For learning and competence MIRACLE OF PISA Helsinki Conference 10.9.2008 Comprehensive Schools: Flexible Curriculum and Instruction Individual Support

For learning and competence

MIRACLE OF PISA Helsinki Conference 10.9.2008

Comprehensive Schools: Flexible Curriculum and Instruction

Individual Support Successful Learning

Mrs. Irmeli HalinenHead of Preschool and Basic Education DevelopmentFinland 2008

2 For learning and competence

Short History of the Present Education System

Comprehensive School Reform 1970-1977 and birth of the present Upper Secondary System 1975

– old parallel school system was replaced by nine-year comprehensive education > same basic education for all

– flexible, non-graded upper secondary education, high quality vocational education

Preschool education for 6-year olds as a subjective right 2001

Municipal autonomy and empowerment of schools

National Core Curriculum has been renewed in 1985, 1994 and 2003/2004


How have we succeeded?


THE QUALITY OF THE FINNISH EDUCATION SYSTEM

Excellent learning outcomes–PISA 2000, 2003 and 2006

–drop-out during compulsory education less than 0.5 %

–class repetition only 2 %

–more than 96 % moves to upper secondary level

–small between-school differences

Effective use of resources–190 school days per year, 4 -7 hours per day

–moderate amount of homework, no private lessons after school

–6 % of GDP goes to education


Reading comprehension performance of Finnish 9th graders by percentiles in 2005 compared to that in 1965.

1965 averages standardized to be equal to 0

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Percentiles

0

0,5

1

1,5

2

-0,5

z-score

1965 2005

Source: Moberg, S. & Savolainen, H. 2008. Suomalaisten 9- ja 15-vuotiaiden Lukutaidon muutos 1960-luvulta 2000-luvulle. Kasvatus 39 (1).


Reading comprehension performance of Finnish 9th graders by percentiles compared to that of the average of students in the

OECD countries.OECD averages standardised to be equal to 0

PISA 2003

5th 10th 25th 50th 75th 90th 95th

Percentiles

0

0,2

0,4

0,6

0,8

1

-0,2

z-sc

ore

Finland OECD

Source: Moberg, S. & Savolainen, H. 2006. Reading literacy and special education – The particular case of Finland.


Mean scores of the schools on the mathematic scale

380

420

460

500

540

580

620

Lowestperforming

10% ofschools

20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 Highestperforming

10% ofschools

Schools in the ranked order

Finland OECDSource: Sèvres 20 May, 2005


Time for mathematics

0,0 2,0 4,0 6,0 8,0 10,0 12,0

OECD

Denmark

Finland

Sweden

Norway

Iceland

Korea

Japan

Hours/week

Instructional time Remedial classes Enrichment classess

Homework/other study by teachers Working with a tutor Out-of school classes

Other study


FINNISH BASIC EDUCATION ACT AND DECREE

Minimum teaching hours for every grade–19 hours for grades 1-2

–23 hours for grades 3-4

–24 hours for grades 5-6

–30 hours for grades 7-9 (10)

Maximum daily working hours for students –5 hours for pupils of 1-2 grades

–7 hours for pupils of 3-9 grades

At least 45 minutes/hour must be used for teaching


Class repetition percentages in OECD countries

Source: Osaaminen kestävällä pohjalla, PISA 2003 Suomessa, Koulutuksen tutkimuslaitos 2006


School-level variance and explained variance in science performance, by country

Source: Pisa 2006, Science Competenciesfor Tomorrow’s World


How could we describe the important characteristics of the Finnish system?


