Monday 30.1.
The day started in Studiotheater where all the students and teachers came together and got to know each other by doing Drama activities.
After the coffee break and lunch the group travelled to Kuusijärvi outdoor Centre, where they had some snow-activities, swimming and sauna. This was a good way to learn more about Finland and Finnish traditions.
Tuesday 31.1.
The morning began in Studio-theater with Steam-program: workshops with small groups, drama and dance, music, lights and sound, theater decor.
After lunch the group visited Martinus Concert Hall where Esa Lindroos, the sound technician of Martinus Hall, presented how the technics function in a medium size music hall.
Then the Steam-program continued in Studio theatre, where the students continued planning the own show in smaller groups.
Wednesday 1.2.
The day began again in Studio-theater with Steam-program (practicing for the own show)
After lunch the group continued in the Studio-theater and presented their 5 – 10 minute show for everybody. Other groups evaluated the shows and gave very positive feedback.
At the end of the day the group watched the Martinlaakso High School -play “Linus in Wonderland”.
Thursday 2.2.
The group met at the Aalto university, where they learned how to do origams and spaghetti bridge.
After lunch at Aalto University the group travelled to Helsinki City and visited Suomenlinna.
In the evening everybody had dinner together in Restaurant Meiccu in Helsinki.
Friday 3.2.
First in the morning the group visited the Opera-house in Helsinki.
After walking to Helsinki Centre by Töölönlahti and visiting Oodi library the group had lunch at the Helsinki university.
The program ended with very good atmosphere and hoping to see each other again as soon as possible!
Feedback from the foreign teachers
The organization and arrangements and the the program were evaluated mostly excellent by the teachers:
- “It was fun and well organized”
- “Finnish team was very cooperative, every each activity organized in harmony and detailed, all the activities, equipments were well orhanized.”
- “People were very friendly and attentive.”
- “Especially the start on Monday was brilliant. The students immediately mixed with each other!”
- “It was very much related to achieve our project goals and objectives.”
- “Very organized and with interesting proposals.”
- “Interesting, diverse. All students were participating very well.”
- “I missed the finnish students”
- “It was mostly prepared for improving students communication, creativity, collaboration and self-esteem.”
- “The students were available to carry out the proposals”
Feedback from the students
The students were looking forward to the program and felt, that the week reached their expectations. A few examples of the feedback:
- “It met with my expectations.”
- “I highly met my expectations.”
- “Definitely, couldn’t ask for more. It was perfect. The people are amazing and the place is breathtaking.”
The program was evaluated 4,4 /5 by the students.
- “Would love a free day or have the program til 3 a clock”
- “I wish we would have had more time to work on the things we had to make, and that it was less crammed.”
- “Nothing is perfect, but the programm was mostly very fun”
- “It was fun, we did a lot of different things and saw a lot”
- “well with the plays it was kinda scary for me to go on stage so i didn’t go but i thought i was good that you had your own choice so if you didn’t want to go on the stage you weren’t forced to do it. and the vibe was very good with the other people”
- “I liked everything except the theater stuff”
- “Some activities were questionable. And some parts were great. For example, the drama took a bit more than i would have liked. And the island was great to visit”
- “It was fun, but it was a little irritating that there were take a lot of pictures. I don’t mind a few, but this was too much. The origami was really hard for me, but also a little bit boring.”
- “The program was fun and entertaining. I also like how you could choose out of three options to do on Wednesday.”
- “We have experienced how art and music are used in education.”
- “I have loved the activities.”
The workshops and the processes of making the shows got 4/5 from the students.
- “I think we needed more time for both the shows and the workshops but I get why that wasn’t possible”
- “It was really interesting”
- I thougt i was just ok nothing special
- “They weren’t exactly my kind of thing, although it was probably poor expectation on my end”
- “It was fun, but my group from the play did not talk that much unfortunately”
- “It was fun to do and you could meet new people”
- “I felt we could have more time to prepare the show”
- “i liked it but sometimes it was a bit long like the practicing, and the dance/ movement workshop wasn’t really something i liked”
- “I didn’t like the theater stuff not because of the people”
- “It took a long time”
- “I think the workahops for the show were fun but sometimes we were practising the show late in the day and everybody missed there focus.”
- “They were very well organised and every participant joined each single activity”
Feedback about the teamwork among the students and other activities:
- “They were super fun”
- “The movement lessons were not always my thing and sometimes it was a bit awkward and the making the play was also a bit to long”
- “It was a very nice week, I met a lot of new people and learned about different schools, countys and cultures. Sometimes the group didnt really work good together, but it was fine, not that bad”
- “i liked it and it was so much fun to see more of finland, the workshops were also fun like the origami workshop, the sledding was also very fun”
- “I liked the other activities”
- “I really liked the island”
- “They were just exellent.”
- “I think the workahops at for example the school were we made origami and the pasta bridge were very simple and everyone could partisipate in it.”
- “The activities were supported with ice breakers. Students created or produced something at the end of each activity and this made them more motivated”
- “I loved the activities we were given. Preparing the show and the music class were my favourite, I also enjoyed the beautiful evening we spent together by the lake.”
Expected results;
*both teachers and students enhanced their 21st century subskills and lifelong learning skills,
*they had the capability of using artificial intelligence and sound and light technics by planning a theater show,
*they enhanced cooperative work, collaboration skills and creativity through workshops,
*had cross-cultural integration and improved their foreign language skills.