During the past couple of days, it became clear in the discussions at the Municipal market (Kuntamarkkinat) that why we have so many schools with sick leave, tired teachers and students. On a spur of the moment (trying to understand our students), I change the word "student" to "teacher" in the next paragraph about the description of the value base of Basic Education:
"Each teacher is unique and valuable just the way he is. Everyone has the right to grow to their full potential as a person and member of society. Here, the teacher needs encouragement and individual support, as well as the experience that he is listened to and valued in the school community, and that his learning and well-being are cared for. Equally important is the experience of participation and being able to build the activities and well-being of your community together with others." OPS 2014
A well-being and active teacher is the student's best protection, when the goal is a well-being and active student.
Schools are a big part of the municipality's services. The problems that arise in the school are widely reflected in the environment, and they have a significant health and financial impact. Nausea begets nausea and unresolved problems at school often return as multiple costs to other sectors of the municipality's services.
Who wants to move with their children to a municipality whose schools, for one reason or another, do not do well and studies are not successful?
The school's problems are therefore the problems of the entire municipality. High-quality joint development pays off. According to research, the well-being of teachers and students improves and the costs of the school's life cycle decrease if things are planned together.
As a result of years of experimentation and development work, we have been able to speed up and make the different phases of school planning more meaningful. We are able to help users make future-proof proposals, requirements and decisions.
We have familiarized ourselves with pedagogical thinking about the future and developed playful methods of co-development. A good example of this is the board games for the development of school culture. Co-development is mostly also fun. (edit. note).
With the help of our BON concept (Balancing Our Needs), even the school's fragmented work community (when several schools are combined) can quickly create common requirements for the new learning environment. In this way, wrong investments are avoided and the result is a unified, cost-effective and time-lasting entity that serves the well-being and work of students and adults.
We very often notice with the municipality's decision-makers that the best time to start high-quality co-development was two years ago. Don't hesitate. When the school network survey is done, it's a good time to start thinking. What next. What is the best solution?
Is it the development of activities with the help of teaching expertise, considering future opportunities, considering children and adults, increasing the attractiveness of the municipality or abolishing schools?