The Smartest Kids in the World Part 2- Finland

Hello!

(http://www.amazon.com/The-Smartest-Kids-World-They/dp/145165443X)

     I know you have been waiting on the edge of your seat for the next installment of the information I gained while reading the incredible book The Smartest Kids in the World and How They Got That Way by Amanda Ripley.  I have been so excited to write!
     

(http://www.icicp.org/resource-library/icp-publications/global-youth-service-database/europe-2/western-europe/finland/)

Finland

     The next country I am going to explain is Finland.  Finland is becoming a world superpower and a place that many want to emulate.  With their lack of homework and testing, they seem like the exact opposite of the South Korean education system.  Like all countries, Finland has an interesting history and their priorities when teaching students are ones to be admired.

Finland's History

     Many years ago, Finland's education system used to be very similar to that of the United States'.  Originally, there were many teaching colleges scattered throughout the country with varying degrees of quality.  Being that the government did not know if their teachers received a strong education and had the appropriate skills, the system felt that they could not trust the teachers to make decisions for the students.  Finland decided that in order to create more educated citizens, they must improve the quality of the people teaching them.  The Finns rebooted their education system, forcing colleges to become more selective and rigorous and choosing only the smartest and hardest working to become teachers.  The government also paid for teachers' college education.

Finland's Teachers

     Finland's schools focus on the educators.  Being a teacher in Finland is like being a doctor in the United States.  Just like in our country, teachers in Finland belonged to very powerful unions which do not allow them to be dismissed easily.  The difference is that Finland's teachers are all highly educated.  When high school students want to become teachers, they first must get accepted into one of eight prestigious colleges.  Students must have high test scores, good grades, read four selected books from the university and take a test based on what they read.  Through this selection process, only 20% of students are accepted.  It is as difficult to be a teacher in Finland as it is to be a doctor and get into medical school in the United States.

    The rigor does not end once students are accepted into teacher colleges.  Teacher training does not start until the fourth year at school (school lasts for six years which includes a master's degree.  This is mandatory for all teachers).  One full year is devoted to student teaching where much criticism on teaching methods and strategies is given throughout the experience.

     Once teachers receive a job in the school system, academics is their only focus.  Teachers are not leaders in extracurricular clubs or sports; these activities are organized by outside groups unrelated to the school system.  They are allowed to make decisions for their students.  Teachers in Finland created the national core curriculum and are allowed to choose the textbooks for their classes.  

     Salaries of teachers are also higher in Finland.  The cost of living is higher than the United States, but teachers' salaries are even above that.  On average, teachers in Finland make about $20,000/year more than those in the United States.  They are able to do this because their class sizes are larger.  Since teachers are highly trained and prepared, it enables them to teach larger class sizes which reduces the number of teachers needed in a school building.

     The respect for teachers in Finland is insurmountable.  Everyone, students and parents alike, know how highly educated their teachers are and respect them for it.  Truly, the whole country has such a respect for learning that it is impossible not to put the people in charge of this task on a pedestal.  Wealth means very little in Finland; your brain is what is valued and students receive this motto from a young age.

     Teachers also do not know a lot about their students' lives.  Finnish teachers do this purposefully because they believe that when they have empathy for students, they would give better grades based on their home life or current situation.  Teachers have to think and treat their students as equals so that the rigor stays the same for all.  When emotions come in to play, Finnish teachers believe that they will not be able to do their jobs efficiently.
     While working in the field throughout their career, teachers are more likely to watch other teachers teach.  They also have more collaboration and planning time to articulate with others throughout the day.

(http://go.hrw.com/atlas/norm_htm/finland.htm)

School Life

     School life has many differences in Finland compared to the United States.  In Finland, technology is not at the forefront of education.  There are no interactive whiteboards, iPads, or laptops for individual students.  There are also no police officers or security guards in the building of any school.  Additionally, there are no parent-teacher conferences; if a teacher has an issue, they meet with the student alone.

