Early Childhood Education Study Tour
In Finland the world-class education path begins with world-class early childhood education. Finland has, for a long time, had a strong emphasis on “stress-free childhood”. Early childhood education is informal, full of play and activities that are characteristic of children, and not school-like at all. Despite of this non-formal approach, Finnish early childhood education guarantees children excellent learning abilities.
Early childhood education in Finland is research-based and supports children’s balanced growth, development and learning. In Finland early childhood education is provided for children between 0-5 years. Pre-primary education is compulsory for children of the age of six. Basic education starts in the year when a child turns seven.
Target groups: teachers, principals, school owners, anyone interested in Finnish early childhood education
Objectives: The program gives visitors an overview of the Finnish education system and early childhood education as an integral part of it. Study Tour introduces the founding principles in Finnish Early Childhood Education and how it is implemented in action. The program also offers an up-close and personal view of daily life in the Finnish day care centers.
Where: Tampere, Finland.
Daily program: 9am – 3pm
Program language: English
The Program
Monday: Introduction to the Finnish Education System
- Finnish Education system
- Introduction to the principles behind the education system
- Paradoxes of Finnish Education: Less is More, No dead ends etc.
- Early childhood education as part of the whole education system
- Visit to a primary school
Tuesday: Early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Finland
- Educare model: care, education and teaching to support children’s balanced growth, development and learning
- Different forms of daycare and early childhood education in Finland
- The funding and fees for daycare
- Legislation and norms guiding ECEC operations in Finland
- National Core Curriculum for ECEC in Finland: areas of learning and transversal competencies
- Pre-primary education as a link between early childhood education and school
- Visit to a day care center
Wednesday: ECEC promoting learning
- Learning through play
- Intrinsic motivation as a basis of learning
- Child-centered pedagogy: inquiry-based learning, hands-on learning, small group activities, versatile learning environments
- Children as actors influencing ECEC: involvement and participation
- Visit to a day care center
- Finnish Nature Experience or Dinner at Näsinneula Observation Tower
Thursday: Individual support in early childhood education
- Early childhood education based on child’s individual needs
- Integration and inclusion in ECEC
- Categories and forms of support
- Observation and documentation
- Child’s individual ECEC plan
- Visit to a forest day care center or themed day care center
Friday: Co-operation in ECEC
- Multi-professional co-operation to support the child’s growth and development
- Team work and collaboration
- Co-operation with parents in ECEC
- Co-operation with school in ECEC: transition between ECE and pre-primary education
- Evaluation and reflection of the program
- Farewell lunch
The program includes:
- Expert lectures and workshops
- Study material
- Visits and transportation to visit places
- Expert host
- Finnish Nature Experience or Dinner at Näsinneula Observation Tower
- Certificate of participation
- Premium version of LessonApp for free for a year
- Book Finnish Education in Practice: What, Why and How
- Lunches, coffee and farewell lunch.
Visits include:
- Guided visits to Finnish day care centers and pre-primary education
- Different types of early childhood education facilities
- Observation and participation in the day care center’s day-to-day activities, meal time, outdoor activities etc.
- Opportunities to talk with teachers and children
Trainers:
Learning Scoop’s staff comprises experienced teachers, principals and education experts, who have received excellent feedback on their work. The trainers at Learning Scoop have years of teaching experience gained through the Finnish educational community and through teacher training.
Costs:
The price for individual participant is 1450e + possible VAT 25,5% / person
Group prices:
10-14 participants in a group the price is 1300e+ possible VAT 25,5% / person
15-20 participants in a group the price is 1200e+ possible VAT 25,5% / person
Please note that accommodation is not included in the price.
Next pre-scheduled study tours in Tampere, Finland:
On request for groups, contact us!
Excursions and cultural experiences:
There are plenty of excursions and evening activities available.
Are you interested in Boat Tour or seeing Finnish Wilderness? How about Sauna Experience or Ice hole swimming?
Contact us: info@learningscoop.fi
Accommodation:
We are happy to collaborate with Lapland Hotels which offers you a chance to experience Lapland in the heart of a city. The centrally located hotels are close to our training premises. The design of the rooms was influenced by nature and the stories of Lapland.
Lapland Hotels offer fixed prices for our customers accordingly:
Lapland Hotels Tampere, Address Yliopistonkatu 44, Tampere:
Room in Comfort Class for 1 person 112€/night in 2024 (118€ in 2025)
Room in Comfort Class for 2 persons 132€/night in 2024 (138€ in 2025)
Lapland Hotels Arena, Address Ratapihankatu 54, Tampere:
Room in Comfort Class for 1 person 122€/night in 2024 (128€ in 2025)
Room in Comfort Class for 2 persons 142€/night in 2024 (148€ in 2025)
Prices include buffet breakfast with local delicacies, taxes, sauna and wireless internet connection.
Check the availability and book your room at Lapland Hotels in Tampere by email sales.tampere@laplandhotels.com with code “LEARNINGSCOOP”
Our happy customers say
The conversational style of many of the "lectures" was wonderful. Several of the individuals went out of their way to find the answers to the questions we had and they or others that followed added things to the next lectures to make sure we had our questions answered and our particular interests addressed. The school visits were a nice mix of different types of ECECs and schools. The people in each of the schools were so engaging and enthusiastic. This was a great learning experience and well worth the 10 days of my time. Thank you for making it possible.
My experience in Tampere was excellent! I felt the different visits provided a variety of experiences and showed the consistency in how the educational system gives similar opportunities to children, regardless of their location or facilities, what counts is the quality of education the system ensures to provide. Over all the knowledge and expertise of trainers was rich and evident. They accomplished to cover all the information and theoretical part of the tour. Thank you for an amazing week of learning!
I truly enjoyed the whole Study Tour. I’ve been telling friends and family how professional and caring everybody is. Everything was top notch! I’ve been to different conferences and your Study Group is special. I like that we were able to talk to students, parents, teachers and managers. When your team was saying that there is no atmosphere of “hierarchy” in schools, I really felt that. Everything you mentioned in your presentation came to life when we visited the day care centers. It’s amazing that everybody is on the same page there in Finland. What an amazing place to be in! No matter where we went, the teachers seem to share the same understanding of what is truly important in Early Childhood. No matter what center we visited, the teachers were consistent in their actions and ideas (that they shared with us). Nobody was putting on a show or trying to impress us. The adults were there with the kids FIRST in their minds.
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