TEACHING HISTORY AND SOCIAL STUDIES

IN FINLAND

Maarit Mattila

Taina Sipiläinen-Veikkanen

Aims in History- To create an individual, national and European

identity- To appreciate human rights and democracy- The key concepts of history include time,

change, continuity and causality

Aims in Social studies

- To give skills to evaluate critically documents, statistics and pictures

- Training will provide students with capabilities for active and critical examination of current phenomena

- To teach how to be an active citizen

Primary School (age 7 – 12)

- History begins in 5th class; pupils are 11-12 years old

- From the prehistory to the French Revolution

- All subjects are tought by class teacher

- Once or twice a week; lesson lasts 45 min

- Studying is free of charge; pencils, rubbers,notebooks are given to students, textbooks are reused

- Methods: activities,drawings,films,stories…

History in Secondary School (age 13-16)

- From the French Revolution to modern times- Specialized history teachers- 2 courses a year (1 course = 30 hours / lessons

75 min)- argumentation and discussions are common

teaching methods- Copies from maps, internet,- learning how to write essays- To understand which is reason, which is result

Social studies in Secondary School

- Last year (= 9th class) in compalsory

school

- 3 courses a year

- ”How the modern Finnish society works?”

- The responsibilities & rights of citizens; taxation, student allowance…

- Finances and economics; expensies of family, how to found the company?

- Law and order; a visit to district court…

- Social security; child benefit…

- Media; familiarize to local printing office, influence of advertising…

History courses in Upper Secondary School (age 16 -19)

• Thematic courses; 1 course = 30 hours (the total number is 75 courses)

• 4 compulsary courses– Man, the environment and culture (=economical history)– European man (=cultural history)– International relations (=political history 1815 – 2011)– Turning-points in Finnish history (= 1809 – 2011)

• 2 – x voluntary specialisation courses– Finnish history before 1809– Meeting of cultures: Non-European Cultures– Extras e.g. ancient history, world politics, training for the finals

etc.

Social studies courses in Upper Secondary School (age 16 – 19)

• 2 compulsary courses– Political science– Economics

• 2 – x voluntary specialisation courses– Law– European Union– Extras e.g. entrepreneurship, training for the

finals, etc.

The Final Exams

• Final exams in history and social studies are voluntary but popular

• The popularity of social studies is rising in the final exams

• In each subject’s exam 10 questions to choose from: write 6 essays, 6 hours time

Teacher’s perspective

• You have to advertise your courses and• Motivate the students• About 30 % of my courses are voluntary for the

students: if you teach more courses, you’ll get higher pay

• You have lots of freedom to choose your methods: films, debates, cartoons, news portfolios etc.

• If you are active you can make projects and organize visits outside school

• Sometimes competition between the subjects and between the teachers

Students’ opinions (18 year olds)

• ”History and social studies give you general knowledge”

• ”You need to know some basic things from the past to understand the present”

• ”Finnish and international history are equally important”

• ”There should be more compulsary courses in social studies because they are so useful”

• ”The most interesting subjects at school!”

Thank you for your attention!