Does it Matter Where You Live? Young People’s Experiences of Educational Transitions from Basic Education to Further Education in Finnish Lapland

Abstract

This chapter describes how young people living in small communities or rural areas in Finnish Lapland portray their educational transitions from primary to secondary school and further to upper secondary school and vocational education and training. The research data consists of 7 focus group interviews, which were attended by a total of 27 students. The research philosophy relied on a phenomenological approach in which the young people’s experiences were explored. The data analyses were conducted using the theory-led thematic analysis approach. According to the results, the transition phases resulted in changing roles and responsibilities for the students. The experiences included both positive and negative aspects. The students’ social relationships and supporting networks underwent changes, for example, the students were excited about whether they will develop new friends and their parents expected them to be more autonomous than before. Young people leaving their communities encountered diverse challenges. On the other hand, some of the young people who continued their studies in the small community were worried about their privacy and had a fear of stigmatisation. As an answer to the question set in the title of this chapter, we may conclude that it really matters where one lives during educational transitions.

Special Education Teacher Job Satisfaction and Its Impact on Teacher Shortages

“…Since most students with special needs are exceptional, administrators feel that offering support proving selfdefeating. Especially if students with special needs attend public schools, teachers remain unequipped with the tools, knowledge, and experience to maximize individual functioning (Cordero et al, 2021;Holmqvist & Lelinge, 2021;Lakkala et al, 2023). Here, the emphasis on individual accountability under a neoliberal education order entails that inadequate supported theoretically make teachers resilient even when they feel unsatisfied with the working conditions requiring them to perform multiple and conflicting roles.…”

“…Although principals and superintendents must fulfill their professional obligations to support teachers, the directors of special education programs must provide specific training for students with disabilities or exceptionalities to benefit and somehow thrive in mainstream society (Cordero et al, 2021;Fan et al, 2019;Holmqvist & Lelinge, 2021;Lakkala et al, 2023). Yet, the perceived benefits of administrative support raise further questions about which duties the directors of special education must fulfill when principals and superintendents assume that helping students with special needs was a fruitless endeavor.…”

“…Yet, experienced teachers in special education receive continuous training in their fields and have opportunities to act as surrogate leaders by recalling anecdotes and communicating the lessons gleaned from them (Lakkala et al, 2023;Russell, 2023;Saleem et al, 2020;Scott et al, 2021). Here, experiential learning was crucial for ensuring managers adopt ethical leadership behaviors supporting autonomy in decision-making.…”