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Finnish Start Right
October 17, 2007
Just being surrounded by bountiful nature, rejuvenates and inspires us.
-E.O. Wilson
-E.O. Wilson
One Size Fits All �" The Finnish early childhood system is designed for all families. All families, regardless of income level, are entitled to the same services �" low-income families receive services free, all others pay on a sliding fee basis.
Home Sweet Home �" The Finnish social welfare system is designed to have children cared for by their parents at home during infancy. A combination of maternity, paternity, and parental leave guarantee paid parental care for children through their first year of life �" and up to three years of unpaid leave with guaranteed job security.
Play's the Thing �" Finns see no need to rush academics. Formal schooling begins at age seven. Up until then, early childhood experiences are play based. Does this mean lower academic results? Not at all. By age twelve, Finnish children outperform children in all other industrialized countries in reading, math, and science skills.
The Teaching Profession �" One third of all teachers in child care centers and all teachers in preschool centers (a transition year for six year olds) have the equivalent of bachelor’s degrees. Early childhood teachers are paid slightly less than the primary school teachers (although they do work longer hours than primary teachers).
Kids Do Come First �" After the Second World War, Finland made a concerted effort to develop a highly educated workforce, starting at birth. The results are now quite apparent. Not only are citizens highly educated, but their business climate is also producing results �" Finland ranks second in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index. What our delegation found most interesting was the broad support for the large investment the government (supported by tax payers) makes in children. All the politicians, business leaders, and parents we talked to firmly supported these investments. Even people of all ages we talked to in restaurants, in stores, and on the street, were proud of their educational system.
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Comments (5)
Displaying All 5 CommentsBreezy Point
Upper Holland, PA, United States
How much of every dollar that a Finnish worker makes goes toward their taxes to help pay for this universal care? I wonder if the study that says the Finnish children perform better than most is using a collective or average score. Are they as diverse a country as we are? What did the centers look like? Were they as well equipped, as diversified, as many choices for parents, no waiting lists as our private system here in the USA? Child Care Centers and Family Day Care homes have been a wonderful business for women as well as men to start up in this country and provide well for their families doing it. I wonder what the comparative cost per child is for full day child care in Finland compared to the USA taking into account the cost of living/average wages/diversity etc? I would LOVE to go on a fact finding trip to these government run childcare countries. I will pay for the trip myself, so just let me know when. Our NAEYC accredited school has been producing wonderful, smart and talented children for our country for 37 years. Right now the hourly rate is $5.44 an hour for an 8 hour day (paid monthly) I would love to improve ,as always, by viewing other centers and schools who are doing it "better". I do NOT believe the government will or should be involved in childcare. They should give money to our needy families directly to pay for the school or childcare placement of their CHOICE. The USA I believe is the greatest nation on earth--or have I just a wonderful life here and haven' traveled enough?
WV, United States
Head Start USA is trying to launch this concept along with nutrition through I am Moving I am Learning pedagogy. Wow, kids being kids until the psycho-motor develoment is in place for constructivism and higher order thinking skills. Gee, Jean Piaget might have been onto something when he said, "Higher order thinking skills are rooted in the development of movement and perceptual skills." DAH! Will American education ever figure it out?
Cornerstone Christian School
Vancouver, WA, United States
Data driven research will show time and time again that children need to play. Finland sounds like a place that puts children first, recognizing they are our most important asset. Washington State...where Bill Gates resides...is pushing for full day kindergarten. I am thinking Finland is the place to work!
United States
This needs forwarded to all Representatives, Congressmen, and any other legislative representatives. I am going to print this and share with families so they can have an idea of what to push their representatives towards. Seeing things like this make me dislike Nixon more and more!
Topsham, ME, United States
I find it ironic that the Gates Foundation funded this study tour, since they are working so hard to re-authorize No Child Left Behind with even more regressive measures to limit the freedom and creativity of children and teachers.
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