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The article mentions another difference between the Finland and the US that is equally extreme and probably more directly related to results: "teacher training

by pg 15y ago

The article mentions another difference between the Finland and the US that is equally extreme and probably more directly related to results: "teacher training programs are among the most selective professional schools in the country"

bhoung 15y ago
Here's Singapore as another example. http://asiasociety.org/education/learning-world/how-singapore-developed-high-quality-teacher-workforce http://asiasociety.org/education/learning-world/how-singapor...
brc 15y ago
That is exactly what I thought when I read the article. Nobody seems to be mentioning the high status for teachers, high pay and selective intake. Given that the teachers interact with the students more than anything else, and most people would agree that better teachers produce better students, the chances of this making material impacts on the educational outcomes seems quite obvious to me at least. After all, we're just talking about a variation on the old 'pay peanuts get monkeys' meme. I'm sure if the average teaching salary doubled, the positions would be more sought after by young graduates. And if the positions were more sought after, there would be more competition and thus less problems with teacher performance.
- GFischer 15y ago
  I remember it being mentioned the last time Finland's success was discussed: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2917303 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2917303 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1249852 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1249852 (in an interview I linked): "Asked the key to success, (Finnish ambassador) Seppo Tunturi did not hesitate to answer: "The educator is highly appreciated by society. Young people see it as a profession with a future. "Statistics show that 10% of the top high school students choose this route. (Uruguayan university rector) Grünberg said this is a feature shared by other high quality educational systems, including South Korea, where teaching attracts 5% of the top high school graduates. "In other countries they would be brain surgeons or lawyers, but they are teachers or teachers in Finland," said the rector." "In addition, training is very demanding. It takes a college degree (4 years) and an Masters in education (2 years). In 2010, more than 6,600 applicants competed for 660 seats to prepare as primary school teachers." http://rigofa2011.blogdiario.com/1292241206/ http://rigofa2011.blogdiario.com/1292241206/ (in Spanish)

by pg 15y ago

bhoung 15y ago

Here's Singapore as another example. http://asiasociety.org/education/learning-world/how-singapore-developed-high-quality-teacher-workforce http://asiasociety.org/education/learning-world/how-singapor...

brc 15y ago

That is exactly what I thought when I read the article. Nobody seems to be mentioning the high status for teachers, high pay and selective intake. Given that the teachers interact with the students more than anything else, and most people would agree that better teachers produce better students, the chances of this making material impacts on the educational outcomes seems quite obvious to me at least. After all, we're just talking about a variation on the old 'pay peanuts get monkeys' meme. I'm sure if the average teaching salary doubled, the positions would be more sought after by young graduates. And if the positions were more sought after, there would be more competition and thus less problems with teacher performance.

GFischer 15y ago
I remember it being mentioned the last time Finland's success was discussed: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2917303 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2917303 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1249852 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1249852 (in an interview I linked): "Asked the key to success, (Finnish ambassador) Seppo Tunturi did not hesitate to answer: "The educator is highly appreciated by society. Young people see it as a profession with a future. "Statistics show that 10% of the top high school students choose this route. (Uruguayan university rector) Grünberg said this is a feature shared by other high quality educational systems, including South Korea, where teaching attracts 5% of the top high school graduates. "In other countries they would be brain surgeons or lawyers, but they are teachers or teachers in Finland," said the rector." "In addition, training is very demanding. It takes a college degree (4 years) and an Masters in education (2 years). In 2010, more than 6,600 applicants competed for 660 seats to prepare as primary school teachers." http://rigofa2011.blogdiario.com/1292241206/ http://rigofa2011.blogdiario.com/1292241206/ (in Spanish)