Anyone know anything about Freinet schools?

raumagal · Post by **raumagal** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 4:12 pm

We are looking at some primary schools for our child as I had mentioned in another post here. We visited a Freinet school today and learned about their approach etc. which seems to be quite different from traditional Finnish schools. Does anyone have any children who have attended this kind of school who can tell about their experiences?

Thanks in advance!

**Sponsor:**

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 5:44 pm

I have never heard of those schools. But I do know that ALL schools in Finland have to follow the National Core Curriculum. However, the NCC does not specify what teaching methods are to be used. Schools, and even individual teachers within schools, are given quite a lot of freedom on HOW they teach. And of course there is no "Ofsted" here, nor regular academic inspections of teachers as such. Maybe they have an open day when you could watch a class.

karen · Post by **karen** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 6:21 pm

It makes me think of Freixenet. I keep wondering why you are interested in a sparkling wine school for your daughter.

And I apologize for not being helpful.

raumagal · Post by **raumagal** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 8:12 pm

Thanks penelope!

Tadpole'sMommy wrote:It makes me think of Freixenet. I keep wondering why you are interested in a sparkling wine school for your daughter.

And I apologize for not being helpful.

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 8:31 pm

Well, as long as they learn to read and write, a little sparkling has never done any harm

suomineito · Post by **suomineito** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 8:43 pm

i dont have kids, yet, but i know something about freinet pedagogy (based on toughts of celestin freinet more than 70 years ago) as im going to graduate one day as an elementary school teacher. around a month ago i visited strömberg school in helsinki but i dont know personally anything about the other freinet pedagogy school that youre propably considering, the one in rauma.

in my opinion, the pedagogy is really good - much better than montessori or steiner for example, in my opinion. the curriculum all finnish schools are following, is much similar with the toughts of freinet - actually "normal finnish schools" are using a lot of the ideas of freinet pedagogy as our national curriculum allows that and is "asking us to do things" (like focusing on childrens needs, using a lot of methods where kids can actually learn by doing and not only listening teachers "lecture" etc) even tough its not based in any special pedagogy. personally i really like strömberg school and the way it works, and i could even consider about working in there one day.

raumagal · Post by **raumagal** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 8:51 pm

Hank W. wrote:Well, as long as they learn to read and write, a little sparkling has never done any harm

And no harm for the parents either from time to time!

raumagal · Post by **raumagal** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 8:58 pm

suomineito wrote:i dont have kids, yet, but i know something about freinet pedagogy (based on toughts of celestin freinet more than 70 years ago) as im going to graduate one day as an elementary school teacher. around a month ago i visited strömberg school in helsinki but i dont know personally anything about the other freinet pedagogy school that youre propably considering, the one in rauma.

in my opinion, the pedagogy is really good - much better than montessori or steiner for example, in my opinion. the curriculum all finnish schools are following, is much similar with the toughts of freinet - actually "normal finnish schools" are using a lot of the ideas of freinet pedagogy as our national curriculum allows that and is "asking us to do things" (like focusing on childrens needs, using a lot of methods where kids can actually learn by doing and not only listening teachers "lecture" etc) even tough its not based in any special pedagogy. personally i really like strömberg school and the way it works, and i could even consider about working in there one day.

Thank you suomineito for your thoughts about the Freinet school. It's nice to hear your opinion as a future educator!

The teacher we spoke to at the school was very enthusiastic and it seemed like they were very involved with the students and tailored the programs to the children's needs and interests.

Do you have any opinion about the negatives of this kind of school? I've heard (from some teachers with a more traditional approach) that sometimes kids (who first are taught with the Freinet method) have difficulty adjusting when they go to a regular Finnish junior high (yläaaste) because it is more structured there than in the Freinet school.

