Finnish education system. Finnish educational system: prospects for foreign schoolchildren and students

I made a special trip to Helsinki to meet with Finnish education experts and find out the essence of the upcoming changes.

Finland has been a leader in the world for several years now. That is why the eyes of the world educational community have been focused on the Finnish education system for the third year in an attempt to determine the reasons for success and transfer positive experience to their realities.

The building of one of the oldest high schools in Helsinki (Eilantarha). Source: flickr

That's why the news that Finland is about to undertake the most radical curriculum reform in its education history is so stunning.

Liisa Poiholainen, head of children's and adult education in Helsinki, says about this reform:

We are about to begin a major change in Finnish education.

How are we used to seeing the school education system? A history lesson in the morning, a geography lesson in the afternoon, two algebra lessons and English to finish the day. Forty minutes of scattered knowledge. Finnish reformers set themselves the task of destroying this familiar structure, which had served faithfully for centuries. Already now, the traditional lesson system is gradually disappearing from high school - sixteen-year-old teenagers study not subjects, but “phenomena”, or phenomena, or processes, or whatever. The point is: during the career guidance course, young future specialists who have chosen, for example, classes in catering services, undergo comprehensive training“all at once” - elements of mathematics, foreign language, skills business letter and communication. In other words, everything that is directly needed to fully master the future profession.

Labor room in a secondary school in Jyväskylä, Finland. Source: flickr

Pasi Silander, Head of Urban Development for the City of Helsinki, explains:

Modern society needs a completely different approach to education to prepare people for future profession. Nowadays young people use quite advanced computer technology. In the past, the same bank clerks needed to handle large volumes of numbers, but now this is no longer necessary. This is why we need to change education to meet social and industrial needs.

Of course, this does not mean that Finland wants to get only blue-collar workers or qualified service sector specialists. No, academically gifted students with an active interest in science are also taken into account. It appears that the curriculum will be divided into separate educational topics- for example, the topic “European Union” will include elements of economics, the history of participating countries, the study of foreign languages ​​and geography.

This is how natural science subjects are studied at school in Jyvaskylä, Finland.

School education

Finnish system school education has been leading the European rankings for the last 16 years. When in beginning of XXI century, Finland has become a world leader in the field of school education, this came as a surprise both to the whole world and to the Finns themselves. Now GPA Finnish high school students' scores in reading, mathematics and scientific literacy are among the highest among PISA countries

Finland managed to carry out educational reforms, the result of which, according to many, was the “school of the future.” They randomly combine objects and promote “relaxed concentration.” No coercion, just stimulation of the thirst for knowledge. Eva Rezvan talks about one of the most fashionable and discussed secondary education systems in the world.

Just thirty years ago, Finland's education system was not only lagging behind, but was not considered at all worthy of attention. Today it is one of the most effective educational models in the world. It is studied and followed. She is hardly even criticized, which happens extremely rarely in our troubled information space, because all criticism is easily crushed by the highest indicators of authoritative ratings. For almost ten years, Finland has occupied a leading position in the world's main monitoring PISA (Programme International Student Assessment).

Even radical opponents of the Finnish educational system admit that its main advantage is that it is relaxed. True, they further add that her main drawback is that she is too relaxed (“too relaxed”). Paradoxically, in order to achieve tangible success in education reform, Finland applied wisdom borrowed from the culture of its ideological antipode - China. In martial arts there is a concept of “relaxed concentration of attention.”

This means that to achieve maximum effectiveness, a person should not be tense. After all, tension is stress when the body’s resources are aimed not at development, but at survival

A comfortable environment built on the principles of humanism, which implies equality and respect for all participants in the process, is the starting point of Finnish success. Psychological safety, creation of opportunities and a personalized attitude towards individuality open up amazing potential in children, which produces amazing results on a national scale.

However, the euphoria is not entirely shared within the country. Locals consider the worldwide praises praising the Finnish school to be about 75% legitimate. The defining goal of the Finnish system is to bring everyone to an average level. As a result, the emphasis is on helping the laggards.

If you remember, in Soviet schools, two grades as a final grade were an exception. But not because the teachers were so kind and attentive, but because they did not want to spoil the reporting. Here the reporting factor is not so important, but the system has a certain average level, and if the child does not have time, everything is done to help him. They organize extra classes and help with homework. In general, they do their best to bring the weak to the average level.

However, if a child is above average, smart, capable, and learning is easy for him, then this is where the 25% come out, which are conditionally attributed to the shortcomings of the system. A gifted child usually receives insufficient load. His potential turns out to be unclaimed, and further development is already entirely within the competence of the parents. In the capital and major cities Children planning a career in medicine or law must hire tutors to prepare for entering universities.

The secondary school level is far from sufficient to qualify for higher education, and parents have to organize additional classes on their own

By the way, the cost of such classes is not cheap at all - the average price of an hour with a tutor is 40-60 euros. Another advantage of the Finnish school (and the state as a whole) immediately appears: problems are not hushed up. There is now a wide discussion about how the situation can be improved. Moreover, local teachers do not wait for ready-made solutions from the “best minds” so that they can then take the lead and begin to implement them. Since the Finnish teacher has sufficient freedom in choosing teaching methods, adjustments begin almost as soon as a problem is identified.

