Global Curriculum Presentation Group 1 - Martinez, Steele, Martin

Global Curriculum Presentation: FinlandGROUP 1: NICOLETA MARTINEZ, AVERY STEELE, SHAUNA MARTIN

EDUC 671 - DR. SYDNEY BROWN

MARCH 15, 2015

FINLAND

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pelegrino/3662400228/

http://gd1student.wikispaces.com/Finland

The Finland Phenomenon

◦ Finland has the reputation of having one of the best education systems in the world ranking highest by any educational standards

◦ Finland is an example of a nation that built a strong educational system with "widespread equity, good quality, large participation", nearly from the ground up (Darling-Hammond, 2010, p. 165)

◦ The profession of teaching is highly respected in Finland "to the degree that young students hope to enter this field more than they want to become lawyers or doctors" (Morgan, H., 2014, p. 454)

◦ Finland does not rely or relies very lightly on standardized testing

◦ Finland ranks among the top 5 countries in innovation, global competitiveness, and entrepreneurship, as well as among the top 5 countries least corrupt in the world, hence an educational system based on trust vs. a compliance based system (as stated in the documentary "The Finland Phenomenon, 2011)

The Finland Phenomenoncont'd

◦ Finland topped the 1st PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) in 2000 in math, science and reading. They maintained this position as #1 until 2009. In 2009, Finland ranked 3rd in reading, 5th in math, and 2nd in science.

◦ Finland's aim of education is to achieve educational equity and a high level of education among all the people

◦ The main focus of education is students achieving higher-order thinking skills rather than learning factual information

◦ strong academic performance country: high graduation rates - more than 99% of students complete compulsory basic education and about 90% complete upper secondary school; two-thirds of these graduates continue their education in universities or polytechnic schools (as per Darling-Hammond, 2010, p. 165)

The Finland Phenomenoncont'd

◦ The achievement gap correlated to students' socioeconomic background reduced visibly as a result of curriculum reforms implementation

◦ There is little variation in achievement across Finnish schools, despite immigration and linguistic or cultural diversity. Documentary facts: there are 45 languages spoken in Helsinki schools; 16,2% students speak Finnish as a second language; Linda Darling Hammond: immigrant children or those whose mother tongue is not Finnish approach close to 50%

◦ Linda Darling-Hammond (2010) summarizes the core principles of Finnish education (p.167)◦ resources for those who need them most

◦ high standards and supports for special needs

◦ qualified teachers

◦ evaluation of education: assessments are designed by teachers to evaluate higher-order thinking and performance skills

◦ balancing decentralization and centralization : highly qualified teachers design curriculum vs. highly centralized system with emphasis on external testing

Education in Finland - Background◦ At the end of WWII, Finland was an economically crippled agrarian society, educationally lagging behind

in the Northern European space

◦ In the 1960s, Finland's economy growth shifted from dependence on labor force to reliance on knowledge, skill and productivity increases

◦ In the 1970s, Finland started implementing new educational policies that changed its limited traditional education system into a modern one meant to improve the many inequalities of the old system.

◦ Today, Finland continues to be a knowledge based economy, one of the most competitive in the world. Ornstein&Hunkins (2013) call Finland: "the Silicon Valley of Europe" - a new social dynamics emerged -society, schools, colleges and universities, companies and their employees are all networked and all are highly cognizant of education's centrality to working life and civic participation

Reforms in Finland Education◦ before 1970 - two-track approach with consequent inequalities in between schools: resources,

achievement gap; the educational belief was also a source of inequality as talent was perceived to be unevenly distributed and some students were seen as having more potential than others

◦ Curricular reforms, as reviewed by Linda Darling-Hammond (2010, pp. 168-169):

◦ 1970s - strongly centralized national curriculum

◦ 1972-1982 - eliminating the two-track approach; developing a common curriculum through the entire system through the end of high school

◦ 1980s - more decision making power to the municipalities

◦ 1990s - more decision power to schools; curriculum focus on science, technology, and innovation;

◦ 2004 - establishing national criteria for assessment

◦ 2010 - emphasis on early interventions and learning support

Overview of Education in

Finland

The Finnish Educational System

◦ Pre-primary education is intended for six-year olds, who will start their compulsory education in the following year. At the moment over 90 % of the age group participate in the voluntary pre-school education.