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 9:05 pm

Well, if you are not used to doing things when you are told, then it might become as a shock that to achieve you actually have to do something. I blame the parents in this more. Confessing that little darling baby angel is a lazy stupid git and has to be given some godfear by nuns never did me any harm

suomineito · Post by **suomineito** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 9:29 pm

raumagal wrote:Do you have any opinion about the negatives of this kind of school? I've heard (from some teachers with a more traditional approach) that sometimes kids (who first are taught with the Freinet method) have difficulty adjusting when they go to a regular Finnish junior high (yläaaste) because it is more structured there than in the Freinet school.

well, i think that is not a problem with freinet school - i would see this as a problem with students that have gone trough steiner school for 10 classes and that are willing to do a normal upper secondary school (lukio) after that. in freinet school you study hard, but there you study in different way than we do in "normal schools". they have periods and workshops that have really well educated teachers specified in that specific subject which i feel is very good as the kids will get the best support for their life rather than having one classroom teacher that teaches everything (or almost everything) for them even he or she is possibly even not so interested (educated and focused) in all the subjects he/she teaches - usually elementary school teachers have 1-3 subjects that they are specialised in and of course they are educated in the other subjects as well, but not so "deeply". if i dont want to study biology for example, i just need to pass my course of 3ECTS and i can teach in elementary school. and the subjects im specialised in, i study either 25ECTS or 60ECTS. of course they have classroom teachers in freinet school too - but many of the subjects are tought in workshops of those specialised teachers (that has done either 25/60ECTS of the subject he/she teaches in workshops).

honestly, i would really consider freinet school for my future kids.

edit: of course you need to think about your kids. remember that all methods are not good for everyone.

raumagal · Post by **raumagal** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 10:22 pm

suomineito wrote:
raumagal wrote:Do you have any opinion about the negatives of this kind of school? I've heard (from some teachers with a more traditional approach) that sometimes kids (who first are taught with the Freinet method) have difficulty adjusting when they go to a regular Finnish junior high (yläaaste) because it is more structured there than in the Freinet school.
well, i think that is not a problem with freinet school - i would see this as a problem with students that have gone trough steiner school for 10 classes and that are willing to do a normal upper secondary school (lukio) after that. in freinet school you study hard, but there you study in different way than we do in "normal schools". they have periods and workshops that have really well educated teachers specified in that specific subject which i feel is very good as the kids will get the best support for their life rather than having one classroom teacher that teaches everything (or almost everything) for them even he or she is possibly even not so interested (educated and focused) in all the subjects he/she teaches - usually elementary school teachers have 1-3 subjects that they are specialised in and of course they are educated in the other subjects as well, but not so "deeply". if i dont want to study biology for example, i just need to pass my course of 3ECTS and i can teach in elementary school. and the subjects im specialised in, i study either 25ECTS or 60ECTS. of course they have classroom teachers in freinet school too - but many of the subjects are tought in workshops of those specialised teachers (that has done either 25/60ECTS of the subject he/she teaches in workshops).

honestly, i would really consider freinet school for my future kids.

edit: of course you need to think about your kids. remember that all methods are not good for everyone.

Thanks again suomineito for your input about the Freinet schools.

I'm really glad to have some information and I think it will be helpful when figuring out what is good for our daughter.

Spectra · Post by **Spectra** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:50 pm

I visited the Stömberg school a few years ago while studying education in Finland, and I loved the tour we got by the principal. It was a wonderful environment. It was after school hours, so there were no kids, but the warm spirit of the school was still very alive.

Are there any other such schools in Uusimaa that follow the same (or similar) pedagogy?

Any of your kids out there go to Strömberg? How is it in action?

suomineito · Post by **suomineito** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 10:45 pm

as far as i know there are only 2 freinet schools in finland, one in helsinki and the other one rauma. in uusimaa there are several other schools and pre-schools following some special pedagogy like montessori, streiner, reggio emilia etc.

annB · Post by **annB** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 2:07 pm

A long time ago I took a cum laude in Pedagogics . and decided not to become a teacher but it did open my eyes for alternative education.

My 2 sons went to a Steiner school until "ylioppilas". We never did regret the choice.
In a Waldorft school a lot is expected from the parents and some students do fall behind.

Still the pros overcome the cons. We also think the school provided a much broader way of thinking, acting, and socialising. A gifted child does get a lot from the Waldorf system. I think its a myth that Waldorf graduates become artsy "types". Ours and many other students went on to study Engineering.

I am familiar with the Freinet education and if we had had the option then,
it would have been our chice over Waldorf.

raumagal · Post by **raumagal** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:46 pm

Thanks for the information!

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from UR - mentions Freinet

http://www.uusirauma.fi/artikkeli.phtml?id=20080

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