A successful model would not be such if it did not have a unique systematic approach to solving difficult problems. Instead of loading capable students until they lose their pulse, as they would have done, for example, in China or South Korea, the school is “reformatting” academic subjects in such a way as to stimulate independent cognitive activity children.

First of all, the school day is no longer divided into lessons. The rigid scheme, when 45 minutes are allocated to, say, mathematics, the next to the native language, and so on, is replaced by a single learning space.

The teacher has a plan of what he should teach the children. But how exactly he will do this, the teacher chooses himself, arbitrarily combining subjects

Natural history can easily be combined with one's native language or literature. There may also be an emphasis on mathematics and art. Thus, the pressure on the student is reduced. But there is an involvement in the worldview, the development of mental abilities and the ability to think comprehensively.

This practice is already widely used in primary school. At the same time, the idea of ​​using it in high schools is being discussed. Actually, in this way, non-violent diversification of students is achieved according to their abilities and capabilities. Not by forced division into strong and mediocre groups, but by creating opportunities when an inquisitive mind itself is able to take as much knowledge as it needs.

A model in which there is no need to apply extra effort to achieve results is not always understandable to those who grew up in a different coordinate system. “God, what a horror!” - this is the typical impression of Russian parents living in Finland from the school. Even outstanding results at world championships school Olympics cannot compete with the established worldview.

Anna Dantseva, mother of two children, has lived in Finland for more than 15 years, engineer and top manager of a large Finnish company

In the Soviet Union there was a slogan: “If you can’t, we’ll teach you, if you don’t want to, we’ll force you.” In America it sounds different: “If you can’t, that’s your problem; if you don’t want to, that’s your problem.” And for Finland, the third reading is relevant: “If you can’t, we’ll teach you; if you don’t want to, that’s your problem.” This desire to learn, left to the child himself, is the most difficult thing for adults to accept. To be honest, it is completely incomprehensible to me how my children manage to learn. There is not much homework. But the guys are well versed in school subjects, plus they also find time for sports and foreign languages.

Foreign languages ​​are taught in Finnish schools from the third grade. Each student can choose a language at his own discretion. But for the training to begin, there must be a group of at least 12 people. The most common, as everywhere else, are English, German and French. If the first language chosen is not English, then in the fourth grade it will have to be taught forcibly.

In general, English is not considered that “foreign”: Finland ranks 7th in the world in terms of English proficiency among non-English speaking countries

Many school principals tell parents that English is a second native language. Or even third, because compulsory Swedish language learning begins in sixth grade. Finland is considered a bilingual country, although Swedish is the native language of only 6% of the population.

In eighth grade you can take another language. Here, schoolchildren usually choose Spanish, Russian or Chinese. The Russian language has been gaining popularity in recent years: if previously about 3% of Finns spoke it, now there is a trend towards an increase in the number of schoolchildren studying it.

A native language plus four foreign languages ​​– this is the set with which a Finnish student leaves school

Of course, not everyone will be able to speak freely about literature and philosophy in any of the languages ​​they have learned, but in household topics Anyone can carry on a conversation.

Anna Dantseva, mother of two children, has lived in Finland for more than 15 years, engineer and top manager of a large Finnish company

It’s mystical to me how they teach it. For me, learning a language is endless drilling, practicing pronunciation, memorizing and repeating vocabulary. Here I don’t see cramming at all. And much less emphasis on grammar. I don’t even see children starting to learn a language from the alphabet. They start with basic things that are close to your life. And in the process it somehow grows lexicon. According to my observations, each subsequent language, at least in the Indo-European group, becomes easier and easier.

To achieve such amazing results, the Finnish method uses the principle of infants learning their native language. After all, it never occurs to any parent to teach their newborn letters or grammar. The child simply immerses himself in a conversational environment and, within about two years, masters oral speech. Finnish teachers do much the same thing, creating an applied context that imparts the necessary skills in an unobtrusive form. Television also contributes to Finland's amazing multilingualism. All programs and films, as a rule, are not duplicated, but are shown in the original languages.

Any global education system does not live in a vacuum. It, first of all, serves the goals of the society in which it exists. The Finnish system is actually quite pragmatic and doesn't spend money on things it doesn't need.

If Soviet pedagogy prepared everyone “for Oxford,” which is still considered a nostalgic ideal in our country, then the Finnish task is to prepare everyone for professional life.

It’s unlikely that anyone has kept count, but no economy needs a large number of “Einsteins”

Moreover, specialists high class- doctors, scientists, lawyers - only a certain number is needed. And cashiers, salespeople, cleaners, plumbers and nurses, even in post-industrial society are much more in demand. Moreover, without these specialties, a civilized society will quickly lose its human appearance.

Society needs diversity to survive. But in order to ensure this diversity, there is no need for universal higher education. But there is a need for a solid intellectual level and competently instilled humanistic values. And also in the opportunities to achieve more if you have the potential and desire. And this is exactly what the Finnish model perfectly provides.

