Historical one-room community schoolhouse. I recently read an interesting article titled "A+ for Finland" (Smithsonian, September 2011), written by Lynnell Hancock. The article contains many interesting ideas regarding an education philosophy built on a solid foundation of self-evident truths and common sense fundamentals.
Below is a key excerpt from the article I want to share (and if you like this idea, then feel free to pass it forward):
Below is a key excerpt from the article I want to share (and if you like this idea, then feel free to pass it forward):
"If you only measure the statistics, you miss the human aspect."
-Timo Heikkinen, a Helsinki principal with 24 years of teaching experience
Much of my novel, "The STARLING Connection," is devoted to the question: What exactly is education? The other question the novel deals with is: Whose interests are served or should be served in an education system?
In "The STARLING Connection," which is set in the U.S.A. of the year 2045, teen protagonists Simon Laramie, Jaya Ceyes, Flower Wildwind and Peter Arnold are fighting for their human rights (including their right to privacy, their right not to be bullied and their freedom to speak). These kids are also fighting for their right to a more full education, an education that is equal to the education the powerful receive in private schools.
The "education" system in the novel is characterized by a misguided over-reliance on purportedly "advanced computerized intelligence testing," 2045's updated version of "standardized testing." The teens, who deal every day with the school's often cruel realities, see through the mask of "objectivity." Far from being "objective," the so-called "intelligence testing," is used like a razor sharp knife by the powerful to artificially slice students off into different "education groups," providing the children from the more privileged, connected family backgrounds with more opportunities to learn at school. Statistics are easily manipulated to rationalize a rigid system of caste and institutionalized violence.
Here is an excerpt from the novel, in which Briarwood High's principal, Dr. Pericles Pilotti, tries to convince Simon, Flower and Jaya of the "progressiveness," "modernity" and "rationality" of the system:
In "The STARLING Connection," which is set in the U.S.A. of the year 2045, teen protagonists Simon Laramie, Jaya Ceyes, Flower Wildwind and Peter Arnold are fighting for their human rights (including their right to privacy, their right not to be bullied and their freedom to speak). These kids are also fighting for their right to a more full education, an education that is equal to the education the powerful receive in private schools.
The "education" system in the novel is characterized by a misguided over-reliance on purportedly "advanced computerized intelligence testing," 2045's updated version of "standardized testing." The teens, who deal every day with the school's often cruel realities, see through the mask of "objectivity." Far from being "objective," the so-called "intelligence testing," is used like a razor sharp knife by the powerful to artificially slice students off into different "education groups," providing the children from the more privileged, connected family backgrounds with more opportunities to learn at school. Statistics are easily manipulated to rationalize a rigid system of caste and institutionalized violence.
Here is an excerpt from the novel, in which Briarwood High's principal, Dr. Pericles Pilotti, tries to convince Simon, Flower and Jaya of the "progressiveness," "modernity" and "rationality" of the system:
“Positive, Simon, is what you can measure," Dr. Pilotti says, pointing to the statistics floating across his Me-Page. "That’s why we have the Intelligence Test. It’s so we know exactly which category to place young people immediately after they’re born, in gifted classes or regular classes. That’s why we have the Big Test, so we know how our schools are doing compared to the Asia Federation. That’s how we know we’re moving forward. But this petition you’ve all signed is preposterous. It sounds to me like you want us to go backward.”
“You can’t measure a human being,” Jaya says.
"You can't measure a human being," is one of my favorite lines in the novel. Here are the key points:
Here are a few other excerpts/principles that I like from the Smithsonian article, which should cause us all to consider that Finland's education system (while recognizing no system is perfect) is most likely getting the common sense fundamentals correct: Regular play intervals throughout the school day, making school and learning fun, treating school like the real world, as one large classroom, and NOT artificially separating children into groups based on over-reliance and misuse of "standardized testing," best use of time, minimal homework, more respect, status, autonomy and tying that with state-financed master's degrees for teachers, establishing a solid system/culture to attract the best, most talented and motivated professionals to the teaching profession, more localized decision-making, smaller, community-based schools filled with enough staff to support all students, creating simple, focused and general guidelines for curriculum while eliminating over-regulation and micromanagement, less top-down State bureaucracy, a greater diffusion of power and responsibility:
- Only Nature knows the full extent of reality and the deepest essence/potential of humanity and of any individual human being. The depths of this ocean of knowledge cannot be fully revealed by any surface "test" devised by the limited consciousness of man.
