I really enjoyed visiting two schools in Tallinn, Estonia! It was wonderful to discuss different topics within the field of education in a new environment. Below you will find more details about each school:
First school visit
Student population- 850
Teachers- 70
Classrooms- 45
Grades 1-12
“Our vision is to be a school where knowledge is valued, unity maintained, and thinking global”
Special Ed team: special education coordinator, psychologist, special education pedagogue, social pedagogue, and speech therapist
School Year: 175 days, 3 trimesters, 5 seven-week periods
Topics of discussion:
Heard from educators about day-to-day school life in Estonia
The impact of Covid
Digital school in practice
Teacher wellbeing
Growth Mindset activity
Second school visit
Student population- 798
30% of students speak other than Estonian at home
9% of students speak Estonian and other languages at home
Grades 1-12
Admissions
Comprehensive school
Catchment area schools
Children come to school at the age of 7. They usually go to kindergarten or preparatory classes first.
Parents decide the child’s language of study: Estonian or Russian.
Parents submit up to three schools where they want their child to study. The Tallinn Education Department determines the school according to the child’s address, taking into account the parents' choices.
Topics of discussion:
Heard from educators about the different needs of their students (including Ukrainian refugees and other disadvantaged groups)
Small groups discussions about curriculum and differentiation by subject/grade level
Two parallel education systems
“Why should all children study together?”
Knowledge of the Estonian language
To end segregation, personal contact between different nationalities will be established
Equal opportunities
Shared values, common information field
National security
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