McCurdy 1

Collette McCurdy

Rachel Angeles

Humanities III Honors

16 March 2020

The Educational Powerhouse: What The United States Can Learn From Finland

For the majority of students across the United States, the word “school” provokes images

of exhausted children, backpacks crammed with textbooks, and anxious teenagers pulling

all-nighters in hopes of preparing for the following day of classes. Nations across the globe value

hard work and study skills over creativity and emphasize competition as opposed to

collaboration. However, if a person’s success in life were indeed dependent on these factors, the

U.S., a country home to AP testing and hours of homework assignments each week,1 would not

be ranked 27th in the world.2 Compared to Finland, who routinely outperforms the United States

on exams in reading, science, and math, America is no longer viewed as a leader in the

educational world. Because Finland puts an emphasis on beginning school at a young age,

provides equal academic opportunities to all adolescents, and recognizes student wellbeing as a

significant component of learning, adopting its education system in the United States would not

only level the playing field for students of varying socioeconomic backgrounds but improve the

U.S. standing on an international scale.

1
Kohli, Sonali. “Students in These Countries Spend the Most Time Doing Homework.” ​Quartz,​ Quartz, 12 Dec.
2014, qz.com/311360/students-in-these-countries-spend-the-most-time-doing-homework/.
2
Bendix, Aria. “The US Was Once a Leader for Healthcare and Education - Now It Ranks 27th in the World.”
Business Insider​, Business Insider, 27 Sept. 2018, 8:46 a.m.,
www.businessinsider.com/us-ranks-27th-for-healthcare-and-education-2018-9.
 McCurdy 2

The United States, once a leader in education, is unfortunately no longer living up to its

globally recognized title. Invented during the industrial revolution, the education system that the

United States currently employs was created to produce factory workers.3 Today’s workforce,

however, consists of a variety of career paths that require myriad abilities far beyond the skill

sets that were once necessary. In the late 1960s, Finland recognized the fact that its education

system was outdated, leading to a complete reconstruction of the system, a modernized

curriculum, and new freedoms given to teachers.4 Finland, which offers no more than three hours

and 45 minutes of instruction per day, is now thriving with students who are exceeding on both

an emotional and academic level. Meanwhile, the United States continues to utilize a system that

fails both its students and the workforce, dragging the nation farther behind in this worldwide

race.

In Finland, learning begins with a solid foundation in universal preschool education. The

significance of education at this early stage has been addressed and emphasized by the majority

of industrialized nations, resulting in the implementation of evidence-based practices in school

systems across the globe​. A​s explained by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and

Cultural Organization, “Early childhood care and education (ECCE) is more than preparation for

primary school. It aims at the holistic development of a child’s social, emotional, cognitive, and

physical needs in order to build a solid and broad foundation for lifelong learning and wellbeing”

(Early Childhood Care And Education). A longitudinal study conducted by HighScope revealed

3
Rose, Joel. “How to Break Free of Our 19th-Century Factory-Model Education System.” ​The Atlantic​, Atlantic
Media Company, 9 May 2012,
www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/05/how-to-break-free-of-our-19th-century-factory-model-education-sys
tem/256881/.
4
Jordan, Ella. “Education Reform in Finland and the Comprehensive School System.” ​Centre for Public Impact
(CPI)​, 2 Sept. 2019, www.centreforpublicimpact.org/case-study/education-policy-in-finland/.
 McCurdy 3

that students who attend preschool increase their likelihood of graduating from high school, and

are less likely to commit crimes and have teenage pregnancies.5 Despite the abundance of

research supporting this correlation, such early investment is not a priority in the United States​.

