7 ms·

According to the internet, Finland has little if any homework – something like 30m/day or less for high school students, and less or none for younger students.

According to the internet, Finland has little if any homework – something like 30m/day or less for high school students, and less or none for younger students. Also school doesn’t start until age 7, the school day is filled with long breaks to go run around outside, student:teacher ratios are very low and teachers are highly trained and respected in society, and there is no standardized testing.

nabla9 8y ago
There is homework, but Finland has both less homework and less hours spend in school compared to other countries, but the quality of teaching is better. Teachers are better educated and motivated. Especially for little kids, more hours in school does not increase learning. Sleeping later in the morning is better. Having nutritious school lunches (for free) probably plays a role too. Kids' may hate the food, but it's not junk like pizza, juice and jam.
- mrhappyunhappy 8y ago
  It breaks my heart thinking about the little kids walking on the way to school before the break of dawn here in Japan. While my grown ass is still in bed they are up and marching to school like good little troopers. Why can’t those kids just sleep! I have a soon to be 2 year old and I’m freaking out just thinking about what he has to to through, waking up super early.
- ams6110 8y ago
  Finland is also a small, essentially monoculture country. What works there might be impractical or impossible elsewhere.
bingerman 8y ago
As a person who was put through the Finnish schoolsystem, I can say that homework definitely exists in Finland. However, it greatly depends on the specific school and teachers. Some give little homework while others give substantial amounts. The average time I spent was probably about 45 minutes, and my peers did less. In the high school I attended much homework was given but I only rarely did any of it, and got excellent grades anyway. That is to say, generally speaking homework has no religious status in Finland, but the details depend on the teachers. And school is indeed quite relaxed in Finland. Bullying does exist though, but there is absolutely none of this elite school racing mentality where you have to attend the right kindergarten, do many goal-oriented extracurricular activities and basically prove your exceptionality almost daily.

nabla9 8y ago

There is homework, but Finland has both less homework and less hours spend in school compared to other countries, but the quality of teaching is better. Teachers are better educated and motivated. Especially for little kids, more hours in school does not increase learning. Sleeping later in the morning is better. Having nutritious school lunches (for free) probably plays a role too. Kids' may hate the food, but it's not junk like pizza, juice and jam.

mrhappyunhappy 8y ago
It breaks my heart thinking about the little kids walking on the way to school before the break of dawn here in Japan. While my grown ass is still in bed they are up and marching to school like good little troopers. Why can’t those kids just sleep! I have a soon to be 2 year old and I’m freaking out just thinking about what he has to to through, waking up super early.
ams6110 8y ago
Finland is also a small, essentially monoculture country. What works there might be impractical or impossible elsewhere.

bingerman 8y ago

As a person who was put through the Finnish schoolsystem, I can say that homework definitely exists in Finland. However, it greatly depends on the specific school and teachers. Some give little homework while others give substantial amounts. The average time I spent was probably about 45 minutes, and my peers did less. In the high school I attended much homework was given but I only rarely did any of it, and got excellent grades anyway. That is to say, generally speaking homework has no religious status in Finland, but the details depend on the teachers. And school is indeed quite relaxed in Finland. Bullying does exist though, but there is absolutely none of this elite school racing mentality where you have to attend the right kindergarten, do many goal-oriented extracurricular activities and basically prove your exceptionality almost daily.