In my job shadowing I expressed a wish to follow mainly English language teachers to learn from them about the use of digital tools and classroom management when students are involved in learning with the help of different digital tools. Since the school system is different from the one in Croatia and the lyceum offers different courses under English as a subject there were gaps in my schedule so I also attended Spanish and German classes which were also taught with digital tools.

First of all I would like to point out that the school system surprised me positively and I acquired many great ideas to be implied in my classes. I was also surprised at how much students actually participate in learning process and how much teachers involve them during the lectures. The idea that school is silent school (no bell ringing) was very much appreciated and it definitely reduces the stress level among teachers and students. Consequently, the relaxed atmosphere prevails in the school and leads to more productive learning process.

The school seems to be happy place for students because when they have a gap in schedule they actually stay at school corridors and type something or learn together. That cannot be seen in Croatian schools because we lack facilities like libraries or sitting areas in the corridors and students hurry in the cafe bars which are conveniently situated right next to schools.

The courses in English offered variety of topics and what surprised me most was that students start high school with lower level of English and end up with advanced level. The state exam is taken for 6 hours while in Croatia it lasts for 2 hours and 40 minutes and it is easier. It does not include use of English or speaking part.

The autonomy that teachers have in Finnish schools is very important and I noticed that the base for teaching/learning process is a course book from which lessons are chosen carefully and that can be expanded with teacher’s materials as well. Croatian education system is currently undergoing a reform and the most important is the autonomy of the teacher but it goes so far that the book is not important anymore but teachers still have to choose one text book between those offered by different publishers. Usually topics that should be covered are not all given in the chosen text book so the teachers are having difficulty to find materials for lessons. So this situation is better in Finland where teachers have basis for teaching and can expand it easily.

Digital tools are left as optional not obligatory as in Croatian schools currently being in a reform. If the old system works well no pressure is put on the teachers, which is good and brings to the relaxed atmosphere.

Finnish teachers have offices and work until 4 pm, which is better because they don’t bring their work at home unlike Croatian teachers who usually end up working all day. I find Finnish system much better.

The only thing that is becoming better in Croatian educational system is inclusion of students with different learning disabilities. As I could notice while doing job shadowing no special focus is given to students with learning disabilities. I do not claim that they exist in the school because I haven’t noticed any type of student like that but I have asked teachers about it and no special treatment is given to those with learning disabilities. In Croatian schools there can be a few students in a classroom with learning disabilities and teacher is to prepare separate working sheets for them which is paid very low so many teachers still put students like that aside which in my opinion creates social cases.

The second thing that Finnish high schools do not have as a subject is Art History class so I keep wondering how Finnish citizens managed to develop high level of sensitivity towards cultural inheritance and museums unlike Croatians who are taught about artists and periods of art.

All in all, my job shadowing experience was very useful and it broadened my perspective.

U svom job shadowingu izrazila sam želju da pratim nastavnike engleskog jezika u finskoj školi kako bih od njih naučila o upotrebi digitalnih kanala i o upravljanju razredom dok učenici uče uz pomoć različitih digitalnih alata. Kako je sistem obrazovanja drukčiji gimnazija nudi različite tečajeve pod predmet engleski jezik i zbg rupa u rasporedu sam odslušala satove španjolskog i engleskog koji se također poučavaju digitalnim alatima.

Najprije bih željela istaknuti kako me je sustav obrazovanja pozitivno iznenadio i dobila sam puno ideja primjenjivih u razredu. Također me iznenadilo koliko su učenici uključeni u nastavni proces. Ideja o školi bez zvona mi se svidjel i smanjen je stres kod nastavnika i učenika. Stoga, smirena atmosfera vlada školomi produktivniji je proces učenja.

Škola je sretno mjesto za učenike jer i u pauzama oni se zadržavaju na hodnicima i nešto rade na kompjuterima i uče. To nije slučaj u hrvatskim školama jer nam većinom nedostaje popratnih sadržaja kao što su čitaonice ili mjesta za sjedenje u hodnicima pa učenici odjure u obližnje kafiće koji su idealno smješteni odmah uz škole.

tečajevi iz engleskog nude razne teme i što me najviše iznenadilo je da učenici počinju srednju školu s nižom razinom engleskog a završe je s naprednom. Završni ispit traje 6 sati dok kod nas 2 sata i 40 minuta i lakši je. nema uporabe jezika ni govornog dijela.

Sloboda koju nastavnici u finskim školama imaju je veoma važna primjetila sam da je temelj za poučavanje udžbenik iz kojeg se odabiru lekcije koje nastavnik može proširiti prema svojim idejama. Hrvatski obrazovni sustav je trenutno u reformi te je najvažnija ta sloboda nastavnika koja ide toliko daleko da udžbenik i nije bitan, ali nastavnici i dalje odabiru s popisa odobrenih udžbenika jedan udžbenik od nekog izdavača. Teme koje trebaju biti pokrivene obično nisu sve u tom udžbeniku pa nastavnici imaju poteškoća u pronalasku materijala za sat. Stoga je bolja situacija u finskim školama gdje nastavnici imaju temelj i samo prošire prema svojoj volji.

Digitalni alati su opcija, a ne obaveza kao u hrvatskim školama u reformi. Ako stari sistem poučavanja funkcionira ne stavlja se pritisak na nastavnika, što je dobro i doprinosi opuštenijoj atmosferi.

Finski nastavnici imaju urede i rade do 4 sata poslijepodne, što je bolje jer ne nose posao kući za razliku od hrvatskih nastavnika koji rade cijeli dan. Finski sistem mi je stoga bolji.

Jedino što ide nabolje u hrvatskom školstvu je inkluzija učenika s različitim poteškoćama u učenju. Kako sam mogla primjetiti na job shadowingu nikakva posebna pažnja se ne pridaje učenicima s poteškoćama u učenju. U hrvatskim školama u razredu zna biti nekoliko takvih učenika pa nastavnik priprema za njih razne materijale što je malo plaćeno pa mnogi nastavnici takve učenike stavljaju sa strane što po mom mišljenju stvara socijalne slučajeve.

Finske škole nemaju ni predmet likovna umjetnost pa se pitam kako su finski građani razvili toliki senzibilitet prema kulturnom naslijeđu i muzejima za razliku od hrvatskih građana koji su u školama poučavani o raznim pravcima u umjetnosti i umjetnicima.

Sve u svemu, moje iskustvo na job shadowingu je bilo jako korisno i proširilo je moje vidike.