I read an article from The Wall Street Journal entitled "What Makes Finnish Kids So Smart?" There were tests done sponsered by Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development in which students from 30 different countries tested their knowledge in various subjects. The unofficial count put Finland at first while the United States ranked in the middle somewhere. I was suprised to find that students in Finland are not seperated into honor societies or classes for gifted students. Students in Finland do not start school until the age of 7 and even then, they spend most of their time working independently. The lessons ,made by well-trained teachers, branch out to every student making sure that the plan fits for everyone. Students who are quicker learners are kept in the same classrooms as those who needs assistance. In Finland, it is believed that these students will help their peers in the work. Teachers and students are on a first name basis and 15 year olds are allowed to leave campus during lunch time.
Through all these differences, the article points out that Finnish teenagers also rebel. They dye their hair and like Desperate Housewives but for some reason they are statistically smarter than Americans. I believe that the difference is not as much in the students but in the teaching. It is a generality to say that Americans are not as responsible or concentrated as Finnish students but the tests show a large difference in learning. In the article, Finnish teachers are compares to entrepreneurs in contrast the countries where education is merely an assembly line.
Also, the Finnish love reading. This is one of the building blocks of knowledge. Every year the peoplein Finland recieve a gift pack from the government that includes a book. Also, libraries are attached to malls and they have book buses that travel around selling books. I think that this literacy and vocabulary directly helps Finnish learning. With this and the breed of teachers it is easy to see why generally Finnish students are smarter than any other country.
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It was interesting to read your post. I couldn't help but to think about why are Finnish children , rank smarter than the other children in the survey? I believe that resources have a huge influence and impact on the differences in education. Can we not question, that perhaps the children came from a wealthier town, where resources and more funds were spent on the schools and children, rather that a poverty sticken or middle class or lower class area, in which less resources are available? Another thing to consider is that children do begin school at an older age, does this factor into Finnish children having a higher emotional IQ, which can be reserach and be the probable cause of their academic excellence.
Another point of concern, why was it significant to mention that Finnish Children may be the smartest out of the survey, but they are rebels. Can it be prehaps that the pressure or the high standards placed upon them in school is too much for them to handle and the act out?
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