Teacher Training: Major Reforms, Part Two

The reforms to teacher training help explain the respect for teachers and teaching in Finland:

"The long march of teachers from despised and underprivileged civil servants to the core of the academic elite has been more glorious and successful in Finnish society than in most countries of the world" (Kivinen & Rinne, 1994, p. 521).

The example of primary school teachers illustrates this fact. Even as far back as 1890, primary school teachers wanted their training within universities, and not in seminaries (Simola, 2005). Before World War II, more primary school teachers had an upper-secondary education than their colleagues in any other country. After the founding of the Jyvaskyla College of Education in 1934, more universities developed faculties of education, eventually including the training of primary school teachers and raised the level of their training within the educational hierarchy. In the 1950s, the teachers' union insisted that primary school teachers have training at the same level of grammar school teachers, from a university (ibid.).

The educational reforms of the 1970s fully supported the training of primary school teachers at the university level. The comprehensive school reforms (1972-1977) and the teacher education reforms (1973-1979) had a sister reform, the General Syllabus and Degree Reform in Higher Education (1977-1980), which abolished the bachelor's degree and subsequently raised the level of primary school teacher education to the master's level in 1979 (Simola, 2005).

Teacher Training: Major Reforms, Part One

In 1971, the Teacher Training Act moved all teacher training to the university level. These teacher training reforms mirror the school reforms of the 1970s. Seven universities at that time had teacher training departments, one of them Swedish-speaking. These programs all led to a master's degree in education, the formal training for all teachers in Finland, including the primary school level.

Primary teacher training, originally a three-year program at teacher training colleges, expanded to a four-year, then finally five-year programs in universities in the late 1970s (Sahlberg, 2007). The reforms to prepare teachers as professionals and researchers create the foundations of teacher training reforms.

The attention to teacher training within the general educational reforms illustrated the objective of professionalizing and "academizing" teacher training (Begrem, et al., 1997). It also closed the gap between educational science and teacher education. Finnish teachers, even those not currently engaged in any educational research, thus maintain a strong knowledge of educational theory (ibid.).

Finnish teacher training maintains popularity and high quality. In 1982, only 10% of applicants were accepted into teacher training programs (Whittaker, 1983).

Teacher Training: History, Part Two

Independence in 1917 further emphasized the need for a united teacher training system. In 1934, the Jyvaskyla College of Education trained teachers after completion of secondary school. Even at this early time, teaching and teacher training held great respect in Finland, eventually achieving an established academic status (Kivinen & Rinne, 1994).

The reforms of teacher education in Finland illustrate the educational change so closely interwoven with politics, the economy, and society, and the reassessment and reconstruction the Finnish government underwent in the twentieth century (Begrem, Bjorkvist, Hansen, Carlgren, & Hauge, 1997). Post World War II forced Finland to reconsider the role of education in social and economic development.

Despite the founding of post-secondary teacher training institutions, many of the teaching seminaries continued to exist. In 1968, however, a committee determined that all teacher training courses would require an upper-secondary school qualification and that they would consist of a four-year course of study, culminating in a master's degree in education. Therefore, all teacher training would take place in universities (Kivinen & Rinne, 1994).

Teacher Training: History, Part One

We can see the history of Finnish teacher training in three phases:

1) "Quasi-monastic" training, in order to educate the agrarian society
2) Teacher training in seminaries
3) University teacher training

Under Russian rule, a movement began to nationalize education and teacher training. A Finnish-speaking seminary opened up in the 1863, and a Swedish-speaking seminary opened in the 1870s.

The development of a basic national school increased the need for more structured teacher training.

Despite the enviable position that Finnish teachers enjoy today, this ascent to a high place in society took a great deal of effort. This included a resistance from the land-owning peasant class to having schools within their municipalities until the early 1900s, when, at that comparatively late time, nearly every municipality had a school (Simola, 2005).

The bitter Civil War of 1918 divided the country and also its views of teachers and education. The War led some to believe that only missionary-style teaching could save the immoral masses, some to stop believing in a universal society, and the elite to no longer believe in education for all (Simola, 2005).

Not until World War II did the country begin to re-unify in its view of teaching and education, as teachers once again became worthy of trust.

The Finnish Education System: History and Reforms

Between 1856 and 1866, compulsory folk schools began to develop alongside the private secondary schools, established both the break the church monopoly and to advance the progress of Finnish-speakers.  The creation of these folk schools allowed those without a wealthy background or with Finnish as a mother tongue access to education.

At the time of independence in 1917, education was seen as a tool for maintaining national identity, literacy, and political freedom.  

After World War II, Finland found schooling a bit disjointed owing to the class and language differences.  The education system also gave very little possibility of transfer between the tiers of education after the age of eleven.  After the exam at age eleven, those successful could continue with secondary education, and leave school at the earliest at fifteen.  Those who did not study at secondary schools could study more practical subjects.  

Originally, the education system of Finland was under centralized control.  However, in the 1960s a restructuring occurred and the Ministry of Education established a new local education administration.  The Finnish Ministry of the 1960s found especially useful the educational models from Sweden and Germany.  

