A Tale of the Finnish Education Miracle

I came across an interesting article last week. The article mentioned how Finland, despite not following many of the globally standardised education norms, still was among the top performing countries in the PISA. PISA, conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), evaluates the critical thinking of 15-year old students across the world in maths, science and reading.

This mammoth three yearly exercise’s idea originated in the 1990s acknowledging that governments across the world were being compared basis the spend on education rather than the achievements or learning outcomes.  Over time, PISA evolved as among the most important global exams. Recently, the tide has turned over to Asian, South-East Asian schools topping the charts with Europe and other developed economies including the US dropping consistently. This is where the consistent performance of Finland and its unique education system,  termed an ‘education miracle’ comes as a pleasant surprise.

The system is known to provide more emphasis on Quality and less on Competition and Control. Factor this – Finland doesn’t conduct standardised tests. It provides a comprehensive flexible education that ensures equity and inclusion in education through its publicly-funded school system.  This, without selecting, tracking or streaming students during their basic education until grade 9! Most children go to the nearby public school where kids from all walks of life learn together.  

Another key differentiator is the learning methodology. Teachers, customise their teaching approach as per each learner requirement. Teachers are also supported by other specialists like psychologists, special education teachers and management. Teaching is also considered as a highly valuable profession. Only 10 per cent of applications get through for the elementary teacher education program – a five-year master’s degree program. Remarkably, there aren’t school inspections conducted. So, while there are national quality standards, there are no evaluation tests pitting one school against the other. But, the reliance is on ‘intelligent accountability’, based on periodic self-evaluation of schools/education providers.

Though Finland is renowned for its comprehensive education system, it is even more remarkable that there are consistent efforts being put in to revisit the model and check the students’ preparedness in the future. It is proposed to introduce fresh initiatives to aid further in the globalisation of education – encouraging innovations, teacher professional development, ‘globalisation’ of education, increasing student physical activity etc.

The most remarkable take-away is the intent of the entire community to provide quality education – the school authorities, parents, students, government – all are actively engaged towards a vision which makes it so potent. This model is therefore, an important case study to the world, especially India. The keyword as mentioned is intelligent accountability.

To Spin or Not to Spin?!

There is an inherent advantage when you deal with children and young adults – you are probably among the first to know of the latest ‘trend’ doing the round and your experiences will ensure you have enough ‘am sure you haven’t heard this one’ stories at those dinner party tables! There is also an apparent disadvantage when you deal with ‘bacchas’ – you are probably the first who needs to ‘tackle’ and/or put up with these trends!

Now, add to this the fact that one is an educationist, a school principal at that and you will see why I utter a silent prayer in my head before stepping out for the day! Oh yes, then there are also the worried parents who always approach you for knowing if ‘it is okay’ for kids to indulge in whatever has seemed to caught their attention. They cite contradictory studies listing reasons for and against and then ask you to be the judge while the little one, wide eyed, stares at you, eyes almost pleading for approval.

Take the latest fad that has the world spinning in tizzy for example – the fidget spinner.  If you are a parent to a child of 6 years or above, it is highly probable you would have come across one! For the uninitiated, fidget spinner is a ‘toy’ (purportedly used as a medical aid to help relieve nervous energy or psychological stress though no scientific evidence has been found so far linking any benefits). It is usually a multi-lobed flat structure with a bearing in the centre designed to spin along its axis at high speed with hardly any effort. Many schools in the U.S. had to ban the toy since the children had grown addicted to spinning them!

Confiscated spinners at school

Although it marked a much later entry into our schools in India, nevertheless, it has been some fad and continues to be so! Only recently with recent social media updates associating the toy with treatment for stress, anxiety or neurological disorders and problems in children, have made the parents suddenly take notice since it implied that it is a medical tool and hence shouldn’t be used without discretion. While there has yet to be any substantial study done yet to establish these claims, there are also other reports of how and why the spinner may actually help in some relaxation.

Spinners are banned in our school simply because we don’t like to encourage distraction among students, considering their attention is almost always fleeting! As an educator, I feel it is a tough call when deciding to take a strong stance about any trend but, to be on the safe side, anything that can seem to interfere with a student’s commitment or disrupt in any way the smooth functioning of a class or simply be a nuisance to the immediate environment, is not acceptable in our school. Of course it isn’t to say it is the only way to go about it. A lot depends upon the temperament of the child and if the trend isn’t all-consuming my advice would be to let children be. The battle is when and how do you draw a line which can easily be breached and that too when it is not within ones’ control. As far as the spinners go, while there is no medical or scientific proof yet linking any benefit or any side effects from playing with it, it looks like it will be a while before the bacchas move on from this spinning frenzy!

