I recently read a Boston Globe op-ed piece that suggested the United States look to Finland as an example for education reform. The author talks about the absence of standardized tests, idolization of teachers, and equal performance out of students regardless of social class. Wow. I would be lying if I said that didn't sound fantastic. Standardized tests are the bane of our existence in rural Mississippi. Of course I want to be idolized... and if my students performed as well as the rich kids of Dublin, OH, my job would be a whole lot easier.
But it's not fun to agree. Let's play devil's advocate.
Three reasons why I don't think Finland's methods would work for US
1. Finland is largely homogeneous - Finns do not face the same racial barriers as Americans.
Now, before I moved down to Mississippi, I would have rolled my eyes at that statement. "We don't have problems with race," I would've said as a proud Yankee. "It's the 21st century." Sorry, 2006-version of Andrea. You're wrong. Race is as much of an issue down here as it was 30 years ago. It is amazing how much of an inhibitor poor race relations can be. There are still parents who won't admit that a teacher of another color may do a good job. There are still parents who would rather have segregated schools. One of the main components of Finland's system is parental involvement and feedback. That can't work until parents and teachers of opposite races can sit in a classroom and respectfully collaborate.
2. Teachers won't be idolized here.
In Finland, teachers are required to hold higher-level degrees, so they have impeccable pedagogical skills and subject knowledge. When teachers are that highly-qualified, they automatically gain respect. Finns regard teachers with the same confidence as doctors. The problem for the United States is that teachers don't get paid enough to justify spending large amounts of money on advanced degrees. School districts would rather employ a recent education school graduate with no Master's degree than an experienced teacher with a PhD. It costs the district less. Even some of the better public schools allow teachers 5-10 years to acquire their Master's. So my shocking solution? Pay us more.
3. Getting rid of standardized tests is easier said than done.
Sure, I would love nothing more than to say goodbye to the Mississippi Curriculum Test, but phasing out standardized tests in the United States could take years. As it is set up now, a large amount of school funding comes from test performance. With the current system in place, if we pull the tests, we lose the money. Of course schools get some money from other sources, but until the government has figured out a new way to support and motivate struggling schools, I guess we have to stick with the way things are.
Finland, I tip my hat to you... we're just not there yet.
But it's not fun to agree. Let's play devil's advocate.
Three reasons why I don't think Finland's methods would work for US
1. Finland is largely homogeneous - Finns do not face the same racial barriers as Americans.
Now, before I moved down to Mississippi, I would have rolled my eyes at that statement. "We don't have problems with race," I would've said as a proud Yankee. "It's the 21st century." Sorry, 2006-version of Andrea. You're wrong. Race is as much of an issue down here as it was 30 years ago. It is amazing how much of an inhibitor poor race relations can be. There are still parents who won't admit that a teacher of another color may do a good job. There are still parents who would rather have segregated schools. One of the main components of Finland's system is parental involvement and feedback. That can't work until parents and teachers of opposite races can sit in a classroom and respectfully collaborate.
2. Teachers won't be idolized here.
In Finland, teachers are required to hold higher-level degrees, so they have impeccable pedagogical skills and subject knowledge. When teachers are that highly-qualified, they automatically gain respect. Finns regard teachers with the same confidence as doctors. The problem for the United States is that teachers don't get paid enough to justify spending large amounts of money on advanced degrees. School districts would rather employ a recent education school graduate with no Master's degree than an experienced teacher with a PhD. It costs the district less. Even some of the better public schools allow teachers 5-10 years to acquire their Master's. So my shocking solution? Pay us more.
3. Getting rid of standardized tests is easier said than done.
Sure, I would love nothing more than to say goodbye to the Mississippi Curriculum Test, but phasing out standardized tests in the United States could take years. As it is set up now, a large amount of school funding comes from test performance. With the current system in place, if we pull the tests, we lose the money. Of course schools get some money from other sources, but until the government has figured out a new way to support and motivate struggling schools, I guess we have to stick with the way things are.
Finland, I tip my hat to you... we're just not there yet.
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