◦ Basic education - Comprehensive school - peruskoulu provides a nine-year educational program (with a voluntary 10th year) for all school-age children, beginning at the age of seven.

- the comprehensive school network covers the whole country

- are primarily run by local authorities

- students are never tracked or placed in special groups, nor they are subject to tests to establish if they can move up to the next level

- for the first 6 years - primary school - forms 1st - 6th

- age-based classes

- content is the same for everyone

- teachers have the option to determine for how long they will stay with their students. It can range from one year to the entire primary school experience

- for the next 3 years - lower-secondary school - forms 7th - 9th

- subject-area classes

- some electives

- counselling and guidance are mandatory

- extended basic curriculum

- for the completion of curriculum, students receive a certificate to show acceptable completion of the curriculum of the comprehensive school

The Finnish Educational System - cont'd

◦ Secondary education - post-comprehensive education - intended for students aged 16-19

◦ general upper secondary education - designed to prepare the students for the matriculation examination. Matriculated students are eligible to apply to higher educational institutions or vocational institutes.

- the matriculation exam is comprised of 4 tests and students can choose in between 2 levels of difficulty;

- the 4 tests are: mother tongue, second official language, foreign language, and math or general studies;

- the tests consist of open-ended questions that assess critical thinking, problem solving and writing mastery skills;

- in order to pass the exam, students must pass all 4 tests;

◦ vocational education - prepares and trains students for real jobs. A vocational qualification gives general eligibility for applying to polytechnic and university studies.

The Finnish Educational System - cont'd

◦ Higher education - has a significant role in the Finnish society as it sustains a knowledge-based approach to economic growth.

◦ Universities provide academic education based on research. There are 14 universities that offer Bachelor’s, Master's, licentiate and doctoral degrees (3 + 2 + 4 years).

◦ Universities of Applied Sciences (polytechnics) provide vocational education on a higher level and promote applied research. Polytechnics confer Bachelor’s (from 3.5 up to 4 years) and Master’s (1 –1.5 years) degrees. A student is eligible for polytechnic/UAS Master’s level studies after accomplishing a Bachelor’s degree, and having acquired at least three years of relevant work experience after that.

Finnish Student AchievementAssessment within the classroom

Educators in Finland use assessments as a tool to look forward, gauging if learning is headed in the right direction, not for ranking (Hatch, 2014).

There are two categories of classroom assessment: during the course and final assessment.

-Both align with nationally mandated curriculum, but have different purposes. It is the teacher’s responsibility to conduct formative and summative assessment within the classroom.

-The only standardized test taken by students is the matriculation examination at the end of secondary school for the purpose of furthering education. Finland has fewer pressures and formal assessments (Hendrickson).

Finnish Student Achievement - cont'd Formative and Summative Assessment

The purpose of formative and summative assessments are to guide instruction and encourage self-assessment and studying skills.

-Teachers use materials created by teacher’s associations or the textbook company, but avoid presenting the materials as tests. Students view them more as learning experiences.

-Numerical grading is not used, but scored more on “proficient” to “needs practice”. The results are used by the teacher for planning of upcoming instruction. This allows teachers to monitor growth and progress, and provide frequent feedback to parents and students on how well learning objectives are being met. Students are also made aware of their progress and thinking, and allowed to reflect and set goals.

-This way the assessments are used to encourage and give positive direction to the learner. Positive, supportive feedback has proven to increase self-efficacy and increase student learning. This process also allows teachers to identify struggling students and to provide immediate intervention. Timely adaptations can be made within the learning environment to meet he needs of all learners. If needed students are provided assistance through small group or individual work, assistance with a special needs teacher, and or tutoring. Along with ongoing formative and summative feedback on improvement needs and strengths, a report card is given at the end of the year and sometimes in the middle, to further as a guide for student learning needs (Hendrickson).

