From 5 to 9 May, six teachers from our school visited Meritorin Koulu (School) in Espoo, Finland, as part of a job shadowing Erasmus+ exchange. This visit followed the Finnish team’s visit to our school in April, where the focus was on how we approach reading literacy. This time, it was our turn to observe their practices, again with reading as a central theme, along with a broader look at their school culture and daily routines.
Meritorin Koulu is a diverse school, both in its student population and teaching approach. It serves students from grades 1 to 6, which corresponds to our grades 2 to 7. The school day is noticeably more relaxed than what we’re used to as lessons start slowly, transitions are unhurried, and there’s little pressure to stick to a rigid timetable.
Reading is embedded across different subjects and age groups, with activities and events designed to keep the students engaged. School-wide reading sessions bring students and teachers together, and a variety of creative strategies and visual prompts are used to encourage a love of books. Since their school library is much smaller than ours, they visit a nearby public library to support reading. Differentiation is achieved by dividing students into smaller groups based on their levels, so it’s rare to see the whole class working together at the same time.
One thing that stood out was the high level of teacher autonomy. Formal planning and documentation are minimal, with many decisions made on the spot, based on the needs of the students. We also noticed that the teachers collaborate closely and provide mutual support.
The visit offered a valuable opportunity to compare educational systems and reflect on our own practices. While the Finnish model differs in pace and structure, it was interesting to see how reading and daily routines are approached in a flexible, student-centred way, with an emphasis on building positive reading habits over time.
