Finnish School System Vs American Education System

assessments for students are discussed.

Comparing our schools to the neighboring schools simply is not enough. Governments and school administrators now look at educational systems that work at a global scale. Finland has served to be an excellent role model of a functioning school system that, year after year, outperforms the United States and many other countries around the world. While there is no easy procedure or simple answer for remodeling a perfect educational system, Finland’s educational system has three defining features that have made it one the most prosperous school systems in the world. It is equitable, viewed as a long-term investment, and based upon a mutual trust between parents, educators, and students. The problem with

The communal belief of the entire country aids in making education an integral part of life and society. In the United States, students attend school because it is an obligation or illegal to keep a student home from school. The Finnish believe that teachers must be thoroughly trained first. Unlike the American educational system that revolves around standardized testing for students, the Finnish have developed a standardized training program for their teachers. Sahlberg (2009) explains that, “The Finns have worked systematically over 35 years to make sure that competent professionals who can craft the best learning conditions for all students are in all schools, rather than thinking that standardized instruction and related testing can be brought in at the last minute to improve student learning and turn around failing schools.” Standardize testing for this type of assessment simply does not work for students or teachers. However, methodically and carefully crafting an individual into a teacher has paid off in Finland. Under strict program requirements, each teacher in Finland is taught the exact same way. As a matter of fact, after they graduate from college, potential teachers are carefully selected from a pool of applicants. Only 10-15% of those applicants are accepted into the program and all of the applicants are required to earn a master’s degree over a period of the next three

The Unites States focus on Language Arts and Mathematics has limited and closed off the opportunities for students to excel in the arts, music, and humanities by not allowing sufficient time during the day to practice these subjects. Even though supporters claim that Common Core testing is an essential and practical way to measure learning, the standards only measure a small percentage of what a student actually knows or has learned over the course of a school year. A standardized test cannot measure or encourage growth or improvement, creativity, or curiosity. Having different types of assessment is necessary change in order to improve our educational