Finnish Education System Mirroring LSTP

Teacher Training School

H E I K K I E R V A S T 2 3 . - 2 5 . 1 1 . 2 0 1 7 / B R E S C I A

The Education System of Finland

The History of Creating Comprehensive School

BASICS FOR FINNISH EDUCATION SYTEM:

“Everyone has the right to basic education free of charge. The public authorities shall guarantee for everyone equal opportunity to receive other educational services in accordance with their ability and special needs, as well as the opportunity to develop themselves without being prevented by economic hardship. “(Constitution of Finland)

• the same educational opportunities should be available to all citizens irrespective of their ethnic origin, age, wealth or where they live.

• educational equality• educational equity• the comprehensive school system started in 1972 in Finland

About Finnish Education System

SOME SPECIAL FEATURES:

• in basic education no admission requirements and charges

• instruction arranged in schools near the home • basic education provides eligibility for all upper

secondary education • almost all Finnish children complete comprehensive

school • free school meal• education is based on same national curriculum all over

the country (Finnish National Agency for Education)

©Finnish National Agency for Education

Good results are based on…

PISA -RESULTS:

• good skills of the teachers

• the teacher training system in universities (e.g. class

teachers are ‘Masters of Education’)

• educational equality

• the average level is quite good

• good special education

• good national core curricula

• education is based on trust and co-operation

Koulutuksen tutkimuslaitos ©Professor Jouni Välijärvi

Right now we do have an increasing number of pupil…

• without interest in learning and motivation to learn

• without the meaningfulness of study • without a view to the future

How do we…

KEY QUESTIONS:

• increase interest in learning?• increase motivation to learn?• increase the meaningfulness of study?• make it possible to experience success?

New Basic Education Curriculum

©Finnish National Agency for Education

Learning goals of the transversal competences

DESCRIBED AS SEVEN COMPETENCE AREAS:

1. Thinking and learning to learn2. Cultural literacy, communication and expression3. Managing daily life, taking care of oneself and others4. Multiliteracy5. ICT-skills6. Entrepreneurial and work life skills7. Participation and building sustainable future.

LIFE SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM / BRESCIA

Life skills / Primary School :• Self awareness• Coping with emotions• Effective comunication

Life skills / Secondary School :• Management of anxiety and stress• Effective communication• Assertiveness and decision making

With what purpose ?• To strengthen the child's life skills(Experience the most effective attitudes and behaviors to use at home to consolidate work done at school)• To strengthen family protective factors• Sharing of resources and strategies,

sharing of appropriate solutions

Student Wellfare Law / 1.8.2014

• individual student welfare• community-based student welfare

Meaning of the law:1. to promote students’ learning, health and well-being, and inclusion

and prevent the emergence of problems2. to promote the wellbeing, health and safety of the institution and

the learning environment, accessibility, community work and cooperation between home and educational institutions

3. to provide early support for those in need4. to ensure equal access and quality of student care services for

students5. enhance the implementation and management of student care as a

functional entity and multidisciplinary collaboration.

Student Wellfare and Early Open Co-operation

• Finnish school and child protection legislation obligates authorities, teachers and parents into co-operation

• Early intervention doesn’t mean the transfer of ”the problem” to experts at very early stage . If you transfer, you have to go along.

• Early intervention means to act as early as possible, as open as possible and in good co-operation to prevent problem situations. It is essential to act when you still have plenty of possibilities and alternatives. Early intervention is to take early responsibility of your own function to support others.

• That’s why we prefer speaking about ’Early Open Co-operation’ rather than early intervention.

“Goal: to secure the necessary knowledge and skillsas well as to encourage learning”

NATIONAL AGENCY FOR EDUCATION:

“The curriculum reform aims at ensuring that the knowledge and skills of Finnish children and youths will remain strong in the future, both in national contexts as well as international. In addition, pedagogical guidelines have been outlined to help schools develop their operating methods in order to increase the pupils' interest in learning and motivation to learn.

Some of the key goals of the reform include enhancing pupil participation, increasing the meaningfulness of study and making it possible for each and every pupil to experience success. ”

Assessment for learning

ASSESSMENT SUPPORTS LEARNING:

• assessment supports learning and is an essential part of the learning process

• to support teachers in the assessment, the core curriculum provides the criteria for good performance for assessment at the end of grade six and the final assessment in grade nine

• pupils are not compared to each other; instead, pupils are guided to reflect on their own learning against the objectives

• the teachers help the pupils understand the objectives and recognize their own strengths and development needs

• the teachers provide opportunities for the pupils to develop their skills for self-assessment and peer assessment so that they can both give and receive constructive feedback

• assessment supports the pupils as life-long learners

Structuring assessment…

THREE APPROACH FOR ASSESMENT:

• assessment of learning• assessment for learning• assessment as learning

Learning-enhancing assessment

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO GET:

• experience of the competence (“I can…”)• experience of the relevancy (“My learning is

important for me…”)

How do we make this come true?

Assessment is a dialogue.

Assessment for and as learning / dialogical approach

It is a question of

• interaction and relational work• I – You >< I – It • facing the Other with respect• listening; being heard is very important• external and inner dialogues• anticipation and focusing to the future

Dialogical approach

“In an ordinary conversation, the participants make a point and argue it. Dialogue, on the other hand, is a conversation where the participants build on each other’s contribution. In a dialogue, participants are willing to let go of their pre-set ideas and listen to the contribution of others and, thus, are open to ideas generated as a result of this joint interaction which would have otherwise gone unnoticed. In other words, your opinion is not final, but a step towards the ultimate outcome. The aim of dialogue is to gain a new insight, a new understanding of an issue. However, it does not seek consensus, but to appreciate how others think. Thus, the secret of dialogue is that no one will know where it leads. Therefore, dialogic methods are ideal for acting appropriately differently.”

(Arnkil & Erikson: Taking up One’s Worries 2009, 36)

Dialougue in assessment

A PROPOSAL:

• appreciate the pupil’s questions and comments• do not ask questions whose answers you already know• grab pupils' opportunities and openings• give an answer to the pupil, at least by nodding• pay attention to pupil’s assumptions, even if they may

be wrong• create a safe and learning-enhanching atmosphere• also pay attention to your own bodily sensations

Assessment is a dialogue.

Assessment is thinking together.