- It is self-evident that "standardized testing" does not equal education; such testing should not falsely consume the entire focus of school, nor should it be overly relied on as a primary yardstick, and perhaps not used to any great extent at all, particularly with young children.
- The true test of whether or not any education system is working is what is happening in the real world in the real lives of people, meaning whether or not the people as a whole have the ability, knowledge and power to experience higher levels of freedom/human rights.
- This knowledge, the knowledge that on a fundamental level no one can measure a human being, should be the cornerstone of any true education system, meaning well-rounded education that is focused 100 percent on helping all children and on learning for the sake of learning, on teaching students how to enjoy lifelong learning; and thus, what is critical for the citizenry as a whole, how to ask the hard questions and how to think critically for themselves in order to truly own their own lives.
Here are a few other excerpts/principles that I like from the Smithsonian article, which should cause us all to consider that Finland's education system (while recognizing no system is perfect) is most likely getting the common sense fundamentals correct: Regular play intervals throughout the school day, making school and learning fun, treating school like the real world, as one large classroom, and NOT artificially separating children into groups based on over-reliance and misuse of "standardized testing," best use of time, minimal homework, more respect, status, autonomy and tying that with state-financed master's degrees for teachers, establishing a solid system/culture to attract the best, most talented and motivated professionals to the teaching profession, more localized decision-making, smaller, community-based schools filled with enough staff to support all students, creating simple, focused and general guidelines for curriculum while eliminating over-regulation and micromanagement, less top-down State bureaucracy, a greater diffusion of power and responsibility:
They (the children) had just returned from their regular 15 minutes of playtime outdoors between lessons. "Play is important at this age," (Maija) Rintola (20-year teacher) would later say. "We value play."
Teachers in Finland spend fewer hours at school each day and spend less time in classrooms than American teachers. Teachers use the extra time to build curriculums and assess their students. Children spend far more time playing outside, even in the depths of winter. Homework is minimal. Compulsory schooling does not begin until age 7. "We have no hurry," said (Kari) Louhivuori (veteran teacher and the school principal). "Children learn better when they are ready. Why stress them out?"
The second critical decision came in 1979, when reformers required that every teacher earn a fifth-year master's degree in theory and practice at one of eight state universities -- at state expense. From then on, teachers were effectively granted equal status with doctors and lawyers. Applicants began flooding teaching programs, not because the salaries were so high, but because the autonomy and respect made the job attractive.
Applicants began flooding teaching programs, not because the salaries were so high, but because autonomy and respect made the job attractive. In 2010, some 6,600 applicants vied for 660 primary school training slots, according to Sahlberg. By the mid-1980s, a final set of initiatives shook the classrooms free from the last vestiges of top-down regulation. Control over policies shifted to town councils. The national curriculum was distilled into broad guidelines. National math goals for grades one through nine, for example, were reduced to a neat 10 pages. Sifting and sorting children into so-called ability groupings was eliminated. All children--clever or less so--were to be taught in the same classrooms, with lots of special teacher help to make sure no child really would be left behind. The inspectorate closed its doors in the early '90s, turning accountability and inspection over to teachers and principals.
"We have our own motivation to succeed because we love the work," said Louhivuori. "Our incentives come from the inside."
What do you think of the ideas expressed by the teachers in Finland who are quoted from the Smithsonian article? Do you think these are good ideas that can work in the U.S. or other countries, or do you not think these ideas are over-simplified and not workable? Why or why not? What is your take on the current state of education in the U.S. Do you believe that the current system is serving the best, long-term interests of young people in our country as a whole, or is our current system serving other interests? In what areas are our schools successful, in your view, and in what areas could we improve? What are your specific ideas/plans for reform? I am interested in hearing different points of view and new ideas, so feel free to comment on this post and share it with your friends so they can comment. Teachers and those with direct experience in education are encouraged to comment/share thoughts, feelings and ideas.
Theodore Webb is the author of "The STARLING Connection," a novel-series about a near-future drone-filled Dystopia in which a group of teenage "hackers" fight for a more full education that is equal to the education the powerful receive in private schools. Webb is the author of several short stories, including "Desperate Engine" and "Family Hour." His electronic books and stories are available on Amazon.com and Smashwords.com. Webb regularly blogs at http://www.theodorewebb.com. "Like" his Facebook author page,http://www.facebook.com/theodorewebbauthor and follow him on Twitter at Theodore Webb @ STARLINGCONNECT.
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