Finland Day 2 - November 3, 2022
First full day in Finland (or Suomi as it is traditionally called)! What a day to see Finnish hospitality in action. Today my colleagues and I were guests at the Finland Fulbright Foundation. We spent the morning talking to Terhi Mölsä, CEO of the foundation. After sharing the vision statement “Together shaping the future,” she went on to discuss the origins of the vision and how it reflects the Finnish spirit of unity. Lacking the population density and natural resources of other neighboring countries, Finland learned very quickly after WWII that the most precious resource it had were its people. As such, education has become a key foundation for the success of the nation. I was struck how such a simple sentiment could have such a powerful impact on not only educators, but also on the nation itself. The Finland Foundation, whose office is located along with other Education Ministry offices in Helsinki, has built itself out of a recognition that the investment in interconnected education is vital to the survival of an education system.
Later that morning, we were treated to a panel discussion by three members of the Finnish education system: one from the national level, one form the municipal (city) level, and one from the individual school level. While the Finnish education system is structured from the national level, almost all decisions (from budgets to curriculum to methods) are determined at the local level. As such, teachers are given immense amounts of autonomy within their schools and classrooms. This commitment was borne out of the national “cornerstones” of education: Trust & Autonomy, Support, Equity, and No Fees. As we discussed the structure of the system itself the word “trust” kept emerging. Here are some quotes from our guest panelists:
“You can learn so much from one another…teachers know best.”
“All the schools are equally good. We get the best teachers to the most challenging schools.”
“The focus is not on testing. The focus is on learning.”
As high-stakes testing and teacher accountability ramp up in the United States, Finland’s commitment to educational consensus is remarkable as it is refreshing. However, as I was told over lunch by a national education specialist, consensus takes a lot of time…they have been building it since the 1970s! I wonder what consensus in American education could look like? Have we taken the time as teachers, schools, districts, and states (even as a nation) to truly ask “What do we really want?” And as Terhi so rightly added, followed by the question “Do we have the resources for that?” These are the questions I left with.
We spent the afternoon talking with a group of Finnish teachers, planning for our first school visits tomorrow, and drinking coffee (Kahvi), which by the way is served everywhere! Some of us even got the chance to experience a real Finnish sauna and take a dip into the lake. Talk about cultural immersion…
Until tomorrow! Hyvää yötä (Good night).