What is Hei Suomi!?
Hei Suomi! is a collaborative project between South Range Elementary School, Finlandia University, the University of Lapland and the Finnish American Heritage Center. The main aim of the program is to enable South Range Elementary School's third graders to learn about contemporary Finnish culture and language. The program builds on the strong Finnish heritage in South Range and surrounding areas. The program was piloted in the spring of 2012.
As part of the program, third graders at the South Range Elementary School have visiting teachers from Finland in their classroom during the month of March on an annual basis. Two Finnish education students from the University of Lapland explore Finnish culture, geography, history, nature, language, traditions, and Finnish children's everyday lives with the young students. South Range Elementary third grade teachers Steve Aho and Lisa Pyykkonen will provide support and assistance.
The Finnish education students employ teaching methods that both take advantage of modern educational technologies and allow students to be active participants and explorers.
Matu is on her third year of university studies. She is a teacher student in the University of Lapland and her minor subjects are history and English language. Bachelor degree Matu will finish in the Fall 2013 and after that, she will continue to the Master’s degree. Besides of studying Matu works few times per month in kindergarten with kids aged 9 months to 6 years.
Matu has lived almost all her life in Finland. With Hei Suomi! - project she is now taking the opportunity to see some different school system and practice teaching in South Range.
Matu is interested about sports. Especially team sports such floorball (a game played in rink with stick and round, hollow ball), soccer and hockey. She also likes to go running and enjoy spending her time outdoors. Matu likes to read and spend her time with family and friends too. For her time in North America Matu is waiting to have new experience and find different ways and about how to be a good teacher in future.
e-mail: matlheik(at)ulapland.fi
Sanna-Mari is a media education student from Lapland University. Besides media education, she studies the Information and Communication Technology in Teaching, Special Education and Education as her minor subjects. She has also taken some courses of Audiovisual Media Culture. She's finishing her bachelor studies in the spring of 2012 and going to masters next fall. She has done her practice at Hei Suomi! -program on her fourth year of studies in Lapland University. In her studies now she's especially interested in the media literacy and how it can be enhanced by using movies and videos in teaching. In her free time Sanna-Mari does a lot of sports and outdoor activities, for example running and snowboarding.
e-mail: sasuopaj(at)ulapland.fi
Eeva Holappa
Eeva Holappa is a teacher student in the University of Lapland. She did her practice in Hei Suomi! in her third year of studies. Eeva's minor subjects in her studies are music and Finnish as mother language. She has been taking easy with her studies and is her plans are to finish her bachelor degree in the Fall 2012. In her free time she enjoys music and running.
e-mail: eholappa(at)ulapland.fi
University of Lapland, Faculty of Education,
Centre for Media Pedagogy
(Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence at the Finlandia University from August, 2011 to April, 2012)
e-mail: paivi.rasi(at)ulapland.fi
Programs aims
- To enhance pupils' opportunities to learn about contemporary Finnish culture & language
- To explore the Finnish heritage in the UP
- To promote Michigan Grade Level Content Standards
- To promote the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies
- To promote global understanding
- To engage in pedagogical exchange with Finland whose students are among the best in PISA surveys
- To enrich school faculty
- To strenghten collaboration between Finlandia University and University of Lapland
- To strengthen collaboration between Finlandia University and local schools
Teachers
2014
Tinja Määttä
Tinja is a
media education student in the University of Lapland and is going to graduate
this year. Her minor subjects are Information and Communication Technology in
Teaching, Special Education and Education.
Tinja has
been working for five years as a shop assistant in an international interior
design retailer, Pentik Oy. Besides her school and work, she spends time with her
friends, family and stubborn cat. Outdoor activities, like cross-country
skiing, fishing and photography are close to her heart. She also likes knitting
and reading.
It is Tinja’s first visit to America, so she’s excited
to see the culture there and experience the Finnish heritage in Upper Peninsula.
e-mail: timaatta(at)ulapland.fi
Ekku Toivanen
Hello true believers!
I'm a fourth year teacher student from University of Lapland, Finland! When I started my studies, I had slightly overambitious goal of being the greatest teacher of all time! On my quest of becoming apex magister, my travels brought me to the small city of Hancock to see what UP and Hei Suomi! -program has to offer.
I've worked at schools before, but since 2010, I've devoted myself for my studies, expect for summers, when I'm renovating our grandparents' summer cottage and other house projects that my family has gotten themselves into. My minor subjects are English language and P.E., two subjects that I excel at.
My interests range from watching movies, reading graphic novels, going cross country skiing, listening to all kinds of music, playing video games and anything usually consireded nerdy! On a side note, I actively try and learn to play the guitar and drums as well. I am not limited to any genre, I always try to expand my taste and broaden my spectrum in things that I love!
I'm looking forward to this program; I hope that city of Hancock appreciates me as much as I appreciate this opportunity!
-Ekku
e-mail: ektoivan(at)ulapland.fi
2013
Olli Autonen
Olli is a fourth year media education student from University of Lapland, Finland. Besides his studies Olli works as a journalist, mainly focused on free time and different outdoor activities. Olli’s special area of writing is snowmobiling which has been his passion from a child.
