Become an expert in Finnish early education

Learn the Finnish-style, play-based approach by joining our online teacher training program. You can enroll anytime and learn at your own pace with a global community of like-minded educators.

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The Program Structure

The HEI Schools Diploma has 10 modules of content covering the same topics included in Finland’s early education teacher program. You'll learn how to apply your new knowledge with over 30 practical assignments and engage in peer sharing with our global community of educators. You can read more details about the modules below!

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Module 1.How Children Learn

Deepen your understanding of the milestonees of human development, learn pedagogical methods to support holistic development and to promote second language learning.

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Module 2.Child Observation, Documentation and Evaluation

Get familiar with the areas, methods and tools for observation, documentation and evaluation. Learn how to engage in self-evaluation and use it to improve your teaching practices.

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Module 3.Play and Learning

Learn theories of play and why play is important for children. Deepen your knowledge of the teacher’s role in play and how you can use play to support children’s learning and development.

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Module 4.Children’s Rights

Understand how you can make children’s rights visible in the learning environment, teach social sustainability and global awareness, and ensure children’s safety and participation.

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Module 5.Learning Areas and Transversal Skills

Learn about the key transversal skills as the basis for lifelong learning. Get familiar with the holistic framework of Finnish early education and ways to use everyday routines as learning moments.
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Module 6.Collaborative Inquiry-Based Learning

Get familiar with inquiry-based learning and how and why to implement it in the classroom. Learn practical ways to create, document and evaluate projects together with children.

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Module 7.Inclusion, Diversity and Special Needs

Learn how to recognize and understand diversity and the most common special educational needs of young learners. Get familiar with working methods to promote inclusion.

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Module 8.Pedagogical Planning

Get familiar with methods of short- and long-term pedagogical planning in the Finnish early childhood education context and how to incorporate child and family participation into these plans.

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Module 9.Working with Families

Get familiar with the diversity of families and how to encounter and work with different family types. Understand common challenges in collaboration and strategies to overcome them.

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Module 10.Teacher’s Professional Development

Get familiar with the importance of continuous professional development and reflective practice. Get support in planning your own growth and ways  to stay inspired as an early years professional.

See Inside the Diploma

The Diploma platform has many interactive features, like introductions, fun survey questions and assignment sharing. Every module includes different sections with reading materials, videos and practical assignments.

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How to enroll?

If you would like to enroll in the program, it's simple to get started:

1. Click the button on the right to purchase the HEI Schools Teacher Diploma program on our web shop. You will receive an email right away confirming your successful purchase.

2. Within 1 business day, you will receive an email from HEI Schools with a link to register on the platform.

3. Join the diploma community and start learning!

HEI Schools Teacher Diploma: end-of-year campaign 50% off!

€245

Discount applied automatically at the checkout. Applies to one-time-payment only.

Purchase now

Our Student Success Stories

Testimonial Pic Jayaradha Shankar 120x120

It is absolutely wonderful! I found it so informative and I just loved the way it's broken down into milestones and it’s so granular. This really appealed to me as somebody who is just getting into this space and I think that it’s a very good first step to take.

Jayaradha Shankar

Diploma Student, Singapore

Testimonial Pic Randy Matito 120x120

I like HEI Schools because they have the highest standards of safety and education. I have been teaching preschoolers for nine years and counting, and never in my entire career have I experienced this way of training.

Randy Matito

Diploma Student, Vietnam

Testimonial Pic Bianca de Cassia 120x120

I feel confident taking the course while working in a full-time position simply because the platform is so practical and I can do it all at my own pace. I also love that I can apply all the methods I’m learning with the kids I work with to improve our daily routines.

Bianca de Cassia Garcia

Diploma Student, Canada

Nararat

I enjoy the program as it's well-designed and easy to follow even for someone who has no foundation in ECE pedagogy. The program has guided me through important aspects of play-based learning step by step with practical assignments and ideas for real-life situations.

Nararat Vachiramanaporn

Diploma Student, Thailand

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the required materials for the course?

All you need is access to a computer and the internet. Everything is online and available on demand so that you can study at your own pace.

What kind of background do I need?

No previous experience in education is mandatory! However, studies in education, experience working with children in either teaching or caretaking, and an interest in early childhood education are all helpful in completing the program.

How long is the course?

This is a self-study course, so there is no set schedule and you can do it completely at your own pace. The average time for completing the course is around 6-10 months.

Do I need to attend live sessions?

No, this is not required. While we offer live video calls with our pedagogues and invite you to other educational webinars, it is not mandatory to attend them.

Do I get a certificate?

Yes, you will receive a certificate from HEI Schools upon completion of your studies. You can get both a digital and physical copy sent to you wherever you are in the world.