The Finnish Way

Finnish Lessons 

What can the world learn from educational change in Finland?

by Pasi Sahlberg

Introduction

In the Introduction to Finnish Lessons, Pasi Sahlberg succinctly outlines the reasons why other countries should examine the highly successful Finnish educational system:

-        It’s dramatic rise from a mediocre to exemplary system that has both raised the bar and narrowed the gap in learning for all students;

-       The Finnish Way of change – which lacks school inspections, standardized curriculum, high stakes student assessments, test-based accountability, and a race-to-the-top mentality -  offers alternatives to the competitive, market-driven education policies;

-       The Finnish Way points to interesting possibilities for interdependencies between education and other sectors; and

-       The Finnish story gives hope to those who are losing hope in public education that, with patience and determination, a struggling educational system can be transformed.

In the Introduction, the author also summarizes the key features of the Finnish Way of education:

-        A clear vision of education (the Finnish Dream) in which all students learn well and performance differences among schools are small – and all with reasonable cost and effort;

-        A belief that teaching is a prestigious profession, which has led to the most competitive teacher-education system in the world, a great deal of professional autonomy for teachers, and access to purposeful PD throughout teachers’ careers;

-        Finnish schools lack standardized testing, test-preparation, and private tutoring;

-        Finnish teachers teach less and Finnish students spend less time studying than their peers in other countries; and

-        Ready access for all students to special education, personalized help, and individual help.

Chpt. 1: The Finnish Dream: Equal Educational Opportunities

Chapter 1 presents an historical overview of educational reform in Finland.  The first part of this chapter tells the story of the Finnish journey towards universal basic education.  By 1970, peruskoula (primary and lower secondary school) was set at 9 years and codified as compulsory.  Two tracks of non-compulsory upper secondary school were set: General Upper Secondary School and Vocational Upper Secondary School.  A 3rd pathway was then made available for students coming out of lower SS. A 10th grade Career guidance and counseling program was made a mandatory part of peruskoula, including the requirement that all students spend 2 weeks in a selected workplace.  The school year in General Upper Secondary School was re-organized into shorter periods of time (6 or 7 weeks) such that teachers assess student's achievement 5/6 times per subject per year.   About two-thirds of the courses are compulsory with students free to choose from many elective courses to round out their program.  Courses in General Upper Secondary School are not age cohort-based – There aren’t fixed classes or grades.  Instead, students can choose whatever courses they want in a given year.  (ie. a student could take 10^th and 11^th grade science in the same year.)   

Only USS students are required to write the National Matriculation Exam – a high
stakes tests conducted twice a year. Students must take a language test and then their choice of 3 of 4 other assessments to complete the exam.  40% of USS students actually start first in the Vocational Upper Secondary School.  It is easy for students to move between the two forms of upper secondary school, and students in one can take courses in the other.  Vocational Upper SS has a mandatory on-the-job training requirement.  During 3rd year of lower secondary school, all students are entitled to 2-hours/week of guidance and counseling.

In terms of completion rates, only 0.2% of students don't complete compulsory education (peruskoula), and 95% (2009-2010) of students who complete compulsory education immediately go on to one of the 3 education pathways.  93% of students
who opt for upper secondary school complete it, although 10% of Vocational Upper Secondary School students do not complete the program. The completion rate for finishing Upper Secondary School in 3.5 years is only 75%.

Chpt. 2: The Finnish Paradox: Less is More

The education system in Finland has achieved equity of outcomes.  Among OECD countries in 2009, it had the smallest (about 7%) between-school variance on the PISA reading scale.  The average variance in other OECD countries is 42%.  One possible factor in the equity of outcome is the flexible nature of its special education system, which allows students to opt in and opt out as needed.  Close to 50% of Finnish students in compulsory education receive special education services at some point during their compulsory education years.  Unlike many countries, that enrol students in special education as problems surface, in Finland intensive Spec. Ed. diagnosis and programming occurs during primary education and even before school entry.

Equity follows into post-secondary education as university and polytechnics (college) are free.  More than 60% of upper secondary school graduates enrol in post-secondary education.  The result of free access is that more than 50% of the Finnish adult population participates in adult education programs.

Also contributing to equity of outcome are the compensations to avoid factors related to poverty.  Finland provides voluntary free preschool and free lunches for all students.  As well, to avoid profiling students at a young age, grade-based assessments are not normally used during the first 5 years of peruskoula.

