Teaching Training Closing Seminar

The Teaching Training Chapter closed for me today. It was interesting session, especially because I could hear others people experience.
I was very lucky with my practice: the relation with the group and the tutor, the close distance (not so long trip for once) and also possibility to try different teaching method.
We started with a swot analysis and give grades on feelings for general experience from 1 to 4. I would give mine 3-4: I think I still have some weakness.
We discussed about other issues too, going deeply in what we did.
What we learn from the observation of the students and other teachers?
For me was the group dynamics: to see my students hanging around with the same people it was good tool to use int he right moment. especially when we were talking about communication. Other people also mentioned useful stuffs, such as:
- learning to be prepare for difficult personalities
- learning how taxing actual lesson might be
The tricky part in the seminar was: how to assess the learning, meaning not from the final test.
In my case I didn´t assess all the time the learning. I think I was actually seen that from their participation and enthusiasm on the activities. Most of the people had to use quizzes at the end of the lesson or give them at home homework and check in the classroom. exercises, practical tasks, giving them number...We spoke about this last autumn a lot.
So at the end my teaching practise was great. I felt good about it, I still feel so.

Entrepreneurship task 1 and 2

Core questions:
1. What is meant by intrapreneurship?
2. What are the teaching and assessment methods that will enhance development of the student’s intrapreneurship?
3. How to further/aid the process from intrapreneuship/internal entrepreneurship towards (external) entrepreneurship?
4. How to teach entrepreneurship in the best and most effective manner in vocational education?

Intraneurship and entrepreneurship even though they are similar in many ways they do have some differences. Intrapreneurship is when a person inside a bigcompany take responsibility to make an idea into a profitable product. This people who are intrapreneurs are more ready to take risks. For them is easier to apoligize for a mistake then prevent the mistake itself.
Entrepreneurship is when a person is not working for a big company but has the same attitude to make an idea into a profitavle and durable business. In a way the intrapreneur has got "easier" life cause he/she will get the financial support from the company where they are working. If we consider that point of view I could say that intrapreneurs use less creativity than entrepreneurs (or actually they use it differently). The entrepreneurs use creativity for getting OWN idea realized ; intrapreneurs they use the creativity in the sense that they want to make their company profits.
I think that both can be taught. As a teacher we should keep on to those students that are for instance very practical personalities, who like to take risks and those who are not that good in some subjects ;)
The question in my pointof view is: how we can teache to the teachers that this is an importan issue? the world is constantky changingand so the jobs available out there. Teachers who don´t teach this issue won´t give to their students anything else that their own subjects. I think we should start to teach and to push the future "entrepreneurial" and "intrapreneurial students from the elementary schools.For the Espoo days we had to make a SWOT analysis to different kind of schools/ institutions that educate the students to different kind of schools/institutions that educate the students to be an entrepreneur. That experience and also my teaching training (where we did speak about " intrapreneurship" more than "entrepreneurship") made me think: how much time we spend usually in school learning theories on theories instead to give the students practical examples! If I would work in school I would probabily make the exercises mentioned in your "Teaching the entrepreneurship". I think it gives to the students always the idea that the plan B is always out there. They should just find the right idea and the attitude to make into practise. 

Task 2

I found this video really inspiring as a parent and as a teacher:
http://www.ted.com/talks/cameron_herold_let_s_raise_kids_to_be_entrepreneurs.html 

Cameron Herold is an entrepreneur since childhood and in this video gives some advices as a parent and as a teacher how to raise kids to be an entrepreneur.
In my opinion he pointed out that the traditional schools want to uniformity and not diversity. In this video I liked how he describes different kinds of entrepreneurs in the same person and to develop creativity in business matters.
The bottom line is that entrepreneurs create value where others don't recognize it. This includes capitalizing on present market opportunities. This can result in exploitation or win-win arrangements, depending on the motive or application. Perhaps Cameron is being criticized for his examples, but the principle I think he's getting at is this: we need to re-kindle an entrepreneurial spirit in our culture. Such creativity is the promise of tomorrow and affects not only business, but also science and the arts. Sure, it needs to be governed by principle, but the entrepreneurial gift always starts out in raw form while it develops. Beside my video (which underline the creativity) I think also Katariina´s material was really good and I could take that as an example how I applied during my teacher training. You will find the practical application from my part during my teaching training in red.
I was teaching in Diaconia Univeristy of Applied Science - Bachelor of Social Service - English Orientation.