     Standardized testing is not something that is yearly in Finland; only a sample of the population is tested and it is not high stakes.  These tests are only one hour and a small sample of students take it.  The test's purpose is to monitor how schools are performing.  In the classroom, the average test that is taken on a more regular basis is in an essay format, usually with a three to four page requirement.  Students do, however, take a very important test at the end of high school.  This test is taken very seriously and has implications to students' futures.  Finland's final exam stretches over three weeks and lasts fifty hours.  Teachers follow students to the bathroom to make sure that they do not cheat.  On the first day, the test is comprised of several reading selections and short essays analyzing each one, which lasts for six hours.  On the second day, students choose one out of fourteen topics and write an extensive essay over the next six hours.

     Just like in South Korea, rigor is crucial for success in Finland.  School's purpose is to help students master important academic material which is challenging.  There are no study guides and students have to work hard in order to pass regular tests.  Teachers in Finland are also not lenient when students do not do the work.

     In Finland, special education is also an important part of the school system.  Teachers consider students to have temporary learning difficulties rather than permanent ones.  Half of Finnish students receive special education services at some point, usually in elementary school, so that their weaknesses could be targeted and fixed before students fell too far behind.  The Smartest Kids in the World and How They Got There compares this method to a pit crew; as soon as a student is struggling, every service available is given so that the students can get back on the right track as quickly as possible.

     Finland also hardly has any private schools, vouchers, or charter schools.  Students, however, could apply to attend special schools for high performers that focused on science, math, or a foreign language.  This is sometimes done by upper class families.

Student Attitudes

     Students in Finland take education very seriously.  They care an enormous amount about their academics because they know that it is the only way to go to college and get a good job.  They do not necessary enjoy school, though.  Only 20% of Finnish students said they like math compared to 40% of American students.  Students in Finland did not enjoy many subjects because they were hard.

     Kids also have a lot of free time.  Finns do not play as many sports or hold down after school jobs.  Since they do not get homework, they have a lot of free time to spend doing activities of interest or spend time outside.  This might be the reason why Finns were ranked second in the 2012 World Happiness Report. Not only do citizens have time to pursue activities that they enjoy but they receive more income when graduating college.  Even though they may not enjoy school when involved, increased income is shown to increase happiness.

(http://www.citylifemagazine.net/uncategorized/cleantech-finlands-next-nokia/)

     What are your thoughts on Finland's education system?  Do they have a model that the United States should emulate?  Do testing and homework really not yield results?  Would better education and training for teachers lead to more respect which would lead to better learning?  I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section about what you feel is positive about Finland's system and what they are lacking.

Enjoy!

The Smartest Kids in the World Part 1- South Korea

Hello!

     During our last snow day I finished one of the most influential and amazing books that I have read in my lifetime.  It is called The Smartest Kids in the World and How They Got That Way by Amanda Ripley.  Anyone who is involved in education (be that a politician, teacher, parent, student, etc.) needs to read this book.  In this novel, Ripley investigated the education systems of the United States, Finland, Poland, and South Korea.  She compared and contrasted each system, located facts and statistics, and discussed the history of each country to give insight into their background and what changes have been made.  Each chapter was more fascinating than the next.

(http://books.google.com/books/about/The_Smartest_Kids_in_the_World.html?id=pK5oWJp4BaIC)

     In the next few blog posts, I am going to discuss each country's education system and include the information that Ripley reviewed in her book.  In the last blog post on this topic, I am going to explain how teachers could utilize this information in their own classrooms to help education in America be the best that it can be.
     Before I go into details about each country, I need to explain how the education systems are ranked.  In 2000, each country around the world was eligible to take a test called the PISA (Program for International Student Assessment).  It is a two hour test that does not measure the answers to equations or multiple choice questions but the ability to think creatively.  Kids around the world took the PISA in 2003, 2006, 2009, and 2012.  Each time the test was given, more countries signed on to give it to their students.  In 2012, the test was available in over 40 different languages.  Overall, the results showed that the United States scored 26th on math, 17th in science, and 12th in reading.  This ranked our education system as 13th in the world. During the time of this publication, Finland was ranked 1st and South Korea was ranked 2nd.  (*Note: Not all countries are represented through this international test.  Countries like China, North Korea and Taiwan are not included in these rankings due to their governments and drastically different societies).  The findings showed that all students in the high ranking countries were all learning critical thinking skills in math, science, and reading.  They weren't just memorizing facts, they were analyzing information and learning how to solve problems and adapt which would help them in our modern economy.  The results also showed that the United States' elementary students did fine on international tests, especially in reading.  Problems arose in math and science and when the students came into their teenage years.  Through these blog posts we will analyze why this is the case for each country as well as the pros and cons of each education model.

