Finnish education system mirroring lstp 23 251117 brescia: A slideshow in Conference 'Life Skills Training Program' in Brescia, Italy on the 24th of November, 2017

1. Finnish Education System Mirroring LSTP
Teacher Training School
H E I K K I E R V A S T 2 3 . - 2 5 . 1 1 . 2 0 1 7 / B R E S C I A

2. The Education System of Finland

3. The History of Creating Comprehensive School
BASICS FOR FINNISH EDUCATION SYTEM:
“Everyone has the right to basic education free of charge. The public
authorities shall guarantee for everyone equal opportunity to receive
other educational services in accordance with their ability and special
needs, as well as the opportunity to develop themselves without being
prevented by economic hardship. “(Constitution of Finland)
• the same educational opportunities should be available to all
citizens irrespective of their ethnic origin, age, wealth or where
they live.
• educational equality
• educational equity
• the comprehensive school system started in 1972 in Finland

4. About Finnish Education System
SOME SPECIAL FEATURES:
• in basic education no admission requirements and
charges
• instruction arranged in schools near the home
• basic education provides eligibility for all upper
secondary education
• almost all Finnish children complete comprehensive
school
• free school meal
• education is based on same national curriculum all over
the country (Finnish National Agency for Education)

5. ©Finnish National Agency for Education

6. Good results are based on…
PISA -RESULTS:
• good skills of the teachers
• the teacher training system in universities (e.g. class
teachers are ‘Masters of Education’)
• educational equality
• the average level is quite good
• good special education
• good national core curricula
• education is based on trust and co-operation

7. Koulutuksen tutkimuslaitos ©Professor Jouni Välijärvi

8. Right now we do have an increasing number of pupil…
• without interest in learning and motivation
to learn
• without the meaningfulness of study
• without a view to the future

9. How do we…
KEY QUESTIONS:
• increase interest in learning?
• increase motivation to learn?
• increase the meaningfulness of study?
• make it possible to experience success?

10. New Basic Education Curriculum

11. ©Finnish National Agency for Education

12. Learning goals of the transversal competences
DESCRIBED AS SEVEN COMPETENCE AREAS:
1. Thinking and learning to learn
2. Cultural literacy, communication and expression
3. Managing daily life, taking care of oneself and others
4. Multiliteracy
5. ICT-skills
6. Entrepreneurial and work life skills
7. Participation and building sustainable future.

13. LIFE SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM /
BRESCIA
Life skills / Primary School :
• Self awareness
• Coping with emotions
• Effective comunication
Life skills / Secondary School :
• Management of anxiety and stress
• Effective communication
• Assertiveness and decision making
With what purpose ?
• To strengthen the child's life skills
(Experience the most effective attitudes
and behaviors to use at home to
consolidate work done at school)
• To strengthen family protective factors
• Sharing of resources and strategies,
sharing of appropriate solutions

15. Student Wellfare Law / 1.8.2014
• individual student welfare
• community-based student welfare
Meaning of the law:
1. to promote students’ learning, health and well-being, and inclusion
and prevent the emergence of problems
2. to promote the wellbeing, health and safety of the institution and
the learning environment, accessibility, community work and
cooperation between home and educational institutions
3. to provide early support for those in need
4. to ensure equal access and quality of student care services for
students
5. enhance the implementation and management of student care as a
functional entity and multidisciplinary collaboration.

16. Student Wellfare and Early Open Co-operation
• Finnish school and child protection legislation obligates authorities,
teachers and parents into co-operation
• Early intervention doesn’t mean the transfer of ”the problem” to
experts at very early stage . If you transfer, you have to go along.
• Early intervention means to act as early as possible, as open as
possible and in good co-operation to prevent problem situations. It
is essential to act when you still have plenty of possibilities and
alternatives. Early intervention is to take early responsibility of your
own function to support others.
• That’s why we prefer speaking about ’Early Open Co-operation’
rather than early intervention.

17. “Goal: to secure the necessary knowledge and skills
as well as to encourage learning”
NATIONAL AGENCY FOR EDUCATION:
“The curriculum reform aims at ensuring that the
knowledge and skills of Finnish children and youths will
remain strong in the future, both in national contexts as
well as international. In addition, pedagogical guidelines
have been outlined to help schools develop their operating
methods in order to increase the pupils' interest in learning
and motivation to learn.
Some of the key goals of the reform include enhancing
pupil participation, increasing the meaningfulness of
study and making it possible for each and every pupil to
experience success. ”

18. Assessment for learning
ASSESSMENT SUPPORTS LEARNING:
• assessment supports learning and is an essential part of
the learning process
• to support teachers in the assessment, the core curriculum
provides the criteria for good performance for assessment
at the end of grade six and the final assessment in grade
nine
• pupils are not compared to each other; instead, pupils are
guided to reflect on their own learning against the
objectives
• the teachers help the pupils understand the objectives and
recognize their own strengths and development needs
• the teachers provide opportunities for the pupils to develop
their skills for self-assessment and peer assessment so
that they can both give and receive constructive feedback
• assessment supports the pupils as life-long learners

19. Structuring assessment…
THREE APPROACH FOR ASSESMENT:
• assessment of learning
• assessment for learning
• assessment as learning

20. Learning-enhancing assessment
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO GET:
• experience of the competence (“I can…”)
• experience of the relevancy (“My learning is
important for me…”)
How do we make this come true?

21. Assessment is a dialogue.

22. Assessment for and as learning / dialogical approach
It is a question of
• interaction and relational work
• I – You >< I – It
• facing the Other with respect
• listening; being heard is very important
• external and inner dialogues
• anticipation and focusing to the future

23. Dialogical approach
“In an ordinary conversation, the participants make a point and argue it.
Dialogue, on the other hand, is a conversation where the participants build on
each other’s contribution. In a dialogue, participants are willing to let go of their
pre-set ideas and listen to the contribution of others and, thus, are open to
ideas generated as a result of this joint interaction which would have otherwise
gone unnoticed.
In other words, your opinion is not final, but a step towards the ultimate
outcome. The aim of dialogue is to gain a new insight, a new understanding of
an issue. However, it does not seek consensus, but to appreciate how others
think. Thus, the secret of dialogue is that no one will know where it leads.
Therefore, dialogic methods are ideal for acting appropriately differently.”
(Arnkil & Erikson: Taking up One’s Worries 2009, 36)

24. Dialougue in assessment
A PROPOSAL:
• appreciate the pupil’s questions and comments
• do not ask questions whose answers you already know
• grab pupils' opportunities and openings
• give an answer to the pupil, at least by nodding
• pay attention to pupil’s assumptions, even if they may
be wrong
• create a safe and learning-enhanching atmosphere
• also pay attention to your own bodily sensations

25. Assessment is a dialogue.
Assessment is thinking together.