Imagine a place where teachers are so highly paid and respected that top students must compete for spots in schools of education, where an "accountability movement" would seem laughable because everyone expects teachers to be doing good things for their students.
That's what N.C. education, business and political leaders saw when they visited Finland this fall. It's no secret that Finland is widely viewed as one of the best countries for public education; that's why the 31-person delegation made the trip in September. I'm just getting caught up on some of their reports, and it's worth reading the blogs filed by Tony Habit of the N.C. New Schools Project in Raleigh and this report from N.C. Board of Education member John Tate of Charlotte.
Both men note the long-term dedication the people of Finland have shown to improving education, as a matter of economic survival and commitment to equal opportunity.
"Finland’s consensus model stands in stark contrast to the United States," Habit wrote . "If policies for education that are central to the future of the nation change with each election cycle, as they seem to do in North Carolina and the United States, what chance do we have to achieve and sustain a world-class educational system?"
Tate sounds a similar theme: "This culture of learning, this willingness to invest, this pride & trust didn’t just happen overnight, but rather as a result of a sustained stay-the-course mentality that survived both political & economic change — in this case over 40 years. How do we effect such stick-to-it-iveness? Where is the common vision to which we as a state bind together through time for the benefit of future generations?"
In case you're wondering whether the taxpayers of North Carolina sent this crew overseas, the answer is no. The Public School Forum of NC organized the trip, along with the UNC Center for International Understanding. Forum President Jo Ann Norris says the Burroughs Wellcome Fund paid for the official delegates, while various other privately-funded groups and businesses picked up the tab for their own travelers.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
What's Finland doing right?
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32 comments:
Finland: small country by population (~5.5 million); speak a language unrelated to any other modern language, thus second and third language instruction is critical; trade and commerce are essential to survival of such a small and isolated population so business integration with Europe, Russia, and, really, just everywhere, requires global awareness.
Homogeneous population; common language and heritage; history of equality politically, socially, economically; strong nuclear family bond; culture of self help and determination; these all work to make Finland a special case.
Nice phones, though.
I would love for the U.S. to have an education system as good as Finland but it will never, ever happen. We would need to radically change how we train teachers - making acceptance into those programs as difficult as those into medical/vet schools - pushing the best and the brightest to teaching. And the salaries for teachers would have to be much, much higher. However, there are too many Americans who truly believe in the phrase "those who can do, those who can't teach" to ever allow us to reach those standards.
U.S.A.: Greatest country in the world. Vast resources both natural and intellectual, mature democracy, ... and on and on. Why is Finland the "special case?" Why aren't we the "special case?"
The demographics of their population are starkly different from our own.....
I suspect that respect, regular attendance, and academic diligence are expected and probably required of all students. What would happen if our public schools placed the same demands on our students? Can't you just hear the cries of discrimination, unfairness, trampling of rights, "disrespecting our culture", etc.!
As long as we find excuses for why we can't do it (demographics or whatever)....the only certainty is that we will never do it. As educators, we are shooting ourselves in the foot with excuses. Those in charge, i.e. legislators, etc. are tired of hearing it. We will do much more for our credibility if we try.
What's the Finnish equivalent of "Cultural Understanding and Diversity in Education" - a college Education major core course necessary to become a licensed teacher in the U.S.?
How are salivating Pavlovian dog's that U.S. teachers are required to learn about in "Educational Psychology" relevant to teaching children in Finland?
What is the Finnish translation of "cross-cross applesauce and button-up"? You know, because you can't tell a kid to sit still and shut up here? (I learned this in "Educational Classroom Management").
I think we should raise taxes and start paying every teacher a 6 figure starting salary right out of college. It works in Finland!
Do they have teacher unions in Finland? What about tenure and career status?
Actually, the U.S. still has the most revered higher education system in the world. Gobs of foreign students still want to come here to attend college. The U.S. is still considered the most innovative country on the planet. What makes us weak, also makes us strong ("God Bless America" playing in the background....). It's true. I think.
Pro-status-quo educrats always like to hold up bucolic, little Finland as a model. They love Finland because the country has strong unions coupled with good schools. Finland provides the perfect argument to keep doing what we've been doing, only more so.
The subtext of Ann's post is "We can have Finland's success without standardized tests, while maintaining strong teacher benefit packages and job security. If we just raise taxes and pay a lot more money into our education system, by God we can be the envy of the world too!"
These folks conveniently forget the idiosyncracies of a country of the size of Finland. And they forget to look at countries like Australia and Holland, which use a degree consumer choice to create outstanding public education systems as well.
Consumer choice in U.S. public education? OMG!
Come on, CMS's defunct "Choice Plan" worked so well.
Want school choice? Get a doctor to write you a note.
The difference between the U.S. and Finland is not that they're so wildly different and "idiosyncratic" from us. It's simply that they have made a commitment as a nation not to allow a small subset of their population to achieve unimaginable wealth at the expense of the rest. They are wise enough to realize that an egalitarian society is a healthier one.
In this country, we have allowed a tiny segment of our population - the titans of the financial industry - to become the most highly rewarded in the entire society. These people do nothing to earn such wealth - they neither produce any tangible product or create anything of value. Instead, they take the real equity created by what's left of the middle (or working) class and slice & dice it, trading pieces of it back and forth and carving out huge chunks of that equity for themselves at each step. Equity they did nothing to produce.
They then employ an army of Gucci-footed lobbyists to see that the playing field is left permanently tilted in their favor. Their profits are increasingly privatized, their losses increasingly socialized. They seem to stand for nothing but greed and moving the nation's taxation responsibility downhill, to the middle class where they feel it belongs.
The Finns have different priorities, education of their children being paramount, and as a consequence have neither the staggering wealth or grinding poverty that so stratify our society. Perhaps "Anonymous 1:01" might find some rationale for the "scum" he speaks of in the gross inequality we've engineered into our economy.
