A recent article in The Australian about the Finnish education system pointed out that Finland was where Australia is now, ten years ago, with a poor world-wide educational ranking. Their solution was to up the ante on the professionalism of teachers, raising them to the level of well respected professionals such as Lawyers. The statistics are telling: from 7000 applications to study teaching only 700 successfully gain places. Apparently most teachers in Finland have a Master's degree, further improving their status in society. The shift in public perception has certainly had an impact on results. Alain Jehlen points out the following changes implemented by the Finnish education system:
* They got rid of the mandated standardized testing that used to tie teachers’ hands.
* They provide social supports for students including a free daily meal and free health care.
* They upgraded the teaching profession. Teachers now take a three-year graduate school preparation program, free and with a stipend for living expenses. In Finland, you don’t go into debt to become a teacher.
* The stress on top-quality teaching continues after teachers walk into their schools. Teachers spend nearly half of their time in school in high-level professional development, collaborative planning, and working with parents. Sounds like a winner, and it is. Other comments suggest that the later starting age for school (7, not 5) has also had an impact, as has the focus on formative assessment as opposed to summative. Finnish school children are also encouraged in the arts, and teachers are given as much planning time as class time.
Think I might learn to speak Finnish.
