JUNO magazine provides a review of Pasi Sahlberg’s bestseller, Finish Lessons 2.0.
“Sahlberg’s book is enlightening and, I believe, should be read by all teachers and policymakers. It also mythbusts things that people often say about the Finnish education system. For example, one common misconception I’ve come across is that children don’t start formal education in Finland until the age of 7, and this is often used to argue in favour of home educating. However, although Finnish children do generally stay home for the first year of their lives, 40% of 1- to 2-year-olds and 75% of 3- to 5-year-olds are in day care, and 98% of children attend optional preschool at the age of 6. It is not, then, that children are not formally educated before the age of 7, but that the style of education is very different. In fact, the level of schooling that Finnish children receive is high and is based on equal access. Many of Finland’s schools are akin to private schools here in the UK in that they have high standards of education and matching academic results. By narrowing the gap between public and private schools, Finland has created a fair education system that can be accessed by everyone, and this has been found to bridge socio-economic gaps as well, so that even children from less well-off backgrounds get equal opportunities to succeed.”
To read the full review by Zion Lights click here.