WEEK 2

 

This week I have been spending time at Helsinge Skola. It is the Swedish speaking high school in Vantaa. Once students complete grade 6 at Kyrkoby they transfer over to Helsinge for grade 7, 8 and 9.

 

 

The students spend 6 hours a day at school. There they study three subjects a day in 75 min lessons. Either their classes begin at 8 am and are finished at 1 pm or they begin at 9 am and go till 2 pm.  The students have plenty of breaks during the day, between classes and for lunch. As with the elementary schools the class seizes are small, the biggest being 20 students per class.

 

 

As I am particularly looking closely at the school day structure in comparison to how it functions in Canada. The students at the high school in Finland have much more free time and breaks during their school day. They are studying three subject a day rather than four.  It appears that even though the students are spending less time in classrooms than they do in Canada it seems that students in Finland are able to retain the knowledge to a greater capacity. The assessment methods are very different as well. There is a lot less testing in the Finnish school system. The students are there for much more relaxed and in a rather stress free environment.  After spending time in the high school classes again I see that it is neither the students or the teaching methods that are different from what we have in Canada. So again I have come to the conclusion that it is the different manner in which the school day is structured that makes such an impact on education.

The students are provided a healthy lunch everyday. The times when the students eat are staggered slightly so that everyone has a place to sit.

 

Here in Finland students are required to attend high school only until grade 9. After this they have a choice to continue with grades 10, 11 and 12 which operate slightly like a college.  Students can choose what subjects to pursue and once they have graduated they will continue onto university.  The other option the students have after grade 9 is to go to the practical school. Here they will spend the next three years in practical training and will graduate with a trade.  As all education is free in Finland most students continue with their education after grade 9 whether in the practical school or the senior grades.

 

There is a great respect for education in Finland. At every school you can expect to find the same experience. Although all teachers have their own methods the students all complete the same workbooks for every subject. As a result of this stellar curriculum Finland is producing some very excellent students.