Professor pick for integration Finnish Course

[jkmonto]

Hi!

I have my appointment at the unemployment office tomorrow and from what I have been told, they will propose that I take a Finnish course of one year as part of my integration plan, starting from level A.1 or A.2. (This is what the lady at the Finnish language test said) So My question is if someone that has taken this courses knows of a good Finnish teacher in the capital region. I don't mind going to Vantaa or Espoo if the teacher is good. I was told that I would spend 7 hours 5 days a week learning Finnish, so I would like my teacher to be a good one. Any advises? Or if there's several teachers, at least a good learning center?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Y77]

I don't think you understood how it works,you don't get to choose a teacher.They send you to a school where you be in the sweet company of about 19 shifty characters(aka your fellow classmates)and several teachers will take turn (over the next 10 months,6.5 hrs a day) and try to teach you Finnish but they will fail,because your classmates are too busy fighting(mostly verbally)with eachothers,making it impossible for you to learn anything,apart from LOPETA NYT and Kuule!
At least this was my experience,yours might be different.

[jkmonto]

I don't think you understood how it works,you don't get to choose a teacher.They send you to a school where you be in the sweet company of about 19 shifty characters(aka your fellow classmates)and several teachers will take turn (over the next 10 months,6.5 hrs a day) and try to teach you Finnish but they will fail,because your classmates are too busy fighting(mostly verbally)with eachothers,making it impossible for you to learn anything,apart from LOPETA NYT and Kuule!
At least this was my experience,yours might be different.

Which school did you go?

[ritan7471]

I don't think you get to pick the school, either.

My understanding of these integration plans is that they assign you a course and you go.

I did have one friend that got to change courses, but it was because the class she was assigned was not a good fit for her skill level.

But I've never met anyone that got to choose a school or teacher. The courses are far too full for that.

[jkmonto]

I don't think you get to pick the school, either.

My understanding of these integration plans is that they assign you a course and you go.

I did have one friend that got to change courses, but it was because the class she was assigned was not a good fit for her skill level.

But I've never met anyone that got to choose a school or teacher. The courses are far too full for that.

thank you for your constructive and useful feedback. However I consider myself as a person who likes to try every possibility available to have a better life. That could include picking a good Finnish school in this case, so if I have the information of a better school I will ask to be put there, even if you "think" that you perfectly know all the social workers and all the possibilities at the emplyment office. The worst thing that could happen is that they tell me: sory we can't change the school.

keep that positive and constructive thinking for yourself, it will probably take you far

[Flossy1978]

Gees, to the original poster. You don't need to be a jackarse.

People gave you constructive information. You came here to the forum asking questions. People with experience replied to you HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS.

It has squat to do with a positive attitude and making the best life possible. It's the freaking rules here.

To even get into the courses is hard enough.... Let alone getting to choose what you think is best for you.

What is it with this forum lately? People with huge senses of entitlement.

[ritan7471]

It has squat to do with a positive attitude and making the best life possible. It's the freaking rules here.

Yes, I'm actually quite a positive person and have made the most of the opportunities I have. But, positive attitude and desire for a better life aside, I still have to wait in line with everyone else, and no one person will get to choose their integration instructor and school if no one else gets to. It's part of that wonderful equality of Finnish life.

If you want to choose your finnish course and instructor, then you need to be willing to pay for the right to do that. I work during the day and take Finnish courses at night. I get go choose my school location and which instructor I take courses from, but then I pay for it.

[Y77]

Gees, to the original poster. You don't need to be a jackarse.

People gave you constructive information. You came here to the forum asking questions. People with experience replied to you HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS.

It has squat to do with a positive attitude and making the best life possible. It's the freaking rules here.

To even get into the courses is hard enough.... Let alone getting to choose what you think is best for you.

What is it with this forum lately? People with huge senses of entitlement.

the OP is probably a troll,just regret having wasted my time in answering to him in the first place.

[Flossy1978]

Ehkä, hän voi olla.

Oh well. He's still a jackarse either way LOL.

[jkmonto]

I admit it, I'm a jackarse as you say, but just with pointless answers. like all the answers I had in this thread.

Anyway, I went to the interview, everything went fine and you were right, the people at the Employment office can not assign you to one school specifically. BUT it isn't because rules are rules, and Finland is Finland and you just have to shut up and behave like a sheep. it is just because the system is designed that they put all the applicants for the courses in a queue for the region, in this case Uusima, then the schools pick the students from the queue as soon as free places are available for them to start the Finnish courses.

One point that she was quite clear is that there is no way to know where you will go, but neither WHEN you will go to the course. For instance, I was at the 59 position in the queue today. But she explained that it didn't mean that I will go after the 59 persons. She explained that schools give priority to certain profiles of applicants. She said for example, that if you are young then you wait less in the queue, it also counts if the course that will be open is for people with a university degree and etc... So it could be any moment.

Also she said that if you start from a zero level instead that a further level, even if its just a little big higher, You will be in the queue for less time. This because if you are in for the zero level they open groups all the time for that level. But if you are in the queue for lets say A.3, you will have to wait that someone in A.3 drops out to have a free place.

She said that she can't not say for sure, but that with my profile surely a group will be open in january.

By the way, and for finishing, she said that if I opted for the option of getting a private lesson to learn Finnish then I could do it if they approve it and if there is at least 20 hours a week. BUT if you start that course lets say now, then you will be taken out of the queue and you lose your right to get into one of the free courses. She was really clear about that.

So as I have less than 20e left for the rest of the month... I'll sit down and wait for my free Finnish classes and expect not to get the worse.

I hope this information helps someone.

[onkko]

So your experience told that "pointless answers" were right.
You cant choose and you are lucky to get even one.
Of course one in unemployment office did put it in nicer way but message is same.

[jkmonto]

So your experience told that "pointless answers" were right.
You cant choose and you are lucky to get even one.
Of course one in unemployment office did put it in nicer way but message is same.

Yes you are completely right. thank you for your very useful comment Onkko!

[onkko]

So your experience told that "pointless answers" were right.
You cant choose and you are lucky to get even one.
Of course one in unemployment office did put it in nicer way but message is same.

Yes you are completely right. thank you for your very useful comment Onkko!

Dont tell me, tell to ones you insulted.

[jkmonto]

Dont tell me, tell to ones you insulted.

I guess sarcasm isn't your forte

[Rick1]

You will love it here in Finland (and the Finns will love you).