CORNERSTONE 1COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM Basic education is attainable for everyone -

free of charge, near home Flexible structure of the system – no dead ends Comprehensive, inclusive policy - no streaming Consistent, coherent

common values, goals and high expectations central monitoring and support local implementation and responsibility


Finnish Education System


National Core CurriculumGovernment’s Decree on the General National

Objectives and Distribution of lesson hoursEducation Act and Decree

Municipal strategies

MUNICIPAL CURRICULUM

SCHOOL CURRICULUM

Teacher education

Teacher education

Study

mat

eria

l

Study

mat

eria

l

Finnish Monitoring System 2008Irmeli Halinen 2008


Teacher educationTeacher education

CurriculumCurriculum

Study materialsStudy materials

Coherence: Interaction and common directionCoherence: Interaction and common direction

Successful Successful learning of all learning of all studentsstudents

Irmeli Halinen 2008


CORNERSTONE 2

AUTONOMY

Empowerment of municipalities and schools

Spirit of trust and support

Interactive, cooperative way of working


EMPOWERMENT

Municipalities are autonomous in providing education according to the law and to the national core curriculum

–employment and use of financial and personnel resources

–design and maintenance of school buildings

–the number and location of schools

–municipal curriculum

–teachers’ further training

School/teacher autonomy in curriculum implementation, allocating time, resources, goals and contents, selecting teaching methods and materials and forming study groups


SPIRIT OF TRUST AND SUPPORT

Good interaction between national and municipal authorities and schools

Development-oriented evaluation and student assessment

- no inspections

- no ranking lists of schools

- in basic education only sample-based national evaluation of learning outcomes

- supportive student assessment promotes learning and learning-to-learn abilities


COHERENCE: INTERACTION AND COMMON DIRECTION

National authoritiesNational authorities

Municipal Municipal authoritiesauthorities

SchoolsSchools

Good learning Good learning and welfare ofand welfare ofall studentsall students


CORNERSTONE 3

FLEXIBILITY

Local solutions on common basis

Flexible and supportive curriculum strategy

Important role of the school-based curriculum

Flexibility in organizing teaching and learning; example of visual arts


LOCAL SOLUTIONS ON COMMON BASIS

Basic Education Act and Decree–general goals for education, subjects, general principles for providing

education

Government’s Decree–more detailed general goals of education, allocation of teaching hours

National Core Curriculum–basic principles in organizing teaching and learning, central goals and

contents in different subjects, cross-curricular themes, guidelines for student welfare and for student assessment, description of good performance and final-assessment criteria

Municipal/school curriculum–implementation of the national guidelines, allocation of hours, goals and

contents of subjects in different grades, organizing instruction and other activities of the school


FLEXIBLE CURRICULUM STRATEGY

Consists of national core curriculum, municipal curricula and school curricula

Curricula at all levels of action have been drawn up in extensive cooperation – curriculum as a process

The Finnish National Board of Education as a central actor

Principals and teachers have central role in curriculum work and in developing education

Parents and students are also involved National agreement about the participation of

other sectors, health and social sector especially


INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE CURRICULUM

The broad based curriculum – deals with the whole area of school work

Inclusive curriculum – covers education for all students

Balance between academic achievement and student welfare

Importance of school culture and learning environment

Future orientation – competence-based thinking

Curriculum is a tool for leadership and for professional and school development


Basic values, tasks and objectives

Conception of learning, school culture and learning environment, working approaches

Subjects Subjects Subjects

THE STRUCTURE OF THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM IN FINLANDTHE STRUCTURE OF THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM IN FINLAND

Integrative, cross-curricular themes

Eva

luat

ion

and

pupi

l ass

essm

ent

General and special support Guidance Pupil Welfare

Cooperation

IH 2

00

8

Distribution of hours Language program ICT-strategy


Roles and tasks of the school curriculum

School curriculum

School's annual plan

Teachers

’

work plans

Individual study plans

Municipal strategies

Other schools Parents and other partners

Tool for pedagogical leadership

Irmeli Halinen 2008


NEW DISTRIBUTION OF LESSON HOURS IN BASIC EDUCATION

The minimum number of lessons in annual weekly lessons

Subject 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9Mother tongue and literatureA-language - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -B-language- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6MathematicsEnvironmental Studies Environment and natureBiology and Geography studies 9Physics and ChemistryHealth EducationReligion/EthicsHistory and Social Studies- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Music 4- 3-Visual arts 4- 30 4-Craft,Technical work,Textile work 4- 7-Physical Education 8- 10-Home Economics- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Student Counselling- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Elective subjectsMinimum number of hours 19 19 23 23 24 24 30 30 30Optional A-language - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (6)