Finnish Student Achievement - cont'dSteering, Screening, and Sampling

Steering is one approach of gauging student achievement and assessment used in Finland. This consists of walking around the classroom and school, having conversations with students, parents, and staff, listening for support needs and any signs of trouble. Repeated concerns about a particular school, class, practice or program can trigger further investigation. Although this approach is more personal, it is unspecific and lacks clarity and cannot be solely relied upon.

In the early grades teachers use a variety of diagnostic screeners to be sure students are not falling behind, many administer them yearly. The information is not for checking on teacher or school performance, rather to identify where students are and who may need extra help as they move forward.

The National Board of Education regularly gives core curriculum diagnostic tests to samples of schools and students to monitor regional and national performance. Again, not used for ranking, because not all students are included, but as a benchmark performance tool. The information is shared among schools, teachers, and municipalities involved (Hatch, 2014).

Finnish Student Achievement cont'd

Standardized Assessment

The only Finnish standardized test is the Matriculation Examination at the end of secondary school, equivalent to the end of our high school. Results from this test affect post-secondary school acceptance and can influence future employment. The National Core Curriculum requires pupils to be treated equally and nationally comparable.

Created by the main teacher of each subject, this final assessment is a portfolio of the students yearly reports and various evidences of student work from eight and ninth grades (Hendrickson). Followed by national regulations the six hour long exams are given at schools twice a year at the same time everywhere in Finland. Local teachers give the initial evaluation, then all tests are re-graded by the national Matriculation Examination Board for final evaluation. Grading can be appealed but the board has final authority without re-appeal (Wikipedia, 2014).

Insignia of the Finnish Matriculation Exam Board

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matriculation_exam_(Finland)

Finnish Student Achievement - cont'd Four tests are required, however there is not maximum number that can be taken. Five is the average and some have taken up to ten tests. The only mandatory test is the “mother tongue” exam that measures skills of their first language. The others can be chosen from: mathematics, a second national language, foreign language, and various general battery subjects like biology, chemistry, physics, geography, religion, psychology, and other scientific/humanistic courses (Harju, 2013).

The test begins with the mother language test, the first part in analyzing and textual skills, secondly is an essay on a current topic. Foreign language exams are divided into two parts, listening comprehension and written language skills.

Most tests have two levels of difficulty, basic (intermediate) and advanced. In math the basic level concentrates more on everyday life calculation application, where advanced has a focus on preparation for post-secondary education scientific field courses. Basic level in foreign language means at least three courses have been taken, while advanced means students have studied since around the age of seven. With the second national language test, intermediate is based on the curriculum started in grade seven, while advanced has been studied since around age seven. Students are required to take at least one compulsory test at the advanced level (Harju, 2013).

Finnish Student Achievement cont'd

Matriculation Examination Grades

Grade and its abbreviation Percentage of students that receive it

Laudatur (L) 5%

Eximia Cum Laude Approbatur (E) 15%

Magna Cum Laude Approbatur (M) 20%

Cum Laude Approbatur (C) 24%

Lubenter Approbatur (B) 20%

Approbatur (A) 11%

Improbatur (I) 5%

• Shown in the table, each test is given an individual grade. Named in Latin, seven grades are possible.

• -Laudatur is the highest, Improbatur means failed.

• -The Gaussian bell curve is used, meaning a certain number of students always receive the highest grade, therefore the number of points needed will vary every year in every subject (Harju, 2013).

• (Harju, 2013) https://www15.uta.fi/FAST/FIN/A14PAPS/th-exam.pdf

Finnish Student Achievement cont'd

Failed tests can be taken twice within the next three exam periods or retaken. A passed test is allowed to be retaken once without a time limit, and the best grade is put on the Matriculation certificate. Supplementary tests can also be taken and added it to the certificate. The certificate has an official stamp and the president of the Matriculation board’s signature.

The examination certificate has been viewed as a way to achieve a better life through education, and has held in important role in promoting equality. This certificate gives students a right to apply to universities, and is taken into account. Currently it is not the only relevant document because universities also have entrance exams, but the scores of the Matriculation exam can be significant for some programs and may even allow for an entrance exam exemption (Harju, 2013).

Matriculation Examination Certificate (Harju, 2013)

Finnish Teacher QualificationsThe teaching profession in Finland begins with a very competitive process. Only about one in every 10 applicants are accepted out of thousands.

