The Value of Wellbeing in Finland’s Schools
Many people ask us at New Nordic School, can the Finnish education system be exported abroad? Our simple answer is no. Education systems are always a part of the surrounding cultures. However, we can take elements of the Finnish education system abroad. For example, a key success factor of Finland’s renowned education system is the focus on wellbeing. The wellbeing of students, teachers, leadership, and other staff should be a priority at schools around the world.
In recent years, Finland has been highly ranked in multiple global reports and indexes. For example, Finland has been named the happiest country in the world for three years in a row (UN World Happiness Report), identified as the only country where students’ life satisfaction, as well as reading proficiency levels, are high (PISA 2018) and ranked as the 3rd best country in the world for the quality of life (Social Progress Index, 2020).
In Finland, schools are not isolated areas of the society, but rather, integral parts of the community. As student wellbeing is impacted by the group-, organizational-, and surrounding community’s wellbeing, it is important for the school and family to communicate regularly. By tracking the student’s wellbeing both in-school as well as at home, parents and teachers are better equipped to support the child. Another cornerstone of Finland’s high-quality schools is the training and education that teachers get (almost all teachers have a master’s degree). Teachers are equipped with the knowledge and tools to support each student’s individual and social wellbeing.
The majority of principals around the world will tell you that their school is student-centered. But what does a student-centered school look like? Every decision, be it administrative or operational, should think about how does this benefit the student’s wellbeing and learning?
In Finland’s schools, student-centeredness is alive in the school. All basic education schools have a three-tiered support system. Every student has the right to general support, which means that differentiation, for example, is required from teachers and each student needs to be seen as an individual.
The next level of support is intensified support. Even if a student has slight challenges with learning or social situations, they will get support. He/she is not removed from the class, but rather given the help needed to empower them.
The third level of support is special support. This means that when a student faces a problem with learning individually or in a group environment, they can get a modified curriculum for themselves. This three-tiered support system can be seen as a key variable influencing the life satisfaction and high reading proficiency scores of students, as reported in the PISA results.
In Finnish schools, students are taught self- and peer assessment at an early phase. As the student grows, the teacher gradually releases the assessment and evaluation responsibility. This gives students the space to participate and lead their own learning.
‘What you learn without joy, you forget without regret’ – a Finnish idiom.
Having a variety of activities for students to engage in throughout the school day is important for their happiness and ultimately, their learning. A student in Finland is physically active during the school day as well as before and after the school day. Not only does this keep the child active, but it also helps develop their social skills. In addition to this, sufficient rest and proper nutrition are key elements of student wellbeing.
During these unprecedented times, many families have had to adjust to distance learning. It is key that students remain active during online school days, in order to keep their brain and body active. Proper play, rest, and snack breaks should be included in the daily online school schedule. Together with the family, each school has the responsibility to help raise wellbeing citizens for society. That is what we are aiming for, at each New Nordic School partner school.
Watch our Director of Curriculum, Juha Repo, and Director of Professional Development, Laura Luomanen-Jaakkola, discuss more on wellbeing in Finland’s schools.
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