What did Finland do?• Decrease between school variance on
PISA science to 5%
• Reduce SES achievement gap despite the increase in immigrants with cultural and linguistic needs
• Moved economy from agrarian to knowledge-based economy. Full incorporation of information technologies created highly competitive economy.
• How? • Schools are highly autonomous. Shift
from highly centralized to local• 2-3 years of graduate training, state
paid for highly qualified teachers• Curriculum overhaul “thinking
curriculum”• Resources for students with extra
needs. Equalize funding between schools.
• Local assessment done by schools and teachers.
• Lean state standards (10 pages to describe math curriculum).
• Abolish tracking
What do Finnish kids get?
• Extensive system to create foundation for learning: lunch, health care (including dental), counseling, transportation and school materials. ALL FREE.
• Small schools (300) and small classes (20)• Quality curriculum• Feedback in narrative form
In the classroom
• Inquiry based learning with students working at their own pace based on self-identified goals.
• Students working in cooperative groups or independently
• Teacher moving among students• Students gather information by asking questions.• Students investigations follow teachers’ process
for analyzing teaching. Constant research process based on experimentation.
Teacher Training• Only 15% of applicants are accepted. Well-respected
profession• 1 year clinical training• No student loans• Emphasis how to teach, particularly to a range of
learners including special needs • Problem solving groups w/in schools• Teachers diagnose and solve own problems in schools. • Have time during the school day to meet regularly to
discuss and improve teaching
When and how is testing used?
• 2nd and 9th grade state tests used for assessment but not as punishment or to reduce funding.
• Open-ended questions used to assess teaching and learning, and solve problems.
• Provide feedback to students to encourage self-reflection.
• Matriculation exams to enter college level work- given in native language, few questions with in-depth answers.
What did Korea do?
• High School Equalization Policy- abolish middle and high school entrance exams. 90% rate of high school graduation. (US rate. 70-75%)
• Reduce class size from 60 to 30
• Increase standards for teacher preparation
• 69% from vocational and 88% from academic school go to college. (US students who go to college 60%)
Korean Teachers
• Well-respected and well-paid. Highly desirable job.
• Teaching jobs are difficult to obtain especially in cities.
• Bonus pay for working in poorer or rural areas.
• 35% of time spent teaching.
• Pay scale: doctors, teachers, engineers.
• Decrease number of house spent in school.
Singapore and US
Similarities
• Most similar to US in terms of race/ethnic diversity: Tamil, Malay and Chinese.
• Struggles with multiple language speakers
Differences• Singapore lacks natural
resources• Autocratic ruler . • Reform built around a
national agenda and philosophical approach“Thinking Schools, Learning Nation”. Not piecemeal
Strategies
• Incorporate private and public college system. Make it free or needs based
• Increase percentage of GDP on education (4% to 6%).
• Huge increases in rates of post-secondary (10th grade) attendance.
• Close attention to racial/ethnic inequalites.
Strategies… continued
• “Teach less, learn more”• Like Korea, holistic education. Educate the
whole child.• Beautiful architecture and schools: Beacon to
the Community• Assessment support for teachers using a range
of modes: oral, observation, task, written assignments. (Not multiple choice tests).
• Full integration of technology at every level.
Teacher Training
• Choose from top 1/3 of graduating class
• 1-2 salaried training • Pay equivalent or more
than engineers, accountants, lawyers and docs.
• Problem based inquiry• Close mentorship first
years.
• Mastery of subject matter and pedagogy
• Paid 100 hrs professional development a year!
• 20 hrs week working with other teachers to create co-learners who share experiences and take risks.
Structural and Institutional Advantages
• Organizational structure is coherent. Clear paths.
• Includes opportunities for constant renovation, rethinking and renewal.
• Paths for continued development including leadership. (Promotion from within).
• Professionalizes teaching and leadership.
Teacher Education Problems in US
• Hodgepodge system w/o systematic framework for training
• Levels and intensity of training greatly differ
• Teaching and learning research at university level doesn’t disseminate to practitioners. Published in journals not read by practitioners
• High turnover rate in most needy schools
• Current emphasis on firing bad teachers ignores key issue of how to train top-notch teachers.
• Reforms can’t be implemented because teachers don’t have training.
• Singapore struggles with remnants of post-colonial British educational system.
Lack of training results in…
• Inability to discriminate “snake oil” fixes (propaganda) and empirical based approaches to education.
• Public perception that teachers are not professionals or don’t work hard.
• Inability to attract best and brightest. • Public and teachers easily lead down paths of
educational reform that are not well-researched or do not have solid educational foundations to prove their success (i.e. charter schools, school choice)
Most importantly….
Basic knowledge about educating children is ignored.
Children who are hungry, homeless, sick and/or have mental and physical health
problems (including dental and vision) will have difficulty learning.
This is what works in other countries to produce top quality teachers
• 3-4 years training, clinical component and paid for by state
• Extensive mentoring in the beginning and ongoing inquiry based research
• Fewer teaching hours and more time for curriculum development and planning
• Trust teachers to development local assessments
• Equitable salaries between schools and salaries on par with other professionals (doctors, engineers, etc.)
• Teacher as researcher model
If teaching is key to improving learning then…
Recruit top students from all
backgroundsExtensive training and
mentoring. Clinical work. No loans. High pay. Highly respected
career. Ability to teach all students.
Ongoing professional development includes
mentoring new teachers. Less time
teaching and more time for preparation.
Constant reflection and “intelligent
accountability” means teachers can fix
problems. No need for extensive outside
testing.
Potential to move into leadership positions, mentor others while
continuing professional training and
development