There is a two stage process:

-Phase 1-based on matriculation examination highest results and records of relevant accomplishments candidates are selected

-Phase 2- a written exam on assigned pedagogy text, observations in clinical school situations where communication skills and social interaction is assessed, then top candidates are interviewed, explaining why they have decided to become a teacher.

The chosen highly qualified candidates will complete a rigorous teacher educational program at the government’s expense. There are no other ways to obtain a teaching diploma (Sahlberg, 2010).

Aligned to the European Higher Education Area framework, universities offer a two tier degree program. A three year 180 credits bachelor’s degree program is followed by a two year 120 credits master’s degree program. Primary teacher education candidates study theory of education, pedagogical content knowledge, and subject didactics and practice. Every student completes a master’s thesis. Primary teachers usually in the field of education, and secondary teachers normally select a topic within their subject. Successful completion can take from five to seven and a half years (Sahlberg, 2010).

Finnish Teacher Qualifications cont'dGenerally, primary teacher education includes 60 credits of pedagogical studies and 60 more of other courses in educational sciences. The master’s thesis requires independent research, research seminar participation, and a presentation of final educational study. The research work is 40 credits. 60 credits are also in minor studies of subjects, included in the basic schools National Framework Curriculum (Sahlberg, 2010).

For subject teachers the same principles are followed as primary teachers but arranged differently. They have 90 credits in advanced studies required and 60 in a second school subject. There are two ways of becoming a subject teacher. After a master’s degree in one major subject and one or two minor subjects, students apply for their focus subject with the department of teacher education. An academic year of 60 credits is spent studying pedagogical studies and teaching strategies. The second way is to directly apply to the teacher education program when applying to study a subject. After the second year of subject studies, pedagogical studies in the education department begin, following the same curriculum path as the first, but scheduled differently (Sahlberg, 2010).

Finnish Teacher Qualifications cont'dResearch based teacher education, educational theories, research methodologies and practice, are an integral part in teacher preparation programs. Curriculum is designed to create a systematic path from foundations of educational thinking and methodologies, and apply them to more advanced fields of educational sciences. Every student is to build an understanding of systemic, interdisciplinary nature of educational practice. Students learn how to conduct, design, and present original research on practical theories.

Practical training is also an important component. Over the five year program student’s advance from basic to advanced to final practice. Lessons are observed by experienced teachers, supervisory teachers observe practice teaching, and independent lessons to different groups are evaluated. Two types of practicum experiences are : first, students practice basic skills in front of peers in seminars and small group classes; secondly, students practice teaching in schools, Teacher Training Schools, about 40 credits. These schools have well prepared supervising teachers with assessment strategies and professional development.

Highlighted Unique Instructional PracticesAutonomy

Finland is unique in a variety of ways. The idea of “less is more” appears to be a positive and the lack of stress and competition within the culture is productive. For such a high achieving nation, classes are much more relaxed (Lopez, 2012) and students spend less time getting instruction than most countries. In secondary schools teachers teach about four lessons per day, about 600 hours a year (OECD, 2010). Students do not take a mandated exam until 17-19 years of age. Along with steering instead of controlling (OECD, 2010), teacher created assessments are used to monitor progress, not for scores or ranking. Feedback is used to guide instruction, communicate with parents, and promote study habits (Lopez, 2012).

The National Core Curriculum is more a framework, leaving teachers with autonomy and discretion of interpretation. High quality teachers are trusted and appreciated to do their job without political agendas (Lopez, 2012). They select curriculum materials and their own texts, and design their own lessons. In smaller schools this responsibility can fall on individual teachers, and in larger schools curriculum development is occurs in collaborative teams (OECD, 2010). Pedagogical freedom promotes creativity and innovation within classrooms, fostering a positive learning environment. Students learn a third and fourth language by the age of 13. Practical and outdoor learning opportunities related to healthy physical activity are regularly used within curriculum (Lopez, 2012).