South Korea

(https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ks.html)

     The first education system that I am going to explain is that of South Korea.  At the time of publication, South Korea ranked 2nd on the PISA.  This education system is one that is highly respected and acknowledged by President Obama and one in which the United States has begun to model themselves.  The Korean system (nicknamed "The Pressure Cooker") is driven by testing, and Korean teenagers spend more time studying than American teenagers spend awake.  South Korea has one of the highest high school graduation rates in the world, far higher than that of the United States, despite having dramatically less wealth.

(http://www.suitqaisdiaries.com/south-korea-five-quirky-attractions/)

The School Day

     The regular school day goes from 8 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon.  During this time, many students sleep in their classes (as in are in deep REM sleep) and teachers lightly tap them with sticks that have stuffed animals on the top which the students call "love sticks".  During lunch time, students have a freshly cooked meal.  In classes, teachers write students' test scores on the board from highest to lowest to publicly rank them.  Most of the tests in the school are graded on a curve so only 4% could get the top score.  In South Korea, there is a strict lesson to be learned when you receive a low score: You did not study hard enough and you have to work harder next time.  After 4pm, students clean the school by mopping the floor, cleaning the chalkboard and emptying the garbage.  If students earned a demerit or got in trouble, they had to clean the bathrooms.  At 4:30pm, they go back to school for more test-prep before having a freshly cooked dinner.  After dinner came a two hour study period.  Around 9pm, students finally left school. That is not the end of their learning, though.  From school, students go to private tutoring academics called hagwons.  At the hagwons, students will study until 10-11pm, which is when the studying curfew begins and makes the students stop.  All of this studying is the reason why the students sleep in the beginning part of their school day.  In Korea, everyone- parents, students and teachers- understand that receiving an education is a serious quest, more important than sports or self-esteem.  

The Korean SAT Test

     The reason students do so much studying is to pass a test that all seniors had to take in order to graduate.  It is similar to the SAT but it determines the rest of your life.  The highest score guarantees acceptance into one of the top three most prestigious universities in Korea which destined you to have a good job, nice house and high salary.  You were respected.  The only problem was that only 2% of seniors got into these top three schools.  The test was extremely difficult and could only be taken on one day, one time per year. If students did not do well, they could retake the test but would have to wait a year.  This test was so important that the government grounded all flights on the day of the test and police were stationed outside each school so that drivers did not honk in order to avoid the noise.  This is an extremely high pressure situation and everyone in the country understands its importance.

Korea's History

     Korea has a long and complicated history that has only changed recently.  In the 1950's, most of South Korea's population were illiterate.  After the Korean War, the country had to rebuild its schools and start again,  Still, in 1960, only a third of Korean kids went to middle school.  Over the next fifty years, Korea changed itself dramatically.  Since they had no natural resources of its own, the country cultivated its people, turning education into currency. The government explained to its people that if their children received the best scores and went to the best schools in the country, they would be set for life which would elevate the family's status.  Since education became of the utmost importance, a shortage of teachers arose.  The government decided to allow too many colleges with very low standards to train teachers.  When lawmakers saw that these new teachers were ineffective, they created a new system.  This new system included current teachers being evaluated by their own students, their parents and other teachers in order to eliminate the "bad" ones.  This evaluation system did not include test scores.

