Finland


 * Welcome Students from Finland!**


 * Please tell us a little about your school and class (we would love some pictures of your school if you have time).**


 * Here is our list of survey questions:**

Where is your school located? What is your area like? Hanna (Grade 1) and Elina (Grade 5): Our school is located in the city of Espoo, in the Helsinki metropolitan area. The name of the school is Tähtiniitty (translated in English it means "star meadows"). There are grades 1-6 and and the special needs children/youth grades go up to 9.

What learning spaces do you have in your school (number of classrooms, library, music room, number of buildings etc)? Hanna & Elina: We have classrooms for each class, a textile (craft) room, a technical (craft) room, a computer room, a gym hall, a couple of small extra classrooms for occasional use.

What outdoor and indoor recreation areas/facilities do you have? Hanna & Elina: We have a gym hall and a playground/yard and a gravel field for soccer and games. In winter it becomes an ice skating area.

Do you have any special before, during, or after school programs at your school? Hanna: I go to Duck Club every day after school. We do our homework, play and have sports and have a snack. We have some other after school clubs at school: at least a chess club and floor ball club once or twice a week. Many kids also go to a community center nearby where there is a free before and after school program for all grades.

What do you learn in school, and in which language(s)? Hanna (Gr 1): We have Math, Finnish, English, life skills, art, crafts, science, religion, physical eduction, music. Most of the lessons are in English but Finnish of course and music is in Finnish. Elina (Gr 5): I have math, Finnish, English, life skills, art, crafts, physics and chemistry, biology, geography, religion, physical eduction, history, German, music. About half of the subjects is in English and half in Finnish.

Does your school make use of technology (computers, Smartboards, laptops, ipads, televisions, etc)? About how many of each? Elina: We have a computer room, and a smart board or an active board in each classroom. We don't use televisions any more because the smart boards are much better for watching movies.

How many students attend your school? How many in your grade? In your class? How many adults work at your school? Elina: Around 330 in the whole school, my class has 22 but each grade has two parallel classes (like 5A and 5E) and then there is a separate special needs children/youth classes whose class sizes are smaller and the students can be much older, too. Each class has their own teacher and there's two supporting teachers that go from class to class, then we have the principal, a vice principal, a secretary, four ladies in the cafeteria, and a caretaker and sometimes a nurse.

What is your school’s schedule (start and end times, length and number of breaks, length of school year)? Hanna: My day starts at eight or nine and ends at twelve, one or two in the afternoon. There are three breaks: one in the morning, a lunch break, and one in the afternoon. Elina: My day starts at eight or nine and ends at one, two or three.

The school year starts mid August and ends at the end of May and then we have a long summer vacation. Christmas Holiday is two weeks. We also have a one week winter holiday in February and a short break in October.

What are your school’s rules? Elina: We have so many rules, it's too many!! Like, don't step on ski tracks, you must wear a hat in winter, you are not allowed to throw snow balls, if you want to do ice skating during the recess you must ask a permission, you have to taste at least one spoonful of the lunch even if you don't like it, you have to be quiet during the lesson, you are not allowed to be late from the lesson.

What do you wear to school? Elina: Normal clothes. Hanna: Today I had jeans, t-shirt and a cardigan inside and warm winter jacket and pants outside.

Does your school have a cafeteria? Or, a hot lunch program? What kinds of food do students eat at school? Elina: A cafeteria and a hot lunch program every day. Today we had cream of carrot soup but I didn't like it at all.

Do you celebrate any special days at your school (100s Day, Crazy Hair Day, Backwards Day, Sports Day, holidays)? Elina: Fun day once a year (sometimes it's the April fool's day, this year it's Valentines Day, then we have a Unicef day and walk for fundraising, a show day, we have a Christmas party and the end of the school year party. Some times we have a fund raising disco at school in the evening.

What do you do for fun at school? We have sometimes pot lucks where everyone can bring candy and pop.

What do you do after school? Elina: I go home or to my friends' house. Once a week I go to after school art lesson and in the evenings I have sports about twice a week. Hanna: I go to Duck Club until my parents pick me up. On Tuesdays I walk by myself to my after school art lesson.