october 2013. on the programme for international student assessment (pisa) tests, finland has...
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2nd Massachusetts Delegation to FinlandOctober 2013
On the Programme for International Student Assessment
(PISA) tests, Finland has consistently ranked among the highest performing nations in the world
PISA is administered every three years, and is a given to assess knowledge and skills of 15-year old students from participating countries and economies through the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
PISA assesses students’ skills in reading literacy, mathematics, and science
Why Finland?
Surprise
In the first PISA administration (2000), Finland was 1st out of 40 countries in reading (US 15th)
3rd in science (US 14th)
4th in math (US 19th)
Finland didn’t set out to be # 1. In fact, they were quite surprised by the results and outwardly do not put much stock in them
Pasi Sahlberg – Director General of Finland’s Centre for International Mobility and Cooperation and author of Finnish Lessons: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland? “Finnish educators don't care about standardized test scores” “We prepare children to learn how to learn, not how to take a test”
PISA Results, 2009
Read Math Sci
Shanghai 556 600 575
Korea 539 546 538
Finland 536 541 554
Hong Kong 533 555 549
Singapore 526 562 542
Canada 524 527 529
New Zealand 521 519 532
Japan 520 529 539
Australia 515 514 527
Netherlands 508 526 522
Belgium 506 515 507
Norway 503 498 500
Estonia 501 512 528
Read Math Sci
Switzerland 501 534 517
Poland 500 495 508
Iceland 500 507 496
United States 500 487 502
Liechtenstein 499 536 520
Sweden 497 494 495
Germany 497 513 520
Ireland 496 487 508
France 496 497 498
Chinese Taipei 495 543 520
Denmark 495 503 499
UK 494 492 514
Hungary 494 490 503
Finnish schools come closest to achieving equality of
educational opportunity as they have the least variation in education provided for their children (OECD, 2009)
Finland’s PISA results also indicate equity in educational outcomes when compared to students’ socio-economic backgrounds On the 2009 PISA, only Iceland (among OECD countries)
had a smaller percentage of variance in students’ performance explained by socio-economic factors Finland: 8% USA: 17%
Why Finland?
Population: 5.4 million, 15.8 inhabitants per km²
(40.5 per square mile) Life expectancy: Men 76 years, women 83 years Languages: Official languages are Finnish
(spoken by 91%) and Swedish (5.4%). Sámi is the mother tongue of about 1,700 people, members of the indigenous Sámi people of northern Lapland
Religion: Christianity; 79.9% Lutheran and about 1.1% Orthodox.
Finland Facts
It rejects all of the "reforms" currently popular in the
United States, such as testing, charter schools, vouchers, merit pay, competition, and evaluating teachers in relation to the test scores of their students
Finland borrowed many of its most valued ideas from the United States such as equality of educational opportunity, individualized instruction, portfolio assessment, and cooperative learning
It was not always like this. . .
Finland Educational Facts
Before 1970s Students divided into two different streams of education
after four years of schooling Academic and theoretical subjects Practical and task-oriented subjects Teachers specialized in one or the other track
Reformers argued system had moral economic weaknesses: Students made career choices by age 11 Basic education was divided into two unequal tracks of
different scopes and contents Unfair distribution of resources: limited amount of
academic schools, concentrated in towns
Finnish Reform
End of the 1960s Finnish Parliament adopted the law on
comprehensive school reform Despite unanimous vote, much skepticism Two-stream system was fundamentally unacceptable
as depended on division into classes School composition must be similar to the structure
of the whole society Very important that children from different social
classes become accustomed to meeting each other in the common school
Finnish Reform
Educational Framework 1970s two-stream system was replaced with peruskoulu, a nine-
year compulsory, common school National curriculum for primary and secondary education
Developed with teachers as educational experts Today – 96% of students complete peruskoulu First 6 years - generalist elementary teacher/almost all subjects
All students receive same curriculum Last 3 years -specialized subject teachers
Common subjects and optional studies (electives). Optional studies may include: Foreign languages, sports, art, music, or integrated, in-depth courses
or applied studies in the common subjects.
