Brockman 1

MacKenzie Brockman

Professor Kretzer

English Composition II

8 August 2021

Finland’s Education System: The Answer to The United State’s Broken Education System

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest (Franklin).” Benjamin Franklin was

stating this quote that at the foundation of it, a proper education reaps the most benefits for

society. Society at its core thrives and prospers when education is invested in. What would a

founding father of the United States have to say about the current state of education in the

American society? Is it thriving, paying the highest return possible? While Benjamin Franklin

might be concerned with the United States situation, one country that is reaping the benefits of

their booming education system is Finland. Since the 1970’s they have seen vast improvement in

core curriculum, such as science, math, and reading (Sahlberg). While the United States have

continued to decline since the 1970’s (U.S. News). This begs the question, what is Finland doing

that is so different from the United States? What can the United States adapt from Finland that

would help to advance their success in education? Would modeling Finland’s education system

help to improve the United State education?

Key elements that Finland has introduced into their education system is, emphasis on

teachers and their abilities, providing for the student, focusing on students’ lives outside of

school, and doing away with standardization and competition in education. These key elements

have played into Finland’s success, not separately, but when used in unison.

The Finnish school system completely did a 180-degree turnaround in the 1970’s and

haven’t looked back since (Youtube). Finland started by eliminating classes based on educational
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standing and introducing more social programs to students, such as free health care,

transportation, meals, and special education services. When children are assigned to classes, they

are placed based on age rather than academic standing. The “no child left behind” teaching

method in Finland is very different than that in the United States. (Hancock). Children in Finland

do not have to worry if they are struggling in school, they are provided with more than enough

resources to help them catch up. Students have the ability to be taught on an individual bases too,

so that the students are able to catch up with their fellow classmates While the United State’s “no

child left behind” program has become a focus on standardize testing and advancing the student

along, regardless of their academic standings (Klein), Finland’s students catch up to these other

students by the “no matter what” method.

In Finland, private schools are against the law (Moore). All schools receive standardized

funding set by the government, regardless of the schools’ locations or social standing. Schools

are unable to accept funding from private investors or charge tuition. Funding for schools come

from one source, taxes. Since taxes are the same across the country, one school does not receive

more funding than other, creating equalization in funding for each school. This dismisses the

arguments of one school being “better” than another. Private schools do not exist.

When parents are selecting schools for their children, they know that any school that is

chosen is going to be the same as another. There is no difference in education based on location

or social status in the surrounding area. In contrast, the United States relies heavily on privatized

education as a foundation for higher education. Many schools rely on their constituents for

funding and this creates an unequal situation for school and their ability to teach children. This

means that a school is only as good as the amount of money the attendees parents have.
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Funding for the schools are adequate enough for the schools to provide fully for the

students. They provide free lunches, healthcare, counseling, and transportation for all students, at

no cost to them (Hancock). When providing all these resources, this closes the equality gap

between students, allowing them to thrive to the same optimum potential. In contrast, the United

States charge students for lunches or give students free lunches provided from the government at

a poor quality. The United States are also unable to provide the same resources to students

without additional funding and not to the same caliber than Finland. The Finnish focus on the

wellbeing of their students, not just their performance.

When schools do not have to worry about where they are going to receive their money,

they are able to concentrate on the curriculum for the students. The teachers would not have to

purchase their own equipment on their limited salary or worry about if they will have the

supplies they need. Scores would increase because each student would be allotted the same

resources and opportunities, regardless on their families’ incomes. Teachers have the resources

needed to teach students to the best of their abilities.

In Finland, teaching is an extraordinary profession. Their teachers must have a minimum

of a master’s degree and it is a very sought-after position (Hammerness). They must qualify and

be accepted into the program. They cannot simply decide they want to become a teacher for the

sake of becoming a teacher. It is an extremely competitive program, but for this reason produces

excellent teachers. While the field is very competitive to get in to, teachers rely on other teachers

to help them with their students. Teachers brainstorm when having trouble with a student or

when they cannot think of the best method to teach a certain subject.

Teachers are also not overworked as they are in the United States. They have leisure time

that they can go into multiple teachers’ lounges with other teachers to destress, talk about their
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day, or simply relax for a bit. By also having the freedom to teach students with their own

curriculum, they do not need to stress about how they are going to fit in all their teachings, those

they are required and those they see fit, in one day. They do not have a standard checklist that

must be marked daily or yearly. They simply must teach their students what needs to be taught

however each student will succeed (Moore).

Teachers are also extremely trusted. Parents have the faith that the teachers know what is

best for their students. They do not interfere with teachers educating their students; they listen to

what teachers have to say. This means that quality teachers are educating students, yet another

reason for increased test scores. Their teachers are more than capable and are given the tools and

trust to education students (Hammerness).

Teachers are also not “graded” on their students’ success. Teachers answer to their

principles. Teachers are respected by parents in Finland. They are thought to be the Master of

Education, so a parent would never attempt to correct or disagree with a teacher. This means that

teachers feel empowered to teach as they see fit without fear of parent’s interference. Teachers

are viewed much differently in Finland than in the United States (Andere).

