Visit in Tartu

Monday morning we met our host Andrei and went to the Tartu Information and Career Center of Tartu Vocational Education Center to meet with the other workers. The day started with a very good introduction to the Guidance center and all their tasks. Tasks such as pre-vocational training programmes, career guidance and planning, coordination of different events in relation to career guidance, instructions of teachers and guidence with ICT. After the presentation we, the danish partners, made a short presentation of the Danish educational system.


Guided tour in Tartu by students of tourism, from Tartu Vocational Education Centre.
Seven well-prepared students guided us through the old city of Tartu and gave a throughly introduction to the city and its history. During the tour we were shown the University of Tartu, Angels Bridge, the Dome Church Ruins, the Town Hall and all the famous men in the history of Estonia and Tartu. (pictures will come later)

Tuesday
Tuesday morning we were picked up by the hotel, and went to Tartu Tamme Secondary School. At the school we visited a medical class having a english lesson. During the visit we were introduced to the students considerations about career-plans and how they have achieved informations about their future studies and job-possibilities. Futhermore were we introduced to the career-guidence and the school history by the schools career-coordinator, Merit. She told about different work-shops and presentations, student- and work-shadow among others. After that she told about her considerations about development of guidance-programs.

After lunch we visited Tartu Russian Lyceum, a Russian school with primary and upper secondary education. First a very well-prepared guided tour round the well-kept school by two students. After that we were introduced a 11. grade class, which vere working with career-guidance theory. Later presented we the class for the Danish education- and guidance-system, and finally a discussion with the students of their career-thougths and their outcome of the career-guidance, and last but not least the students´were very astonished to hear about the Danish way of career-guidance and counselling.

Finally we visited Tartu Anne Youth Centre, a youth centre next to the Russian secondary, were the young people, from 8 to 25 years, can come in their sparetime for free. The youth centre offers leisure-time fascilities for young people, eg. computer access, photo- and video-classes and hiking. Beside that aerobic-classes among others for a small amount of money. The centre was open for all between nine am to nine pm. The centre aims to unite the two cultures in the local area, eg. by summer camps.(billeder kommer senere)

Wedensday our programme started at the Tartu Emajõe Kool - Estonian State School for the blind and visually impaired. The headmaster of the school told about the school which is the only school for blind children in Estonia. The school offer well qualified education for the pubils. Since it is the only school posibility for visually impaired children some og them stay at a home near the school and goes home to the family in the week ends.

At the Vocational Center we met with the social workers and psychologist who take care of the students wellbeing and helps them handling difficulties during their education.

Then we had a good tour around the Vocational Education Center. The school has a lot of new and good workshops for training different trades. The students have good opportunities to practies different elements from their education in the schools restaurant, hotel, furniture production, hair dresser and in the wellness center. During our visit we meet a group of lower secondary pupils who were visiting the school as an introduction to the school - a guidance activity before making their finally choise concerning future education. Finally the counsellors of Denmark and Estonia had a challenge in the wood shop - we were told to make a butter knife. Good Practice!

Thursday we had the oppertunity to make a presentation for the Estonian hosts about the Danish education system, guidance centers and our tasks, the education of the counsellors among other things. The danish counselling system differs a lot from the Estonian system by the number of counselling sessions and the cumpolsory element in guidance. The Estonian workers were very interrested in the Danish carrer plan. we had a very good and interesting discussion about guidance in our two countries. Ulle had made an arrangement and a tour for us at the V.E.T school in the other part of the town. Where we were introduced to the buisness education, auto, metal works - and the cousellors had a new and practical challenge to day - we were to make an old fashion "shoe horn". The day ended at the famous bar "Gun powder bar" with the worlds highest ceiling - 10.2 m. - We had a special dish: potatosoup in breadbowl! delicious. it was a perfect ending at a perfect day. - and then we went midnight shopping.....

Friday we all met for morning coffee at the VET Center to make a summary of the stay and to talk about the outcome. Both the Estonian and the Danish consellors agreed that it has been a profitting experience - we have learned a lot about the system og guidance and education in the two countries. It could be very interesting to be able to welcome the Estonian counsellors in Denmark next year. After the official program we went to the old city of Tartu to visit some of the many museums. And now it is time for us to return to Denmark with a lot of good experiences and a lot of new ideas.