Preschool education

In Finland, children only go to school when they are seven years old. But what happens to them up to this point is no less important. And no, they don't learn to read, write, or solve equations. They build towers with blocks and play in the yard. The Guardian editor found out what principles Finnish preschool education is based on Patrick Butler.

PISA tests evaluate school performance. But work on these results begins long before children enter first grade.

The great thing about early learning in Finland is that it starts late. In Finnish kindergartens the emphasis is not on mathematics, reading or writing, but on creative play.

Children do not receive any formal education until they are seven and attend primary school. This may surprise parents who think education is a competitive race. “We believe that children under seven are not ready for school,” says Tiina Marjoniemi, head of children's center Franzenia in Helsinki. “They need time to play, run and jump. This is the time to be creative."

The main goal of the first years of education is the health and well-being of every child.

Preschool centers prepare children for school, but not in an academic sense. They are taught to communicate, make friends, respect others, and dress appropriately.

You might think that teachers in Finnish kindergartens are idle: they don’t teach children to read and write, but simply allow them to play as much as they want. In fact, a lot of work needs to be done to properly organize the game process. “Free play” alternates with games under the guidance of a teacher. The center staff monitors what skills children demonstrate and how they develop. There are 44 employees working with children at the Franzenia kindergarten. In the younger group (up to three years) - one adult for four children, in the eldest - for seven.

“At an early stage of development, play needs to engage the child in learning,” says David Whitebread, director of the Center for the Study of Play in Education, Development and Learning at the University of Cambridge. — One day, carried away by a task that he likes, be it role-playing game or assembling a construction set, he will feel motivated to improve. He will want to tackle a more difficult challenge next time.”

In kindergarten, a child wants to build more high tower, and at school - write a dictation without mistakes

While playing, the child has to be attentive and persistent, he learns to make decisions and cope with problems. At four years old, these skills say more about a child's future academic success than reading ability.

In Finland, every child has a legal right to quality early childhood education. At Franzenia, like other kindergartens, there are children from families with different incomes. The maximum fee is 290 € per month, for low-income families it is free. 40% of children under three years old and 75% of children from three to five years old go to preschool centers. 98% of children enter the optional preparatory class at the school. This system was formed in the 70s, initially so that mothers could quickly return to work after the birth of a child. Now kindergarten became important element continuing education. “The time children spend in preparatory centers concentrating on play and socialization are the most important years,” says Jaaakko Salo, special adviser to the Finnish Teachers' Union (OAJ).

The idea of ​​equality is at the core of the Finnish educational system. Finns are convinced that their small country cannot afford inequality or segregation in schools or health care. Finland has one of the lowest child poverty rates in Europe and one of the highest high levels welfare. “The goal is that we should all develop together,” explains Gunilla Holm, professor of education at the University of Helsinki.

The Finnish system resolutely opposed fashionable trends in education adopted in developed countries in the 1980-90s. For reasons of equality, school choice, formal examinations (up to age 18) and ability divisions are prohibited. Grammar schools were abolished several decades ago. There is no competition in schools, no rankings, no training for tests. And parents of preschoolers do not have to worry that their child will not be accepted into school because he did not have time to master reading, mathematics and English before the age of seven.

Russian parents very early begin to worry about whether their child will get into a good school and whether he will then get high scores on the Unified State Exam and Unified State Exam in order to enter a good university. In Finland, differences in educational outcomes between individual schools are small, and parents rarely send their children further than the nearest comprehensive school. Students tend to be less nervous too. The "quality not quantity" approach means that school hours are shorter and Homework easier. Tutors after school are a very rare occurrence. As a result, Finnish children are less tired and enjoy going to school.

Pleasure from the process is the only true motivation for studying.

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According to research, Finnish schoolchildren are some of the best students on the planet. At the same time, they spend less time at school than children from other countries, and do their homework for a maximum of half an hour a day.

website talks about the secret of Finnish education, which is admired by the whole world.

14. Everything is free

Finnish education is free. And everything else - lunches, excursions, school supplies - is also free. If students live more than 2 kilometers from school, they are transported to classes and home by a school bus. All this is paid for by the state: the entire country’s general budget is allocated for education.

13. Individual approach to each student

Here, in one lesson, students can complete tasks of varying complexity, depending on what they can do. Children with different physical and mental abilities learn together. If a child cannot cope, teachers will organize for him individual sessions. Additionally, other subjects are taught, for example, native languages ​​for children of emigrants.

It is believed that a schoolchild himself can choose what is more useful for him: when he is not interested in a lesson, he can do something of his own - read a book or sew.

12. Grades are reported only to the student himself.

The grading system in Finland is 10-point, but Finnish schools do not give grades until the 3rd grade. From 3rd to 7th - verbal assessments: from “mediocre” to “excellent”. Only the student himself knows his scores. It is not customary to scold for grades here; they are used to motivate the child to improve his knowledge and adjust his individual curriculum.

11. You can even go to class in your pajamas.

Finnish schools do not have school uniforms. You can go to lessons in whatever you want: there are no clothing requirements. Often children do not even wear shoes in class and wear socks.

