“Teachers in Finland are seen as very important.” (fifth pa...

Text 2:

What makes a school good? (Part II)

Another reason the schools may be so successful is the teachers. Teachers in Finland are seen as very important. They are well respected and the field of education is considered to be a science, with its own methodology, theory and principles. Every teacher studies for five years before they can teach. This is in contrast with the status of education in many other countries. Perhaps this explains why it's actually rather difficult to get a job as a teacher in Finland, as well as the reason that it's such a popular job.

In order to get students' opinions about what makes a school 'good', I visited my local school playground to do a little informal research. The thirteen-year-olds I spoke to were interested to hear about the Finnish schools. I asked them if they thought British schools were too strict and whether they thought more students would go to university if things were changed. Fay, one of the best students in her year, said she didn't think British students would benefit from a school that was too easy-going. She felt her teachers weren't strict enough, and that was why few students in her school went on to higher education.

So it seems that the Finnish education system has come up with a 'formula' that works successfully in that country. Their example can serve as a model for other countries, but each country will have to work hard to put together an education system that will meet the needs of its people.

Taken from: Chapman, Joanne. Laser B1 +. Teacher's book. Macmillan, 2008.