As a full-time education consultant, Allison Zmuda works with educators to grow ideas on how to make learning for students challenging, possible and worthy of the attempt. Over the past 19 years, Zmuda has shared curricular, assessment, and instructional ideas, shown illustrative examples, and offered practical strategies of how to get started.
Take a walk through my trip to Finland with friends and colleagues Bena Kallick, Heidi Hayes Jacobs, and Marie Alcock! Look through our Tweets and videos from the five-day field study.
Day 1:
School visit: Pähkinärinne Primary Schools (grades 1–6), City of Vantaa with Principal Tiina Kärkkäinen, 12.30 pm school visit: Veromäki Joint
School visit: Comprehensive Schools (grades 1–9), City of Vantaa with Primary Teacher Markus Humaloja and Upper Secondary Teacher Pekka Peura
School visit: Vantaa International School (grades 1–9), City of Vantaa
Day 2
School visit: Kevätkumpu Primary School (primary; grades 1-6), City of Porvoo with Principal Markku Antinluoma and his team.
BONUS VIDEO: technology teacher explaining the 3rd grade interdisciplinary focus on light.
School visit: Helsinki Upper Secondary School of Languages (grades 1-4), City of Helsinki with Principal Sanna Manner, her team, and students.
Day 3
School visit: Vanttila Joint Comprehensive Schools (grades 1–9), City of Espoo with Principal Olli Poutiainen and his team.
Meeting with University of Helsinki, Centre for Educational Assessment with Professor Jarkko Hautamäki and Researcher, PhD Raisa Ahtiainen.
Day 4
Meeting with teacher training professionals at the University of Helsinki with Primary Teacher Ulla Ilomäki-Keisala.
BONUS VIDEO: Year 5 teacher trainee explaining the approach of how mathematics is taught in the classroom
Meeting with Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO), International School of Helsinki and Deputy Head Ben Thrash
Meeting with professional development coaches and consultants on positive pedagogy
Day 5
Meeting with Eeva-Kaisa Ikonen, Superintendent of Education and her team of curriculum topic specialists, City of Espoo School Board
Meeting with professional development coaches and consultants: Irmeli Halinen, and Päivi Nilivaara