Liisa Kallio's career in special education reflects a commitment to inclusivity and personalized learning experiences. Based at an international school in Norway, Kallio works to support and enhance the educational journey of students with diverse needs.
Working as a special educational needs teacher
As a PYP SEN (Primary Years Programme Special Educational Needs) teacher Liisa plays an important role in shaping educational experiences for students with special needs. Her responsibilities include crafting individual education plans (IEP) in collaboration with the SEN coordinator, other teachers and the students' parents. The IEP is used as a guideline to work on the student’s learning goals and how to achieve them. These objectives can relate to academic, personal, or social goals.
– My job is to plan these lessons to target the given goals and differentiate wherever needed. By combining one-on-one instruction with classroom support, I ensure that every student receives appropriate and tailored guidance.
The rewards of collaboration
Liisa enjoys collaborating with a variety of teachers and students across different grades, which she says is one of her favorite parts of the job. She also sees the benefits of working in a small school, because you get to know everyone and therefore incidents and concerns are unlikely to fly under the radar.
– Given that I work with a small number of students, I get to know them very well. My teacher colleagues are doing an amazing job, but they also have 19 other kids in the class to take care of. Therefore, I consider myself to have a meaningful role. I am an additional safe adult the students can talk to, ask questions, or seek help from.
The pursuit of special needs education
Kallio's academic journey began at USN (University of South-Eastern Norway), where she earned a degree in International Teacher Education for Primary Schools. Her aspirations to work in international schools and wanting to do an international master's programme in Norway drove her to pursue a master's degree in Special Needs Education at the University of Oslo (UiO).
– I had observed that international schools were becoming more inclusive towards different student populations. Due to this inclusive shift, I knew having expertise in the SEN field would be valuable within the general classroom teaching.
Insights from UiO
The first year of the studies provides a comprehensive but surface level view on different aspects of the SNE field and the master’s thesis gives you an opportunity to deepen your knowledge in a particular topic.
– I had a clear career plan after my studies, so I strategically selected my master's thesis topic to focus on the international school context, ensuring its relevance and helping me build connections with schools.
In terms of teaching, Liisa appreciated the opportunity to engage in both small and large lecture settings at UiO.
– Experiencing this contrast highlighted my preference for smaller lectures. Your fellow international classmates are one of the greatest resources you can have.
This close-knit academic environment facilitated deeper learning and better access to professors. Liisa also valued the Norwegian language courses at UiO, which helped her build confidence in her language skills and broaden her social network.
– Taking the language courses are quite time consuming but I consider them worth it especially if you are planning to stay in Norway.
Transitioning to life in Norway
Coming from a bilingual region in Finland (Finnish/Swedish), Liisa experienced a relatively smooth transition to life in Norway, both in terms of culture, language and society. However, she advises newcomers to be patient with themselves during the adjustment phase and emphasizes the importance of exploring the city and connecting with others.
– Moving to a new country and starting studies there can be difficult and overwhelming, so remember to be compassionate towards yourself. Make the most out of it and be open to new people and new experiences.
Liisa have met several international students in Norway while living here and have observed that everyone experiences Norwegian culture and society differently, based on their background.
– A good tip is to reach out to people from your country that's living in Norway, for example through Facebook groups. They can be very helpful in navigating the difference in systems and cultures.
Fond memories from UiO
Kallio cherishes her time on the lively Blindern campus, engaging with friends over lunch and coffee between classes.
– UiO has a very welcoming environment for international students.
The designated reading space at Helga Engs hus (the building that houses the Faculty of Educational Sciences) became integral to her master's thesis process, offering a peaceful spot for focused work.
– My friends and I would motivate each other, discuss thesis related and non-thesis related stuff, have lunch and coffee breaks.
Read more about the Master's in Research in Special Needs Programme.