By Kim Jones, CEO, Curriki
Finland’s schools used to rank very low, but now they are the highest-ranking country in the world when it comes to quality of education, while the United States is #29. Why? Michael Moore asked the country’s education chief, what was Finland’s secret to success.
Her answer was simple: “They do not do homework.”
Krista Kiuru, Finland’s Minister of Education, says, “They should have more time to be kids, to enjoy life.”
In addition to having no homework, younger Finnish children don’t go to school more than 20 hours a week – including lunch.
“Your brain has to relax now and then,” explains Leena Liusvarra, a school principal. “If you just constantly work, work, work, then you stop learning.”
Interesting concept – it’s pretty much the reverse of what we are doing in the United States, where children are being assigned homework as young as first grade and there’s a huge push for full-day kindergarten.
The teachers also say their mission is to teach children to be happy, because “there’s so much more to life than school.” Here’s the trailer for Michael Moore’s film.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.