Problems with the System

     Due to education's importance, competition is in the extreme, not learning.  The system has become overly competitive, leading to an unhealthy preoccupation with test scores and dependence on tutoring facilities.  The purpose of learning has become lost, and students and parents fixate on test scores and rankings.  Additionally, students in this country loathe school.  When one girl in the book was moving to New Jersey due to her father's job transfer, everyone in her school in Korea told her that they were jealous that she got to leave.
     Even though Korean taxpayers spend half as much as American taxpayers on school, Korean families make up the difference by spending their own money on extra tutoring academies.  With all of the financial pressure for tutoring schools, many parents are having fewer children which is leading to a decline in the population.  Parents are convinced that the more they pay, the more their children learns.

The 4 Million Dollar Teacher

     Three out of every four Korean students are involved in hagwons.  In 2011, parents spent $18 billion on these schools in order to help their children succeed.  Once students enrolled, hagwons got involved in their lives right away.  Hagwons texted parents multiple times a day and 2-3 times per month they called the house to update them on their child's progress.  If parents were not engaged, that was the fault of the hagwon, not the parents.  
     In hagwons, teachers do not have to be certified and they do not get a salary; they get paid based on how in demand they are.  That being the case, the most in demand tutors could get paid millions of dollars.  One teacher was paid 4 million dollars a year for his tutoring services; he was the most in demand in the country.  All teachers get monitored and if the performance of their students drop, they get fired.  Many students said that they liked their hagwon teachers better than their regular teachers because they "teach more effectively".  One of the hagwon owners said that if it weren't for them, Korea would not do well on the PISA test. 
     Due to the intense pressure, there are studying curfews in place for the hagwons.  Hagwons operating after ten got three warnings.  Then they had to shut down for a week.  If the violation happened after midnight, the hagwon had to close immediately for two weeks.  People are asked to "rat" on hagwons that did not follow the curfew, and the government had paid $3 million to citizens due to this.

Major Problems

     Besides crushing their spirits, Korean students have an exorbitant amount of pressure and anxiety related to school.  One teenager named Ji ended up killing his mother when she was about to go to parent-teacher conferences.  He hid the murder for eight months and went on living his life normally before his crime was finally discovered.  Even though the crime warranted at least fifteen years in prison, the judge understood Ji's plight and gave him only three and a half years.
     Cheating on tests in Korea happens often.  These scandals involve hagwon instructors, students and sometimes even parents.  In 2007, 900 Korean students had their SAT scores cancelled due to leaked test questions.
     Korea also has a problem with suicide.  Korea's suicide rate for 15-19 year olds is lower than that of other countries like Finland and the United States, however, the amount of Korean adults that commit suicide are the highest in the world.

(http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-15289563)

     What are your thoughts on South Korea's "pressure cooker" education system?  Do you think that the United States should model themselves after this?  What are the pieces of this structure that we should include in our system and which should we ignore?  Are test scores and rankings more important than having a passion for learning? I would love to hear your thoughts so please comment below.  In the next blog post, I will discuss the highest ranking country, Finland.

Enjoy!

Free Teacher App

Hello!

 (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-heinemann-teacher-tip/id898201475?mt=8)

     I found a great new teacher app that is free and easy to use!  It's called "The Heinemann Teacher Tip" from the Heinemann publishing company.  It is available on the app store or on their website.  Every school day, the app delivers an update to your phone regarding a quick tip that can be used in the classroom.  They take about two minutes to read or there is a short video to watch.  The tips come from renowned experts or researchers in education (such as Lucy Calklins or Nancie Atwell) and are really excellent!  You can also look through past tips to find additional information or to review an idea that you read a few days back.

(http://heinemann.com/blog/now-available-heinemann-teacher-tip-app)

     I really loved the tip that I received on March 4.  It involved using KWL organizers in math class.  For math, this organizer would be called a KWC.  It suggested that when solving number stories with your students, have them decide and write down What do I know for sure?, What am I trying to find out or figure out? and What are the special conditions I need to look out for?  This simple tip would help my second graders to pull out important information when reading a long winded and daunting word problem with lots of components.  They have difficulty focusing on what the question is asking and this organizer would help my students to analyze what they are reading in order to solve the problem.

     Definitely check out this free app on your phone or tablet's app store in order to get a quick teacher tips sent to your phone!  When you download it, let me know your thoughts!

Enjoy!