Mutalan koulu, Joensuu, Finland                Job Shadowing 

Day 1: Travelling to Finland, three connections:  Zagreb - Brussels, Brussels - Helsinki, Helsinki -Joensuu 

Finland remained a largely agricultural country until the 1950s. After World War II, it industrialised quickly and established an advanced economy, with a welfare state built on the Nordic model. This allowed the country to experience overall prosperity and high per capita income. During the Cold War, Finland officially embraced a policy of neutrality. Since then, it has become a member of the European Union in 1995, the Eurozone in 1999, and NATO in 2023. Finland is a member of various international organisations, such as the Nordic Council, the Schengen Area, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The nation performs exceedingly well in national performance metrics, including education, economic competitiveness, civil liberties, quality of life, and human development. 

The vast majority of the population are ethnic Finns. The official languages are Finnish and Swedish; 84.9 percent of the population speak the first as their mother tongue and 5.1 percent the latter. Finland's climate varies from humid continental in the south to boreal in the north. The land cover is predominantly boreal forest biome, with more than 180,000 recorded lakes. 

Day 2: Introducing the city and its culture. Xmas market, local products, arts and crafts.

City of Joensuu has 21 comprehensive schools, which provide teaching for classes 1–6. Among these is Kanervala School, which is English-speaking primary school. For classes 7–9 education is provided in three secondary schools and in four schools where classes 1–9 are unified. 

In addition, there are two university training schools, a bilingual Finnish-Russian school of Eastern Finland and a Steiner pedagogy school in Joensuu. All these offer classes 1–9. 

Day 3: Meeting with the school staff, discussion about the education system and pedagogical documentation. Visiting local nature park, frozen lake, forest, hiking routes etc.

Independent since 1917, member of the European Union since 1995

-Total area 338,000 km2, Population 5.5 million (17 inhabitants / km2)

-Two official languages: Finnish 92 %,  Swedish 6 %, (Saami 0,03%)

-Religion: Lutheran (84 %), orthodox (1 %)

-74,6 % of population (aged 25 to 64) have  completed upper secondary or tertiary  education. 33,2 % have university or other  tertiary qualifications

-Immigrants:  2 % of population

-Main exports: electronics, metal and engineering, forest industry

-Working life: 86 % of women (aged 25 to 64)  are employed outside the home. Average  monthly income (men) 4,258 and (women) 3,608  euros.

Day 4: Meeting the whole staff and monitoring classes at Mutalan koulu elementary school, Joensuu. Presentation to 5th graders (Croatian Christmas);  4th grade ENGLISH;

Day 5: Monitoring classes 4th grade CRAFTS. Visit to the Joensuun Normaalikoulu; 5th grade ENGLISH; Presentation - Croatia, hometown, Čazma Elementary school; Evening - Christmas Fair at Mutala school.

Day 6: Monitoring classes - Special needs education; 6th grade ENGLISH; 6th grade SWEDISH; OPTIONAL STUDIES sewing, knitting, carpentry.

Day 7: Monitoring classes - Special education; 2nd grade FINNISH; 1st grade MATHS; 1st gradeSCIENCE; 2nd grade ENGLISH; Christimas in Croatia for 6th graders

Day 8: Monitoring classes - 5th grade ENGLISH; 2nd grade CRAFTS. Feedback and conclusions. Xmas dinner with colleagues.

Day 9: Returning home. Three connections: Joensuu-Helsinki, Helsinki - Zurich, Zurich - Zagreb.