Between October 28th and November 6th, Experience Workshop had the privilege of hosting a group of 18 eager students, 2 dedicated teachers and the principal, Wang Gang, from Capital Normal University Affiliated Hua Yuan Primary School in Beijing, China.
For ten days, these young minds set off on a journey of discovery, gaining experience about the Finnish approach to education and culture by attending classes, participating in activities, and exploring the country’s natural beauty and cultural heritage.
Visiting the Jyskä Primary School
The program was carefully designed to offer a well-rounded experience. Students spent time in a local Finnish school in Jyväskylä, Central Finland called Jyskä Primary School. They observed Finnish classroom’s settings and participated in lessons alongside Finnish students. This firsthand experience provided a valuable opportunity for cultural exchange and a deeper understanding of the Finnish education system.
First Day in School
Students and staff from Jyskä Primary School have prepared a warm welcome. The first day the visiting group not only got to know the school premises, classes, students and teachers, but the Jyskä Primary School also organized an assembly for the whole school, where Chinese students could present themselves, their school and their cultural background.
Second Day in School
On the second day, visiting students were invited for a Halloween party organized by the students of Jyskä Primary School. By a fortunate coincidence, Tiina Malste, teacher of a 4th grade class, actually spoke Mandarin Chinese, thus being able to directly communicate with the guests. We thank teacher Anna Perkkiö, as well, for taking such good care of our guests, and we thank the principal Risto Rönnberg for making this collaboration possible.
STEAM Workshops
A highlight of the program was the STEAM workshops led by dr. Kristóf Fenyvesi, where students engaged in hands-on activities that combined science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics by making use of the 4D Frame STEAM toolkit series.
These workshops fostered creativity, problem-solving skills, and a love of learning. In the Warka water tower model workshop, students were introduced to how to harvest water from the air by building their own small Warka tower structures. In the Symmetry of snowflakes workshop, students were creating their own unique snowflakes. In the robotics workshop, students put their Mechatronics robots to a test in an obstacle course.
Finnish Handicrafts
The program was also enriched by workshops emphasizing Finnish cultural heritage with special emphasis on the Finnish Christmas preparations (or pikkujoulu). In a traditional handicrafts workshop with arts teacher Leena Kuorikoski, the students had a chance to craft traditional Christmas decorations from straw. To introduce the importance of snow and snow-art, Juhani Lillberg, member of Finnish-Chinese Association, talked about his snow sculptures. As it was actually snowing, students had the chance to play with snow themselves.
Cultural Activities
Outside of the classroom, students participated in a variety of cultural excursions. They explored the stunning Finnish nature, visited the forest, lakes, and the Laajavuori ski slope in Jyväskylä. They also had the chance to experience Finnish urban life in a variety of cities like Tampere, Helsinki and Jyväskylä. In Tampere they explored the famous Moomin museum – one of a kind in Finland, together with the Vapriikki museum, which offers a wide variety of exhibitions to choose from. In Helsinki, on top of visiting the most important sightseeing spots, the group also explored the Heureka Science Centre to support the understanding of STEM to STEAM. The city of Jyväskylä provided a well-rounded exploration of Finnish culture in its local museums – the Museum of Alvar Aalto, the Museum of Central Finland, the Craft Museum of Finland and the Museum of Natural History. These excursions allowed the students to appreciate Finland’s natural environment and the unique blend of tradition and modernity in Finnish culture.
Chinese students were incredibly enthusiastic about the program, and their positive feedback was a testament to the success of the initiative. Both institutions are excited to explore opportunities for further student exchanges and joint projects, developing a lasting partnership that will benefit students from both countries.
Feedback by students
“The Finnish school is a lot different from the Chinese one.”
“I was so happy to play with everyone in the large playground.”
“The school lunch buffet was amazing! Kids drink tap water.”
“I was surprised how friendly Finnish kids were. We made great friends.”
“Thanks for taking care of us. We had a great time.”
Feedback by teachers
“We were surprised by the large space for student activities.”
“It’s impressive how Finnish kids are not afraid of the cold.”
“We enjoyed the focus on enhancing students’ capabilities through training.”
“Thank you for your warm hospitality.”
“I hope that Finnish children will come to China and become good friends with our students.”
Photo credits: Nóra Somlyódy, Tereza Pruknerová and Ashen Wijayarathna
Would you like to participate in a similar educational program?
info@experienceworkshop.org
+358452560420