The 1970s brought major reforms to the Finnish education system.  This time in Finnish history also became a point of transition for many aspects of Finnish life.  Many viewed the education system as biased towards the Swedish-speaking upper class, and not to the needs of the Finnish people.  Government committees proposed to make schools comprehensive and egalitarian, to make general and vocational subjects interrelated, and to standardize schools in outlying areas.  These reforms faced heavy resistance.  Opponents to the reforms argued that it was impossible to educate the entire population.  The government proposed that these reforms take place in a "rolling" manner, between 1970 and 1985.  Geography determined the first areas to see reform, as examples of "inadequate education" made way for the new comprehensive system, beginning in the North in 1972 and ending in the Helsinki area in 1977.  

In the 1980s, the education system undertook a market economy model and underwent decentralization.  This decentralization of the education system increased the autonomy of schools, and therefore accountability for schools and teachers.  The schools have the responsibility of producing learning outcomes, while the government has the responsibility of providing for the schools in order to meet their goals, therefore creating a cycle of trust in the governance of Finnish education.  

Finnish Schools: Some Early Observations

In 1931, Gilmour observed a school in the Helsinki area, the Kaisaniemen Kansakoulu.  She documented that all children had medical examinations twice a year, and noted "the orderliness, the politeness, the independence, the thoroughness, the co-operative spirit, the initiative, the absence of self-consciousness" (p. 63).  

Gilmour observed that the Finnish primary school sought "'through labour to labours' to keep a close connection with practical life" (p. 64).  She also remarked how the Finnish school provided a strong foundation for those who continued with study in addition to those who would leave the education system sooner than some of their peers.  

In 1968, Binham noticed the remarkable welfare available to students through the schools: "Everything at the elementary school is free -- free books, free meals, free medical and dental treatment, and for children living more than three miles from school (the rule rather than the exception in more remote districts) free transport.  Clothes and shoes are also provided for needy pupils" (p. 157).  

In 1970, Bacon detected a sense of practical and applied education.  He uses the example of language.  Finnish students spent a considerable time on modern languages, rather than classical languages.  He also observed how early school ended for the children.  Even today, PISA data shows that Finnish students spend very little time in the classroom compared to their counterparts in other countries.  

The Education System of Finland: Some History

Observers of the Finnish education system, even in the beginnings of the early twentieth century, noted its excellence.  

For example, in 1926, Fox wrote, "The educational system in Finland is excellent.  There is practically no illiteracy, and every young citizen has a chance of obtaining a University education" (p. 129).  

Fox also stated, "Primary school, secondary school, and University education flourish in Finland.  The three Universities have yearly increasing numbers of students.  The great extent of the international recognition of Finnish scholarship gives proof of the soundness of the country's educational system" (p. 132).

The beginnings of Finnish education, much like in other countries, has roots in the church.  The movement for education and literacy began with the reforms of Mikael Agricola in the sixteenth century.  In the seventeenth century, the church began the ambitious task of teaching the nation to read.  The church required all those wishing to marry to be literate.  Furthermore, in 1686, the church demanded that all should be able to read a considerable number of religious texts.  Therefore, the church's influence on education, in addition to educational programs initiated by the state, allowed for high levels of literacy at an early date.  The first records for literacy, in 1880, chronicled 97.6% of Finns over ten years of age literate.  

The nineteenth century also called for education beyond church walls.  In 1863, training began for teachers of non-church education in Jyvaskyla.  In 1866 the Senate passed a law establishing folk schools.  After independence, a universal School Attendance Act was passed, and the country provided free education for everyone aged seven to sixteen.  

Although the growth of Finnish education followed a similar pattern to that of most industrialized countries, this development came later.  For example, the Compulsory Education Act came later than other European countries, even Nordic countries, in 1921.  

Finland: Some History, Part One

Who are these enigmatic Finns and what is their history?  In 1970, Walter Bacon wrote this passage:

"But where does Finland belong?  Is it a Baltic state, like Estonia?  Is it part of Scandinavia, like Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, with which it is linked and with which it has such close ties?  Is it really a part of Russia?  Or is it something different from all of these?"  

Although Swedes did inhabit some places in modern Finland, Finns lived in relative obscurity and in a separate, isolated peace until the Middle Ages.  By the middle of the 14th century, Sweden held Finland fully under its control.  Although "benevolent overlords," according to Hall, 1967, the only contention between the Finns and the Swedes came down to the matter of language.  Swedish was the language of schools, politics, and all aspects of official life.  Educational and social advancement required the use of the Swedish language, but most Finns refused to give up their unique language.

Russia occupied Finland between 1714-1721.  A war between Sweden in Russia in 1809 began a new era of Finland as a Grand Duchy of Russia.  Although part of Russia, Finland remained autonomous and retained the Lutheran Church and Swedish as the official language.  One of the czars during Russian rule, Alexander II, championed the use of the Finnish language.  However, Alexander III and Nicholas II did not prove to be so liberal.  Lenin, a supporter of Finnish autonomy, came to power in November, 1917, and the Finns declared their independence in December, 1917.