Highlighted Unique Instructional Practices cont'dTeacher Preparation

Teacher preparation consists of:

-strong emphasis on research based practices along

-clinical experiences

-model schools develop and model innovative practice, promoting research on teaching and learning

-In model schools, students participate in problem solving learning groups. These groups engage in a cycle of planning, action, reflecting/evaluating. This same model of inquiry is what teachers will plan for their students (OECD, 2010).

Highlighted Unique Instructional Practices cont'dProfessional Accountability

-All classes have mixed ability level students.

-Schools are organized to take responsibility for students who struggle. Teachers identify and intervene early before students get too far behind their peers.

-Inclusion and differentiation is encouraged, most classes have two or more teachers who focus on students in need of additional support.

-The Finnish system prides itself on putting student interest and needs at the heart of all decision making.

-Many teachers stay with a class for several years (OECD, 2010).

A Comparison of Finland and America: An Overview

FINLAND EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

*PISA Scores: Finland ranks near the top in Math, Science, and Reading and ranks 1st in Science (Girls) and Reading (Girls) in 2012 ("OECD - Data," 2015).

Teacher Education: Teachers must hold a Master's degree in order to get a teaching position (Saarivirta, 2008, p. 3).

National Standards: Finland does not utilize national standards or federally-mandated standardized testing.

Equitability of Schools: Students receive the same quality of education regardless of socioeconomic background. "Finland's schooling system is egalitarian" (Saarivirta, 2008, p. 3).

*PISA - Programme for International Student Assessment

AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

PISA Scores: America demonstrates average achievement in Reading, Science, and Math ("OECD -Data," 2015).

Teacher Education: Teachers must hold a Bachelor's degree and be Highly Qualified in their certification area ("U.S. Department of Education").

National Standards: America's Common Core State Standards has been implemented in the majority of states in the country. States are required to use standardized testing as an accountability measure.

Equitability of Schools: Presently, there is no standardized method for ensuring that all students receive the same quality education regardless of socioeconomic background.

A Comparison of Finland and America:PISA Scores

Programme for International Student AssessmentFinnish PISA Scores

Toni Saarivirta's book, Why Not the Best Schools?, quotes research from Välijärvi (2003), Kupari and Välijärvi (2005) and Välijärvi and Linnakylä (2002) that describes six key reasons that Finland students ranked among top performers on the PISA.

◦ Equality

◦ Comprehensive Schooling

◦ Teacher's profession and education

◦ Early intervention for learning difficulties

◦ Self evaluation of schools

◦ Tradition in reading

American PISA Scores

American schools strive for many of these components, but several factors prohibit their implementation. Among those factors are federal mandates, zoning issues, and a divisiveness about the teaching profession. In my opinion, this could be an explanation for America's PISA scores. However, as Ornstein and Hunkins (2013) point out, it is unwise to place too much emphasis on such comparisons because each country has its own particular circumstances that dictate the success of its educational system. Therefore, it would not be productive to judge one country's educational process against the criteria used by another country (p. 278).

A Comparison of Finland and America: Teacher Education

Finnish Teacher Education

Teachers in Finland are required to have a Masters degree (Saarivirta, 2008, p. 3).

The teaching profession is a very attractive career option for talented individuals because of the rigorous education programs and the respect that is given to the profession by Finnish citizens. (Sarjala, 2005, p. 104).

Heterogeneous grouping works effectively because of the specialized training that teachers are required to have (Sarjala, 2005, p. 104).

American Teacher Education

Teachers in the United States are required to have a Bachelor's degree and be Highly Qualified in their specified content area. Other educational requirements vary from state to state ("U. S. Department of Education").

Many American citizens very much respect teaching as a profession; however, there are a substantial amount of citizens who do not share these views. This division leads to the constant embattlement over the value of the profession.

Title I of the No Child Left Behind legislation states that schools should "minimize removing children from the regular classroom during regular school hours for instruction provided under this part" (NCLB, Sec. 1115). This section of NCLB promotes inclusion of all students into the least restrictive learning environment.

A Comparison of Finland and America: National Standards

Finnish Educational System

Ornstein and Hunkins (2013) note that the success of the Finnish school system likely correlates to the following:

◦ FROM: a centralized educational system - TO: capacity-building for local educational agencies;

◦ FROM: eliminating lengthy (700 pages) nationally standardized curriculum guides and assessments - TO: curriculum guides and assessments created locally;

◦ FROM: mandates being issued on a national level - TO: educational decision making being left to teachers and other educators (p. 282).