• communication skills, especially persuasion > we working on that all the time starting with an activity called "how to bring the person to own side". It´s pretty simple and practical activity. The goal is to bring physically the person to your side using words, gestures and all the tools you have to get into the goal. 
• creativity skills > every day the students in group of 3 should start with something creative in order to use their English. In add we had quite many problem solving and they have to think how to present the solutions in creative way in order to get the other group sure that your solution is the best.
• critical thinking and assessment skills > during the lesson on adoption students were forced to think critical and assess the situation to avoid the risks of failure (like in business)
• leadership skills > there was always a group leader even though I didn´t ask them to choose one. 
• negotiation skills > when we spoke about family and adoption they had to figure out how to negotiate some rules between for instance the foster families and biological families in order to make the interest of the child
• problem-solving skills > I mostly presented them cases in order to cover different clients. .
• social networking skills > we had one day POPPLET day: they had to answer all together in order to solve several questions about a case study on alcohol problem pregnant woman
• time management skills > they did have a strictly timetable to come out with good solution and its presentation

My core plan for the teaching training

Here is the link to my core plan.
The core plan is still working in progress since some sections needs still to be covered. Here you are the link, please be free to leave a comment there.
Sandra´s core plan for the teaching training

My Personal Study plan - a comparison

Summer and autumn brought me enthusiasm and one reason is these studies. They were (and they still are) what I was looking for. I started with a lot of energy in a group on very hard working and talented people. Each of them gave me something and I will never forget them having been with me in this adventure.
To be in harmony with your group members is fundamental for your learning and that´s why a teacher should provide a good learning environment for his/her students.
I was looking about the topics to make this DP useful for me and for those who are going to read. I was looking on my preliminary task before to start the studies. I was almost laughing by myself because - already then -when I was writing that stuff I was really thinking there has going to be something deeper than this.Otherwise they wouldn't ask. As I  read my answers now I feel there really is.

Look at this link if you would like to see my personal study plan in detail:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-0RqYEy9XvPDfN_NJbz1RK2x-f1xezlMCRdCZbTdNZs/edit?pli=1
 

Analysis of my competences in teaching

I decided to do now my analysis of my competence in teaching because I wanted to let all the presentations through. These studies are an adventure. I am studying with a terrific group of people: we can debate, we can have fun together and most of all we can learn together. All the presentations and the collaborative learning method felt as a contribution to my growing as a teacher. If I read through what I wrote in my preliminary task I really feel ashamed. Now, after this path, I can give better answers and I can analyze my competence on teaching from the right side. This analysis is of course temporary because as definition learning is a dynamic thing that changes all the time. I would like to use this blog also in the future when these studies will end in order to embrace the lifelong learning.