We all know what the difference is..
I am wondering if Finland's schools have been overtaken by the social engineers and social services?
Oh silly me, of course not. For better reading than what you will find referenced in this blog, read "Waiting For A Miracle" by Dr. James P. Comer.
But as many posters have already mentioned, there is a large cultural difference.
The Fins dont have the PARTY PLANNER aka Latarja Henry.
12:47, you must have ESP. See tomorrow's post for more about the choice plan and its demise ...
Tarhoosier, greetings from a kindred transplant (grew up in Kokomo).
Unfortunately, America has become anti -teacher, anti -higher education, and anti-middle class. The very people we put into office are working to create a larger population of poor people. It is by design that many students will not be able to attend college. It is by design that CMS is still lacking teachers in classrooms and the semester is almost over!
From 12:47
My relationship with the Observer wouldn't exist were it not for The Choice Plan. I think we were introduced in the gyms at Smithfield and McAlpine.
Apparently, I got a "B" in Drug and Alcohol Education required to teach in Pennsylvania. I have no recollection of taking Principles of Athletic Coaching at Penn State but I got an "A" in this course which would be funny if it weren't so tragic.
I wonder if the Finns have to take courses like this?
I was thinking, TFA is a highly competitive program that only accepts some of the best college students in the U.S. This seems to be in line with what the Finns are doing except for the cruddy pay. I'm assuming the turn-over rate for teachers is low in Finland. TFA is only a two year commitment before heading to law school.
Actually Ann, I'm not sure you'd be administering this blog were it not for The Choice Plan. But I'm sure Bill Gates will design a better plan.
Too many "teachers" are "coaches" first and "teachers" second. Why are teachers (other than PE) even expected to coach?
I busted out laughing when I caught some high school girls trying to ditch class one time in the girls bathroom. They threatened to turn me into authorities claiming they could have me fired simply for saying I was trying to look at them naked - which was ridiculous. The thing is, after I got them to class, their threats frightened me. Most students want to learn - in every school. In fact, they get upset when teachers don't crack down on disrespectful and disruptive classmates. The problem is those few students who are allowed to wield power over an entire class through intimidation and threats towards teachers because our system has empowered them to do so.
This Teaching Methodology/Classroom Management/Educational Psychology approach wouldn't pass the muster on some standardized pay-for-performance test, but simply kicking disruptive kids out of class and informing them that receiving an education is a privilege - not a God given right - works. While you're doing this, tell them you have every right to kick them out of your class permanently and you don't give a rats behind if they graduate from high school. It's amazing how disruptive high school students react if you do this. Many get mad and literally demand to come back. At this point, you inform them they better get their act together or they're out. A lot of times, they'll apologize for being obnoxious and calling you every profanity in the book - including some names you've never heard of. They may not immediately apologize to you or even apologize to you in person at all but they'll apologize by demonstrating some remorse for their actions. It's also interesting to watch how the well-behaved and respectful students respond. You're suddenly the best teacher on the face of the planet. I would NEVER (NEVER!) take this approach with elementary or middle school students but I have limited tolerance for disrespectful and disruptive 16 and 17-year olds with fancy cell phones and $100.00 shoes. Again, most kids want to learn. Most kids are good kids. I don't care what school you're at. Fair but firm with a good principal to watch your back and back you up. It's sounds corny, but telling students you care about their education, want them to succeed and weren't hired to be their friend but their TEACHER also goes a long way. It's a two-way street. Allowing students to see you occasionally screw up and make mistakes is also important because we're all human. I don't know how you put all the nuances of teaching on a standardized test. I just don't know how.
Ann, Is your upcoming school choice post about this study that came out on CMS from the NBER?
http://www.nber.org/papers/w17438
Re: coaching.
A social studies teacher who can coach a sport is going to have an edge in the hiring office. Check out CMS's teacher application. It's asks applicants if they can coach a sport. The ability to coach a sport probably doesn't matter if you're qualified to teach AP Physics or Organic Chemistry. In fact, having a teaching license is probably irrelevant if you took and passed Quantum Physics and Organic Chemistry in college. I avoided Quantum Physics and most subjects requiring a copy of the periodic table of elements in my notebook. I'm still working through centrifugal force and mass over volume.
What the heck is NBER?
NBER -
We study the "field experiment" in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools?
Ahh!!!!!!
Exactly!
I DON"T WANT MY KIDS TO BE LAB RATS!
Of course, you have to consider the huge cultural differences between the US and Finland.
Just eliminate our black and Hispanic kids and you would have a much closer approximation to the kids they teach.
But in order to do what Finland has done, we would have to totally change our system that educates our teachers.
We can't keep picking them off the bottom of the academic shelf and expect miracles from them.
Anon 8:43.
Exactly right.
The problem is largely our culture and the situation we have created in our schools by CONSTANTLY catering to the lowest denominator in our society.
The "Great Society" is no longer what it once was.
We are no longer the top dog in the world and need to shake off the excesses we've wallowed in for the past 50 years and play catch up with the other civilized nations.
RE: ANONYMOUS November 29, 2011 11:12 AM
- and - To everyone else that didn't comprehend!
The article was about a small delegation from the State of NC, not from the US Education system!
Maybe if people want to comment correctly, they should read the entire article.
Anyway, this might make our state more attractive to higher caliber folks who want a better education and life.
Maybe this trip will help the entourage to Finland justify their "pay increases" because it is "something new"??? I betcha they had a meeting and discussed with themselves, "how can we better, more competitive?", when all actuality they said in their oh-so-god awful NC accents, "we need more money! we deserve it!"
I think finland school education is very good one. Like all over the world people comming to get education from finland. http://www.finlandschooleducation.com
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