9. There is very little homework

Finnish teachers believe that children should relax and spend time with their parents, not studying. Homework takes a little time and can be very interesting: for example, a history class might ask you to interview your grandmother to find out what life was like in the 50s and find the differences between that time and life today.

8. There are no exams at all

Finnish teachers say: “You need to prepare either for life or for exams. We choose the first." That's why there are no exams in schools in Finland. Teachers may administer tests at their discretion, but only the standardized test is mandatory at age 16, upon graduation from high school.

7. Some Finnish schools have canceled all subjects

One of the new directions in the Finnish education system is the study of phenomena instead of specific subjects (phenomenon based learning). Instead of lessons, there are 6-week “sections”, during which students study one topic with different sides. For example, the topic of migrants is studied from the point of view of geography (where did they come from?), history (what happened before?), culture (what are their traditions?). Children come up with questions themselves and find answers to them.

No matter how great it is to study, a child’s favorite time is still recess. Finnish schoolchildren rest for at least 15 minutes after every 45 minutes of studying.

Finnish education has long and consistently occupied the best positions in various ratings, which the scale of the article does not allow to list. However, the most important “prize” of the country’s educational system is worth mentioning: according to international studies conducted every 3 years by the authoritative organization PISA, Finnish schoolchildren showed the highest level of knowledge in the world. They also became the most reading children on the planet, taking 2nd place in natural sciences and 5th in mathematics.

But this is not even what fascinates the global teaching community so much. It is incredible that with such high results, Finnish schoolchildren spend the least amount of time studying, while the Finnish state spends on its quality and free education very moderate means compared to many other countries.

In general, there is some kind of mystery that teachers from different countries are trying to unravel. The Finns do not hide anything and are happy to share their experience by organizing seminars both in their country and around the world.

Compulsory secondary education in Finland includes two levels of school

• lower (alakoulu), from 1st to 6th grade
• upper (yläkoulu), from 7th to 9th grade.

In the additional 10th grade, students can improve their grades. Then the children go to a vocational college, or continue their studies at the lyceum (lukio), grades 11–12, in our usual understanding.

The Finnish school professes a gradual workload, brought to the maximum only for volunteers who have chosen “lukio”, those who are very willing and able to learn.

7 principles of the “secondary” stage of Finnish education

Equality:

• schools

There are no elites or weak ones. The largest school in the country has 960 students. The smallest has 11. All have exactly the same equipment, capabilities and proportional funding. Almost all schools are public, there are a dozen public-private ones. The difference, besides the fact that parents make a partial payment, is the increased requirements for students. As a rule, these are original “pedagogical” laboratories that follow the chosen pedagogy: Montessori, Frenet, Steiner, Mortan and Waldorf schools. Private institutions also include institutions teaching in English, German, and French.

Following the principle of equality, Finland has a parallel education system "from kindergarten to university" in Swedish.

The interests of the Sami people have not been forgotten; in the north of the country it is possible to study in their native language.

Until recently, Finns were forbidden to choose a school; they had to send their children to the “closest” one. The ban was lifted, but most parents still send their children “closer”, because all schools are equally good.

• all items.

In-depth study of some subjects at the expense of others is not encouraged. Here it is not considered that mathematics is more important than, for example, art. On the contrary, the only exception to creating classes with gifted children may be aptitude for drawing, music and sports.

• parents.

The teacher will find out who the child’s parents are by profession (social status) last, if necessary. Questions from teachers and questionnaires regarding parents’ place of work are prohibited.

• students.

Finns do not sort students into classes, educational institutions based on abilities or career preferences.

There are also no “bad” and “good” students. Comparing students with each other is prohibited. Children, both brilliant and those with severe mental deficits, are considered “special” and learn along with everyone else. Children in wheelchairs also study in the general team. In a regular school, a class can be created for students with visual or hearing impairments. Finns try to integrate into society as much as possible those who require special treatment. The difference between weak and strong students is the smallest in the world.

“I was outraged by the Finnish education system when my daughter, who by local standards can be considered gifted, was studying at school. But when my son, who had a lot of problems, went to school, I immediately really liked everything,” the Russian mother shared her impressions.

• teachers.

There are no “favorite” or “hated grimaces”. Teachers also do not attach their souls to “their class”, do not single out “favorites” and vice versa. Any deviations from harmony lead to termination of the contract with such a teacher. Finnish teachers only have to do their job as a mentor. All of them are equally important in the work collective, both “physicists” and “lyricists” and labor teachers.

• equal rights of adults (teachers, parents) and children.

The Finns call this principle “respect for the student.” Children from the first grade are explained their rights, including the right to “complain” about adults to a social worker. This encourages Finnish parents to understand that their child is an independent person, whom it is forbidden to offend either with words or with a belt. Teachers cannot humiliate students due to the specifics of the teaching profession adopted in Finnish labor legislation. main feature is that all teachers enter into a contract for only 1 academic year, with a possible (or not) extension, and also receive high salary(from 2,500 euros for an assistant, up to 5,000 for a subject teacher).

