Entry 2 

Why do you think Finland out-performed so many developed countries with such equitable and non-consequential guiding notion? Is there any ideas or rationale behind that speak to you? As an educational leader, what elements could and should our society adopt from Finland to improve our educational programs?

    The United States, for all its' achievements, is behind when it comes to knowing how to properly educate their young citizens. In Math, we rank #30, in the Sciences-#23, and in Reading-#17 and if we don't make some positive changes, we will slip even further. Yet, we spend billions of dollars every year for education! Unfortunately, as a country, the United States will never come to an agreement across the board when it come to our education. There are too many stakes in the fire, so to speak. But, imagine if you will, a place where the welfare of the child comes first and there is no "competition" for education. The reward is a well-rounded individual who sees their place in society and is well-equipped to become an integral part.

    There is a country who has successfully over-hauled their educational system to where they are ranked as #2 in the Sciences, #3 in Reading, and #6 in Math. The country is Finland. They had come to realize that the status quo just wasn't working, so they decided to take a holistic approach to education that goes beyond the schoolroom. Instead of schools competing against one another, they made sure that education was equitable across the board. Students are not in competition with one another and they don't have to stress over mandated tests. Every student, regardless of their socio-economic status, enjoys all the same privileges, which include...free lunch and access to healthcare.

    The Finnish education system is broken up into three parts. In a nutshell the following is a rudimentary look at the three-part system. First, they have a comprehensive plan to take care of students with special needs. Second, they provide career guidance counselors and offer students three choices; continue upper level schooling, vocational school, or to get a job. Lastly, they require that teachers become highly qualified to teach diverse subjects with differentiated learning techniques.

    So, the question becomes, can this type of system ever be realized in the United States? It is highly unlikely that we will be able to emulate such a, as stated in American Educator, "comprehensive school system-peruskoulu" (p. 22) However, there is hope! I believe that this education model could be realized on a smaller scale; perhaps from state to state. As I hinted at earlier, it would take a lot of compromise and setting aside pre-conceived biases and getting rid of those horrible, state-mandated tests!