HOW dO finnisH scHOOls excel?

Chicago Waldorf School students present hand-built models inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s designs in their Renaissance curriculum block

by Carol Triggiano, Grade School Teacher • April 2, 2014 • Chicago Waldorf School

i recently heard Pasi sahlberg, director general of the center for international Mobility and cooperation in finland’s Ministry of education, speak at the chicago Humanities festival about why finland ranks first with the best school system in the world. His best-selling book, Finnish Lessons, has inspired educators and parents to reevaluate how we educate children and has prompted discussion on how we can institute change. While sahlberg’s ideas seem radical in the light of American standards, they reaffirmed to me the value of a Waldorf education.

sahlberg compared the Global educational Reform Movement (GeRM) to a cancerous virus that has spread worldwide. Over the last forty years schools have operated on a philosophy that promotes ideas such as, competition, standardization, test based accountability and education as an industry. That approach has netted us an overall decrease in skills, a huge jump in the AdHd diagnoses, children on medication and an alarming increase in adolescent suicide. something clearly is not working.

Answer: On the same principles that Waldorf education has been teaching for almost 100 years

sahlberg went on to describe how the “finnish way” has transformed their educational system into the pinnacle of success. i would like to compare how Waldorf education has been following most of these key principles for almost one hundred years:

competition has been replaced with collaboration. sahlberg stated that real winners don’t compete, they work together. school is a team. One of Waldorf’s guiding principles is collaboration. Teachers, trustees, administrators and parents work together to support the healthy development of the school and to shape a mission and vision that reflects the school’s core values. in most Waldorf schools, the governance model supports collaborative decision-making. students also collaborate in the classroom and across grade levels on projects, festivals and service learning opportunities. Teachers work closely together through strong mentoring programs, conference opportunities and ongoing study of Waldorf philosophy.

standardization has been transformed into personalization. sahlberg equated personalization with creativity. This means giving teachers the freedom to work with a broad curriculum that addresses the needs of the whole class and each student. Waldorf education has a developmentally based core curriculum, but teachers have the freedom to shape lessons creatively in ways that engage the imagination and inspire learning.

The teacher student relationship is key to successful learning. in finland it is possible for a teacher to carry the same class for sometimes as long as five years. educators believe that this looping approach promotes stronger relationships between teacher and students. This longer commitment to a class

offers the rich opportunity to really understand who the students are and what they need. early on, teachers recognize each student’s strengths and challenges and can offer the support necessary to promote success. looping has been a long standing tradition in Waldorf schools. it is very common for a teacher to take a class from 1st through 8th grade or, at the very least, for several consecutive years. special subjects teachers often work with the same group of students, also. The bond that is formed over the years serves as a strong foundation for meaningful learning, healthy social development and individual attention. it minimizes discipline problems and maximizes the parent/teacher relationship. sharing so many years in a child’s life can leave a powerful imprint that lasts a lifetime.

Test based accountability became trust based responsibility. sahlberg emphasized that teachers and students must be protected from the barrage of “unhealthy data:” test scores that do nothing to promote a love of learning and do not give a full assessment of achievement. What they predominantly create is high stakes anxiety. children in finland do not receive any formal grades before 5th or 6th grade, and there are no standardized tests until the final year of high school. students in Waldorf schools do not receive grades until high school. some schools administer their first standardized tests generally around 6th grade, while others that have their own Waldorf high school may not give them at all. Most students will take the AcT and/or sAT in high school. instead of grades, teachers share meaningful feedback with students and give parents detailed narrative descriptions of the child’s academic progress, artistic work, level of participation and engagement. Because Waldorf schools do not follow the traditional model of education, parents must find ways to develop trust in this approach. Parent education is essential for understanding the Waldorf approach and to allay any fears about how their child will be prepared for the future.

education is not an industry.sahlberg spoke passionately about the growing threat that education will be influenced by corporate philosophy. He stressed that education is a human right. Today, particularly in the United states, many top level administrators are being hired from the corporate sector. Most have no experience in education. Terminology used in the business world is creeping into the language of education: data driven assessment, disaggregated data, outcome-based learning. in contrast, many Waldorf administrative directors and staff members are steeped in the pedagogy and may even have classroom experience. They embrace the principles that form the education and strive to deliver high functioning administrative systems that build trust and support the health of the school. Many administrative staff serve on the college of Teachers and actively take leadership in how the school actualizes its mission.

7th grader teams set up a test site to observe, measure and draw conclusions from the results of their catapult launches

Highly trained teachers make a difference in the classroom, but it is equally important that they are empowered to collaborate, create and lead.

Optimally, teachers should have a voice in how the school is run, from curriculum development to pedagogical policies to strategic planning. They need to be involved in making decisions. in the United states, half of all teachers leave after five years, often due to frustration about the overemphasis of testing, the restraints of prescribed curricula and the helplessness they feel against the weight of administrative bureaucracy. The passion for teaching wanes and this can result in a school having fewer teachers with long-term experience. This leaves new teachers without mentors and role models. The

value and wisdom that experienced teachers bring are lost. Waldorf schools invest in a wide variety of ways to support new teachers. extensive training in child development, curriculum design and artistic practice are essential if a person wants to become a Waldorf teacher. Ongoing professional development and independent research often contribute to the long term commitment most Waldorf teachers make to their schools. it is not uncommon for a school to have teachers who have devoted their entire professional careers to Waldorf education.

children must play. in finland children begin formal schooling at age seven. Up until then, their major activities center on play and movement. children spend much time playing outside, even in the coldest weather. Waldorf schools highly value free play as a key principle in early childhood education. The preschool program is based on the foundational idea that young children learn about themselves and the world through play and movement. every day they spend time outside experiencing nature, running, climbing and testing their physical limits. Play also contributes to a sense of wonder and reverence for the world and engages the child’s imagination. Brain research has proven that self-directed play and speech in the young child transform later into higher levels of critical thinking. Play promotes joy and protects the sanctity of childhood in a world where the young child is pressured to do too much, too soon, too fast.

The arts are the backbone of every school. in finland, children learn music, the arts, sports and textile handcrafts. These programs are highly valued and considered essential to a well-rounded education. every student plays a musical instrument and all teachers must be able to sing. All Waldorf teachers sing! students learn the recorder and often later, a string instrument. The arts play an important role in every Waldorf lesson, from humanities to math to science. children draw, sculpt, and paint the major themes of all the subjects they study. They learn to knit in first grade and then, through the grades, move on to a wide variety of handcrafts that strengthen hand-eye coordination and their ability to focus on complex projects. Through the creative arts the child develops the critical capacities for literacy and numeracy. Art stimulates and develops imagination and flexible thinking. it promotes problem solving and builds confidence. every time a child engages in the artistic process, she is exercising her will for painting the canvas of her own life. facing a blank page, white canvas, ball of clay or piece of wood takes courage, focus, flexibility and creativity — all life skills that cultivate self-awareness, joy, and resilience.

does finland have the greatest public school system in the world? According to several measuring agencies, yes it does, but their philosophy is not unique. Waldorf education has been following many of these “radical” principles successfully for almost a century. Our graduates have benefitted from a similar philosophy that puts the developmental needs of the child at the center of our educational approach. Our mission has centered on developing free human beings who can give purpose and direction to their lives, while holding a sense for others in community. finland may be striving for the same ideal, but Waldorf education has been living it for almost 100 years. •

if you would like to read more articles—or view videos—about Waldorf education, please see

chicagowaldorf.org/about/in-the-news