Johanna Fogelklou - Being an educator is one of the most important professions in the world,

In this episode, we meet Johanna Fogelklou, a Förstelärare (Head Teacher) in the Middle Years Programme at Gothenburg International School. Johanna shares why she identifies first and foremost as a teacher — before she is a woman, a mother, or a sister — and how her deep dedication to education guides everything she does.

She speaks passionately about the importance of caring for and connecting with students, reminding us that they are our future. Johanna also reflects on her concerns about digitalisation and its growing impact on students’ mental health.

A strong believer in collaboration, she highlights the value of teamwork among colleagues as a way to sustain work–life balance and prevent burnout. She discusses the importance of mentoring new teachers and offers thoughtful advice to both young people and career changers, describing teaching as a profession that is deeply meaningful and rewarding — even as it remains demanding.

Johanna is a committed advocate for continued professional learning at the university level and calls for closer collaboration between teacher-training institutions and classroom educators. She emphasises that practicing teachers bring invaluable insight into the everyday realities of school life.

While she remains critical of government involvement in education policy, Johanna speaks positively about initiatives from the Swedish National Agency for Education (Skolverket) and universities to expand professional development opportunities for teachers. Programmes such as action research and master’s studies are becoming more widely available, with a stronger focus on scientific methods and measuring teaching quality. Yet, she argues, meaningful support must go further — particularly in giving teachers the time they need to study and grow.

TEACHERS / EDUCATORS MATTER - Do share widely, discuss, comment, and BE KIND / Liisa