Dear Editor,
Thanks for your enlightening Editorial on September 22, 2023, entitled “Math’s results.” The discussions are needed, and your editorial made many vital points. Two things struck me.
First, you should have mentioned students and their parents as stakeholders in all of this. Including students and parents is the only way to know how students learn and should be taught.
Secondly, I am a big fan of the Finnish education system and was happy you mentioned it. However, you were incorrect in reducing Finland’s education system’s success to “paying teachers well.” By the way, they not only pay teachers well, but the qualifications to become a teacher are higher than being a doctor or a lawyer, i.e., the best and most academically qualified become teachers justifying their pay. The reality is they do make special provisions and technological aids. I refer you to the Compass article entitled “Six Key Principles that Make Finish Education A Success which can be found at the following link: https://givingcompass.org/article/6-key-principles-that-make-finnish-education-a-success?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8L-EytO_gQMVqUtHAR1vown5EAAYAiAAEgLL9PD_BwE. The article clearly states that the system employs the following which I paraphrase:
Transversal Skills: A curriculum that emphasizes learning how to learn, cultural competence, interaction, and self-expression. Government Support: To promote its curriculum in schools, the Finnish National Agency of Education is always seeking new tools that support teaching in the best possible way. Multidisciplinary Learning: Each academic year, every school must have at least one clearly defined theme, project, or course that combines the content of different subjects and deals with the selected theme from the perspective of several subjects.
Differentiation: Teachers must differentiate their lessons, which means there are usually at least five different levels of assignment in the same class simultaneously. (I await the day we acknowledge different types of learners in our schools). Diversity in Students’ Assessment: The Finnish curriculum emphasizes diversity in assessment methods and assessment that guides and promotes learning. An Active Role for Students: Teachers facilitate teaching while students set targets, reflect, and solve real-life problems. In addition to paying teachers better, there are many other things the Ministry of Education needs to do to bring our education system into the 21st century.
Sincerely,
(Name and address provided)