• Free:

In addition to the training itself, the following are free:

• lunches
• excursions, museums and all extracurricular activities
• a school taxi (minibus), which picks up and returns the child if the nearest school is more than two km away.
• textbooks, all office supplies, calculators, and even laptops and tablets.

Any collection of parent funds for any purpose is prohibited.

• Individuality:

An individual learning and development plan is drawn up for each child. Individualization concerns the content of the textbooks used, exercises, the number of class and homework assignments and the time allocated for them, as well as the material taught: for whom the “roots” are required - a more detailed presentation, and from whom the “tops” are required - briefly about the main thing.

During a lesson in the same class, children perform exercises of different difficulty levels. And they will be assessed according to their personal level. If you performed “your” exercise of initial difficulty perfectly, you will receive an “excellent”. Tomorrow they will give you a higher level - if you don’t cope, it’s okay, you’ll get a simple task again.

In Finnish schools, along with regular training, there are two unique varieties educational process:

1. Supportive teaching of “weak” students is what private tutors do in Russia. Tutoring is not popular in Finland, school teachers Volunteer for extra help during or after class.
2. – Correctional education – is associated with persistent general problems in mastering the material, for example, due to a lack of understanding of the non-native Finnish language in which the instruction is conducted, or due to difficulties with memorization, with mathematical skills, as well as with antisocial behavior of some children. Correctional training is carried out in small groups or individually.

• Practicality:

The Finns say: “either we prepare for life or for exams.” We choose the first." That's why there are no exams in Finnish schools. Control and intermediate tests are at the discretion of the teacher. There is only one required standardized test at the end of high school secondary school Moreover, teachers do not care about its results, do not report to anyone for it, and do not specially prepare children: what they have is good.

At school they teach only what you may need in life. Logarithms or the structure of a blast furnace are not useful, they are not studied. But the kids here know from childhood what a portfolio, contract, and bank card are. They can calculate the percentage of tax on an inheritance received or income earned in the future, create a business card website on the Internet, calculate the price of a product after several discounts, or draw a “wind rose” in a given area.

• Confidence:

Firstly, to school employees and teachers: there are no checks, RONO, methodologists teaching how to teach, etc. The education program in the country is uniform, but represents only general recommendations, and each teacher uses the teaching method that he considers appropriate.

Secondly, trust in children: during lessons you can do your own thing. For example, if an educational film is on during a literature lesson, but the student is not interested, he can read a book. It is believed that the student himself chooses what is healthier for him.

Closely related to this principle are two others:

• Voluntariness:

He who wants to learn learns. Teachers will try to attract the student’s attention, but if he has a complete lack of interest or ability to study, the child will be oriented toward a “simple” profession that will be practically useful in the future and will not be bombarded with “fs.” Not everyone has to build airplanes, someone has to be good at driving buses.

The Finns also see this as the task of high school - to determine whether a given teenager should continue studying at a lyceum, or whether a minimum level of knowledge is sufficient, and who would benefit from going to a vocational school. It should be noted that both paths are equally valued in the country.

A full-time school specialist, the “teacher of the future,” is engaged in identifying each child’s inclinations for a certain type of activity through tests and conversations.

In general, the learning process in a Finnish school is soft and delicate, but this does not mean that you can “give up” on school. Control of the school regime is mandatory. All missed lessons will be made up in the literal sense. For example, for a 6th grade student, a teacher can find a “window” in the schedule and put him in a lesson in 2nd grade: sit, be bored and think about life. If you disturb the younger ones, the hour will not be counted. If you don’t follow the teacher’s instructions, don’t work in class, no one will call your parents, threaten, insult, referring to mental inferiority or laziness. If parents are not equally concerned about their child’s studies, he will not easily move on to the next grade.

There is no shame in staying a second year in Finland, especially after 9th grade. TO adult life you need to prepare seriously, which is why Finnish schools have an additional (optional) 10th grade.

• Independence:

Finns believe that school should teach the child the main thing - an independent future successful life.

Therefore, here they teach us to think and gain knowledge ourselves. The teacher does not teach new topics - everything is in the books. What is important is not memorized formulas, but the ability to use a reference book, text, the Internet, a calculator - to attract the necessary resources to solve current problems.

Also, school teachers do not interfere in students’ conflicts, giving them the opportunity to prepare for life situations comprehensively and develop the ability to stand up for themselves.

School, school, I dream about you

The educational process in “identical” Finnish schools, however, is organized very differently.

When and how long do we study?

The school year in Finland begins in August, from 8 to 16, there is no single day. And it ends at the end of May. In the autumn half-year there are 3-4 days of autumn holidays and 2 weeks of Christmas holidays. The spring half-year includes a week of February ski holidays (Finnish families, as a rule, go skiing together) and Easter.

Training is five days, only during the day shift. Friday is a “short day”.

What are we learning?

1–2 grades: study the native (Finnish) language and reading, mathematics, natural history, religion (according to religion) or “Life Understanding” for those who do not care about religion; music, fine arts, labor and physical education. Several disciplines can be studied at once in one lesson.

