The Finnish philosophy with education is that everyone has something to contribute and those who struggle in certain subjects should not be left behind. The children are not streamed or setted but are all kept in the same classroom, regardless of their ability in that particular subject.
Interestingly Finnish children spend the fewest number of hours in the classroom in the developed world. This reflects another important theme of Finnish education. All through schools are common in Finland where primary and secondary schooling is combined, so the pupils don't have to change schools and so avoid the potentially disruptive transition from primary school to secondary school.
Children in Finland only start main school at age seven. The idea is that before then they learn best when they're playing and by the time they finally get to school they are keen to start learning. Finnish parents and carers play an important part in achieving these impressive results. There is a culture of reading at home and families have regular contact with their children's teachers. The educational system's success in Finland also seems to be part cultural. Finland also has low levels of immigration. So when pupils start school the majority have Finnish as their native language, eliminating an obstacle that other societies often face.
The system's success is built on the keep it simple principle. Teaching is a prestigious career in Finland and teachers are highly valued and teaching standards are high. There is an emphasis on trust and workforce development in relaxed schools, free from political prescription. This combination, they believe, means that no child is left behind.
Chris
No comments:
Post a Comment