Finnish Reform
After 9th grade, students attend either an academic program or a
vocational one Students attend three more years of school through either stream
Formal qualification to enter university or Finnish polytechnics The vocational curriculum is primarily job-related
The academic part of the curriculum is adapted to the needs of a given course
Students rarely can choose both academic and vocational schooling Age 16, students take Matriculation exam which allow students to
choose one of two pathways Take as many matriculation exams as they want
Educational counseling and guidance is a very big part which includes students and family
Students also have the option of attending peruskoulu for a 10th year
Finnish Reform
Finnish Educational Structure
Finnish schools lack variety of extracurricular
activities -sports teams or musical bands Students learn at least three languages:
Finnish, Swedish, and English Religion is taught in school as a right of every
student Students are taught own religion; if not
religious, then they get ethics classes
Finnish Reform
Lack of Competition Schools aren't ranked against each other No formal teacher reviews Teachers do not have to organize curriculum
around standardized testing No gifted programs, honor societies, or
valedictorians Struggling students receive free extra tutoring Few private schools No school choice
Finnish Reform
Cooperation Multiparty democracy fosters collaboration
and compromise Educational equality is an economic necessity Cooperation throughout the education sector is
a political necessity
Finnish Reform
In Finland, we spent one day meeting with
educational leaders at the local and federal levels and another day visiting schools Finnish National Board of Education, University of
Helsinki Teacher Training Program, City of Helsinki Department of Education
Etela-Tapiola Upper Secondary School, Lauttasaari School
The visit was capped with a formal de-briefing session among all 30 participants in the delegation
Structure of Visit
Governmental and Educational National Effort for Reform (Sahlberg, 2012)
3 Pillars of Reform Systematic Focus on Equity Enhanced Professionalism Less is Better
Finnish Reform
Education as a human right - All education from preschool to university is free of charge for anybody living in Finland
Systematic Focus on Equity
Well-being of children – By law, all children
have access to: Childcare –
Three years of maternity leave and subsidized day care for parents
State subsidizes parents, paying them approximately 150 euros per month for every child until age 17
Comprehensive health care – Free
Systematic Focus on Equity
Free Pre-School
Not mandatory but 97% of 6- year-olds attend public preschool in their own communities
Pre-school teachers are certified/masters level Focus on social skills, emotional awareness,
playFewer than 4% of children live in poverty
Systematic Focus on Equity
School Funding - Formula guarantees equal allocation of resources to each school regardless of location or wealth of its community Free education - teaching, educational
equipment supplies Welfare services (including health, dental,
counseling services, and one free warm meal a day)
Transportation typically arranged by the municipality for distances over three miles
Systematic Focus on Equity
School funding - divided between central government and municipalities
Originally central government subsidy (on average) 57 % -municipal contribution 43 %
Municipal % rising in recent years Municipalities pay for hospitals, health centers
and social welfare
Systematic Focus on Equity
Post reform All students received same education through
compulsory schooling which made difficult transition for teachers due to their specialization
Professional development/in-service teacher training greatly needed for existing teachers
Content area training was needed most as there was no formal university training for content
Teacher preparation and training were key to the Finnish educational reform
Enhanced Professionalism
National system of teacher education
Consistent, high academic standards Only 8 universities are permitted to prepare teachers No alternative ways to earn a teaching license In the 70’s 2/3 of licensure programs were cut
Admission to teacher education programs is highly competitive (elite): 1 out of 10 applicants is accepted According to Professor Jair Iavonen (our 2nd presenter in Helsinki-
10/8) over 2500 students applied to the University to be teachers for 120 spots last year.
Accepted students have already taken required high school courses in physics, chemistry, philosophy, music, and at least two foreign languages
Enhanced Professionalism
Enhanced Professionalism
Every teacher must complete an undergraduate degree
and a master's degree Strong academic education for three years Two-year master's degree program
Subject-matter teachers earn their master's degree: From the university's academic departments Not in education department or separate teacher’s college Have same credentials as professors
Elementary teachers have: Strong backgrounds in core academic areas (e.g., classes
for teaching math happen in the mathematics department)
Enhanced Professionalism
So selective and demanding is the process
that virtually every teacher is well prepared Teachers are prepared to design their own
curricula, assess their own pupils’ progress, and continuously improve their own teaching and their school
Teachers are trained to be researchers about their own profession, consistently using data to inform their approach to instruction
Enhanced Professionalism
Anneli Rautianian Head of Pre-primary and Basic Ed at the National Board of Education
Ministry is responsible for Education policies Preparing legislation for parliament Negotiating budget allocations for education
National Board is responsible for Policy implementation Development of educational objectives, contents, and methods, which it codifies in
the national core curricula Evaluating outcomes
National curriculum changes every ten years based on student testing (done twice since 1998)
National curriculum changes are not top down Writing is done with teachers, principals, university members, unions, and national
board members
Enhanced Professionalism
Pasi Silander - technology scientist - foremost school technologist and innovator in Finland, responsible for the Professional Development center for all 150 schools in Helsinki system National curriculum is very standardized education. All the
skills are defined and the schools have basic curriculums that are based on the national standards.