Three reasons are given for why Finnish students excel in mathematics achievement.  First, math teaching is strongly embedded in curriculum design and teacher education in primary education.  In fact, 15% of students in primary teacher-education programs specialize in mathematics.  As well, Finland has a strong focus on problem solving in teacher education.  Lastly, education of math teachers is based on subject didactics and close collaboration between the faculty of mathematics and the faculty of education.

             There are similar reasons why Finnish students excel in science.  For one thing, primary teachers are trained to provide experiential and hands-on science opportunities for students.  Also, more and more (10%) of primary teachers have studied science education in their teacher education program. 

             Finnish students tied for first (with Danish students) among OECD countries in civic knowledge in the 2009 International Civic and Citizenship Education Study.  Finnish students reading literacy also remains at an internationally high level.   

Good educational performance in Finland has been attained at a reasonable cost.  Total public expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP in Finland was 5.6% in 2007 while the OECD countries average was 5.7%.

Two paradoxes are at the heart of the Finnish way of education.  First, Teach Less; Learn More.  Finnish students start compulsory education later (at age 7) than students in other OECD countries, have fewer daily and yearly (about 5500 hours as compared to the OECD average of 6500 for 12 to 14 yr. olds) number of instructional hours.  The shorter instructional day gives Finnish teachers more time for PD during the work day.   The second paradox is Test less; Learn more.  PISA and other international test data suggest that math and literacy achievement in test-based accountability-policy nations is in decline while it has increased in Finland.

Chpt. 3: The Finnish Advantage: The Teachers

Finns continue to value teaching as a noble, prestigious profession.  A case in point: There is an over-abundance of applications to teacher education programs.  Annually, only about 1 of every 10 applicants is accepted in primary teacher education programs.  Primary teacher candidates are selected not only based on matriculation exam scores but also on an interview.

Three reasons are given as to why teaching is a much sought after career in Finland:

-          Finnish teachers experience professional autonomy;

-          Teacher education has high academic status as it consists of a Master’s degree and is research-based (ie. The teacher education program includes a thesis requirement, making teacher education research oriented); and,

-          Finnish teachers earn more as they acquire more teaching experience.

Associate/supervisory teachers must prove competency to work with student-teachers.

Finland does not have a centrally coordinated teacher induction program for new teachers.  There are no strict national standards for or descriptions of student learning outcomes that Finnish schools must include in their curriculum.  The National Framework Curricula provide some guidance and regulations; however, curriculum planning is the responsibility of teachers, schools, and municipalities.

There is no formal system for teacher performance appraisal.

Pasi Sahlberg

Chpt. 4: The Finnish Way: Competitive Welfare State

The Finnish Way in education contrasts with GERM (Global Education Reform Movement):

GERM	Finnish Way
Standardized testing	Customized teaching & learning
Literacy/Numeracy focus	Creative learning focus
Prescribed curriculum	Risk taking encouraged
Test-based accountability & control ie. merit pay	Shared responsibility & trust
Market-oriented reform ideas	Education sector best practices, ideas & innovations

The Finnish Way in education is “a professional and democratic path to improvement that grows from the bottom, steers from the top, and provides supports and pressures from the side.” (105)  It aligns well with Hargreaves and Shirley’s Fourth Way.

This chapter suggests that educational progress in Finland should be viewed in the broader context of national economic and social development and renewal.

 The spirit of innovation and creativity in the Finnish education system is a by-product of Finland’s movement to a knowledge-based economy.

The Finnish education system has evolved in a similar manner to Finland’s unique socio-economic system – a marriage of the welfare state with a knowledge-based economy.

National income equity is statistically related to many positive outcomes including:

-          Greater number of literate citizens

-          Science achievement

-          Fewer school dropouts

-          Less obesity

-          Better mental health

Chpt. 5: Is The Future Finnish?

“Models for educational change in Finland have often been borrowed from abroad, but educational policies were crafted and then implemented in the Finnish Way.” (124)

The current GEREM culture of accountability in the public sector in many parts of the world threatens school and community social capital; it damages trust and builds suspicion, low morale, and professional cynicism.

An “overlooked” feature of the Finnish education system is the high level of reading literacy of children – both from the home culture of reading and the individualization of reading programs in schools.  Another overlooked feature is the design of schools – which are designed in collaboration with teachers.