Verme 2 - The Finnish Network for
Peer-group Mentoring
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The network is formed between the Finnish teacher education institutions, including the vocational teacher education and teacher education departments of universities. The main goal is to develop and disseminate the peer-group mentoring model (PGM) to support professionals in the educational field.
Peer-group mentoring, known in Finland by the acronym verme, is a Finnish approach supporting new teachers in their early career. PGM brings new teachers together to share and reflect on their experiences and to discuss day-to-day problems and challenges they face.
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The method has been piloted in years 2008-2010 by the funding of Finnish Work Environmental Fund and later being developed in the Osaava -program funded by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture during years 2010-2017.
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How does PGM work?
PGM groups meet typically once a month to discuss work-related issues. The PGM approach draws on the constructivist view of learning which maintains that we construct our learning based on our prior knowledge, experiences, and beliefs. Peer discussion is therefore an essential element in creating shared understanding of the work of teachers.
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