Curriculum Portfolio Entry 2

                                               Equitable Finnish Education

The PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) website is a clear indicator that Finland is outperforming a lot of countries including the US in terms of reading performance. What is remarkable is that there is no relationship between socioeconomic status and reading levels. This is a testament to equity in Finnish education. A lot of factors have contributed to this including social justice, early intervention for students with special needs and how the education, health and social sectors affect each other. Their democratic civil society is also a major contributor. 

A brief glimpse into their past history in education gives us some insights: 

a)Their transition into an industrial society has helped provide equal educational opportunities (1945-1970)

b) Emphasis on technology levels and innovations (1965 - 1990)

c) Emphasis on improving quality of basic education and expansion of higher education (1985 to present)

The most crucial component in the success of the Finnish education system is Comprehensive School Reform. Students from all backgrounds flourished and reaped the benefits of learning owing to the equal opportunity principle. The curriculum was seamlessly integrated with special education and learning disabilities were caught early and the necessary services were provided at an early age. Schools were equipped with the necessary personnel who were trained to support and nurture students with special needs.

Students were provided guidance in career counseling to avoid missteps in their career choices. They were provided with the option of 3 routes to pursue. a) They could either continue in upper secondary school (in a gen-ed setting) b) attend a vocational upper secondary school c) or take up a job. Comprehensive philosophy firmly believes that any student can realize their full potential given the right kind of supports and opportunities. In order to achieve this, schools should mimic a democratic society.

Peruskoulu is the Finnish school model for comprehensive basic education which lasts 9 years starting at age 7. The teachers extensively use alternative teaching methods and provide differentiation to the students by providing stimulating learning environments. Professional development of teachers and research based teacher education was given prominence In 1979 when a new law came into effect. What is also remarkable is that education is not mandatory after the completion of the 9 year Peruskoulu. Students could voluntarily pursue upper secondary education with the luxury of flexible study schedules and tuition free higher education. They also had personalized learning plans and could take longer to complete their education than others. These kind of practices are hugely motivational for students to learn. The 70s showed an increase in equal opportunities, student participation and also improvement in quality of higher education. According to statistics, about 99% complete Peruskoulu and 95% complete upper secondary education which is very impressive. Schools throughout the country also provide nutritious free meals, health services, psychological, counseling and guidance services to all students irrespective of their socioeconomic status.

Also of note is that, the Finnish education system does not emphasize on standardized testing. They feel that instruction plays a more crucial role in student learning than standards, assessments or alternative instructional programs. Teacher professionalism is given much more importance and the best practices are adopted. All the schools learn from one another. Teachers are encouraged to expand their skill sets in teaching to cater to the individualized needs of all students leading to equitable learning. This has proved to be successful despite the socioeconomic status. Equity is fair as it provides high quality education to all the students irrespective of their circumstances and backgrounds.

Curiously it was noticed in the 80s that when the learning expectations were the same, the achievement gap between high and low achievers decreased. In 2000, the program of International student assessment  survey (PISA) by the organization of economic cooperation and development (OECD) brought the success of equitable learning into the limelight. In the survey, Finland demonstrated the smallest variation in reading, math and science of all OECD nations. This trend had become stronger until 2009. Another hallmark of comprehensive schooling is special education being a part of education and care. The Finnish school system provides equal opportunities to students with disabilities along with their neurotypical peers according to their abilities. Early intervention for students with special needs is provided before they start preschool. Child poverty is less than 4% as compared to 20% in the US. Grade based assessments are not part of the first 5 years of school. The reasoning is that any elements that cause students failure should be done away with. Grade retention with over emphasis on academic performance have gradually faded from the make up of the Finnish school system. The downside of grade repetition has also been realized in the school system as It not only had a negative connotation to the students involved but also hindered the teachers from expecting more as regards the learning abilities of these students. The Finnish system of education believes that all students can achieve common education goals as learning is customized and caters to their individual needs. The Finnish experience gives more importance to equity and shared responsibility than choice and competition. They strongly feel the need to develop the capacities of schools than standardized testing. Trust with emphasis on professionalism of teachers while including those with special needs have set them apart. Successful change and good educational performance often require improvements in social, employment and economic sectors.

In conclusion, the rest of the world can truly imbibe a lot of principles of the Finnish system of education namely emphasis on equity along with teachers professionalism, early intervention of students with special needs and not giving too much emphasis on standardized testing but motivating students to learn.

References

 Sahlberg, P. (2011). Finnish lessons: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland. Teachers College Press.

 

  


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