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Finland's Education System Supersedes "Subjects" With "Topics"
jones_supa writes Finland is about to embark on one of the most radical education reform programs ever undertaken by a nation state – scrapping traditional "teaching by subject" in favor of "teaching by topic". The motivation to do this is to prepare people better for working life. For instance, a teenager studying a vocational course might take "cafeteria services" lessons, which would include elements of maths, languages, writing skills and communication skills. More academic pupils would be taught cross-subject topics such as the European Union — which would merge elements of economics, history, languages and geography. There will also be a more collaborative teaching approach, with pupils working in smaller groups to solve problems while improving their communication skills.
Because finnish teachers are not unionized at all, right?
As you presumably suspected - or already knew - was the case, they most definitely are unionized.
You do know that 95% of teachers in Finland are teacher's union members right?
Becoming a teacher in Finland is as competitive as getting into an Ivy League school, and Finland offers no other route into the profession. So, there is no Teach for Finland. To teach in Finland requires a five-year master's degree in education. Admission to a teacher preparation program includes a national entrance exam and a personal interview. Only one of every 10 applicants is accepted into a teacher preparation program in Finland; competition to become a primary school teacher is even tougher, with 1,789 applicants for only 120 spots, for example, at the University of Helsinki in 2011-12. Only eight universities offer teacher preparation programs in Finland, which allows the country to ensure consistency from program to program. Contrast that with Minnesota which has about the same population as Finland (5.2 million) but about 30 colleges that offer teacher preparation programs.
I also remember reading that about 90% of Finnish teachers graduated in the top quintile of their class. In the US, that figure is more like 4%. American students of education typically get the worst SAT and GRE scores of all the majors. We cannot ignore these facts when we're comparing educational systems. In the US it's easier to get into med school than it is for a smart Finn to get into teacher school. The quality of the people who make it through means that pretty much every innovation they try is bound to produce satisfactory results, because highly their best and brightest are in charge.
Maybe you should study history enough to know who actually did invade in the end.
So what went wrong with Finnish journalism courses?
that they take international media seriously. seriously, everytime finland is mentioned, it becomes a headline.
HOWEVER the education articles about Finland are largely not written by Finnish journalists.
to them there is nothing special in the education. there really isn't. what's fascinating is how badly other countries fuck up education and devote hundreds of hours yearly only patriotic shit rather than education. USA, 3rd world countries etc particularly fall into this, in those the school system is supposed to "install values" or shit like that through old brainwashing techniques, like reciting the oath to the nation, teaching respect for the teacher etc etc. all time that could be spent on educating the kids(and the teachers).
that's whats different from finnish schools to others, that they at least TRY to focus on educating facts and not trying to just mold your feelings. flag raising bullshit? "know your place", "brick in the wall" bullshit via school uniforms? yeah, none of that bullshit and who your parent is has zero effect on your grades. incidentally, teachers only gain respect if they deserve it and work for it - automatic teacher respect culture died out decades ago in finland now - which is a strange thing in some countries, like in asia. in thailand teachers are respected, yet they do bullshit like drink beer whilst in class "because it's hot" - the school works more as an authority respect attitude adjustment camp than as a SCHOOL - and then as result even the highly educated are too stupid to understand why it's bad.
world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
Because you got it completely backward. Finland's education is one of the most egalitarian in the world.
Everyone gets the same educational opportunity in Finland and it is *all* state run. And in fact it is aimed very much at the working class, starting with free daycare starting at 8months. Finland's teachers are FULLY UNIONIZED.
Finland's education system is a system of LEVELLING UPWARD, and has lifted their entire nation. US education is screwed up,but it is NOT because the left got what they wanted.
--PM