Introduction   Adolescence is a crucial stage of life marked by significant changes in both the body and the brain.  As young people navigate this transformative period, social media has become an integral part of  their daily lives, influencing how they interact, learn, and shape their identities. As an educator  and someone who would like to be involved in educational planning someday, I am deeply  interested in guiding both parents and children toward healthy social media

Introduction  My observation experience at Espoo International School (EIS) in Finland has been a  transformative journey, providing profound insights into the Finnish education system and its  pedagogical approaches. EIS follows the renowned Finnish National Curriculum across all grades  and is also an International Baccalaureate (IB) authorized school, offering the Middle Years  Program (MYP) for students in grades 7–9 alongside the National Core Curriculum. The school  inc

This blog post presents a research-based social-support intervention designed to address the mental health challenges faced by international students at the University of Helsinki. Based on survey data, Social Support Theory, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), the project proposes a structured peer-support and mentorship activity to promote belonging, resilience, and community connection. The post highlights how strengthened social networks can serve as an effective

This poster presents a short research project based on classroom observations at Espoo International School, focusing on experiential learning practices in everyday teaching. About the Author Lucía Liting Jorge Gómez, Ayumu Ochi and Ichiro Hondo are master’s students at the University of Helsinki. As part of the Practical Observation course, they carried out a five-day practical observation period at Espoo International School, where they observed different grade levels and

As 2025 tutors for the Changing Education (CE) programme, we organized several activities to welcome the newcomers. It’s always exciting to meet new people and refreshing to see passionate educators from all over the world. Every discussion and introduction lights up new opportunities and inspires me as a second-year student. Among all the activities we held, I would like to highlight the collage workshop . It was intentionally designed to create an inclusive space, especiall

Introduction   In contemporary educational discourse, the image of the "ideal student" is often taken for granted: self-motivated, emotionally regulated, compliant, and high-achieving.  However, it must be noted that this figure is not a neutral benchmark, but rather a construct shaped by underlying power relations. This essay draws upon Moya Lloyd's  Beyond Identity Politics (2005) to explore how power is manifested through educational norms, constructing and privileging ce