Review of my stay 

From April 8th to 21st, 2026, I had the pleasure of completing my professional internship at Mutalan Koulu (Mutala School) in Joensuu, Finland, a Finnish city and the political and economic center of the North Karelia region in the east of the country. It is a public primary school very active in international cooperation, specializing in positive pedagogy and physical activity projects, and serving students from 1st to 6th grade (ages 7-12). 

Mutala School offers quality education to primary school children, regardless of their background or level of support, through positive reinforcement and international initiatives. Its motto is: Enjoy and learn! Be encouraged and succeed! The school integrates students with diverse abilities who live in the residential area surrounding the school. Mutala School implements various programs to improve student learning: 

• "Finnish Schools on the Move": initiatives that aim to establish a culture of physical activity in Finnish comprehensive schools. https://schoolsonthemove.fi
• KiVa: An anti-bullying program. https://www.kivaprogram.net/
• Entrepreneurship Program: which fosters an entrepreneurial attitude towards learning and active participation. https://pikkuyrittajat.fi/in-english/
• Positive Pedagogy: Using positive reinforcement systems, such as Positive Posters (Mutalan Mönteiset, based on the ProKoulu method), where students receive clear behavioral instructions and positive guidance. https://en.nmi.fi
• Digital literacy and the use of ICT as a pedagogical tool for teaching. https://peda.net/joensuu/jm
• Digital literacy and the use of ICT as a pedagogical tool for teaching. At the school, I actively participated in all scheduled sessions as a second teacher or teaching assistant, advising both students and teachers on the use of video recording and editing tools. I also collaborated with the Spanish Club, an extracurricular activity, providing guidance on vocabulary, diction, and Andalusian and Spanish culture.

During my stay, I created a video showcasing the main facilities and educational approach of Mutalan Koulu, which is available on YouTube on the channel El Aula Sin Tiza (The Classroom Without Chalk) at

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At first glance, the cultural differences between the host school and my home school are profound and deeply rooted in their respective local cultures. The strong sense of civic responsibility in Nordic cultures, the protection and promotion of public goods, and the remarkable autonomy and self-sufficiency of all citizens are particularly noteworthy. 

In this respect, Finnish culture is characterized by students who are remarkably respectful of their classmates and, of course, all teachers and staff, as well as the facilities and materials, and their care, cleanliness, and maintenance. It is also worth highlighting their high level of autonomy in daily activities. The complete absence of parents at drop-off and pick-up times is striking and surprising, as all students arrive at the school on foot or by bicycle with their backpacks and helmets. 

Another particularly noteworthy aspect is the development of the subjects Handicrafts Hard and Handicrafts Soft, where students use all kinds of professional woodworking tools, as well as cutting and sewing tools, with complete autonomy. 

During my professional stay, I met twice with the school principal, where we analyzed the Finnish school's evaluation system, the main characteristics of the Physical Education area, the organization and management of schedules and staff, and the characteristics of the socio-educational environment. The experience of participating in the Professional Placement at Mutalan Koulu has been tremendously positive, enriching, and inspiring. It provided the opportunity to be the protagonist of learning experiences completely outside our usual environment and comfort zone, capable of generating a broad and profound impact on our professional and personal development. This fostered a rich two-way exchange of knowledge, with the aim of improving teaching and learning processes both at the host school and at the school where I work as a teacher. Thus, the interaction between innovation, inclusion, quality, and achievements in the educational and training field enables professional growth in teaching and high motivation in my teaching practice. 

In this regard, the welcome I received from the students, the International Programs Coordinator, the Principal, and the entire teaching team was exceptional. They were always very approachable, kind, attentive, and accessible, both during and outside of school hours, making me feel wonderfully integrated.