In essence, ​the median preschool teacher salary is a mere $28,570 annually (52% of what

elementary school teachers earn),6 and nearly half of states do not require preschool teachers to

earn any degree above a high school diploma.7 The research, coupled with Finland’s outcomes,

signals to us that this lack of investment in youth negatively impacts Americans in the long

term​—the absence of a solid foundation for social-emotional learning and creative processing

could affect student performance in primary, secondary school, and beyond.​ Finland, however,

has maintained a more progressive approach to early childhood education​—​all daycare teachers

in the country are required to hold Bachelor’s degrees,8 and lessons align with the content

students will explore once they attend public elementary school at the age of seven.9 By ensuring

that lessons are consistent, relevant, and taught by qualified instructors, Finnish schools provide

students a head start in the educational world and establish a sense of awareness on subject

matter that will be critical in later years. This level of coherence between early childhood

education and grade school is rare in the United States, yet it is necessary to ensure that youth are

5
“Perry Preschool Project.” ​HighScope​, highscope.org/perry-preschool-project/.
6
Mongeau, Lillian. “How the U.S. Is Failing Its Youngest Students.” ​The Atlantic,​ Atlantic Media Company, 12 July
2016, www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/07/why-does-america-invest-so-little-in-its-children/490790/.
7
Kvatum, Lia. “Will a College Degree Requirement Lead to Better, More Respected Preschool Teachers?” ​The
Washington Post​, WP Company, 9 Nov. 2017, 4:00 a.m.,
www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/will-a-college-degree-requirement-lead-to-better-more-respected-pres
chool-teachers/2017/11/08/5c6d59a8-b50e-11e7-a908-a3470754bbb9_story.html.
8
“Early Childhood Education And Care.” ​Education Finland,​
www.educationfinland.fi/what-we-offer/early-childhood-education-and-care.
9
Sanchez, Claudio. “What The U.S. Can Learn From Finland, Where School Starts At Age 7.” ​NPR​, NPR, 8 Mar.
2014, 5:23 a.m.,
www.npr.org/2014/03/08/287255411/what-the-u-s-can-learn-from-finland-where-school-starts-at-age-7.
 McCurdy 4

receiving a quality education at an age where developmental learning is crucial for future

success.

Access is another important element of preschool education​—​the quality of schooling

received by individuals is only relevant to those who are able to go to school in the first place. In

the wealthiest nation in the world, it is irrational to believe that families earning less than

$18,000 a year are spending 40% of their income on daycare or preschool for their children,10 but

this is the reality that 44% of the U.S. population is forced to accept.11 In 2010, 15.5 million

children lived in households with incomes below the Federal Poverty Level, and according to the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “less than half of children in families in the lowest

income quartile were enrolled in center-based early childhood education programs” (Early

Childhood Education). The inequity surrounding preschool education in the United States has

dangerous effects in the long run, creating a society where success is dependent on

socioeconomic background, not merit. In Finland, however, this is not the case. Finland’s early

childhood education system, which offers public preschool and daycare to all adolescents ages

one through seven, is utilized by over 97% of Finnish households. This level of accessibility not

only assists children from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, but serves as a benefit to the

economy, as well. Parents who would typically need to stay home to take care of their young

ones can work while their children have the opportunity to collaborate, learn in a safe

environment, and practice their exploratory skills. In addition, as a result of the equal

opportunities offered to every child, income does not play an instrumental role when determining

10
Kenworthy, Lane. “Why America Should Have Universal Early Education for Young Children.” ​Scholars.org,​ 29
Sept. 2014, scholars.org/why-america-should-have-universal-early-education-young-children.
11
Ross, Martha, and Nicole Bateman. “Meet the Low-Wage Workforce.” ​Brookings​, Brookings, 7 Nov. 2019,
www.brookings.edu/research/meet-the-low-wage-workforce/.
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student success. If the United States separated the link between poverty and education, students

would have the ability to use performance in school as the determining factor when pursuing

careers rather than limiting themselves because of a future that shaped them well before they set

foot in a classroom.

While early childhood education plays an influential role in developmental learning,

issues that occur in primary and secondary school, such as stress, student wellbeing, and the

impracticality of standardized tests, are also frequently discussed by educators around the world.

Finland has found a solution to these matters while the United States continues to struggle. In the

1990s, the Finnish National Board of Education determined that standardized testing was a waste

of time and resources, and caused unnecessary stress for students (​Abrams​). Instead, students

were encouraged to develop self-assessment skills, engage in creative play, and spend time with

their families rather than spend long hours cramming for tests. Compared to an average of 27

minutes in America, Finnish youth receive 75 minutes of recess each day and spend up to eleven

periods each week taking classes on textiles, metalwork, carpentry, music, art, and cooking.12

While some argue that creative work is not directly giving students the knowledge they need for

the real world, research has shown that breaking up learning hours into shorter periods

throughout the day increases productivity. According to a study published by Science Direct,

when teaching various lessons to elementary school students, it was discovered that “On-task

behavior declined as instructional duration increased from 10 to 30 minutes” (Almeda, 128).

