WEDNESDAY, THE 20TH APRIL. SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS.

Hello everyone!  

Thank you for your contributions to find a name for our mascot, you’ve got a couple days more to see if the other classes are encouraged and provide more names...

Today it has been a very long day, as my friend and I, we had to get up at five in the morning to catch a bus that has led us in another school, in this case in Tampere, a city two hours far in the north of Finland, where it was incredible cold...

Getting on the bus.

Mind you, he was the first getting onto the bus... He was eager to tell me some things... By the way, he told me, that his father was one of the eight reindeer pulling the Santa Claus’ sleigh; if you don't know it yet, Santa Claus lives in Finland, in Lapland’s area, north of Finland. I don’t think so I will have time enough to arrive there, but at least our friend can tell us something more about the topic.

Today we’ve been visiting a school where children with special needs work;  children who haven’t had the luck that most of you have and have a serious problem, whether physical, psychological or sensory.

Going into school.

In Finland, children who have a problem of this type, have more attention, if possible, than children who do not have it. There are several professors at the same time in the class who help them to learn such basic things as bathing, eating, reading and playing.

Classes are a maximum of ten students and have monitors that help them to have a nice time during the school time.

Our friend, the reindeer, has been paying attention to the talk they have given us in the Center and has been taking a lot of notes...

Taking notes in class.

Special education classes are adapted for children to learn in the more comfortable way. Even they have also an elevator, so those who are in wheelchairs or who can’t walk properly, can arrive better to different parts of the school.

School facilities.

Special education class.

Here can you see different facilities, in order to get an idea how comfortable they can feel at the Centre and the well-being they are. Their teachers told us that they have a good behavior and love going to school every day.

We have been eating in the dining room, and the fact is the food is so good... and of course, they don't have to pay anything, the State pays for everything.

In the dining room of the school.

I love that all children have the same opportunities and facilities to learn and have fun at school, do you?

But we also went to a school where children love music and no wonder, with all the instruments they have, it’s normal...

Have you seen how many guitars? Even our friend dared to play the drums! And it seems that he makes a good job... As I said you before in Finland, studying music is very important and all teachers, regardless of their speciality need to learn music.

Look, this video is very nice. Do you recognize the song they are singing? I give you a clue the protagonist of the film carries umbrella and a magic bag from which she takes millions of things.

They have a typical Finnish instrument that I didn’t know, the "KANTELE"; I leave you a video of the teacher playing it, so you can know how it sounds.

Our friend has been lost between so many instruments and didn’t know where he was... Do you know where he was finally?

Finnish sauna.

He had gone to the staff room, to take a sauna, since in this school, they sit for teachers and when they have a break, they can enter their own sauna and relax.

If you didn’t know, the sauna is originally from Finland. It is so important that it exists in all countries. At first, the Finns had it located in the courtyards of their houses and up to the Second World War; women had their children within them. According to our friend the reindeer, it serves not only to purify the body and sweat a lot, but also the spirit, that’s why it is so important. If Finnish invites you to their home’s sauna, don’t say no, even though you don’t be keen to do it, because they can feel insulted.

After the sauna, our friend felt like to take a "CINNAMON ROLL", which is one of the most typical Finnish’s desserts; you can find them in all the bakeries and supermarkets. Is like a “Spanish Mona” with a viennoiserie sweet roll form that tastes much like cinnamon... is very good!

I know who would love it...

It has been a long day and temperatures of 2 degrees were reached, which is a lot, but very cold, and more when you're used to be so warm like us inside the classroom. I told our friend that he has to be prepared himself when he will travel to Murcia because there we reach 40 degrees.

On the way back, sitting on the bus, we have been thinking... The truth is that here, things are done in a very different way, another mentality, perhaps?

Teachers are like super heroes, admired and trusted by everyone, with freedom to teach.

Children are spoilt and cared for, and everyone is concerned about their education, which is free to 100%, even when studying at the University.

Can we copy some things of this educational system and take it to Spain? My friend the reindeer and I will continue investigating and learning.

Let us see what new thing amaze us tomorrow in this country.

A big hug...