Lessons of PISA for Estonia Maie Kitsing Adviser External Evaluation Department Estonian Ministry of Education and Research

PISA 2009 – reading All countries Among the OECD countries In Europe 1.Shanghai-China1. Korea1. Finland 2. Korea2. Finland2. Netherlands 3. Finland3. Canada3. Belgium 4. Hongkong-China4. New-Zealand4. Norway 5. Singapore5. Japan5. Estonia 6. Canada6. Australia6. Switzerland 7. New-Zealand7. Netherlands7. Poland 8. Japan8. Belgium8. Iceland 9. Australia9. Norway9. Liechtenstein 10. Netherlands10. Estonia10. Sweden 11. Belgium11. Switzerland11. Germany 12. Norway12. Poland12. Ireland 13. Estonia13. Iceland13. France

Outline of the presentation Feasible reasons for Estonia’s PISA results – looking back at reforms and initiatives of the last 10 – 15 years PISA lessons for Estonia

Feasible reasons for Estonia’s PISA results 1686 – start of a public school system (compulsory schooling for boys and girls) 1840 – 1 st kindergarten 1905 – 1 st Estonian-language kindergarten 1969 – free study books The education of parents

The main feasible reasons for Estonia’s PISA results Basic school (grades 1-9) is a comprehensive school Decentralized educational system: – Schools are autonomous and headmasters have relatively big rights to arrange the everyday life of the schools. – Teachers are free to use teaching methods and textbooks of their own choice.

Clear qualification requirements for teachers Requirements for teachers’ education:  The initial training of teachers is carried out at Master’s level.  Requirements for teachers’ in-service training hours within five years. Supporting the teachers:  Supporting novice teachers – the induction year  The state guarantees 3 % of the salary fund for teachers’ professional training.

National standards  The national curriculum (1996, 2002, 2010) corresponds to contemporary requirements.  Each school compiles its own curricula, which are based on national curricula. 2010:  2 separate curricula: The National Curriculum for Basic Schools The National Curriculum for Upper Secondary Schools

Supporting the students The support systems for children with social problems and for children/students with special educational needs:  Flexible learning possibilities  Social support (free textbooks and lunches, etc.)  Free supplementary pedagogical guidance outside the classroom (special teachers, social pedagogues, psychologists, etc.)

Development of children in pre-schools (kindergartens )  Higher educational requirements to pre-primary (kindergarten) teachers. Bachelor’s degree Bachelor's /Master's studies  High participation in pre-primary schools – ~ 93 % of children at the age of six.  National curriculum for Pre-Primary Education  Support for parents – pre-primary education is financed partially from the state budget.

Main Lessons for Estonia from PISA Students distribution according to proficiency levels Potential of each students 2 groups: – High-risk adults in the future (weak basis for life-long learning) – Leaders in the future No significant problems with students of lower proficiency levels 5 th, 6 th proficiency levels: – reading: 24 th in the world, 15 th in Europe – maths: 22 th /12 th – science: 14 th /6 th Summary, higher proficiency levels (4 th, 5 th, 6 th ) – In Estonia: 22,2% – In Finland: 45,1%

2. Need for the changes in teaching process Estonian students are rather weak in solving more complicated tasks requiring creativity and logical thinking and are less able to apply their knowledge in everyday life. Approximately 1/5 of the boys didn’t reach to the second proficiency level.

3. Lower performance among the students of Russian-speaking schools Students of Russian- speaking schools have less opportunities for making choices, to continue studies, etc. The results are influencing lifelong learning process. Reading E 507 V 476 Maths E 519 V 482 Science E 535 V p 37 p 39 = equivalent of 1 study year

4. Headmasters’ existing skills to be a lead er Headmasters’ knowledge and skills about management and leadership Headmasters: Set a vision and goals for the school together with the teachers Hiring teachers Improving teachers’ professional skills (should notice the improvement areas of teachers) Create the best learning and teaching conditions Create microclimate Etc.

Comparison between high performing schools and low performing schools Statistically significant differences: 1.Students ESCS background (parents’ occupational status; home educational resources) 2.Schools’ factors: teaching, teachers’ and students’ behaviour, school’s responsibility for the curriculum and the assessment process, etc.)

Being among the countries with best educational systems doesn’t mean that we don’t have improving areas. The students with best performing results are girls from Estonian- speaking city schools Distribution of students proficiency level predicts the raising quality of labour force in the future Universities School owners Headmasters Teachers MoER

Thank you!