Oi, tudo bem? A Training experience in Brazil
Joy of learning!
The Brazilian sun is hot and The Brazilian people are warm. When more than forty Brazilian educators are working in co-operative way, the loud and tension is high.
I had a nice possibility to deliver three one-week training sessions for educators in Brazil, one week in Rio de Janeiro, one week in Natal and one week in Sao Paulo. Tampere University of Apply Sciences (TAMK) and Häme University of Apply Sciences (HAMK) offered shared program and I was the trainer.
The entire experience was more than nice. All those nice persons, warm atmosphere and engaged groups who were enthusiastic to change and developing their educational mindsets. For me and for my colleague, Ms. Irma Kunnari was a huge benefit that we had Brazilian woman, Jamyille Ouverney-King as our guide and expert to help us. Without her, we would have lost a lot of time, ourselves, our mobiles, and flight tickets and so on.
We held the one-week intensive program in three different sites: Macae, near Rio de Janeiro, Natal and Sao Jose dos Campos next to Sao Paolo.
This feedback really made my day!
There were about 40 educators in each group and all of them were enthusiastic to learn about Finnish education and from each other. They are working in Salesiana Schools; the schools are run by Catholic Salesiana order. Participants were educators from pre-school to upper secondary.
We covered themes like curriculum design, co-operative methods, project-based learning, phenomena-based and problem-based learning and of course what teachership in 21st century means in theory and practise.
My friend asked to me how it was in Brazil. I answered warm, nice, lots of nice people, sunshine, food, hard work and loud. Even though the days were busy and long I would be happy to do it again if I get the opportunity.
Juha Lahtinen
