This week we got an important visitor to school as the Member of Parliament and the Chair of the City Council Mr. Joakim Strand visited the school. He came to school to find out more about the Bilingual line and about the extended English Line that will start off in autumn 2019.
During the visit Mr. Joakim Strand got to know what is happening at the school and news on the extended English Line when meeting up with the teachers and the principal. As well Mr. Strand got to know what is going on in the E-classes. Class 2E had made a 'Welcome to Suvilahti School'-card, where they told about our school and the bilingual classes. They even shared their thoughts on why they are at the Bilingual line. Two of the students got to represent the class, when they handed over the card. A boy showed proudly his reading skills when he read the text to the guest. Mr. Joakim Strand said the card looked marvellous and said he will treasure it and hang it up in his study at the parliament house. Below you find the text that 2E wrote and that was hidden in the card:
Our school
At our school there are Finnish classes and English classes and we have classes from 1st grade to 6th grade. You have to know English when you come to the E-classes. In the bilingual classes some of us speak at home another language. We have more English lessons than Finnish lessons and we speak a lot of English in our class. The teachers in our E-classes need to know English.
I am at the English class, because:
“So I will learn English.”
“If I will go to another country, then you will know English.”
“That we will learn a lot in English, like to read, write and Math in English.”
“Because I know already so well Finnish, that I could learn another language.”
“I want to drive an army plane when I am big and then you need to know English, because there are the English buttons in the plane.”
“When I meet people when I am a nurse, they might speak English and then I can speak to them.”
From class 2E we continued the visit and went to see classes 5E and 6E. They had been learning about the political system in Finland and had prepared some questions for Mr. Joakim Strand. In the class the 'new teacher' Mr. Strand was telling the classes about the important role that Vaasa has for the region. We learned that Finland is only 1/5 of the size of Shanghai, that Vaasa is small in size, but truly important when it comes to the export. Out of all the ships that are sailing in the entire world half of them have something made by Wärtsilä! Everyone in the class got to feel important as a citizen of Vaasa!
The students in 5E and 6E had prepared the following questions:
- If you won't get re-elected, how are you going to try to continue to influence and have an impact on the community?
- Why did you agree to open up an English extension at our school?
- How do you plan on working with the issue of global warming?
- What do you think is the most important task of our new government?
He even explained how important it is to study, if your dreams of becoming a professional football player do not fulfill.
After the session the questions continued, with more football questions, less politics. Here a student from 6th grade compares scores in football tricks!