Grades 3–6: English language learning begins. In 4th grade there is another foreign language to choose from: French, Swedish, German or Russian. Additional disciplines are being introduced - elective subjects, each school has its own: typing speed on a keyboard, computer literacy, woodworking skills, choral singing. In almost all schools there is a game of musical instruments, during 9 years of study, children will try everything, from the pipe to the double bass.

In the 5th grade, biology, geography, physics, chemistry, and history are added. From 1st to 6th grade, instruction is taught by one teacher in almost all subjects. A physical education lesson is any sports game 1-3 times a week, depending on the school. A shower is required after class. Literature, in the usual sense for us, is not studied, it is rather reading. Subject teachers appear only in the 7th grade.

7-9 grades: Finnish language and literature (reading, regional culture), Swedish, English, mathematics, biology, geography, physics, chemistry, basics of health, religion (life understanding), music, fine arts, physical education, elective subjects and labor, which is not separated separately “for boys” and “for girls”. Everyone learns together how to cook soups and cut with a jigsaw. In 9th grade – 2 weeks of introduction to “working life”. The guys find anything for themselves " workplace” and with great pleasure they go “to work”.

Who needs grades?

The country has adopted a 10-point system, but until the 7th grade a verbal assessment is used: mediocre, satisfactory, good, excellent. From 1st to 3rd grade there are no marks in any options.

All schools are connected to the state electronic system "Wilma", something like an electronic school diary, to which parents receive a personal access code. Teachers give grades, record absences, and inform about the child’s life at school; a psychologist, a social worker, a “teacher of the future,” and a paramedic also leave there the information parents need.

Grades in a Finnish school do not have an ominous connotation and are required only for the student himself; they are used to motivate the child to achieve his goal and self-test so that he can improve his knowledge if he wishes. They do not affect the teacher’s reputation in any way; they do not spoil school or district indicators.

Trifles of school life:

• The school grounds are not fenced and there is no security at the entrance. Most schools have an automatic lock system on the front door; entry into the building is only possible according to the schedule.
• Children do not necessarily sit at desks and tables; they can also sit on the floor (carpet). In some schools, classrooms are equipped with sofas and armchairs. The premises of the junior school are covered with carpets and rugs.
• There is no uniform, as well as any requirements regarding clothing, you can even come in pajamas. Change of shoes is required, but most primary and secondary children prefer to run in socks.
• in warm weather, lessons are often held outdoors near the school, right on the grass, or on specially equipped benches in the form of an amphitheater. During breaks, elementary school students must be taken outside, even if only for 10 minutes.
• homework is rarely assigned. Children need to rest. And parents should not study with their children; teachers recommend instead a family trip to a museum, forest or swimming pool.
• teaching “at the blackboard” is not used; children are not called upon to retell the material. The teacher briefly sets the general tone of the lesson, then walks among the students, helping them and monitoring the tasks being performed. The teacher's assistant also does this (there is such a position in Finnish schools).
• In notebooks you can write in pencil and erase as much as you like. Moreover, the teacher can check the assignment with a pencil!

One of my friends, who recently moved to Finland, took her child to 1st grade last year. She was worried and prepared for the event, as it should be, according to Russian traditions. Later she emotionally shared her unusual experience:

“Gathering near the school at 9 am, August 14. First shock. The impression is that the children “came as they slept.” My son in a jacket with a tie and a bouquet looked like a guest artist. No one gave flowers except us, there were no bows, balloons, songs or other attributes of the holiday. The school director came out to schoolchildren in grades 1–4 (the older ones were in another building), said a few welcoming words and indicated to the students by name who was in what grade. All. Hello, our very first of September!

All foreigners are assigned to one class: Swedes, Arabs, Indians, Englishmen, and a couple of children each from Estonia, Ukraine, and Russia. Finnish teacher and 3 translators. Some children are attending 1st grade for the second year, so they are also “on hand” to help.

The second shock, already with positive side: No preparation for school is required from parents. Literally everything, “from backpacks to flip-flops” (a briefcase filled with “stationery”, flip-flops for the pool, even a towel) was given to the child at school. Nothing is required from parents at all: “everything is fine, your child is wonderful,” they tell everyone. The only thing they care about is whether the child and parents spend enough time together.

The third, memorable moment was the dining room. On the school website there is a menu for the month; the child can help himself to whatever he wants from what is offered; there is a “basket” on his school website on the Internet. The menu takes into account any preferences of the child, any diet, if any, you just need to inform, there is also vegetarian cuisine. In the dining room, as in the classroom, children each sit at their own table.”

This is what Finnish secondary education looks like in a very brief summary. Maybe it will seem wrong to some. Finns do not pretend to be ideal and do not rest on their laurels; even in the best things you can find disadvantages. They are constantly exploring how much they are school system corresponds to the ongoing changes in society. For example, reforms are currently being prepared that involve dividing mathematics into algebra and geometry, and increasing teaching hours in them, as well as highlighting literature and social science as separate items.

