For five days in September, I visited Lahti to job shadow two principals, get an insight into the Finnish preschool and exchange experiences with our Nordic twin towns Akureyri, Ålesund, Lahti and Randers. On this occasion Randers unfortunately did not have the opportunity to attend.
Meeting with the municipal management
My visit in Lahtis started with participating in a meeting with the municipal management. In the meeting, we got an insight into how preschool activities are organized in the city. There I met operational management and school principals. On the same day, I attended a preschool where I had the opportunity to shadow the management during the whole day. I also got to visit the preschool’s learning environments and participate in gatherings with the children. The preschool I visited was located in a socioeconomically vulnerable area and there were several children with neuropsychiatric disabilities and children of other origins.
Visit a preschool in the country
On the second day, me and two of my preschool teachers got to visit a preschool that was out in the country but with socio-economic stability. There we got to meet the principal who told us about how her work was organized at the preschool and how they work with sustainability. We got to visit all learning environments and meet children and staff. We also had the opportunity to visit the preschool class for which the preschool principal was responsible.
Organization and staff
During these days, I learned a lot about the organization of staff and how they optimize staffing at the preschools. We talked a lot about pedagogy and learning. I also had the opportunity to discuss the importance of children’s recovery in order to create the best learning possible. I was both strengthened and confirmed about the subject based on research. I was able to clearly see how the organization at the preschool enabled time for reflection and planning of the teaching, which in turn benefits children’s learning and development skills. The preschool teachers have the opportunity to plan the education and reflect both from home and at the preschool. They don’t work 40-hour weeks like we do in Sweden, and full-time work is about two hours less a week (scheduled).
Meals at the city’s preschools
I also gained insight into equivalence regarding meals at the city’s preschools. All preschools prepared food based on the same ingredients but it gets cooked under the influence of the unit’s chef. One of the preschools baked their own bread for lunch together with the children for teaching and educational purposes, but also based on joyful learning. It was also very interesting to study how the principal cooperated with her employees and I felt that they had a trusting relationship. The leadership felt clear and trustworthy.
Wonderfully well received
My colleagues and I were wonderfully well received by our hosts in Finland. It was a very well-planned program throughout our days. The preschools were well prepared and full of anticipation for our visits. The children were curious about us and some were fascinated that we had traveled so far to see their preschool and what they learned during the day. One of the children said: ”They have traveled across the ocean to meet us”.
The principals greeted us very well and I feel that we have formed bonds of friendship to see each other again and visit each other’s preschools and also talked about how to expand cooperation between the countries.
During the days, we mostly spoke English to each other, but our hosts also tried to speak Swedish with us, which was much appreciated. I take with me lots of new thoughts from our visits and I feel strengthened both in my leadership and in my mission as principal.
Insights and inspiration
The warm reception and the job shadowing in Lahti have given me insights and inspiration. I bring with me many good thoughts and experiences from our Finnish sister city that will benefit me in my leadership and in the development of teaching at the preschools. After my visit, I can see many similarities between our Nordic countries, and I feel a strong bond between the countries. Now more than ever.
Anna-Maria Barnelius
Principal, Västerås stad Skolverksamheter
Norsamby 