Further research suggests that breaks reduce stress, and a study by New York University

indicated that taking breaks throughout the day increases activity in the hippocampus, improving

Abrams, Samuel E. “The Children Must Play.” ​The New Republic​, 28 Jan. 2011,
12

newrepublic.com/article/82329/education-reform-finland-us.
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memory (Davachi). Clearly, breaks and stress reduction is a significant component of learning,

and Finland is listening to the evidence. If the United States embraced scientific research and

provided more opportunities for creative play in a stress-free environment, students would

benefit in terms of their productivity, memory, and happiness, likely leading to successes seen in

Finland.

While countries across the globe have praised Finland’s innovative and experimental

approach to education, some argue that this perspective on learning could be disadvantageous in

the long run. Compared to East Asian countries, where students work harder, study for extended

periods of time, and emphasize competition to keep children on track, Finnish schools, which

stress social-emotional learning and student wellbeing, are at risk of falling behind. East Asian

students are indeed well-versed when it comes to math and science, yet Finland recognizes that

content knowledge is not the sole element that fuels success. As indicated in studies by MIT,

Brown University, and Harvard University, standardized tests tend to emphasize superficial

thinking, where students learn to mindlessly copy down answers rather than think critically

(Matura). Although East Asian countries such as China persistently produce students with

exceptionally high test scores, they are viewed as “diploma societies” due to their excessive and

ritualized reliance on educational qualifications. In addition, the amount of pressure put on

Chinese students is severely unhealthy​—​according to U.S. News, China has the highest

depression rates in the world (McPhillips). By exploring activities beyond the confines of

multiple-choice answer sheets, Finnish students can apply their learned math and reading skills

to real-world scenarios and improve upon their collaboration and public speaking abilities in a

healthy and innovative way. This not only prepares them for and exposes them to a variety of
 McCurdy 7

career paths, but continues to produce high test scores on exams such as the Programme for

International Student Assessment (PISA), where they consistently excel in math, reading, and

science.13

If the United States acknowledges the importance of incorporating evidence-based

practice into its education system, students and families across the nation can significantly

benefit in terms of their wellbeing, collaboration skills, and access to schooling at an early age.

Finland has proven to the world that offering equitable academic opportunities while fostering a

harmonious, positive, and healthy learning environment is indeed possible, and the U.S. will

continue to fall back on social mobility should it continue to exercise the same antiquated ways

of teaching. Like so many other facets of the United States, our education system has succumbed

to the “American exceptionalism” brand of hubris​—​if we do not learn humility as a country and

show a willingness to learn from our fellow nations, we cannot expect to thrive.

Burtymowicz, Sarah. “Standardized Tests a Foreign Concept in Finland.” ​The Hechinger Report,​ 16 Nov. 2012,
13

hechingerreport.org/standardized-tests-a-foreign-concept-in-finland/.
 McCurdy 8

Works Cited

Abrams, Samuel E. “The Children Must Play.” ​The New Republic​, 28 Jan. 2011,

newrepublic.com/article/82329/education-reform-finland-us.

Adams, Cathy. “These Are the World's Happiest Countries.” ​The Independent​, Independent

Digital News and Media, 21 Mar. 2019, 4:06,

www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/happiest-countries-world-2019-winner-f

inland-bhutan-denmark-norway-iceland-a8831576.html.

Almeda, Ma. V., Baker, Ryan S., Fisher, Anna V., Godwin, Karrie E., Kai, Shimin, Seltman,

Howard, Skerbetz, Mandi D. “Off-Task Behavior in Elementary School Children.”

Learning and Instruction​, Pergamon, Aug. 2016,

www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959475216300275#!

Bendix, Aria. “The US Was Once a Leader for Healthcare and Education - Now It Ranks 27th in

the World.” ​Business Insider,​ Business Insider, 27 Sept. 2018, 8:46 a.m.,

www.businessinsider.com/us-ranks-27th-for-healthcare-and-education-2018-9.

