Optima is a vocational upper secondary education and training school mainly operating in the Jakobstad region. One of Optima’s missions is to support lifelong learning and professional growth in students’ development so they can become harmonious people and members of society.
Optima
Implementation of Street Racket - anyone, anytime, anywhere
place
Optima
Tailor-made
1
Schools
1
Educators
10
Students
Updated
December 2023
How can you manage and recover during the workday while maintaining a good rhythm at work? Break activities and exercise can be incorporated during the day.
About the implementation
What did you do in practice?
Nina incorporated Street Racket into their classes. For example, they practised Finnish cities after each hit with the racket. She also used it as a physical activity break. They tried many different variations, and the students' favorite was three against three with nine squares, where the net was formed by the three squares in the middle. They also played on a cross-shaped field, both in pairs and with several players. Additionally, they tested the six-against-six variant, where you always had to go to the end of the line after a shot, and if you missed, you were out of the game.
Why did you do this implementation trial?
I wanted to help foster a sense of community and cooperation through exercise and movement.
Impact
How did the implementation go?
It was a challenge to find the right group for the innovation and the right time and place. Break activities were not the right setting because the students already had their own interests. Younger students might show more interest in the game.
Learning Journey
Alignment & Aspirations
School leaders from Swedish-language vocational schools around Finland were invited to participate in a hybrid workshop hosted by the HundrED team to discuss key trends in Swedish-speaking vocational schools. Together, they identified three priority challenges that they wanted to focus on: resilience, wellbeing and mental health, and critical thinking. HundrED team members visited each school to run focus group workshops with students and teachers and conduct student surveys, to better understand the state of student wellbeing in each school.
Innovation Selection
HundrED hosted a virtual Pitch Day and invited innovations topitch their innovation to the working groups. Following the Pitch Day, teachers were sent a list of all the innovations that were presented and were asked to fill out a survey to evaluate their interest in trialling them. HundrED paired Optima with Street Racket.
Trial
At first, Nina tried to introduce Street Racket as a break-time activity, but the students preferred sticking to their usual routines. However, once Nina incorporated Street Racket into her classes, it went more smoothly. They even integrated the curriculum into the games. For instance, they practised the names of Finnish cities after each hit with the racket. Nina also found that it was important to use Street Racket as a physical activity break throughout the day for the students to help them maintain a good work rhythm.
Reflection
Communication is crucial throughout the process. Time frames and expectations assist multiple teachers in completing their work. It could also be beneficial for all participants to have shared meetings, for example, when the equipment arrives and during the test period, allowing everyone to share their experiences.
Location
Optima