Every teacher has national teachers manuals that are quite prescriptive. Developed by publishing companies, which also make their school books.
Manuals provide advice on the methods and length of instruction. Essentially, the curriculum is scripted, along with high quality formative and summative assessments that every child is expected to do.
Enhanced Professionalism
Manuals are not mandatory Teachers use the manuals as a pedagogical floor, not a
ceiling Expertly designed to meet the needs of:
Curriculum Instruction Assessments
The lowest performing or new teachers still have a high impact on student learning
Therefore, there is a tremendous level of educational consistency across the country. 2% difference in outcomes across schools nationwide
Enhanced Professionalism
Professional Development is valued for
maintaining educated staff In Helsinki Schools:
Teachers come in teams Not focused on basic skills but on strategic
development for action plan and goals for pedagogical changes
Teachers have 7-8 training days per year Substitutes are provided Training is available on teachers’ own time as well
Enhanced Professionalism
Teaching in Finland is one of the top career choices for young people as they are highly regarded professionals
Because entry into teaching is difficult and the training is rigorous, teaching is a respected and prestigious profession in Finland
“We appreciate education in Finland. It is a tool for social climbing… In Finland the dream is achieved through education” (Silander)
“We also appreciate teachers a lot. All teachers have very good educations.” (Silander)
Enhanced Professionalism
Finnish Schools' years are longer (190 days)
but have less time for overall instruction.
Less is Better
By observation, Finnish instruction follows a more traditional approach. Dr. Lavonen of the University of Helsinki agreed with that view. However, the focus is different. More the whole picture, rather than just the pedagogy. Focus on conceptual understanding. Concepts are introduced
in rich, varied contexts to provide understand the meaning of concepts.
Students are then required to apply concepts in various contexts. Less memorization and recalling of information.
“Teachers don’t feel stressed. They have time to plan, they have the feeling of autonomy and can collaborate with others … Curriculum is focused on depth rather than coverage (Lavonen).”
Less is Better
“Learn by thinking, not listening to the
teacher. work in teams. Tasks are problems. Not just read text and ask questions. First the questions then the resources. Open ended learning...not the product but process and applied learning. Questions come from students, real life, or teachers.” (Silander)
At the Lauttasaari School (middle and high) 5 semesters 25 classes - less breadth, more depth.
Less is Better
Lauttasaaren yhteiskoulu - orario del liceo lunedì martedì mercoledì giovedì venerdì
8.15 – 9.30
8
7
1
2
7
9.30 – 9.40 pausa
9.40 - 9.45 info
9.45 – 11.00
4
6
5
3
6
11.00 – 11.10 pausa
11.10 – 11.40
3 4 2 6 5
11.40 – 12.15
pranzo
12.15 – 13.00
3
4 2 6 5
13.00 – 13.10 pausa
13.10 – 14.25
2 5 3 4 1
14.25 – 14.35 pausa
14.35 – 15.50
1
8
7 8
Timetable
There was a very tangible sense of trust in the educational
system among policy makers, administrators, teachers, and students “I’m sure we have rules somewhere, but I’m not sure I’ve seen
them. You just act like a normal human being.” – High school student
There is a shared belief that education is the key to the country’s long-term health “As long as our education is working and we’re producing
engineers, our country will survive.” – High school headmaster
Almost all students (and citizens) are trilingual; Finnish and Swedish are required languages and every person we met spoke English
An Outsider’s View of Finland
Our approach to meeting the needs of ALL students –
particularly those with the most severe learning needs – surpasses what we witnessed in Finland
Our classrooms are more student-centered, and less teacher-centered – and Finnish policy-makers are looking to move towards our pedagogical approaches
One of the hallmarks of the Finnish system is teachers working in collaboration to look at common assessments; this is the center of our teachers’ work with Professional Learning Communities
What We Should Feel Good About
Finland’s impact on us?
