1. Effective school system = autonomous teachers?
Dr. Heidi Krzywacki
Department of Teacher Education UH, Finland Mälardalen University, Sweden

2. Outline of the presentation
Teachers’ role in Finnish schools: power over classroom activities
Perspectives to organising education
Flexibility of school organisation
Working with students
Different kinds of learners
Dr. Heidi Krzywacki
University of Helsinki / Mälardalen University Fulbright Seminar, September 21, 2013

3. Teachers’ role in Finnish schools: power over classroom activities
Dr. Heidi Krzywacki
University of Helsinki / Mälardalen University Fulbright Seminar, September 21, 2013

4. Finnish assessment system
Decentralization of decision power and responsibility at the local level
No school inspections, national exams or pre- evaluation of learning materials
Teachers as autonomous academic professionals
Assessment data is used within the classroom
Dr. Heidi Krzywacki
University of Helsinki / Mälardalen University Fulbright Seminar, September 21, 2013

5. Some key facts and figures
Compulsory instruction time is the lowest among OECD
A primary teacher: 667 hours per year
A subject teacher: 592 hours per year ( ~ a half of US lower secondary teachers’ duties)
NOTE: the number of teaching hours does not reflect explicitly the teachers’ total workload
Schools are various size and rather small
About 44% of all schools <100 pupils (12% of all pupils)
About 22% of all schools >300 pupils (54% of all pupils)
Average class size: primary 19.8 (OECD 21.4) and secondary 20.1 (OECD 23.7)
Koulutilasto
Alle 50 Kouluja: 27,2 Oppilaita 4,7
50-99 Kouluja: 17,3 Oppilaita 6,8
Kouluja: 33,2 Oppilaita: 34,8
Kouluja17 Oppilaita: 35,9
Yli 500 Kouluja 5,3% Oppilaita17,8
(FNBE Kyrö, 2012 )
Dr. Heidi Krzywacki
University of Helsinki / Mälardalen University Fulbright Seminar, September 21, 2013

6. Implementation of Finnish school education
No meaningful differences between schools or school districts but between teachers
A teacher matters, i.e. curriculum knowledge, power over choosing materials and methods to be used in the classroom
Mathematics education seems to be effective in terms of invested resources  increase of learning (cognitive progress) … but decrease of positive attitudes
(FNBE Metsämuuronen (Ed.), 2013 )
Dr. Heidi Krzywacki
University of Helsinki / Mälardalen University Fulbright Seminar, September 21, 2013

7. Perspectives to organising education 1) Flexibility of school organisation 2) Working with students 3) Different kinds of learners
Dr. Heidi Krzywacki
University of Helsinki / Mälardalen University Fulbright Seminar, September 21, 2013

8. Flexibility of school organisation
Practicalities: breaks during the school day, a school lunch (not only feeding children but also educating them good manners)
The size of classes and schools is rather small
extra weekly lesson hours used for lessons with a half group
Teachers’ working hours (time for planning)
Flexibility, trust and overall responsibility (especially at primary level)
’Looping’ ~ students loop with the same teacher
Dr. Heidi Krzywacki
University of Helsinki / Mälardalen University Fulbright Seminar, September 21, 2013

9. Perspectives to organising education 1) Flexibility of school organisation 2) Working with students 3) Different kinds of learners
Dr. Heidi Krzywacki
University of Helsinki / Mälardalen University Fulbright Seminar, September 21, 2013

10. Assessment as part of everyday school work
Teachers are seen as academic professionals, who are able to plan, implement, and assess teaching and learning
Teacher-conducted assessment is used in the classroom for improving teaching and learning
NOTE: no national level examination of the whole age group takes place before the end of upper secondary school (grade 12)
Remember: only sample-based monitoring in the core subjects
Dr. Heidi Krzywacki
University of Helsinki / Mälardalen University Fulbright Seminar, September 21, 2013

11. Equal learning opportunities for all
Finnish school system guarantees equal learning opportunities regardless of social background
mainly public schools provide education
The focus is on supporting and guiding all students instead of comparing students’ performance
Very few children need to be made to repeat a year
No rnaking of kids!
Dr. Heidi Krzywacki
University of Helsinki / Mälardalen University Fulbright Seminar, September 21, 2013

12. Students in the core of education
Teachers are not only responsible for student learning but also showing their progress
Expectation is that all students will achieve the minimum requirements
Students’ ownership: self-reflection, critical thinking and homework
NOTE: the class size does not have strong impact on learning outcomes in general (Finland, 2013)
(FNBE Metsämuuronen (Ed.), 2013 )
Dr. Heidi Krzywacki
University of Helsinki / Mälardalen University Fulbright Seminar, September 21, 2013

13. Perspectives to organising education 1) Flexibility of school organisation 2) Working with students 3) Different kinds of learners
Dr. Heidi Krzywacki
University of Helsinki / Mälardalen University Fulbright Seminar, September 21, 2013

14. Different kinds of learners
Special attention to students having learning difficulties
Focusing on cognitive issues but also socio-emotional aspects related to learning
Gender issues: girls are under-represented in high- performing students (mathematics)
gender also seems to matter when discussing the teachers
(FNBE Metsämuuronen (Ed.), 2013 )
Dr. Heidi Krzywacki
University of Helsinki / Mälardalen University Fulbright Seminar, September 21, 2013

15. Some further information
Finnish National Board of Education of_some_features_of_finnish_education_and_training_2011 Ministry of Education and Culture Department of Teacher Education, University of Helsinki Finnish National Board of Education (FNBE) (2013) Perusopetuksen matematiikan oppimistulosten pitkittäisarviointi vuosina [Longitudinal assessment of learning outcomes in the end of basic education in ]. FNBE: Helsinki. Niemi, H., Toom, A. & Kallioniemi, A. (Eds.) (2012). The Miracle of Education: The Principles and Practices of Teaching and learning in Finnish Schools. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers. Sahlberg, P. (2010). Finnish Lessons: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland? New York: Teachers College, Columbia University.

16. Any questions?