14 14 148 8

6 12 14

3 72 7

3

(6)

6 53 7

Arts, crafts and physical education 26

32

(13)


INTEGRATIVE, CROSS-CURRICULAR THEMES

Growth as a person (human being)

Cultural identity and internationalism

Media skills and communication

Participatory citizenship and entrepreneurship

Responsibility for the environment, well-being and a sustainable future

Safety and traffic competencies

Technology and the individual


FLEXIBILITY IN ORGANIZING TEACHING AND LEARNING

Flexibility and school/teacher autonomy in curriculum implementation: allocating goals, contents, time and resources, selecting methods and materials and forming study groups

Importance of goals which can be reached by means of different contents, methods and materials

Goals and criteria for good performance are expressed mainly as competencies, not as detailed knowledge

Teachers are encouraged to take into account the various needs of their students and to emphasize good basic competencies


EXAMPLE: VISUAL ARTS IN THE CORE CURRICULUM

The meaning and task of the subject–The tasks of visual arts instruction are to support the development of the

students’ visual thinking and aesthetic and ethical awareness, and to make students capable of their own visual expression etc.

Objectives–The students will learn the skills and knowledge necessary in visual

expression: making observations, processing ideas, imagining, invention, and creative problem solving; making and justifying aesthetic choices; and setting one’s objectives etc.

Core contents–visual expression and thinking, artistic knowledge and cultural expertise,

environmental aesthetics, architecture, and design, the media and visual communication

Description of good performance–the students will know how to give visual form to their thought, feelings,

and ideas, and to transform their observations to images etc.


CORNERSTONE 3

SUPPORT

►Minimizing low achievement and helping everyone to succeed through:

The active role of a student

Early childhood care and education

Early learning and intervention

Systematic individual support

Taking care of students’ welfare


CONCEPTION OF LEARNING

Student as an active and responsible learner Student participation during lessons and in other

school activities Learning process as an individual and communal

process of building knowledge and skills Important role of student assessment and feedback Important role of the learning environment and

school’s working culture Valuing and using the diversity of students in

heterogeneous study groups, systematic individual support


IMPORTANCE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD

Support for the family–parents are entitled to 43 weeks parental leave and allowance

–child home care allowance immediately after parental leave until the youngest child is 3 years old or enters municipal day care

Early childhood care and education–different fee categories according to family size and income level

–mainly (over 90 %) provided by municipal authorities (either social or educational) in day care centres or as family day care

–at the national level under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health

–promotes children’s healthy growth, development and learning according to the National Curriculum Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care (2003)


IMPORTANCE OF EARLY LEARNING AND INTERVENTION

Pre-school education for 6-year olds–promoting children’s favourable growth and learning,

healthy sense of self-esteem and readiness for studies through play and other child-centred activities

Early intervention during pre-school and basic education

–recognizing learning difficulties and developmental problems and organizing individual support as soon as possible

Multi-professional and community approach Parents are actively involved in planning processes

of individual goals and support


SYSTEMATIC INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT Basic Education Act

”Education shall be provided according to the student’s age and capabilities and so as to promote all students’ healthy growth and development”

Student welfare group in every school

> Responsible for co-ordinating and monitoring the support activities

Student guidance and counselling from grade one onwards> Study skills, planning of studies and individual choices, career planning


FORMS OF SUPPORT

Emphasis on general support of studies–cooperation between home and school

–differentiation in teaching

–student welfare services

–guidance and counselling

–remedial teaching

–part-time special needs teaching

Special support when needed–special needs education

–support for immigrant children


•REMEDIAL TEACHING -for students lagging behind in their studies

•STUDENT WELFARE, GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING•COOPERATION WITH PARENTS

PART-TIME SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION - special needs education teacher

