From Course to Classroom: Turning Teacher Training into Real Learning Experiences

One of the most common concerns educators share today is that many professional development courses remain theoretical, offering certificates, but little guidance on how learning translates into classroom practice.

At CCE Finland, our focus has always been different: courses designed for real implementation.

Earlier this year, 26 teachers from an Asian school enrolled in our Art of Creative Story writing and Book Publishing course. The program combined different sessions, practical assignments, and collaborative reflection, encouraging teachers to immediately apply their learning with their students.

Rather than stopping at course completion, the teachers together with our trainer, Ms. Simi Ballani, went a step further. Together with the children, they designed and implemented a Literary Festival, where students from Grades 1–8 authored, illustrated, and published their own storybooks. Parents were invited to attend, turning the event into a celebration of creativity, literacy, and student voice.

This experience reflects what we consistently advocate: effective professional development should lead to visible change in classrooms.

Beyond student engagement, the initiative also generated valuable data for reflective practice and action research, demonstrating how structured teacher training can support both pedagogical innovation and academic inquiry.

The Art of Creative Story writing and Book Publishing course is one of many CCE Finland programs designed to support educators in moving from theory to practice, empowering teachers to design meaningful, creative, and student-centered learning experiences.

Learn more about the course here: https://www.ccefinland.org/artofcreativestorywriting