Environmental educators began their work

Sanna Koistinen from Haliko and Karoliina Nordin from Teijo have started working as part-time environmental educators at the Teijo Nature School, founded by the Teijo Area Village Association. The village association's board outlined a strategy for the nature school that combines natural sciences and art. Therefore, it elected two environmental educators instead of one for the position at its November 2021 meeting.

Sanna started work immediately after being elected, Karoliina officially at the beginning of 2022. Of course, several joint orientation and planning sessions have already been held under the leadership of Maisa Kaitila, the head of the Nature School team. Marja-Sisko Ranta, the chairwoman of the Village Association, has also been involved.

“For us environmental educators, it’s a great thing when we get to share large groups of students and tasks and work together to do pioneering work in environmental education with activities that combine nature, art, pedagogy and children’s joy,” says Karoliina Nordin. She continues: “I have been teaching children for over 20 years in the arts, combining theatre, circus, music and dance in my work; Sanna is a trained classroom teacher. She has worked in a village school and has organised a lot of outdoor education. In addition to teaching, we are united by a love for children, nature and exercise.”

Karoliina and Sanna learning about maintaining the nature school's website.

Bug advocate

A man once asked me: “Well, what does one species matter? Aren’t the forests full of those bugs?” I replied: “I guess even a bug could ask what does one person matter? Aren’t the cities full of them?” I, Sanna Koistinen, acted as the bugs’ advocate in this discussion. The forest and its creatures are an important environment for me. I have been orienteering and hiking all my life, so many different types of forests have become familiar. Human footprints are increasingly visible everywhere. Fortunately, there are still areas that have been allowed to remain forests. Our country has numerous national parks, whose peace we humans can enjoy. Teijo has one of the newest parks. It hides a diverse range of different forest and lake nature. Thank you to all of you who have been involved in establishing the national park.

I am delighted to have been able to participate in the development of the Teijo Nature School. At the nature school, we want to raise people who understand the importance of insects in the future. Our environment is a whole and we, as humans, are a part of it. We get a lot from nature and it is also our job to take care of it. The diverse Teijo National Park offers good conditions for this work.

In addition to insects, I also like people a lot. So if we meet in the forest or anywhere else, I would be very happy to chat.

Sanna Koistinen, sanna.luontokoulu@teijo.fi

Just a clown

I am a 46-year-old almost former aerial acrobat. In addition to that, I am above all a mother, wife, clown and circus teacher. I have studied aerial acrobatics in London and theatre pedagogy at the Theatre Academy, and worked as a hospital clown for 10 years.

I used to call myself an academic acrobat, but currently my job description is to be just a clown. Since October, I have been working as Clown OHO, traveling around the province with a grant from Taike and delighting - sometimes perhaps also confusing - people in schools, nursing homes, markets and squares. In addition, I work as a circus instructor at the Hurjaruuth Dance Theatre in Helsinki and at the Salo Adult Education Center.

Karoliina Nordin, karoliina.luontokoulu@teijo.fi

Teijo Nature School operates in the same premises as Teijo School. Of course, the nature school days are organized outdoors, mainly in Teijo National Park. Photos: MS&A Ranta