Special field of interest inside media education relates to journalism too. Currently he is interested in finding out, how teaching journalism to children can help them to understand more media contents and develop their media literacy at the same time.
Nature, different sports and outdoor activities fill his free time. Olli loves hunting, fishing and cross country skiing especially in Lapland but North America and its nature has fascinated him also for a long time. He’s sure that three months in Upper Peninsula can open up many possibilities for that kind of activity too!
e-mail: oautonen(at)ulapland.fi
Tinja Määttä
Tinja is a
media education student in the University of Lapland and is going to graduate
this year. Her minor subjects are Information and Communication Technology in
Teaching, Special Education and Education.Tinja has been working for five years as a shop assistant in an international interior design retailer, Pentik Oy. Besides her school and work, she spends time with her friends, family and stubborn cat. Outdoor activities, like cross-country skiing, fishing and photography are close to her heart. She also likes knitting and reading.
It is Tinja’s first visit to America, so she’s excited to see the culture there and experience the Finnish heritage in Upper Peninsula.
e-mail: timaatta(at)ulapland.fi
Ekku Toivanen
Hello true believers!
I'm a fourth year teacher student from University of Lapland, Finland! When I started my studies, I had slightly overambitious goal of being the greatest teacher of all time! On my quest of becoming apex magister, my travels brought me to the small city of Hancock to see what UP and Hei Suomi! -program has to offer.I've worked at schools before, but since 2010, I've devoted myself for my studies, expect for summers, when I'm renovating our grandparents' summer cottage and other house projects that my family has gotten themselves into. My minor subjects are English language and P.E., two subjects that I excel at.
My interests range from watching movies, reading graphic novels, going cross country skiing, listening to all kinds of music, playing video games and anything usually consireded nerdy! On a side note, I actively try and learn to play the guitar and drums as well. I am not limited to any genre, I always try to expand my taste and broaden my spectrum in things that I love!
I'm looking forward to this program; I hope that city of Hancock appreciates me as much as I appreciate this opportunity!
-Ekku
e-mail: ektoivan(at)ulapland.fi
Olli is a fourth year media education student from University of Lapland, Finland. Besides his studies Olli works as a journalist, mainly focused on free time and different outdoor activities. Olli’s special area of writing is snowmobiling which has been his passion from a child.Special field of interest inside media education relates to journalism too. Currently he is interested in finding out, how teaching journalism to children can help them to understand more media contents and develop their media literacy at the same time.
Nature, different sports and outdoor activities fill his free time. Olli loves hunting, fishing and cross country skiing especially in Lapland but North America and its nature has fascinated him also for a long time. He’s sure that three months in Upper Peninsula can open up many possibilities for that kind of activity too!
Matleena "Matu" Heikkilä
Matu is on her third year of university studies. She is a teacher student in the University of Lapland and her minor subjects are history and English language. Bachelor degree Matu will finish in the Fall 2013 and after that, she will continue to the Master’s degree. Besides of studying Matu works few times per month in kindergarten with kids aged 9 months to 6 years. Matu has lived almost all her life in Finland. With Hei Suomi! - project she is now taking the opportunity to see some different school system and practice teaching in South Range.
Matu is interested about sports. Especially team sports such floorball (a game played in rink with stick and round, hollow ball), soccer and hockey. She also likes to go running and enjoy spending her time outdoors. Matu likes to read and spend her time with family and friends too. For her time in North America Matu is waiting to have new experience and find different ways and about how to be a good teacher in future.
e-mail: matlheik(at)ulapland.fi
2012
Sanna-Mari Suopajärvi
Sanna-Mari is a media education student from Lapland University. Besides media education, she studies the Information and Communication Technology in Teaching, Special Education and Education as her minor subjects. She has also taken some courses of Audiovisual Media Culture. She's finishing her bachelor studies in the spring of 2012 and going to masters next fall. She has done her practice at Hei Suomi! -program on her fourth year of studies in Lapland University. In her studies now she's especially interested in the media literacy and how it can be enhanced by using movies and videos in teaching. In her free time Sanna-Mari does a lot of sports and outdoor activities, for example running and snowboarding.e-mail: sasuopaj(at)ulapland.fi
Eeva Holappa
Eeva Holappa is a teacher student in the University of Lapland. She did her practice in Hei Suomi! in her third year of studies. Eeva's minor subjects in her studies are music and Finnish as mother language. She has been taking easy with her studies and is her plans are to finish her bachelor degree in the Fall 2012. In her free time she enjoys music and running.
e-mail: eholappa(at)ulapland.fi
Hei Suomi! Program Coordinator:
Päivi Rasi
(previously Hakkarainen)
University Lecturer in Media Education(previously Hakkarainen)
University of Lapland, Faculty of Education,
Centre for Media Pedagogy
(Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence at the Finlandia University from August, 2011 to April, 2012)
e-mail: paivi.rasi(at)ulapland.fi