The authors of our text also note that the Finnish government exhibits trust in their educational professionals. Additionally, they entrust the education of teachers to the local universities (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2013, p. 282).

A Comparison of Finland and America: National Standards (continued)

American National Standards

America's educational system is largely centralized. The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation that was enacted in 2001 drives the U.S. educational system. This legislation issues mandates for virtually all parts of the educational system. Part of NCLB is a federally mandated accountability measure in which states must assess students in reading and math beginning at third grade. (U.S. Department of Education, NCLB, 2001)

More recently, the Race to the Top (RttT) grant program that was launched in 2009 further supports the centralization of our educational system by issuing incentives for states to adopt common standards that promote college and career readiness, building in various forms of effective benchmark testing that will inform teacher instruction, recruiting and rewarding highly qualified educators, and raising the achievement of low performing schools. (U.S. Department of Education, Race to the Top Executive Summary, 2009)

In response to many states' desire to receive RttT funding, the top state leaders across the country collaborated on a common set of standards that promote college and career readiness. Out of this came the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Although not a federally-run initiative, the CCSS was developed in response to the RttT grant program that rewards states for implementing its four criteria, among which are common standards. (Common Core State Standards Initiative, Frequently Asked Questions)

A Comparison of Finland and America: Equitability of Schools

Finnish School System

The Finnish educational system promotes equality among all schools and students. This is not just an ideal that Finland hopes to achieve, it is an ideal that has been put into practice. According to Saarivirta (2008), Finnish schools provide the same quality of education for all students regardless of background or socioeconomic status. Likewise, all schools are considered equal in regards to amount and quality of student resources and quality of teachers. Heterogeneous grouping is also standard practice in all Finnish schools. Research has shown that heterogeneous grouping improves the academic performance of lower achieving students. In order for this to work effectively, teachers must be specifically taught how to implement research-based instructional practices that maximize the effectiveness of heterogeneous grouping. Finnish teachers receive this necessary training in their rigorous teacher education programs, which accounts for the success of their heterogeneous groupings. (p. 3)

A Comparison of Finland and America: Equitability of Schools (continued)

American Educational System

American school systems vary significantly in the equitability of its schools and by extension, the quality of education for its students. There continues to be evidence of a disproportionate allocation of resources to school systems. Wealthier districts tend to be equipped with a larger quantity of quality resources. As a result, students in wealthier districts tend to be exposed to better instruction and provided with more resources to aid in their learning.

Because of the NCLB legislation, heterogeneous groupings are much more prevalent than in the past. The enactment of this legislation ensures that most lower achieving students receive the benefits of heterogeneous grouping.

Cultural PerceptionsGlobally competitive educational system - ranks highly in international testing

Finnish teaching profession is respected - teachers given professional autonomy, teacher education programs are highly-competitive and not all students are admitted into these programs, teacher shortages and turnover are not a problem

Finnish philosophy of education promotes equality - Study of PISA scores of all OECD countries shows that those countries who make equitability among schools a reality out perform their counterparts who do not make equitability a reality.

Finnish students are readers by nature - Other studies of PISA scores revealed that Finnish students had a high interest in reading outside of school. Many Finnish students regularly read the newspaper and borrow books from the library. Additionally, Finnish students have high engagement in learning outside of school.

(Sarjala, 2005, pp. 102-103)

The Success of Finland's Schools

Ornstein and Hunkins (2013) note that Finland's success with education largely involves the decentralization of education, teacher and local educational agencies' (LEA) professional autonomy, and the respect of the profession (p. 282).

According to Saarivitra (2008), Finland's successes can be attributed to comprehensive schooling, early intervention for LD, and self evaluation of schools. (Additionally, other factors such as teacher education and the equitability of schools account for Finland's success. However, those factors have been thoroughly examined in previous slides.

◦ Comprehensive schooling - Instead of streaming students into different educational pathways, Finland combined all forms of learning (theoretical/academic and vocational) into one comprehensive schooling model. This promoted the equitability of education and resources that Finland values.

