Petteri Elo - PedaNow

Yet another successful Bookbag Tours experience in Finland came to an end last Friday. Hosting these trips is truly one of the favorite parts of my job. So if you are interested in learning about the Finnish education system, culture, nature and cuisine or if you are interested in ed travel in general, then check out www.bookbagtours.com for the trips next summer. Exciting adventures are happening across the globe!

We just wrapped the Bookbag Tours Finland 2023 learning tour. Yet again a great group and a great experience for all of us! The week was filled with PD, sightseeing and plenty of cultural experiences. If you are interested in combining travel, meeting wonderful people, making new connections and professional learning, I highly recommend that you check out bookbagtours.com. Who knows I might see you in Helsinki next summer ;).

A special thanks to Kirsten Leestma for co-hosting this tour with me. You are a wonderful tour leader!

I'm proud to announce that PedaNow is continuing to work with Ehrman Crest Elementary and Middle School, PA, during next academic year. Time magazine named the school as one of the Top 6 innovations in 2022. It surely is a magnificent environment for learners and staff to flourish together. This academic year I ran a coaching program for a cohort of teachers on Phenomenon based learning involving both online and onsite work. Next year we will implement Vol. 2 of the program.

Please don't hesitate to contact me, if your school or school district is looking to explore fresh ways to provide professional learning experiences for your teachers.

www.pedanow.com

An exciting, work filled week in the US ended with a half day workshop for CTE and world language teachers at Parkway School District, MO. The workshop was on Phenomenon Based Learning and I co-facilitated it with Melanie Peterson-Nafziger from World Savvy. I'm excited to hear more about the projects as the plans progress.

Mon-Wed I concluded a two month hybrid training program for teachers at Seneca Valley School District, PA. Now it's good to head home!

On Wednesday we concluded a two month training program for elementary and middle school teachers at Seneca Valley School District, PA. The goal of the the program was to generate innovation in students centered PBL, or what we call Phenomenon-based Learning in Finland. The process consisted of:

- Online training sessions
- Videos about student centered PBL practices
- Online project planning
- Online coaching sessions
- Onsite work in the classrooms

For me as a trainer it was an amazing experience to work with a cohort of open-minded teachers who are willing to reflect, rethink and innovate.

If your school or school district is looking for fresh and organic ways to provide PD for your teachers, do not hesitate to be in contact.

What a beautiful morning in Boston. I'm about to present at EF Symposium on Collective Teacher Efficacy and Educator Wellness. Have a great Saturday everyone!

My interview on the Global CTE podcast is now live. Sylvester and I had a lively conversation about, "The Finnish Factor", Phenomenon-Based Learning, CTE and so much more. Follow the link below to watch or listen. https://bit.ly/3xFqIEM

Global Career Tech Education Podcast Ep.10 w/Petteri Elo of Finland A new Global Career Tech Education Podcast episode is out now! Global Career Tech Education Podcast Ep.10 w/Petteri Elo "How Finland's Phenomenon-Based Learning Can Improve Student Outcomes" Listen Now Watch Now "How Finland's Phenomenon-Based Learning Can Improve Student Outcomes" Audio Tune in to....

Today I had the honor of being a guest in this podcast hosted by Sylvester Chisom. Sylvester and I met a couple of weeks ago in St Louis when I was doing some work in Parkway School District. We connected instantly and figured that we see eye to eye in many things concerning education and pedagogy. Today we talked about "The Finnish Factor", Phenomenon-Based Learning and many other things. If you haven't checked out this podcast series (or Sylvester company https://www.globalcte.com) yet, please do! Sylvester is a dynamic and entertaining host and foremost a really smart guy! Stay tuned for the release of tonight's episode in the near future.

Last stop Hanover County Public Schools, VA. Today I had the pleasure of working with 30 administrators from primary, middle and high schools. The district has done a lot of work on teacher clarity and collective efficacy using John Hattie's work as the guiding light. Today we concentrated on collective efficacy and maximizing the potential of PLCs. The day ended in a design thinking challenge where the participant created out-of-the-box solutions for supporting the work of PLCs.

Inspiring day in Parkway School District, St Louis MO, working with CTE and World Language teachers. I ran sessions on:
- Interdiciplinary learning
- Personalized learning
As always the content of the sessions were based on my experiences and reflections as a teacher. I'm looking forward continuing the collaboration in the future.

Great afternoon with Seneca Valley School District PA leadership team yesterday. I shared my insights and facilitated discussion on:
- Maximizing the potential of PLCs
- SEL: The pedagogical approach
- Phenomenon based learning
Thank you everyone for active participation. You have a strong team. I sensed great vibes!

Back to the USA. During this trip I'm excited to work with a brand new client in Pittsburgh PA, Seneca Valley School District. I'm also excited to continue work with Parkway School District in St Louis MO and Hanover County Public Schools VA. Although Covid is still with us, I'm so happy that we are again able to take the full advantage of onsite, face to face training and collaboration.

It was great to get back into action again! The first post-Covid BBT group and what a great group it was! I throughly enjoyed making new friends and professional contacts. I think our program is a perfect combo of PD and fun (not saying that PD isn't fun😄). If you are looking into EduTravel, check out Bookbag Tours. There are plenty of options, but I recommend Finland 😉.

I'm about to facilitate a workshop with my colleague and friend Ben Koch in Richardson TX at HEXA Coworking. "Nurturing Classrooms That Flourish." And we have a harpist with us setting the mood for the night. How cool is that!

All set for tomorrow. Phenomenon Based Learning for Global Competence. 3pm. Be there if you are here ;).

https://www.worldsavvy.org/these-5-education-leaders-are-changing-the-world/

These 5 education leaders are changing the world - World Savvy Today, the celebration kicks off at World Savvy by highlighting the accomplishments of five global education leaders whose impacts on education expand internationally.

PedaNow is partnering with World Savvy to host a session at South by Southwest (SXSWedu) 2022 and we need your help to VOTE and PROMOTE to make this a reality. The voting window ends Aug. 26.

Step 1: Vote

The SXSW site will have you create an account to begin voting. Then vote for the session titled, Phenomenon Based Learning for Global Competence. https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/118061

Step 2: Promote

Visit World Savvy's social media channels and like, comment or share our SXSW post.

We greatly appreciate your help. If you have any questions about the voting process or sharing, please feel free to reach out to our Marketing and Communications Director, Jaclyn Swords at [email protected].

Phenomenon Based Learning for Global Competence Explore how phenomenon based learning centers students in the learning process and supports the development of global competence. In this workshop, learners will engage with a design process that enhances the building of equitable and socially and emotionally focused learning environments for all le...