- for minor difficulties in learning and in adjustment-parent-teacher cooperation important

-individual learning plan, if needed

OFFICIAL DECISION OF SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION- owing to a disability, illness, retarded development, emotional disturbance or comparable cause

and a student cannot be otherwise taught- hearing of parents

- based on psychological, medical or social statement

INDIVIDUAL PLAN OF EDUCATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS- includes a plan of arrangements (integrated, partly integrated, special class), goals, contents, support

and principles of assessment- includes decisions of syllabi


SUPPORTING STUDENTS’ WELFARE School welfare activities were included for the first

time in the National Core Curriculum 2004 Municipalities and schools are obligated to describe

their own working procedures:–activities to promote health, well-being, security, social

responsibility, and interaction in the school community

–measures and distribution of work and responsibility aimed at the prevention, observation, or taking care of the following problem and crisis situations:

monitoring of absencesbullying, violence and harassmentmental health issuessmoking, alcohol and drug abuse and the use of other intoxicating substancesvarious accidents, misfortunes, and deaths


NATIONAL NETWORK OF SPECIAL SUPPORT

Hospital Schools–32 hospital schools in 29 municipalities

– supports the learning and positive development of the child during hospital periods

–about 4500 students every year

State Special Schools–7 basic education schools

–upper secondary special schools for vocational education

Reform Schools–national protective child welfare boarding schools

–6 state-owned and 2 private schools


CORNERSTONE 4

TEACHERS

High status and quality of teachers

High quality of teacher education

High quality of instruction


TEACHERS ARE THE KEY

Comparison of 25 education systems

Three things that matter most:

- getting the right people to become teachers

- developing them into effective instructors

- ensuring that the system is able to deliver the best possible instruction for every child

“The only way to improve outcomes is to improve instruction”

Reference: “How the world’s best-performing school systems come out on top”

(McKinsey & Company, Sept 2007)


TEACHERS AS VALUED EXPERTS High quality and status of teachers in Finland

–kindergarten teachers have at least Bachelor’s Degree and school teachers at least Master’s Degree, 3 obligatory in-service training days every year

Teacher profession is popular, only 10-12 % can be admitted

–profession is valued in society, creative and autonomous

Teachers are active in the development of education

Teachers are supported by –good pedagogical/instructional leadership

–teachers co-operation, learning from each other

–municipal and national education authorities

–experts of health, social and psychological affairs


FINNISH TEACHERS ARE SUPPORTIVE

Teachers act respectfully towards their students

Teachers want to support individually their students

Teachers prefer goals like learning to learn, problem solving, thinking abilities, responsibility and cooperation

National evaluation of comprehensive school pedagogy and teachers preferences in instruction 2008 (National Council for Evaluation in Education in Finland).


Summary


KEYS TO SUCCESS IN FINLAND

Education system

-comprehensive 6-16

-inclusive

-coherent

Trust and supportValued teachers, good teaching, high level of teacher education

Individual support

Early intervention

Active role of student

Good student – teacher relationship

Learning culture

Irmeli Halinen 2008(based on Lampola 2006)


IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION Respecting every pupil by setting high expectations

and by giving individual support when needed Creating friendly atmosphere, promoting teacher

and pupil participation in everyday school life Combining individual and group/community

orientation in teaching and learning, valuing and using diversity in learning processes

Supporting teachers so that they are able to recognize individual strengths and difficulties of students and to plan and implement differentiation and support

Developing flexible teaching arrangements and versatile learning environments

Developing pedagogical leadership


RESPECT IS THE HEART OF EDUCATION

* Respecting every learner

* Respecting the learning process

* Respecting the teaching profession

* Respecting the power of education


Links:

www.edu.fi/english

www.oph.fi/english

Documents

For learning and competence MIRACLE OF PISA Helsinki Conference 10.9.2008 Comprehensive Schools: Flexible Curriculum and Instruction Individual Support