An article on Finnish schools

[conuly]

Like Sweden, they start school later than we do, and like Sweden, they do better on international tests.

I'm not surprised. There's no profit in pushing a kid who really isn't ready to learn to read, or to add, or to tie their shoes - and even if they're ready early, and they do these things early, so what? Nobody can tell when they're grown anyway.

It just seems so weird to me. When children are babies, we understand that some of them walk early, and some talk early, and it doesn't matter. The average age for starting to walk spans nine months - which doesn't sound like a lot, until you realize that the late-end-of-average walkers are twice the age of the early-end-of-average walkers! And we get that development isn't steady. Heck, there's an oft-repeated expression about it - early walker, late talker. (Or the other way around). People say it because it's true.

So what happens when a kid turns five (or six, or three, or whenever that magic age is) that makes us think that they'll suddenly need help, and gain the magic ability to learn on schedule? Often, nowadays, it sounds like on an accelerated schedule.

I don't get it. I just don't.

Comments

[sayga.livejournal.com]

And they don't hold kids back anymore because it's so bad for their self esteem. It really wouldn't be, if we just automatically put ALL kids in classes with their developmental "equals" instead of lumping them by age and asking them what the hell is wrong with them because they can't do the same things someone else their age can. Which is really damaging?!

I can hardly even believe how fucked up schools are, and it really doesn't seem like anyone in the power to change things cares. Kids are the ones who are going to be running our country next... teaching them as best as we can should be the country's #1 priority. Instead, I heard an advertisement on the radio about some governmental program that helps to "get kids into daycare early." I think my mouth dropped open. I heard it several times before I realized I really WAS hearing it right.

[conuly]

Of course, development is uneven. A child may be ahead in math, average physically, and behind in reading - and that's normal. Or they might write like a champ, read kinda okay, suck at math, and be a whiz socially. Great. Maybe they have a great grasp of logic, well above what you should expect - shouldn't that be rewarded? It's a valuable academic skill.

If you can't cut class sizes a lot smaller, in groups that are closer in age, seems the solution might be to have classes that span two, or even three years, and you stay with the same teacher for that time. So if you're a year ahead of your age in one subject, and a six months behind in another... well, it should average out.

[jedirita.livejournal.com]

Oooh, Sam was an early walker, and he's a late talker, too! Cool!

I've heard a lot about those Finns. It makes me so nervous about what pressures the padawan might face in school. I'm all for learning and stuff, but I really don't want to EVER pressure the padawan to Be Good In School. This may be difficult for me, because learning was always ridiculously easy. I've always done well on tests, for example. But my goal for the padawan is not for him to be an A student. My goal is for him to enjoy learning. He may suck at academics. He may grow up to be a plumber. That's fine with me as long as he enjoys learning. But the way schools are set up these days, they seem determined to drive the joy of learning out of kids at an earlier and earlier age.

[sayga.livejournal.com]

And they don't hold kids back anymore because it's so bad for their self esteem. It really wouldn't be, if we just automatically put ALL kids in classes with their developmental "equals" instead of lumping them by age and asking them what the hell is wrong with them because they can't do the same things someone else their age can. Which is really damaging?!

I can hardly even believe how fucked up schools are, and it really doesn't seem like anyone in the power to change things cares. Kids are the ones who are going to be running our country next... teaching them as best as we can should be the country's #1 priority. Instead, I heard an advertisement on the radio about some governmental program that helps to "get kids into daycare early." I think my mouth dropped open. I heard it several times before I realized I really WAS hearing it right.

[conuly]

Of course, development is uneven. A child may be ahead in math, average physically, and behind in reading - and that's normal. Or they might write like a champ, read kinda okay, suck at math, and be a whiz socially. Great. Maybe they have a great grasp of logic, well above what you should expect - shouldn't that be rewarded? It's a valuable academic skill.

If you can't cut class sizes a lot smaller, in groups that are closer in age, seems the solution might be to have classes that span two, or even three years, and you stay with the same teacher for that time. So if you're a year ahead of your age in one subject, and a six months behind in another... well, it should average out.

[jedirita.livejournal.com]

Oooh, Sam was an early walker, and he's a late talker, too! Cool!

I've heard a lot about those Finns. It makes me so nervous about what pressures the padawan might face in school. I'm all for learning and stuff, but I really don't want to EVER pressure the padawan to Be Good In School. This may be difficult for me, because learning was always ridiculously easy. I've always done well on tests, for example. But my goal for the padawan is not for him to be an A student. My goal is for him to enjoy learning. He may suck at academics. He may grow up to be a plumber. That's fine with me as long as he enjoys learning. But the way schools are set up these days, they seem determined to drive the joy of learning out of kids at an earlier and earlier age.