Why Do Finnish Schools Finish First? 10 Ways to Improve US Education

Let’s face it, the US education system is a mess.  Most kids are anxious and stressed, many teachers are fearful and disrespected, countless parents are confused and annoyed and scores of administrators are angry and aggressive.  When programs are hurting most, funding is usually diminished.  Kids don’t receive services until they are failing or close to failing, and if interventions help these underachieving students, services are continually stripped away as soon as they get their heads above water.  It’s a competitive, punitive, and dysfunctional system that desperately needs radical reform. 

This blog post reflects back on and summarizes the main points of an interesting article from The Atlantic Magazine published back in December of 2011 entitled, What Americans Keep Ignoring About Finland's School Success.  This is what they suggest:

 10 Strategies for Success:

     1.    Assign less homework!

     2.    Integrate creative play into classroom lessons.

     3.    Get rid of standardized tests.

     4.    Let teachers create their own assessments.

     5.    Give teachers appreciation, responsibility and respectable pay.

     6.    Improve teacher training.

     7.    If a teacher is not doing a good job, it must be addressed.

     8.    Teachers and schools must stop competing and become cooperative.

     9.    Provide equal education opportunities for all children regardless of income, background or location.

   10.    Offer all students free meals, healthcare, counseling and guidance.

What do you think of these suggestions?  Do you have any other strategies that could help?

Here is the link to the article: 

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/12/what-americans-keep-ignoring-about-finlands-school-success/250564/

I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Cheers, Erica