I just returned home from a trip to Oulu, Finland with colleagues from the University of South Dakota School of Education and teachers from the Vermillion School District (VSD). Finnish schools are touted as the best in the world, and the VSD teachers have been incorporating their pedagogy, specifically, their work with STEAM – science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics – in their schools. We were thrilled when VSD asked us at the USD School of Education to join them on this trip to further their STEAM initiatives.
Spending time in the happiest country in the world impacted me for the better. I am excited to share my initial take-aways on the Finnish educational system, after a very inspiring week.
Teachers are Highly Respected
In every school we visited in Oulu, the Headmasters emphasized that teaching is a highly respected profession in Finland. We frequently heard that “doctors, lawyers, and teachers” were their top professions. I felt this high level of esteem from everyone we encountered. When we told people we were educators from the USA, learning about the education system in Finland, people shared a sense of pride in their schools and teachers. I could feel their reverence for the profession. I also noticed seemingly small things, like impeccable teachers lounges, that gave me a sense of how well-loved their educators are in Finland.
Emphasis on Well-Being
Finnish people also place high value on well-being. Multiple schools created wellbeing committees that focus on supporting overall school culture. For example, one committee determined that students needed more substantial breakfast, so they took the initiative to make oatmeal once per week. Another school arranged their schedules so that teachers could have a solid 30 minute break where they could spend time together. All schools shared that education suffered greatly during COVID, and they truly emphasized the importance of rebuilding a sense of well-being after an unwell time.
Free Education
All education from kindergarten to graduate degrees are free for all Finnish citizens. As a result, they have a highly educated workforce. There is a stronger merit-based system to get into universities, as cost is not a prohibitive factor. It struck me that education was seen as more valuable because it was free, and also more competitive. Even our flight attendant to Helsinki remarked on the high quality and value of Finnish schools. She shared that many people go back to school to get a masters degree or to change careers later in life because they can. “Not everyone knows what they want to be when they grow up”, she said, “and it’s nice to be able to afford to make those changes when you are ready.”
Nature School
We had the privilege of visiting one of Finland’s esteemed nature schools. I fell in love immediately, and it makes so much sense to me as a model for schools in the USA. The nature school just outside of Oulu has one full time teacher, but no students officially attend the nature school. Instead, teachers at other schools in Finland schedule a field trip to bring their class to the nature school and the nature school teacher plans lessons for that age group, based on the lessons they are learning in their school. The nature school we visited felt like the best parts of summer camp, the best parts of a field trip, and a vacation all rolled into one.
Kids are Kids
I don’t want to paint the picture that there are no problems in Finnish schools. We heard about how mental health issues have increased in their students, due to COVID, instability/war, worries about climate change, and social media. Teachers said that students don’t like to read as much as they used to, they have shorter attention spans, and they don’t value education in the same way that their students of the past did. They talked about lack of funding and low wages, hungry children, and lack of parental support. The problems kids in the USA are experiencing are the same problems that the kids in Finland are experiencing. However, I think we have a lot to learn from the best schools in the world.
I’m hoping to share more about our trip to Finland and the positive impacts it will have on the USD School of Education and the Vermillion School District in future Teacher Talks, as I have the opportunity to process this amazing experience.
The views and opinions expressed on Teacher Talk are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of South Dakota.