However, the Finnish school definitely does the most important thing. Their children do not cry out at night from nervous tension, do not dream of growing up quickly, do not hate school, do not torment themselves and the whole family while preparing for the next exams. Calm, reasonable and happy, they read books, easily watch films without translation into Finnish, play computer games, ride rollerblades, bikes, bikes, compose music, theater plays, and sing. They enjoy life. And in between all this, they also have time to study.

Finland is a leader in the quality of education, whose university diplomas are valued all over the world. Therefore, other countries, concerned about the state of their education system, are carefully looking at what exactly their Finnish colleagues are implementing and what they can borrow from them. And high-quality free training of specialists in universities encourages young foreigners, including Russians, to strive to get an education in Finland.

The Finns destroyed the traditional school education system. The main postulate is the need to obtain knowledge in an interdisciplinary form. For example, while studying the course “Organization of Tourism”, students become familiar with the elements of micro- and macroeconomics, speak foreign languages x, learn to communicate. Education is as close to life as possible. Schoolchildren do not ask the question: “Why memorize something that will never be useful?”, since they are taught only what they will definitely need. To find out what her education is like, you can visit thematic Russian-language sites where emigrants share their experiences.

The fact that Finnish education is the best in the world is due to the principles developed by the Finns.

Equality, but not leveling

In Finland, schools are not divided into elite, “advanced” and ordinary. Almost all of them are state-owned and financed according to needs.

Each subject is considered important; there are no specialized classes with in-depth study of any discipline. The only exception is groups for working with children gifted in music, painting, and sports.

The school administration and teachers are not interested in the social status of parents. Even questions about this are prohibited.

Students are not divided into good and bad. Both very capable children and children with developmental disabilities are considered “special”. They study in regular classes; there are simply no others. Disabled children are integrated into the team from childhood.

Teachers are mentors. If a teacher singles out “favorites” and “outcasts,” he is fired. Teachers value their profession because it is well paid. And here employment contracts they are renegotiated annually.

The relationship between the rights of the student and the teacher is interesting. Children talking to social worker complain about adults, including parents and teachers, sometimes in a biased manner. When discussing the pros and cons of Finnish education, this fact is cited as the last one.

Why the Finnish education system is the best in the world: Video

Free

Children are not only taught for free, but also fed, taken on excursions, provided with extracurricular activities, and, if necessary, transported to school and back. The school pays for textbooks, office supplies, and even tablets. Collections from parents for any purpose are out of the question here.

Individual approach

The teacher takes into account the characteristics of each student and adjusts the educational process to him: he selects textbooks, gives exercises that correspond to the student’s mental abilities. Works are also evaluated according to different criteria.

In addition to regular lessons, there is supportive training for underachieving students (something like tutoring), as well as correctional lessons - when the child’s behavior is not satisfactory or the non-native language needs to be “improved”. The same teachers handle all this.

Preparing for life

There are no exams as such in Finnish schools. The teacher is allowed to conduct tests and tests at his own discretion. There is only one mandatory test at the end of school. There is no special preparation for it.

They don’t teach things that a particular child won’t need in real life, for example, they don’t teach how to calculate on a slide rule, and they don’t encourage them to know the periodic table thoroughly. And using a computer, a bank card, creating your own website on the Internet, calculating cashback on discounted goods - from an early age.

Trusting relationship

They trust teachers, eliminating checks and eliminating numerous reports. The educational program in the country is uniform, there are general recommendations in accordance with which teachers build their own.

They trust the children: there is no total control, during lessons they do not force the whole class to do one thing. A student is an individual who knows what is best for her.

Voluntariness

A child is not forced to study if he does not want or cannot. Of course, teachers make efforts, but in “difficult” cases they simply focus on a working profession, especially since in the country all work is honorable and decently paid. The task of the school is to understand in what field a person will bring maximum benefit yourself and the state. Career guidance is the concern of the “teacher of the future” on the staff of each school.

Of course, there is control over learning. Missing lessons, for example, is punished with additional assignments. Calling parents to the director to analyze the child’s behavior is not practiced. If a student fails, he will stay for a second year. This is not considered a shame or a sensation.

Independence

Children are taught independence, because... think it's the only thing possible remedy help them build a successful life. Hence the lack of unnecessary supervision, encouragement of those who think and do not memorize, who themselves look for the necessary information, using all available resources and gadgets. For the same reason, teachers do not interfere in children's conflicts. They themselves must find mutual understanding and, if necessary, defend their rights.

The listed principles are subject to criticism, but the results of their implementation speak for themselves.

Structure

The multi-stage education system in Finland includes preschool, general education, secondary special education and higher education.

Preschool education

Children under 5 years old receive preschool education. It would be more correct to call it “education”, because the main task of employees is caring for children. Kindergartens are paid. The contribution amount is calculated based on the parents' income.

How younger group, the fewer students and the more workers. If in locality There are not enough places in kindergartens; parents are paid benefits from the treasury.

At the age of 6, children are transferred to preparatory group(at a kindergarten or school). Those children who did not attend kindergarten also go there for free.