Project Parent!

A parent had once joked how the beginning of the school academic year was like preparing for running another marathon! The routine work of having a child up and ready while helping him/her cope with changes in terms of new circle of friends perhaps or introduction of new subjects, supervising homework, election of extracurricular activities, accompanying children to those activities.. The list is seemingly endless. What undoubtedly though, gets many a parents’ goat are the myriad school projects that begin as soon as the commencement of the academic session.

Science projects for developing a volcano perhaps or preparing children for an internal competition, and the most dreaded ones of dressing the child up for role play (as a cow, planet, astronaut, fire engine..). Typically every standard until the early primary grades from preschool onward have these dressing up role plays. And while it is an opportunity for some very creatively inclined parents to dress their children up the majority most working couples or those not endowed with much creative prowess nor the will tend to make a swift dart to costume rental shops. Not long ago, one parent had remarked, funnily enough, that she has a costume rental professional on speed dial!

As funny these narratives may seem, I am not entirely without empathy and I certainly don’t believing in quelling opinions for that matter. In fact, I believe schools should encourage it. Have a healthy channel developed between the parents and the school. It may be far easier to sit in an isolated cabin so the voices that reach you are the faintest ones or the most familiar ones that didn’t need to drown. However, if one acknowledges the role of the parents and its importance in helping in achieving learning and behavioural outcomes in a child, the importance of involving parents while making them realise their role and the significance of it cannot be emphasized enough.

Any school programme is heavily dependent on the parents of course for success of its curriculum based objectives.  So what the parent may see as making or sourcing a cow costume is actually about getting a child understand the difference of a cow vis a vis a goat or a buffalo. Also, at least in the current day curriculum being followed by respectable schools, the curriculum isn’t taught in isolation. Research has indicated the tremendous impact parental involvement has proven in terms of learning outcomes and its success.

Getting a costume ready and helping the child revise the lines or give them to him/her gets beyond just making a costume. Here, you help connecting with your child with a part that she does without you (going to school – especially in the initial years), thereby acknowledging her milestones and achievements which act as a morale booster for the child. S/he feels accountable for the number of hours she puts into school or any other activity. This role should progress as a healthy one with a minimal amount of dependence on the child to get the project done but not in any way to dream bigger or look for answers that evade them. But not by providing with the solutions.

Years later, when they are ready to leave the beautiful nest you had created not only should they soar but also know that at times some flights need to be taken independently and some as a flock, and that their journey is important!  

When Teaching can’t get more Challenging ….. (and Rewarding)

“Those who educate children are more to be honoured than those who produce them” — Aristotle

Teachers are among the most significant formative influencers outside the family circle. Research after research has suggested that good and effective teachers remain the most important influence on pupil achievement.  This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. If anyone were to reminisce their school days and perhaps look back at any important achievement – scholastic or otherwise – am sure they would find the hand of a brilliant teacher/mentor who understood their weaknesses and polished their strengths. Where would we be without our teachers?

                        

Isn’t it therefore ironical that in the current times, finding a good teacher is one of the biggest challenges schools and colleges in the country are undergoing? There are myriad reasons of course,  from the lack of incentives that don’t make it more ‘lucrative’ career option to the reckless number of substandard education institutes coming up including teacher training teacher institutes producing unskilled teachers while also lapping up substandard pool of professionals.

Only weeks ago, the Centre banned creation of new B.Ed colleges due to concerns over dropping standards in such teacher training institutes. 2017 is to be considered a ‘zero year’ where no new institutes will be established but time will be spent on reviewing and auditing existing institutes to improve quality. While asking for quality affidavits only, the Centre has received 7,000 applications while 4000 Bed colleges were issued with show-cause notices. This drastic step might give an indication as to the severity of the problem faced. Then, again, with 8-9 lakh teacher training seats and 13,000 teacher training institutes it is highly unlikely that demand will outstrip supply!  

