HERE ARE SOME REASONS WHY FINLAND’S EDUCATION SYSTEM IS DOMINATING AMERICA AND THE WORLD STAGE.

1. NO STANDARDIZED TESTING....
When answering pre-canned questions is somehow supposed to be a way to determine mastery or at least competence of a subject, then, what often happens is that students will learn to cram just to pass a test, and teachers will be teaching with the sole purpose of students passing a test.
Learning would be thrown out of the equation.

In Finland there are no standardized tests.
The only exception is something called the National Matriculation Exam, which is a voluntary test for students who wish to continue to the university at the end of an upper-secondary school.
All children throughout Finland are graded on an individualized basis and grading system set by their teacher.
Tracking overall progress is done by the Ministry of Education, which samples groups across different ranges of schools.


2. COOPERATION, NOT COMPETITION...
While most Americans and other countries see the educational system as one big Darwinian competition, the Finns see it differently.

Finland’s educational system doesn’t worry about artificial or arbitrary merit-based systems. There are no lists of top performing schools or teachers. It’s not an environment of competition
– instead, cooperation is the norm.


3. MAKING THE BASICS A PRIORITY....
Many school systems are so concerned with increasing the test scores and comprehension in maths and sciences, but they tend to forget what constitutes a happy, harmonious, healthy student and learning environment.

Many years ago, the Finnish school system was in need of some serious reforms.

The program that Finland put together focused on returning back to the basics. They looked to make the school environment a more equitable place.

Since the 1980s, Finnish educators have focused on making these following basics a priority:

• Education should be an instrument to balance out social inequality.
• All students receive free school meals.
• Ease of access to health care.
• Psychological counseling
• Individualised guidance.


4. STARTING SCHOOL AT AN OLDER AGE
In Finland, Students start school when they are SEVEN YEARS OLD.
They’re given free reign in the developing childhood years to not be chained to compulsory education.
It’s simply just a way to let a kid be a kid.

There are ONLY 9 YEARS OF COMPULSORY SCHOOLING which Finnish children are required to attend.
Everything past the ninth grade (or at the age of 16 and beyond) is optional.

Just from a psychological standpoint, this is a freeing ideal.
Although it may be anecdotal, many students really feel like they’re stuck in a prison.
Finland alleviates this forced ideal, and instead opts to prepare its children for the real world.


5. FINNS WAKE UP LATER FOR LESS STRENUOUS SCHOOLDAYS...
Waking up early, catching a bus or ride, participating in morning and after school extracurriculars are huge time sinks for a student.
Add to the fact that some classes start anywhere from 6am to 8am, and you’ve got sleepy, uninspired adolescents on your hands.

Students in Finland usually start school anywhere from 9:00 – 9:45 AM.
Research has shown that early start times are detrimental to students’ well-being, health, and maturation.
Finnish schools start the day later and usually end by 2:00 – 2:45 AM. They have longer class periods and much longer breaks in between.
The overall system isn’t there to ram and cram information to their students, but to create an environment of holistic learning.

6. CONSISTENT INSTRUCTION FROM THE SAME TEACHERS....
There are fewer teachers and students in Finnish schools. You can’t expect to teach an auditorium of invisible faces and breakthrough to them on an individual level.
Students in Finland often have the same teacher for up to six years of their education.
During this time, the teacher can take on the role of a mentor or even a family member.
During those years, mutual trust and bonding are built so that both parties know and respect each other.

Different needs and learning styles vary on an individual basis.
Finnish teachers can account for this because they’ve figured out each student’s idiosyncratic needs.
They can accurately chart and care for their progress and help them reach their goals. There is no passing along to the next teacher because there isn’t a “next teacher”.

7. A MORE RELAXED ATMOSPHERE....
There is a general trend in what Finland is doing with its schools.
Less stress, less unneeded regimentation, and more caring.
Students usually only have a couple of classes a day.
They have several times to eat their food, enjoy recreational activities, and generally just relax.
Spread throughout the day are 15 to 20-minutes intervals where the kids can get up and stretch, grab some fresh air and decompress.

This type of environment is also needed by the teachers.
Teacher’s rooms are set up all over Finnish schools, where they can lounge about and relax, prepare for the day or just simply socialize.
Teachers are people too and need to be functional so they can operate at the best of their abilities.


8. LESS HOMEWORK AND OUTSIDE WORK...
Students in Finland have the least amount of outside work and homework than any other student in the world.
They spend only half an hour a night working on stuff from school. Finnish students also don’t have tutors. Yet they’re outperforming cultures that have toxic school-to-life balances without the unneeded or unnecessary stress.

Finnish students are getting everything they need to get done in school without the added pressures that come with excelling at a subject.
Without having to worry about grades and busy-work, they are able to focus on the true task at hand – which is, learning and growing as a human being.

Source:
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/09/10-reasons-why-finlands-education-system-is-the-best-in-the-world

As a teacher and a student I commend them.

Nigeria is still using the inherited old methods. SMH.

There's a lot we can learn from them.

Really impressive! Average of 5 hours per day in school? And they still have extra time to stretch and all...I wonder how their curriculum is and how many subjects the students take. It's really worth researching on.

Interesting

There was a country

I truly endorse this.

Let kids be kids. The school curriculums have become so brutal that kids are committing suicide.

I, for one, question some school lessons. If a school haa to conduct lessons, does it mean the students weren't properly taught? The school is only using it as a means to milk more money from parents and guardians. I would have championed only teachers hold lessons but it could be abused.

Home lessons assisted me greatly when i was in primary school. I remembered changing school from a low standard to a high standard school one. It meant be going from dealing with simple maths like 22 +32 to fractions overnight! I failed maths the term i joined the school.

A maths lesson teacher was gotten for me. This brought about a 360% changed. I got 84% in maths the following term. Home lesson teachers do come with benefits.

The most unnecessary of these school lessons is that at the end of a school year. There is zero need for these lessons as they will be learning new stuff (I have forgotten the jargon for it).

I was an average student in secondary school yet i finished with 5A's so i can speak with some authority.

Lalasticlala, Seun, Nlfpmod, Mynd44

I swear the only thing still keeping me here is lack of funds as I do want to see other parts of the world and explore and even relocate permanently.

Nigerian students are exposed to rigorous class and home work from age 1.. 8am to 4pm 1st-2nd-3rd term, holiday lesson.... aaaah

Nigeria can't learn from this because it's not about embezzlement.

BluntCrazeMan:


Source:
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/09/10-reasons-why-finlands-education-system-is-the-best-in-the-world

Let the kids be kids, I believe this idea was derived from Jean Jacques Rosseau's theory of education.

This is quite interesting. Thank you for this news.