Finnish Lessons - What We Can Learn - Page 5 of 6

Finnish Lessons – What We Can Learn

Sahlberg sees the daily contribution of excellent teachers as the key to Finland’s success. The public rates teaching as a most admired profession, ahead of medical doctors and lawyers. This is due in part to the competition to become a teacher. Only one in ten applicants are accepted to prepare for teaching in spite of the modest salaries (slightly less than average in US when experience is considered). Finland is unique in this respect. Due to the quality of the candidates, teacher education is rigorous. A research-based master’s is required and there are no alternate paths to certification. More than 95% are members of Finland’s teachers union.

The professional autonomy and trust teachers enjoy helps attract top candidates. Many teachers in Finland would seek other jobs if they had external pressure of standardized tests like US & England. Mentoring and professional development varies from one municipality to another. Three days of professional development are required and the national average is seven. The question of teacher effectiveness or consequences of being ineffective is not relevant in Finland. Principals use their experience to help teachers improve. The additional time to work with colleagues also addresses teacher quality. Principals must be experienced teachers and must complete additional studies in administration and leadership. Many also teach a few classes a week.

Alberta has removed standardized assessments and is the highest performing provence in Canada. Wales has done so and England is putting an end to it in primary schools. China is loosening its standardized control on education by making school-based curriculum a national policy priority. Japan and Singapore are following these trends. (Doug: Meanwhile in the US we are plowing forward with teacher evaluation systems that factor in standardized test scores and national standards. How can we be so out of it?)

Reform in the US assumes that external performance standards and describing what teachers and students should do leads to better learning for all. A second assumption is that competition between schools, teachers, and students is the most productive way to raise quality. Sahlberg’s view is that this sort of thing pushes teachers to do what is safe rather than to try new ideas and approaches. It also prevents a school from becoming a creative and inspiring place to teach and learn.