It was Friday, the 23rd of November, just one more study day of our long LET master program.
According schedule we started another part of the expert course. Our tutors Niina and Pirkko prepared surprise for us: following six months we have to work with EduTool students, which would take a form of mentoring process. We all had been already divided into small – half of group LET students (mentis) plus EduTool students (mentors). In my group except me was: Aleksandra (Sasha), Kari, Kirsi, and Päivi. Before first meeting I knew only Sasha. After short introductory lecture, every group was given personal place that was marked color paper. It was the place of our first meeting.
I found my groups` place and waited of my mentors. To be honest I didn’t know what expected. Ones earlier I was mentor, but I had never been mentis before. I didn’t have any information about my future team except they are EduTool students writing their Master theses. So I felt nervous as well as our mentors (I think so). Five minute later I saw Kari and Kirsi first time. They looked older as I expected and seemed to me very assured and competent. (I need to explain, student’s older than 30 years old are very rare in Russia).
After few of introductory words, our group proceeded to classroom that was prepared for us. We spent first hour to know better each other. Mentors used very simple as well as effective method that based on questions and describing your partners’ experience. I knew this method before, but didn’t use it for a long time.
All our mentors are working. Thus our third mentor Päivi was not involved in first meeting, by the same reason Kirsi had to leave us early. Thereby we spent studying day with Kari on his working place.
I want to tell a few words about it. Fortunately, Kari work in same field as I am, he help people who needs in moral supporting. I was very glad to see how it happens in Finland. Moreover I will use this as example in my own lectures in Russian. I spoke with psychologists, doctors and other stuff of this institute. I asked them some boring questions (What method do you use? What is the most common clients’ problem? Etc) All of them was very nice, and tried to answer me. I really want to visit this place one more time.
Later Kari bought us very tasty lunch (I want to say to him “thanks” one more time) after it he gave us first task in our expert course. I and Sasha had to write our SWOT analyze. I knew this method but before I used it only for business context and never for human. So it will be more interesting to know how our SWOT will be evaluated by mentors.
In the end we create name (Power play) for our team, we spent on it only five minute. It showed that we got a real collaboration team spirit via effective group work. Moreover we decided to organize facebook group, and set our next meeting in skype:
There will be three themes in our meeting to discuss.
1. What the SWOT-analysis tell to the mentors?
2. Suggestions by the mentors based on the SWOTs: how to utilize strenths and opportunities, learning assignments.
3. Planning ahead
So I am looking forward on very productive and interesting work following next six months.
intrainabroad 