The recent Scott Walker win in Wisconsin has led to a lot a talk about how to successfully improve the American education system. Clearly the two parties have different solutions for fixing education but determining what makes a successful education system could be key to cutting through the partisan rhetoric and finding real answers. By most measures Finland has one of if not the best education systems in the world while also managing to achieve this success at a lower cost than most. So what makes Finland so successful?
There is no merit pay for teachers in Finland.
Students in Finland rarely have homework or take exams until they are in their teens.
There are no private schools in Finland.
There is only one mandatory standardized test administered at age 16.
Teachers are given the same status as Doctors and Lawyers
95% of teachers in Finland are unionized.
High school teachers in Finland make 102% of what other college graduates make compared to 62% for the US.
30 percent of children receive additional help in their first 9 years of school.
Unlike the US system the main driver of Finnish education policy has been the idea that every child should have exactly the same opportunity to learn, regardless of family background, income, or geographic location.
Teahcers only spend 4 hours per day in class and take 2 hours a week for professional development.
Finland has approximately the same number of teachers as New York City with nearly half the students.
Teachers have a great deal of educational control in choosing textbooks and customizing their lessons to meet national standards.
Elementary students get 75 minutes of recess per day versus an average of 27 in the US.
All of Finland's teachers must have a Master's Degree which is state subsidized.
The national curriculum is only broad outlines.
Teachers are selected from the top 10% of graduates.
Children are not measured at all in their first six years of education.
All children are taught in the same classroom.
What is most striking about this list is how completely opposite it is to current thinking in America. When Finland made changes to their education system their goal was to provide equality not excellence. As John F. Kennedy said "a rising tide lifts all boats" and the same appears to be true in Finland where providing equal opportunity for all, improves the results for everyone. While in the US President Obama has fallen in line with Republicans to push ideas like charter schools, merit pay, and standardized testing. So if you believe that education is getting worse, it’s getting worse as we move closer to a system of Republican ideas.
Essentially the US system represents the free market idea of education while the Finnish system represents the socialist plan for education and right now the socialists are winning.
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