By Pasi Sahlberg and Peter Johnson Originally published in Washington Post on 30 August 2019 Finland has been in the spotlight of the education world since it appeared, against all odds, on the top of the rankings of an international test known as PISA, the Program for International Student Assessment, in the early 2000s. Tens of thousands visitors have traveled to the country to see how to improve their own schools. Hundreds…
read moreHundreds and thousands of students in more than 100 countries are walking out of their schools on Friday with a shared purpose: Save our planet. Some teachers, parents and politicians have raised objections to insist that these children should stay in school instead. I think we grown-ups need to think twice before we stand up against our children on this burning issue. First, it is difficult to understand how young people feel…
read moreRenowned Finnish education expert shares his views on Finland’s education system Photo: Damir Klaic-Kljuc DUBAI: Considered a benchmark of educational innovation, Finland’s approach to schooling and sparking young minds has a history that can be traced back to the 1860s when Uno Cygnaeus, who is sometimes referred as the father of basic education in Finland, said that in an ideal classroom, pupils speak more than the teacher.…
read moreEMMA DAVIES spoke with Finnish educator and author Pasi Sahlberg who has worked as school teacher, teacher educator, researcher, and policy advisor in Finland and advised education reforms around the world about the importance of bilingualism. Originally published on 2 November 2018 on The Australia Education Reporter. Q. Why do you think recommendation 24 of Gonski 2.0 should be about learning a foreign language? There are 300…
read more“The time has come to ban cellphones in the classroom”. Wait, wait, but “A blanket ban on cellphones in class would not be smart”. These were the headlines of two op-eds published in Canadian daily newspapers in early September. This debate has already reached an international scale: Since 2012 most teenagers in rich countries have had access to smartphones. In Kerry, Ireland, one school has restricted children’s use…
read moreOne of the biggest questions parents face is when to send their child to school. There are many factors to consider in Australia: is the child ready, will he/she be the youngest in the class, what kind of school, can we afford high child care fees, what are other mothers and fathers doing, and so on. As an education expert soon to be moving to Sydney from Finland with my family, with two boys aged 3 and 6, these are the sorts…
read moreThis is an interview by Fábio Takahashi in Folha de Sao Paulo (in Portuguese) on 23 April 2018 Fábio: You mention in your book that Finland learned a lot with other countries in order to build its educational system. How Finland could inspire Brazil, even with so many differences (such as income, area, and population)? Pasi: First of all, I think you ask the right question when you use the word ‘inspire’. This is exactly…
read moreIn December 2017, at the Online Education Berlin, I sat down for coffee with Zoey Zhang. Zhuoying (Zoey) Zheng is a young Chinese journalist from JMDedu studying master of marketing in Germany. Having studied in Europe for two years and doing global projects in Asia, Latin America and Europe, she wants to drive intercultural communication through business and education innovation. Currently, her research focus is on the education…
read moreShould kids use their smart phones in schools? This question divides not only teachers and pupils but also educators and parents outside schools. Those in favour of free or politely restricted use of these gadgets argue that technology is part of youngsters' lives and learning and they should therefore be allowed to have them in schools. Those who would like ban or heavily restrict smart phones in schools say that malpractices,…
read moreWhat are the key things the Finnish education system can teach the world, and Australian education systems in particular? Pasi: Finland has become one of the most investigated school systems in the world. At the same time, however, there are many myths about Finnish schools around the world. A rather common mistake is to think that Finland’s education system can be exported to other countries, or that copying elements of it…
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