Burtymowicz, Sarah. “Standardized Tests a Foreign Concept in Finland.” ​The Hechinger Report​,

16 Nov. 2012, hechingerreport.org/standardized-tests-a-foreign-concept-in-finland/.

Davachi, Lila, Ketz, Nicholas, Tambini, Arielle. “Breaks at Work or School Enhance Learning

and Memory.” ​WorldHealth,​ 4 Feb. 2010, 6:00 a.m.,

www.worldhealth.net/news/breaks-work-or-school-enhance-learning-and-memory/.

“Early Childhood Care and Education.” ​UNESCO​, 23 Nov. 2017,

en.unesco.org/themes/early-childhood-care-and-education.
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“Early Childhood Education And Care.” ​Education Finland,​

www.educationfinland.fi/what-we-offer/early-childhood-education-and-care.

“Early-Childhood Education in the U.S.: An Analysis.” ​Education Week​, Editorial Projects in

Education, 28 Dec. 2015,

www.edweek.org/ew/qc/2015/early-childhood-education-in-the-us.html.

“Finland: Governance and Accountability.” ​Center on International Education Benchmarking​,

ncee.org/what-we-do/center-on-international-education-benchmarking/top-performing-co

untries/finland-overview/finland-system-and-school-organization/.

Jordan, Ella. “Education Reform in Finland and the Comprehensive School System.” ​Centre for

Public Impact (CPI),​ 2 Sept. 2019,

www.centreforpublicimpact.org/case-study/education-policy-in-finland/.

Kenworthy, Lane. “Why America Should Have Universal Early Education for Young Children.”

Scholars.org,​ 29 Sept. 2014,

scholars.org/why-america-should-have-universal-early-education-young-children.

Kohli, Sonali. “Students in These Countries Spend the Most Time Doing Homework.” Quartz,

Quartz, 12 Dec. 2014,

qz.com/311360/students-in-these-countries-spend-the-most-time-doing-homework/.

Kvatum, Lia. “Will a College Degree Requirement Lead to Better, More Respected Preschool

Teachers?” ​The Washington Post​, WP Company, 9 Nov. 2017, 4:00 a.m.,

www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/will-a-college-degree-requirement-lead-to-

better-more-respected-preschool-teachers/2017/11/08/5c6d59a8-b50e-11e7-a908-a34707

54bbb9_story.html.
 McCurdy 10

Matura, Laura. “Standardized Tests and Measuring Critical Thinking Abilities.” ​Mentoring

Minds​, 15 Feb. 2017,

www.mentoringminds.com/learn/blog/standardized-tests-and-measuring-critical-thinking

-abilities/​.

McPhillips, Deidre. “U.S. Among Most Depressed Countries in the World.” ​U.S. News & World

Report,​ U.S. News & World Report, 14 Sept. 2016, 10:05 a.m.,

www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2016-09-14/the-10-most-depressed-countr

ies.

Mongeau, Lillian. “How the U.S. Is Failing Its Youngest Students.” ​The Atlantic​, Atlantic Media

Company, 12 July 2016,

www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/07/why-does-america-invest-so-little-in-its-

children/490790/.

“Perry Preschool Project.” ​HighScope,​ highscope.org/perry-preschool-project/.

Rose, Joel. “How to Break Free of Our 19th-Century Factory-Model Education System.” ​The

Atlantic,​ Atlantic Media Company, 9 May 2012,

www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/05/how-to-break-free-of-our-19th-century-fa

ctory-model-education-system/256881/.

Ross, Martha, and Nicole Bateman. “Meet the Low-Wage Workforce.” ​Brookings,​ Brookings, 7

Nov. 2019, www.brookings.edu/research/meet-the-low-wage-workforce/.

 McCurdy 11

Rubin, C. M. “The Global Search for Education: A Look at a Finnish School.” ​HuffPost,​

HuffPost, 7 Dec. 2017, 01:13 p.m.,

www.huffpost.com/entry/the-global-search-for-edu_17_b_1066527.

Sanchez, Claudio. “What The U.S. Can Learn From Finland, Where School Starts At Age 7.”

NPR,​ NPR, 8 Mar. 2014, 5:23 a.m.,

www.npr.org/2014/03/08/287255411/what-the-u-s-can-learn-from-finland-where-school-

starts-at-age-7.