In Finland, primary school children can readily expect
more than an hour’s designated time for ‘play’ a day. In England, it has
recently been announced that not only is play being cut in some areas[1]
but primary school children can soon expect examinations from the age of
4. Countries are bound to have their differences,
though that this difference involves children and could be damaging, is
something we need to consider.
Whilst Finnish education systems come typically in the
top ten in the world (ranked
sixth, for example, for maths and science education by the age of 15), the experience of British children in
education, especially primary school, typically falls well below – both in
attainment and enjoyment. Recent figures
from The Children Society’s Annual Good Childhood Report shows
Britain as 14th out of 15 in countries surveyed for happiness in primary school. If so
many of our children aren’t happy, perhaps it’s time to learn from a country
which actively promotes happiness in its education. From Finland’s successes we
can see our shortfalls.
In Finland, a key way positivity is forged in
education is through play. Primary
education begins when children are six years old and initially the days last
for as little as four hours; with much of this time designated to play,
especially in the earlier years. You may
instinctively read this and think – but how can this be instructive? Isn’t it
just a waste of time? Here in the UK, we appear to see things through an ‘adult’
time structure, a binary of ‘work’ and ‘play’ we even impose on education. ‘Play’
is typically cast as the potential reward for doing the necessary ‘work’. Like
in British education ‘Goldentime’, an opportunity for free play, is often doled-out to children at the end of
the week as a ‘reward’ for academic performance.
I am firmly of the view that in Britain we
need to focus less on ‘performance’ in primary schools, and more upon potentials.
The pre-occupation with grades and
subscribing to set curriculums can limit children’s ability to build their own
identities. Even the word ‘performance’
implies that there is something artificial and empty to the process. Children
‘act’ out a kind of scripted education far too often, whilst the approach in
Finland offers some rather alternate lessons...
Play is important. In
Finland, play is valued because it is not artificial or an ‘act’, but real
human interaction – something I believe to be beneficial. The activity of free play is upheld, with
children encouraged to take this time to enjoy the outdoors and crucially,
their own abilities. Play can build interpersonal skills and provides
opportunity to foster interaction, apparently lacking in the UK as
The Good Childhood Report indicated significant
struggles with healthy relationships and self-image. Yet rather than play
and personal development being of focus, the UK’s education system has fallen under
increasing scrutiny as promoting a system of ‘exam factories’ –drawing criticism from
Tristram Hunt, Labour’s shadow education minister. He also raised the issue, alongside the Confederation of
British Industry, that more attention is needed towards promoting children’s
character, resilience and communication skills. Play is one way to put this
forward.
Communication over examination. Communication is evidently valued in Finland– in fact,
children are given their exam results verbally; though even these
‘examinations’ are rare and there is no compulsory National examination until
the end of secondary school . This could
be seen avoiding the character-crushing concept of reducing a child’s time in
school to a circled grade on a piece of paper. In Britain, comparatively, our children are some of the most examined in the world, and this pressure extends to teachers too – with more than half in a recent interview saying
they want to leave the profession in the next two years and 65% blaming what is referred to as a
‘culture of testing’ for causing harm to
children. Teachers and children alike are tied down
by an obligation to a system of examination and often, the National Curriculum.
It seems Britain communicates the message to its children – we want to be high
on the league tables, so make your mark count. If schools were to focus more on potentials
and promoting the happiness of their students, this could foster an environment
where children are more open to discussing their progress as well as struggles;
and certainly beating the current process of dismissing by mark schemes.
Freedom
to be an individual matters. In its
pre-occupation with league tables, rote learning and assessment objectives, it
appears that British education fears freedom. It is easy to see freedom and
‘free time’ as a threat, time that we
don’t think is ‘constructive’ – we send a message that ‘school’ is ‘school’ and
‘freedom’ is something else entirely. In contrast, Finnish education facilities
rather than regulates children, in their own methods to feel free. For example,
rather than being forced into a hierarchy (i.e. Britain’s promotion of ‘gifted
and talented’ children), children in Finnish schools who are more-able are
encouraged to help those leaning at a slower rate. Different methods of
learning are championed , with more emphasis is placed upon their extracurricular
learning (Thus ‘learning’ rather than ‘testing’). Reading is encouraged – but crucially, for pleasure – so
children are encouraged to enjoy education. Up to eleven periods per week
consist of classes in actively creative subjects, such as art, music, cooking
and textiles too. It is this encouraged
positivity, pleasure and pursuit of the imagination, rather than exam-boarded
administration, which British primary school education thirsts for.
[1]
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