Competence in world of work: during this path one aspect that we considered was the structure of working life and the importance of building a connection between the world of work and the education. I think what I learnt the most is the idea that schools should train people for the labor market and not for just the knowledge´s fun. The world of work is constantly changing and every day comes new professions. I think that reflecting at which level also we could consider this connection. It´s fundamental to the idea of on the job learning and the thing that with this system we can create a dialogue between institutions and working life. I think I will be even more conscious about this when I will do my teaching training.
Few days ago I was actually wondering why in my country the link between education and labor market is not working. The governments are actually reforming the universities and the education system in general. In Italy we are still far from the idea of lifelong learning and the idea that schools train people for the labor market. The world of work is the real contest where a student can learn. I also think that the cooperation between schools and working life should be improved more. I understand that in times of crisis (like this one) it´s all the time more and more difficult to arrange people job learning places but I suggest to continue and to create a new occupation place: maybe a person that is in an interface between the VET and the world of work? I can also see myself as such a student counselor working with those competences in meeting the needs of working life teaching and students. The competence in the world of work means also the skills to teach entrepreneurship? I would say that not everybody is an entrepreneur but still anybody can get the idea what entrepreneurship is. I also wrote a post about entrepreneurial mind set in here.
Pedagogical Competences and Values integration: during these studies we pointed out many times how important it is for a teacher to be conscious of his/her role. A teacher should deal with different learners and identify students’ difficulties: besides her/his role to create a community, a teacher should not fear to spend too much time in educating students and leaving no time for teaching the substance. In one of my classes there is a group of nurse students who are going to leave to Italy for a year. I always spend part of my lessons for giving them advice about the Italian culture (explaining for instance certain behavior). I think also that the main point here what I have learnt is to involve more digital tools and resources in order to engage learning. I now use Prezi quite much and also popplets if the students bring their computers. I also get more ideas about curricula competence: before these studies I didn´t read even once a curriculum because in my job in Community Colleges we actually don´t need to read those. I know now that National Core Curriculum needs to be developed all the time. We need to create all the time new opportunities for the students and in order to form professional people we have to try different teaching methods. The teaching methods after this first part of the studies are for me now much clearer. To have a lesson that covers all of them is giving us opportunity to upload the old system and engage the learning and create a community. Without mentioning the planning that will help to have a better vision what a student will need and get during the lesson.
Being in touch with the world of work will encourage to get into life learning idea. The Pedagogical competence includes also having in the group special needs students. Even though in the future we will have all the time the special needs teachers it´s a good idea also consider those students and give them and their families also support when needed. In my teaching career I haven´t yet met special needs students, but I met them during my school education. In Italy at that time we didn´t have special needs student teachers that work simultaneously with the main teacher. Very often students are left behind and in the future they are not willing to continue the studies forward. They will drop out.
We spoke and also use all the time computer supportive collaborative learning: using ICT technology in teaching is one of the focal areas in pedagogical competence. Anyway I think that teachers should be aware of the opportunities and the limits that ICT technology gives. It´s not the only way to operate even though it is the future. Using the computer or any technological device brings with it the strenghtness that I gain from this experience: my previous strength was the curiosity for the technical world. I always like to try and one of my hobbies is internet surfing. Virtual pedagogy gives you possibility to work independently and also is good for theoretical topics and supports different kind of instructions. Online environment is also part of students daily life not to mention about that with virtual pedagogy is an advance for those who live far away from urban centers. The weakness of using CSCL in my actual profession is the student´s age: as Community College teachers my students come to my class to relax and learn Italian language and culture. I am anyway using support of computers (computer support) in order to show them videos about food and culture.
Global Competences: being in an international and multicultural group of students takes me back to my Erasmus time and also to all my experience abroad. When I will become a teacher I have to be able to prepare my students for a changing world. In order to do this I should:
- to research, communicate and cooperate: building a network for me and my students
- to be open to new opportunities, ideas and ways of thinking
- self-awareness about identity and culture and sensitivity and respect for differences
- empathy and valuing multiple perspectives.
My Erasmus experience and my EVS project taught me a lot and part of my experience will help me to advice those students that they don´t belong to Finnish culture. The multiculturalism will increase all the time so it´s important to get those skills such as positive attitude towards the variety and also the responsibility for equality. Everybody must be treated equally and therefore a teacher should be equal to everybody.
Competences in research development and innovation: After this first part of VOC1 in this specific area, I practice all the time the researching and I try with my classmates to develop a specific theme and try to give in this blog voice to that development. Unfortunately  I don´t feel having those competences to manage projects and cooperate with entrepreneurs in projects in a manner that integrates these projects with further development of work communities as same as tutoring student´s in their thesis.

References:

Paaso Aila, Korento Kati, The Competente Teacher 2010-2020 The competences of teaching staff in upper secondary Vocational Education and Training Final report, Finnish National Board of Education 2010 retrieved on http://www.oph.fi/download/122136_The_competent_teacher_2010-2020.pdf

School of Vocational Teacher Education, study guide Oulu University of Applied Science 2012 retrieved on http://www.oamk.fi/amok/docs/opiskelijalle/amok_opinto-opas-2012-2013_en_web.pdf

Maunonen-Eskelinen Irmeli, Mutka Ulla and Kaikkonen Leena Teacher´s competences in the light of new demands and opportunities in Finland retrieved on http://www.jamk.fi/download/25611_AOKK_TK_Kiinanartikkelilhetetty.pdf

Key Competences for lifelong learning in Finland Education 2010 interim report Helsinki 7 may 2009 Ministry of Education retrieved on http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-policy/doc/natreport09/finland_en.pdf

Sahlberg Pasi, The Secret to Finland ´s success: Educating Teachers, Scope, Stanford University School of Education sept.2010 retrieved on  http://edpolicy.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/publications/secret-finland%E2%80%99s-success-educating-teachers.pdf

Competence Based Vocational Training in Future Learning Finland retrived in http://www.futurelearningfinland.fi/fields-of-expertise/competence-based-vocational-training