International Perspectives on Educational Overhaul

Finland, Korea and Singapore

What did Finland do?• Decrease between school variance on

PISA science to 5%

• Reduce SES achievement gap despite the increase in immigrants with cultural and linguistic needs

• Moved economy from agrarian to knowledge-based economy. Full incorporation of information technologies created highly competitive economy.

• How? • Schools are highly autonomous. Shift

from highly centralized to local• 2-3 years of graduate training, state

paid for highly qualified teachers• Curriculum overhaul “thinking

curriculum”• Resources for students with extra

needs. Equalize funding between schools.

• Local assessment done by schools and teachers.

• Lean state standards (10 pages to describe math curriculum).

• Abolish tracking

What do Finnish kids get?

• Extensive system to create foundation for learning: lunch, health care (including dental), counseling, transportation and school materials. ALL FREE.

• Small schools (300) and small classes (20)• Quality curriculum• Feedback in narrative form

In the classroom

• Inquiry based learning with students working at their own pace based on self-identified goals.

• Students working in cooperative groups or independently

• Teacher moving among students• Students gather information by asking questions.• Students investigations follow teachers’ process

for analyzing teaching. Constant research process based on experimentation.

Teacher Training• Only 15% of applicants are accepted. Well-respected

profession• 1 year clinical training• No student loans• Emphasis how to teach, particularly to a range of

learners including special needs • Problem solving groups w/in schools• Teachers diagnose and solve own problems in schools. • Have time during the school day to meet regularly to

discuss and improve teaching

When and how is testing used?

• 2nd and 9th grade state tests used for assessment but not as punishment or to reduce funding.

• Open-ended questions used to assess teaching and learning, and solve problems.

• Provide feedback to students to encourage self-reflection.

• Matriculation exams to enter college level work- given in native language, few questions with in-depth answers.

“Don’t Even Step on the Shadow of a Teacher”

Korean Proverb (Flat World, p. 173)

What did Korea do?

• High School Equalization Policy- abolish middle and high school entrance exams. 90% rate of high school graduation. (US rate. 70-75%)

• Reduce class size from 60 to 30

• Increase standards for teacher preparation

• 69% from vocational and 88% from academic school go to college. (US students who go to college 60%)

Korean Teachers

• Well-respected and well-paid. Highly desirable job.

• Teaching jobs are difficult to obtain especially in cities.

• Bonus pay for working in poorer or rural areas.

• 35% of time spent teaching.

• Pay scale: doctors, teachers, engineers.

• Decrease number of house spent in school.

Singapore and US

Similarities

• Most similar to US in terms of race/ethnic diversity: Tamil, Malay and Chinese.

• Struggles with multiple language speakers

Differences• Singapore lacks natural

resources• Autocratic ruler . • Reform built around a

national agenda and philosophical approach“Thinking Schools, Learning Nation”. Not piecemeal

Strategies

• Incorporate private and public college system. Make it free or needs based

• Increase percentage of GDP on education (4% to 6%).

• Huge increases in rates of post-secondary (10th grade) attendance.

• Close attention to racial/ethnic inequalites.

Strategies… continued

• “Teach less, learn more”• Like Korea, holistic education. Educate the

whole child.• Beautiful architecture and schools: Beacon to

the Community• Assessment support for teachers using a range

of modes: oral, observation, task, written assignments. (Not multiple choice tests).

• Full integration of technology at every level.

Teacher Training

• Choose from top 1/3 of graduating class

• 1-2 salaried training • Pay equivalent or more

than engineers, accountants, lawyers and docs.

• Problem based inquiry• Close mentorship first

years.

• Mastery of subject matter and pedagogy

• Paid 100 hrs professional development a year!

• 20 hrs week working with other teachers to create co-learners who share experiences and take risks.

Singaporean Teacher Career Paths

Possible career paths…

Curriculum specialist

Mentors

School leaders

Structural and Institutional Advantages

• Organizational structure is coherent. Clear paths.

• Includes opportunities for constant renovation, rethinking and renewal.

• Paths for continued development including leadership. (Promotion from within).

• Professionalizes teaching and leadership.

Teacher Education Problems in US

• Hodgepodge system w/o systematic framework for training

• Levels and intensity of training greatly differ

• Teaching and learning research at university level doesn’t disseminate to practitioners. Published in journals not read by practitioners

• High turnover rate in most needy schools

• Current emphasis on firing bad teachers ignores key issue of how to train top-notch teachers.

• Reforms can’t be implemented because teachers don’t have training.

• Singapore struggles with remnants of post-colonial British educational system.

Lack of training results in…

• Inability to discriminate “snake oil” fixes (propaganda) and empirical based approaches to education.

• Public perception that teachers are not professionals or don’t work hard.

• Inability to attract best and brightest. • Public and teachers easily lead down paths of

educational reform that are not well-researched or do not have solid educational foundations to prove their success (i.e. charter schools, school choice)

Most importantly….

Basic knowledge about educating children is ignored.

Children who are hungry, homeless, sick and/or have mental and physical health

problems (including dental and vision) will have difficulty learning.

POVERTY RATE FOR CHILDREN IN US IS:

20%

This is what works in other countries to produce top quality teachers

• 3-4 years training, clinical component and paid for by state

• Extensive mentoring in the beginning and ongoing inquiry based research

• Fewer teaching hours and more time for curriculum development and planning

• Trust teachers to development local assessments

• Equitable salaries between schools and salaries on par with other professionals (doctors, engineers, etc.)

• Teacher as researcher model

If teaching is key to improving learning then…

Recruit top students from all

backgroundsExtensive training and

mentoring. Clinical work. No loans. High pay. Highly respected

career. Ability to teach all students.

Ongoing professional development includes

mentoring new teachers. Less time

teaching and more time for preparation.

Constant reflection and “intelligent

accountability” means teachers can fix

problems. No need for extensive outside

testing.

Potential to move into leadership positions, mentor others while

continuing professional training and

development