Collectively, we discussed possible Finnish impacts on our schools
Building Community in Districts and Schools We need to reinforce community connections in our districts We all have an enormous amount of authority in our communities—
we need to use it We need to better align our students’ learning to what they are
experiencing in their communities We need to do better about integrating migrant families in our
communities and providing both excellent and equitable educational opportunities to those children
We need to continue with Professional Learning Communities Collaboration between teachers, administrators, colleges of
education, legislators, municipal leaders
Finland’s impact on us?
Enhancing Guidance for Students We need to do a strong job of guiding students on their
individual life pathways and providing helpful career guidance.
We need to invest in every single student.Future of Education We need to change the perception of vocational education
to a more positive one. We need to reclaim and promote the notion that teachers
are professionals. We have to approach the notion of education with more
innovation. We have to talk about the future of education more with our peers in order to strengthen the educational community’s focus on new ways of learning.
Finland’s impact on us?
Future of Education (continued) We need to think carefully about the relationship between
politics and education. There is some debate over how much autonomy the education sector should have from politics and to what extent legislators and educators should sit at the same table to plan for the future of education.
We need to work with our students to plan for the future of education—their input is valuable.
We have to both share and reallocate the resources we have to maximize their impact on our students.
We need to strengthen our pre-school and early education programs so there is less of a gap for students entering the public schools.
We need to strengthen teacher preparation programs and opportunities for professional development.
Finland’s impact on us?
Last Name F irs t N am e Organization Title
B e n t A n th o n y G r o to n - D u n s ta b le Regional School D is t r i c t S u p e r in te n d e n t
B la c h ly Jon E F E d u c a tio n Regional M a n a g e r
B o u r q u e M a ry Chelsea Public Schools S u p e r in te n d e n t
Bradley C o s te llo C a r o l B e r li n - B o y ls to n Public S c h o o ls C u r r i c u lu m D i r e c t o r
B r o d e u r Paul Massachusetts State G o v e r n m e n t State R e p r e s e n ta ti v e
Ciampa D o n a ld Tyngsborough Public Schools S u p e r in te n d e n t
C o h e n Sheila C o n n e t i c u t Teachers A s s o c ia tio n P r e s id e n t
C o lb a th -H e s s C h r i s ti n e Cambridge Public S c h o o ls Union P r e s id e n t
D e M e l lo Mary A n n H o p k in to n Public Schools Assistant S u p e r in te n d e n t
D e t w e i le r A b b y Primary Source Director of Program O p e r a tio n s
E k s tr o m N a d in e B e r li n - B o y ls to n Public S c h o o ls S u p e r in t e n d e n t
F itz g e r a ld Jean W a te rto w n Public Schools S u p e r in te n d e n t
Huizenga Jessica Cambridge Public Schools Assistant S u p e r in te n d e n t
In g r a m A la n Massachusetts DESE Deputy C o m m is s io n e r
Kay K e n n e th E d le a d e r 2 1 CEO
L o c k w o o d D a r r e l l M a s c o n o m e t Regional School D is t r i c t S u p e r in te n d e n t
M a c e r o J o h n W in th ro p Public S c h o o ls S u p e r in te n d e n t
M a rk Paul Massachusetts State G o v e r n m e n t State R e p r e s e n ta ti v e
P iw o w a r T im o t h y Billerica Public S c h o o ls S u p e r in te n d e n t
R e im e rs F e r n a n d o Harvard U n iv e r s i ty P r o fe s s o r
S a b o lin s k i M a u r e e n Franklin Public S c h o o ls S u p e r in te n d e n t
S c o tt C h r i s ti n e M e r r im a c k Special Education C o lla b o r a t i v e Executive D i r e c t o r
S u lliv a n -C r u z Teresa Abington High S c h o o l P r in c ip a l
T h o m a s D y m p n a Abington Public S c h o o ls Assistant S u p e r in te n d e n t
Tiano Ill Frank Chelmsford Public Schools S u p e r in t e n d e n t
Toner Paul Massachusetts Teachers A s s o c ia t io n P r e s id e n t
W o n g Bella Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School D is t r i c t S u p e r in te n d e n t
Who are we?