◦ Early intervention for students with learning disabilities - Part of the rigorous education for teachers in Finland involves teachers being able to detect, early on, when students are struggling with learning disabilities. This early detection leads to early intervention and postiviely impacts the success of those students.

◦ Self evaluation of schools - Finland no longer uses school inspectors who come from outside an LEA. Instead, LEAs are responsible for evaluating their own progress towards student achievement. Having this sort of ownership and autonomy over their own schools, results in LEAs taking more care to thoroughly evaluate themselves and enact measures that will improve the progress of their schools. (Saarivitra, 2008, p. 3)

Overall Reflection ◦ In the documentary "The Finland Phenomenon", Dr. Tony Wagner concludes that the most important

lessons to be learned from Finland are:

- valuing learning and education: the business of education is learning, not sports, not even extra-curriculars. Learning is sacrosanct for the Finnish society; nothing interrupts learning.

- valuing the teaching profession: Finland completely transformed the education profession. For the Finnish education to be so efficient and globally competitive at the level where it is now, a rigorous teacher program had to be in place.

- applying the concept of "less is more": the national curriculum is a broad guideline; class time and class sizes are less compared to other countries.

- the vocational track really prepares students for real life jobs. Students are trained to improve the skills of the work force, to respond to skill requirements in the working world and to support lifelong learning.

- trust: ministries trust municipalities; municipalities trust the teachers to develop the local curriculum; parents trust teachers; teachers trust students. There is a consensus about the purpose and importance of education. The high level of trust enables the Finns to work collaboratively and cooperatively to prepare students for a productive life as global citizens. And what is most inspiring, Finland achieves this high level of education for every single student in Finland. Hence, the name "the Finland phenomenon"!

Overall Reflection cont'd◦ Linda Darling-Hammond also summarizes some of the most important lessons to be learned from

Finland:

- educational policies created a culture of diversity, trust, and respect within Finish society, and within Finnish education system in particular;

- education development focused on creating equal opportunities for all, fair distribution of resources, intensive early interventions, and building trust among education practitioners;

- caring for students educationally and personally is essential in Finnish education;

- equity in creating opportunities to learn does not only apply to funding, but also applies to maintaining small schools (under 300 students), small class sizes (in the 20s), and providing free meals, health, transportation, learning materials, counseling to all students;

- equalizing educational opportunity is also supported by: (1) elimination of tracking students based on standardized test scores and examinations; (2) developing a common curriculum throughout the entire system; (3) providing social support for children and families - health care, special education, transportation; (4) investment in teacher education programs and teachers - the more highly qualified teachers are, the more autonomy local schools have;

Overall Reflection cont'd◦ A Model for Others

Hani Morgan (2014) considers the aspects that make the Finnish model of education successful:

- Finland’s education success is highly influenced by Finland’s approach to social values such as equity and cooperation.They believe all students deserve a good education and all students are capable of learning. This social perspective makes the Finland model difficult to be mimicked especially in countries that are more individualistically oriented.

- another aspect that makes this model successful is that its components - (1)highly qualified teachers, (2)strong support for student needs, (3)free teacher education program, (4)equal opportunities, (5)lack of external standardized tests, (6)innovative teaching strategies, (7)trusting teachers, (8)early intervention programs, (9)social support, (10)strong communication among parents, teachers, administration, government, and teacher unions (Morgan, H., 2014, p. 456) -work together and complement each other. Trying to apply or use just one aspect of the model might make the implementation futile. Finland’s approach is holistic and systematic. Breaking it down and isolating its parts for implementation might prove futile.

Overall Reflection cont'd

Ornstein&Hunkins (2013) also summarize the valuable lessons to be learned from Finland:

- the Finnish Ministry of Education is the catalyst that determines teachers at the local level to assume responsibility for creating effective and relevant curriculum and assessments;

- teachers are trusted as valued educational professionals;

- the classroom environment is experimental, promotes inquiry, collaboration, and investigation;

ConclusionsAs education practitioners, it is very important to be aware of educational models that prove successful. This project is a tool that prompts reflection on what is working in other countries and why and how we can implement features of successful models into our own teaching. Such reflections make us globally aware. Attaining global knowledge and being cognizant of what happens in the world are now major objectives in education as compared to traditional learning where local, linear knowledge was perceived as valuable and sufficient to ensure success.

