want to teach in English in the future.

I got the great news when my son was only 7 weeks old. I had mixed feelings; I was happy and worried at the same time. How Am I going to find time to do my studies? I am already doing my MBA! But this is what I want! So let the show begin.