Comprehensive school

She provides secondary education. They study for 9 or 10 years. Parents monitor their children's progress in a single electronic journal. In the absence of diaries (since, as a rule, there is no homework either), they are given a report card with the child’s grades every month. Students are given grades orally.

The academic year lasts from mid-August to mid-May. There are also holidays. Work week- 5 days. Schools do not work in two shifts.

The school at the embassy in Finland adheres to the same regime, although the curricula and teaching principles here are fully consistent with all-Russian ones.

First level

From 7 to 13 years old, children attend primary school. In the first and second grades they study their native language, reading, mathematics, and natural history. Physical exercises are required. Finnish school also includes teaching creativity: singing, playing musical instruments, modeling, drawing. Later, other subjects are added, including two foreign languages.

Upper stage

High school starts from 7th grade. If in primary school children studied in the same class with one teacher, now each teacher teaches a separate subject, and a classroom system is practiced. The educational institution has teaching assistants on staff.

After 9th grade, the general education level ends. “Above-plan” tenth grade for those who want to deepen their knowledge. Graduates continue their education at a new level or go to work. They make their professional choice while studying at school, and then they get acquainted with their future specialty.

Lyceums and colleges

According to the final test, ninth-graders enter college (the weaker ones), where they study blue-collar jobs, or a lyceum, improving in their chosen disciplines. In the first, more attention is paid to practical skills and abilities, in the second - theory. But after graduating from both, young people can study at universities.

Higher education in Finland is universities and institutes applied sciences(polytechnic). The learning process is modern, high-quality, giving graduates confidence in their relevance in the labor market.

The first are focused on acquiring practical knowledge and skills in all sectors of the economy, management, social sphere. Even in location they are close to a specific region. Graduates are helped to start working in their acquired specialty.

Universities provide academic knowledge in the fields of natural sciences, humanities, and technology. The training program is two-stage: three years prepare bachelors, another two years prepare masters. There is a predisposition to scientific activity - they offer continuation of education for two years and upon completion they issue a licentiate diploma (candidate of sciences). To become a Doctor of Science, you need to enroll in doctoral studies, study there for four years and defend your dissertation. A master's degree is also available to graduates of institutes, but first they have to devote three years to work in their specialty and a year to prepare for admission.

National and foreign citizens study at universities for free.

Popular educational institutions

There are fifty universities in the country, the leader among which is the capital's University of Helsinki. There are 11 faculties, 35 thousand students, 2 thousand of which are foreigners. The medical faculty is highly valued. One of the university’s research centers, the Alexander Institute, is engaged in the study of Russia. Excellent faculty and teaching staff, developed infrastructure. Teaching in English is only for master's and doctoral students.

Other universities are less populous. There are 20 thousand students in Aalto, 2 thousand are foreigners. 390 professors. Scientific centers equipped with excellent equipment. The School of Business (bachelor's degree) teaches in English.

The main university in Turku has over 19 thousand students, of which 3.5 thousand are foreigners, 7 faculties. They deeply study biotechnology, astronomy, everything related to computers, as well as medicine, law, economics, social and other sciences.

A number of subjects are taught in Russian at Mikkeli University of Applied Sciences, including undergraduate courses.

How to enter university

Having chosen a university, you should carefully study the rules for admitting foreign applicants. For now, studying in Finland is free for Russian students.

Application and documents can be sent by email. Instructions are provided on the websites of universities and institutes. Thus, a copy of the high school diploma must be translated into Finnish; certificate of completion required international exam in English language; you need to tell why this particular university is preferred (in English).

If the documents are satisfied by the administration, an invitation is sent to take the entrance examination, which is the basis for issuing a visa. Cross-border admissions committees come to Russia to recruit Russian applicants from some educational institutions.

Those enrolled in the university apply for a student visa. You will also need:

• international passport;
• photographs 47 x 36 mm;
• message about enrollment as a student;
• certificate of completion of secondary school in Russia;
• bank confirmation of funds for living abroad;
• medical insurance (policy);
• For minors, parental permission is required to travel to Finland.

Foreign students must annually register with the police at their place of residence.

Cost of Finnish education for foreigners

Despite the declared freeness of education, the cost of training consists of expenses for housing, food, payment for additional classes, and trade union dues. Textbooks and manuals are paid. No scholarships are paid. Part-time work for full-time students during semesters is allowed, but not more than 20-25 hours per week.

You can live in a dormitory, but the number of places is limited, you have to rent a room. The range of housing prices, as everywhere else, is large - 100-400 euros per month, depending on the city and the quality of the apartments.

About 100 euros will be spent on textbooks and fees. Food is expensive.

Advantages of studying in Finland for Russians

Young Russians are eager to study here because they are confident that a hard-earned diploma from a local university or institute will help others European countries.

What else attracts you?

• Possibility not to pay for training.
• Proximity to the borders of Russia, transport accessibility.
• Opportunity to study in English.
• The prospect of improving Finnish and Swedish.
• Live in a calm, well-maintained country.

A good education is the best capital that does not lose value in times of economic turmoil. Diplomas from Finnish higher educational institutions are a guarantee of successful employment and rapid career advancement.