References◦ Common Core State Standards Initiative: Frequently Asked Questions (2015). Retrieved from

http://www.corestandards.org/about-the-standards/frequently-asked-questions/.

◦ Darling-Hammond, L. (2010). “Study Work: How Countries Build Strong Teaching and Learning systems”, The Flat World and Education: how America's commitment to equity will determine our future. New York, NY: Teachers College Press, pp. 163-193.

◦ Education System in Finland. (2014). Retrieved fromhttp://www.studyinfinland.fi/destination_finland/education_system

◦ Faust, S. (Director). (2011). The Finland Phenomenon [Documentary]. Memphis, TN: New School Films. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhH78NnRpp0&list=PLzsi_E489-gUXFVuciYEgO3AyrPMVAjxP

◦ [Finland education system - chart]. Retrieved from http://curriculumredesign.org/wp-content/uploads/CCR_seminar_Paris_2012_FINLAND.pdf

References - cont'd◦ [Finland flag]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/pelegrino/3662400228/

◦ [Finland map]. Retrieved from http://gd1student.wikispaces.com/Finland

◦ Finland and Pisa, 2012. The Results of Pisa 2012. Retrieved from: http://www.minedu.fi/pisa/2012.html?lang=en

◦ Harju, Tiina, 2013. The Finnish Matriculation Examination: An Essential Part of Finnish Education Since 1852. Retrieved from:https://www15.uta.fi/FAST/FIN/A14PAPS/th-exam.pdf

◦ Hatch, Thomas, 2014. Assessment in Findland: Steering, Seeing, Selection. Retrieved from: http://internationalednews.com/2014/06/09/assessment-in-finland-steering-seeing-and-selection/

◦ Hendrickson, Katie A. Assessment in Finland: A Scholarly Reflection on One Country’s Use of Formative, Summative, and Evaluative Practices. Retrieved from: http://www.mwera.org/MWER/volumes/v25/issue1-2/v25n1-2-Hendrickson-GRADUATE-STUDENT-SECTION.pdf

◦ Lopez, Adam, 2012. How Finnish Schools Shine. Retrieved from: http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2012/apr/09/finish-school-system

◦ Morgan, H. (2014). The Education System in Finland: A Success Story Other Countries Can Emulate. Childhood Education, 90(6), 453-457. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.gardner-webb.edu/education/docview/1644636099/fulltextPDF/5A91EA7A8A524169PQ/1?accountid=11041

References - cont'd◦ Ministry of Education and Culture, 2014. Teacher education in Finland. Retrieved from:

http://www.oph.fi/download/154491_Teacher_Education_in_Finland.pdf

◦ Niemi, H., Toom, A., & Kallioniemi, A. (Eds.). (2012). Miracle of Education : The Principles and Practices of Teaching and Learning in Finnish Schools. Rotterdam, NLD: Sense Publishers . Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com

◦ OECD, 2010. Finland: Slow and Steady Reform for Consistently High Results. Retrieved from: http://www.oecd.org/pisa/pisaproducts/46581035.pdf

◦ Ornstein, A. C. & Hunkins, F. P. (2013). “International Scenes in Education”, Curriculum: Foundations, principles and issues (6th. ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc., pp. 275-306.

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◦ Saarivirta, T. (2008). Why Not the Best Schools? : The Finland Report. Camberwell, Vic: ACER Press.

References cont'dSahlberg, Pasi, 2010. The Secret to Finland’s Success: Educating Teachers. Retrieved from: https://edpolicy.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/publications/secret-finland%E2%80%99s-success-educating-teachers.pdf

Sarjala, J. (2005, Summer). Why Finland ranks high in public education. Our Schools, Our Selves, 14, 95-107. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.jproxy.lib.ecu.edu/docview/204860233?accountid=10639

Wikipedia, 2014. Matriculation exam (Finland). Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matriculation_exam_(Finland)