In our country, teaching has always been considered as a sacred job.  Teaching is not only a skill but an art. Which is what makes teaching ‘teaching,’ difficult. However, aptitude and intent of candidates backed with good curriculum, ample practical assignments and holistic assessment are key for a successful programme. This is more important for ECCE-teaching programmes wherein candidates are not only required to know the theoretical aspects but also the emotional psyche of the student at an age when s/he can’t even speak or not express what they feel in words. Gathering cues and being generally empathetic, juggling myriad work and projects along with giving individualised attention to each child all the while handling and quelling parents’ fears, is not everyone’s cup of tea.

Nothing inspires me more than watching my teachers at work and having the chance to groom them. Quality Teacher training institutes imparting ECCE are the need of the hour for an unregulated sector (ECCE). Providing quality preschool education remains a lifelong aim and hence it was natural for me to take a step further and establish a KITDR (Kangaroo Kids Institute for Teacher Development and Research) in Shastri Nagar, Lokhandwala. This Diploma allows the student teachers to transfer skills from other qualifications and up-skill in the area of early childhood teacher education by applying child development practices to practice, assess child growth and development, using best practices in teaching and learning and hands-on live classroom sessions to develop as professionals. 

It goes without saying that preschools need to move away from  the culture of being 'just Preschool' by being responsible for brain development and outcomes in the 0-8 years of a child's life. Only if management in schools understand this and enforce stringent measures and training mandatory in schools will we raise the bar and like all developed countries be able to leverage the position of a preschool teacher - making an impact in the Kindergarten industry, gradually adding value to the entire education industry.. 

Sailing Through Tides High and Low!

Being a Naval Captain’s wife, I have had more than my fair share of traversing through choppy tides and enjoying the calmness of the sea. Life, as we all come to experience, is much like this. A couple of weeks ago, an old friend called to congratulate me for the launching of our second Kangaroo Kids preschool franchisee, at Lokhandwala. We go back quite a number of years and we have always shared our trials and tribulations over cups of coffee. I was pleased to know that she was doing pretty well for herself too. As we filled each other details of other lovely developments, we reminisced about the times, coincidentally, years ago, when we were both somewhat at a standstill in terms of our respective careers.

The only thing that was constant was a strong underlying sense of purpose – to create spaces that foster meaningful education. Starting off something entirely on one’s own needs tremendous courage also since self-doubt plagues you at many junctures. Most of the times, you are your best counsel. There aren’t any shortcuts and no readymade answers. But, I have come to experience that when your mind is still, answers come through. The thing is to believe in oneself and get up after each fall and prepare for that marathon, again. Even when it is about taking one single step at a time, do so, and believe that things will fall in place.

Optimism is contagious and is critical if you are fostering a team, aiming to reach a common goal – without, you know… shortcuts. It is especially difficult when one is consumed by doubts which are also very normal. The second third time when you are faced with challenges is when you know that you must focus and what you can perhaps eliminate. Apart from knowing your challenges one needs to work around them. Making people believe in your vision and journey also is not hard but it route is longer, so it is important to not lose your passion. It is a life-long journey of taking like-minded people along with you and creating a repository of shared values and sharing your life and work. Inculcating an empowering environment infused with fun, humour - that is how great organisations are made. Schools are no different. In fact, it matters even more to create a culture of respect, value and a passionate commitment to serve your stakeholder/customer. In education of course, our biggest stakeholder is our children.

Notwithstanding our biggest achievement of being adjudged as among the top three preschools in the city by the reputed C-Fore Education World Survey 2016, in just under four years of operations, when a parent walks up to you and says that this schools has a soul which is why children thrive here… That feeling is unparalleled. We live by celebrating the smallest achievements of our children. So, when a two year old begins eating his own chapatti, vegetables and fruits on his own, lays his own mat, says his prayers and clears his table that brings a joy like no other.

Celebrate smallest joys with élan!  It will change your life. In fact, even with my friend, as we discussed our experiences about the one thing which helped us, it was this – an unwavering sense of gratitude. We weren’t really surprised at all to find out that it was that had helped us stay afloat when tides were turned against us, so to speak. I have had plenty of people and friends share their experience of staying positive and grateful for the smallest of blessings and it has worked wonders. It did so for me too when the tides got rough and lo and behold, it did turn!  

“Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot.” — The Hausa of Nigeria