Meet the Team: Suzanne
Meet Suzanne Perkowsky, our Co-founder and Head of Education
Suzanne has spent her life studying and teaching around the world. Her love for teaching started in university where she tutored American football players to help them pass their English course. Suzanne is a trained teacher and principal, with certifications from both the UK and Finland. In 2016, she co-founded New Nordic School and now lives in Espoo, Finland with her husband and son (one of three).
Hi Suzanne! What have you been working on lately?
“I’ve been working very closely with a client school to get their school started as well as working with our team to take the next stage of our curriculum and trainings forward.”
What was your education like?
“I grew up in India and went to a Catholic boarding school with Irish nuns and Indian teachers, that was the most impactful experience that I’ve had. After that, I returned to Delhi and went to school there. I think at that time it was a lot of fun but academically it was a different story. I then started university in India and went to St. Stephen’s College, and next I went to Washington State University, US, for my Bachelor’s. I earned my Master’s in Education from the UK and teacher, as well as principal’s, certification from Finland.”
Was it your studies that brought you to Finland?
“It was my husband. I was actually working in San Francisco when we got married. The idea was to stay there and work but I came to Finland to get married (we also got married in India and the US), and I completely fell in love with the country and decided to stay. That was the best decision.”
What’s something most people don’t know about you?
“I first got into education by tutoring American football players in the US to help them pass the English courses. On the flip side, I taught 3-6-year-olds in a Montessori kindergarten in San Francisco during university holidays. That's literally what made me first think that I really enjoy teaching.”
What’s been your favorite country to live in?
“They've all had their upsides and downsides. I've learned something from each country. I love that we had the opportunity as a family to go live abroad for a certain time and I love that Finland is home. I think that's what keeps us anchored.”
What about your favorite country to teach in?
“It's very hard because each school has had its own impact, I have takeaways from each one. If I had to pick one I would say it would be the playschool in Mäntsälä (Finland) because it was the first one that my husband and I set up together in 1996 and it’s still a happy place for kids.”
What makes you feel empowered?
“Doing what I'm doing now, changing people's perceptions of what education is and what education can be like. Speaking to people who want to start schools and getting them to see why things need to change and having them come back and say ‘let's do this’ - that's the most amazing feeling.”
If you had to meet any historical figure and choose him as your teammate, who would it be?
“If I had to pick one, it would be Maria Montessori because she was such a pioneer as one of the few women in medicine and scientific pedagogy. What she did with her knowledge for education and for brain development is incredible.”
What’s your favorite family tradition?
“Christmas. We have the whole family together and we bake cookies, decorate the tree, stay in pajamas, and share silly presents.”
What do you miss the most about India?
“Family and friends - and food! Definitely the food.”