Tutors Isabel and Kaius guide new students into school life at the Otaniemen lukio general upper secondary school
Isabel Saario and Kaius Kotka are second-year students at the Otaniemen lukio general upper secondary school. They had heard great things about the school even before applying. As tutors, they help new students get started. On French study trips, they have been able to experience everyday upper secondary school life from a different perspective.
Isabel Saario is on the general programme at the Otaniemen lukio general upper secondary school, while Kaius Kotka attends the mathematics and natural sciences general upper secondary school. “My sister graduated from Otaniemi last spring. She recommended this school. I was good at maths and science in lower secondary school, so I decided to apply to the specialised programme,” Kaius says. Before applying, Kaius had also heard about Otaniemi’s wide range of courses and high-quality teaching.
Isabel had heard about the wide selection beforehand as well. Her friends had recommended the Otaniemen lukio general upper secondary school, and Isabel checked out the school’s Instagram account. In the ninth grade, visiting the school also left a positive impression: “The tutors made us feel very welcome. It felt like a school with a great sense of community.”
Isabel got in on the basis of her grade point average, but Kaius had to take an entrance exam for the specialised maths and natural sciences programme. To prepare for the entrance exam, Kaius revised the lower secondary mathematics and natural sciences syllabus. He felt it wouldn’t be the end of the world if he didn’t pass the exam. “The entrance exam was more challenging than a typical lower secondary school test and offered a taste of upper secondary exams,” Kaius explains.
Answers to new students’ questions
Both Isabel and Kaius are now tutors. They wanted to get involved in tutoring because it gives them a chance to strengthen the sense of community. Even before the start of the school year, they welcomed first-year students on the orientation day. Since the start of the school year, they have looked after the new students and helped them choose their subjects and create their timetables. “Last spring, we opened a question box on Instagram for applicants. We received quite a few questions and answered them. The plan is to do it again next spring,” Isabel says. This autumn, the tutors are helping the new students with team building in particular.
The main bonding event is Vispilöinnit, a traditional event organised by the Otaniemen lukio general upper secondary school. First-year students dress up in different themes and take part in various activities, including decorating their own buckets. The event culminates in a gala. “I’m really excited because this time I get to experience it as a second-year student and hand out tasks to the new students. We even get to host the event,” Isabel enthuses.
Isabel considers her own Vispilöinnit from last school year to be her best upper secondary school memory so far. “The Seniors’ Ball will definitely be the absolute highlight when I look back on my school years in the future. But that’s still ahead this school year,” Isabel notes. Kaius, for his part, says the May Day Gala has been his best memory of upper secondary school so far.
A different perspective on school life through study trips to France
In upper secondary school, students can focus on the subjects they enjoy. Isabel’s favourite subjects include biology and psychology. Kaius says he filled his timetable with psychology, taking a total of eight courses. Kaius is also interested in French, which he studies at an advanced level. Students get to put their language skills into practice on the school’s study trips: “I spent a week in France last May, and this autumn I’m heading to the south of France.” Isabel was in France last year on an Erasmus project trip. Knowing the language was not a requirement. “We got to see the longest shopping street and the highest sand dunes in Europe. The trip was a great opportunity to get to know my classmates even better. We’re planning a train trip to the same places for next summer,” she says. What came as a surprise in France were the long school days and the fact that everything was done by hand – even the Wi-Fi wasn’t working.
At an upper secondary school with a specialisation, Kaius can reduce certain subjects because he has chosen so many STEM (mathematics, environmental studies, natural sciences and technology) courses. In his STEM studies, he focuses on biology and has been able to take fewer courses in subjects like Swedish and PE. Even though Kaius attends a STEM-focused upper secondary school, he is interested in societal issues and has considered applying to law school after graduation. “We still have a well-rounded curriculum,” he points out. For a long time, Isabel thought she would apply to medical school, but now psychology has started to appeal to her more.
To ninth-graders, Isabel and Kaius want to say that upper secondary school isn’t intimidating or overly serious. Everything is taught from the very beginning. The pace of study is faster than in lower secondary schools, but you quickly get used to it. “All upper secondary schools are good. They have great teachers and high-quality teaching,” Kaius and Isabel point out.