TIRED OF AMAIRKUHN EDGYKAYSHUN? CONSIDER MOVING TO FINLAND ~ hehe & just think the Finn's pay many,Many,MANY ..more BILLIONS ..than U.S. ...that's Y they are kicking the shit Outta ....U.S. ...so just "think" ole mr & mr's fantasy & soccer daddy o's & mommy O's ...more tax's & more Billions from ole billy boy (BG & his 'better" half) & just a few's more BILLIONS from the rock~O~fail~yers & some lose change's from the rotten~child's & so many more "white" papers from our "vaunted" "think tanks/foundations " & let's not fer~geet ole "hal" if we just had some A.I. teachers or more puuu~ters ...we'd catch thum rat basterd's ....Finn's & just maybe, just maybe ... we'd beat the mother's ... huh ? or hey here's the fucking CURE ...more vac's ,well fuck me ole billy's already do~ing that ... fuck! wonder what could B the prob ...than ..more $$$$$$$$$ yea that's it ...bend over folks ...& we's might "feel" a lil dis~cum~fart ??
OK...
I realize I've been ranting about Amairikuhn edgykayshun above my
normal allocation of one rant per month, but then Mr. M.H. sent this
article, which I read, and I simply have to pass it along, because it is
saying essentially everything that critics of the Amairikuhn "system"
of edgykayshun - from John Taylor Gotto to my co-author, Gary Lawrence
and I, in our most recent book, Rotten to the (Common) Core - have
said. Indeed, in our book, Dr. Lawrence concluded with an entire
chapter on "more is not better." More homework, more standardized tests,
more in-class hours, more computers, more ebooks, are not better, and
Finland is there not only to make the case, but to make it in spades,
for the Scandinavian nation consistently scores at the top of the world
for education, utilizing a system that has none of the hallmarks of its
American counterpart:
In case you missed them, consider these statements:
Finland has a history of producing the highest global test scores in the Western world, as well as a trophy case full of other recent No 1 global rankings, including most literate nation.In Finland, children don't receive formal academic training until the age of seven. Until then, many are in day care and learn through play, songs, games and conversation. Most children walk or bike to school, even the youngest. School hours are short and homework is generally light.Unlike in the United States, where many schools are slashing recess, schoolchildren in Finland have a mandatory 15-minute outdoor free-play break every hour of every day. Fresh air, nature and regular physical activity breaks are considered engines of learning. According to one Finnish maxim: "There is no bad weather. Only inadequate clothing."
And my personal favorite:
Finland doesn't waste time or money on low-quality mass standardised testing. Instead, children are assessed every day, through direct observation, check-ins and quizzes by the highest-quality "personalised learning device" ever created – flesh-and-blood teachers. (Emphasis added)
So, what do we have?
1) consistently high achievement educationally in all areas when compared to other nations spending(wasting) billions on stupid fads like standardized tests and Common Core (think the USSA here);2) light homework3) less time spent in class4) teaching by real human beings and not computers5) no to few standardized tests
But you can add yet another bit of information for the reason for Finland's success:
"Our mission as adults is to protect our children from politicians," one Finnish childhood education professor told me. "We also have an ethical and moral responsibility to tell businesspeople to stay out of our building."
(Emphasis added)In fact, any Finnish citizen is free to visit any school whenever they like, but her message was clear: Educators are the ultimate authorities on education, not bureaucrats, and not technology vendors.
In other words, Finland has told Mr.
Gates, Mr. Zuckerberg and billionaire busybodies and politicians, to
take a hike, and has opened its schools and classrooms to the parents.
One is tempted, when reading this, to
conclude that Finland took one look at America, and the "Amairikuhn
edgykayshun sistum" and concluded "we don't want any of that here." The
result is a system that respects children, parents, and the
all-important role of the human teacher, a system that relies on little
standardized testing, a stress-free classroom environment, and a culture
that realizes that big corporate capitalist "solutions" are seldom
beneficial to the people it falsely claims to serve.
And the other result is a consistently high standard of performance and a system that works.
It's time for the USSA to learn this
lesson: the progressivist educators, with their batteries of teachers
colleges, certification requirements, standardized tests, and a system
run by and for the bureaucrats and businessmen, are turning the USSA
into a third world cesspool of stupidity and mediocrity.
The system needs to be scrapped, and the billionaire busybodies removed from the process.
This is why Finland has the best schools
Heikki Saukkomaa
In Finland, children don't receive formal academic training until the age of seven.
Following his recommendation, I enrolled my seven-year-old son in a primary school in Joensuu. Finland, which is about as far east as you can go in the European Union before you hit the guard towers of the Russian border.
OK, I wasn't just blindly following Gardner – I had a position as a lecturer at the University of Eastern Finland for a semester. But the point is that, for five months, my wife, my son and I experienced a stunningly stress-free, and stunningly good, school system.
Finland has a history of producing the highest global test scores in the Western world, as well as a trophy case full of other recent No 1 global rankings, including most literate nation.
In Finland, children don't receive formal academic training until the age of seven. Until then, many are in day care and learn through play, songs, games and conversation. Most children walk or bike to school, even the youngest. School hours are short and homework is generally light.
Unlike in the United States, where many schools are slashing recess, schoolchildren in Finland have a mandatory 15-minute outdoor free-play break every hour of every day. Fresh air, nature and regular physical activity breaks are considered engines of learning. According to one Finnish maxim: "There is no bad weather. Only inadequate clothing."
One evening, I asked my son what he did for gym that day. "They sent us into the woods with a map and compass and we had to find our way out," he said.
Finland doesn't waste time or money on low-quality mass standardised testing. Instead, children are assessed every day, through direct observation, check-ins and quizzes by the highest-quality "personalised learning device" ever created – flesh-and-blood teachers.
In class, children are allowed to have fun, giggle and daydream from time to time. Finns put into practice the cultural mantras I heard over and over: "Let children be children", "The work of a child is to play", and "Children learn best through play".
The emotional climate of the typical classroom is warm, safe, respectful and highly supportive. There are no scripted lessons and no quasi-martial requirements to walk in straight lines or sit up straight.
In Finland teachers are the most trusted and admired professionals next to doctors, in part because they are required to have a master's degree in education with specialisation in research and classroom practice.
"Our mission as adults is to protect our children from politicians," one Finnish childhood education professor told me. "We also have an ethical and moral responsibility to tell businesspeople to stay out of our building."
In fact, any Finnish citizen is free to visit any school whenever they like, but her message was clear: Educators are the ultimate authorities on education, not bureaucrats, and not technology vendors.
Finland delivers on a national public scale highly qualified, highly respected and highly professionalised teachers who conduct personalised one-on-one instruction; manageable class sizes; a rich, developmentally correct curriculum; regular physical activity; little or no low-quality standardised tests and the toxic stress and wasted time and energy that accompanies them; daily assessments by teachers; and a classroom atmosphere of safety, collaboration, warmth and respect for children as cherished individuals.
One day last November, when the first snow came to my part of Finland, I heard a commotion outside my university faculty office window, which is close to the teacher training school's outdoor play area. I walked over to investigate.
The field was filled with children savouring the first taste of winter amid the pine trees.
"Do you hear that?" asked the recess monitor, a special education teacher wearing a yellow safety smock.
"That," she said proudly, "is the voice of happiness."
• William Doyle is a 2015-2016 Fulbright scholar and a lecturer on media and education at the University of Eastern Finland.
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