In an interview with Finnish students, Michael Moore askes them about how much time

students spend outside of school on schoolwork; they answered virtual none (Moore). And if

they were to not complete their homework, there is no penalty for no doing so. Finland has done

way with homework because, according to one principle, the “children need time to be

children.”. This gives students time to focus on other things besides school. They can focus on

becoming a whole person in the world and not just a robot that spews facts. Another teacher

spoke about how her students are able to use the restroom without permission, have 15 minute

breaks between each short lesson, and they are permitted to leave lesson to go and work at the
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student bakery (ABC News Australia). All these practices focus on growing the student as a

whole person, not just a student.

Testing is also vastly different in Finland. Students must truly learn the subject matter;

they have done away with multiple choice questions. They must write the answers out, not

choose from a list of answers (Eduardo). This makes them must really learn the topic and not

just memorize answers. This is another way test scores are boosted. The students retain the

information that is being relayed to them in their long-term memory instead in their short-term

memory to forget as soon as they have completed their test.

These tests are far and few between though. Standardizes tests do not exist in Finland, but

for one test in the beginning of high school. By doing away with standardization, students truly

learn the information instead of simply memorizing it. Teachers have the final say on how the

curriculum is taught, they have joyful, lighthearted, yet intelligent ways of teaching students

concepts and having them retain them (Jackson). They use pedagogical innovations to teach the

students. The concept of pedagogical innovations is teaching or learning in ways that are new

and different yet allow the student to learn in a deeper way. For instance, teaching with drones,

teachback, or place-based learning. These are all ways that the student can learn outside of their

standard textbook in classroom (Herodotou, Christothea, et al.).

The mental health of students is also higher. Students do not have to, after eight hours of

school, home to stress more about school, homework, how they are going to study for another

standardized test, or cram in another activity. They have time to be kids and work on their

critical thinking skills through cooking, playing, and learning in other ways than homework

(Moore). After these students go through a healthier educational system, they come out much

healthier adults, they do not experience the burnout that many American kids experiences at 19
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or 20. They are happier and guided on a track all though early education to find what makes

them happy. This means they will be happier, more successful adults. And successful, happier

adults lead to a higher functioning society (Hammerness).

While it could be a vast difference for the United States to go from standardization,

testing, homework, and grueling hours for teachers, this could all hold the secret to furthering

their success. With small adaptations of each concept, the United States could see a great

improvement in teachers’ lives, students’ successes, and the overall state of society. As Benjamin

Franklin once said, “an investment in knowledge pays the best interest,” once there is success in

the education system, society can only see the benefits from there.
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Work Cited

Andere, Eduardo. The Future of Schools and Teacher Education: How Far Ahead Is Finland?

Oxford University Press, 2020. Sinclair Library, sinclair.ohionet.org:80/login?

url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=cat01128a&AN=scc.b2104117&site=eds-live. Accessed 20 July 2021.

Brockman, MacKenzie. Finland’s Education System: How The United States Could Benefit from

Adapting The Finnish. Sinclair College Class: Composition II. 2021. Accessed 20 July

2021.

Franklin, Benjamin. The Way to Wealth. Applewood Books, 1986. Accessed 20 July 2021.

“Pasi Sahlberg: “Finnish Lessons: What can the world learn from educational change in

Finland?”.” YouTube, uploaded by Vanderbilt University, 16 December 2011,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kK6u7AsJF8 Accessed 20 July 2021.

Hammerness, Karen, et al. Empowered Educators in Finland: How High-Performing Systems

Shape Teaching Quality. Jossey-Bass, a Wiley Brand, 2017. Sinclair Library,

sinclair.ohionet.org:80/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=cat01128a&AN=scc.b1802403&site=eds-live. Accessed 20 July 2021.

Hancock, LynNell. “Why Are Finland's Schools Successful?” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian

Institution, 1 Sept. 2011, www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/why-are-finlands-

schools-successful-49859555/. Accessed 20 July 2021.

Herodotou, Christothea, et al. “Innovative Pedagogies of the Future: An Evidence-Based

Selection.” Frontiers, Frontiers, 11 Oct. 2019,

www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2019.00113/full. Accessed 20 July 2021.

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Jackson, Abby. “4 Reasons Finland's Schools Are Better.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 3

Apr. 2015, www.businessinsider.com/4-things-finlands-schools-do-better-than-america-

2015-4. Accessed 20 July 2021.

Klein, Alyson. “No Child Left Behind: An Overview.” Education Week, Education Week, 7 Dec.

2020, www.edweek.org/policy-politics/no-child-left-behind-an-overview/2015/04.

Accessed 20 July 2021.

U. S. News. “The Best Countries for Education.” U.S. News & World Report, U.S. News &

World Report, 2021, www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/best-countries-for-education.

Accessed 20 July 2021.

“A Documentary on Finland’s School”.”, YouTube, uploaded by A+ Students Genius

Mathematics, 2 June 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-DcjwzF9yc&t=30s.

Accessed 20 July 2021.

“Why Finland's schools outperform most others across the developed world | 7.30.” YouTube,

Uploaded by ABC News (Australia), 31 Jan. 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=7xCe2m0kiSg. Accessed 20 July 2021.