How Finnish methodology ignites the passion for learning

Why the Finnish Methodology is inspiring learning…

At the Finnish School of Kosovo, the aim is to provide all young people with the opportunity to unlock their capabilities, realise their potential, make excellent progress and contribute positively to society with the belief that every child can learn, not the day same day or in the same way.

Building young learners’ resilience, nurturing values, and developing character will provide skills for learners to work in modern workplaces and changing and uncertain environments.  

These transferable skills will include communicating, collaborating, critical thinking, problem solving, digital literacy, project management and creativity and innovation.

Learning is maximised in environments in which learners believe they are capable of learning successfully, receive supportive and helpful feedback to make decisions about their learning, and can monitor and reflect on the progress they are making.

The teachers focus is on creating effective learning environments and building connections with learners’ backgrounds, starting points and individual learning needs, providing appropriate guidance and autonomy so that they can building learners’ confidence to learn understand and apply their knowledge.  The focus is not just performance.

Learning environments are designed to encourage motivation by providing learners with a sense of control over their own learning.  Motivation is enhanced by ensuring that the environment really sparks interest and curiosity. Teachers use innovative methodology. They use project-based and problem-based learning, enquiry, they make learning practical and relevant so that it is aligned with their interests and long-term aspirations. Thy use iPads, and technology to assist the learning process.

Leaning is experiential with teachers also working closely with the parents from the business environment, tripos to the local environment - industry, and aim to provide young learners with opportunities to engage with practical, real-world experiences. They use authentic assessment of the young learners’ ability encouraging them to apply what they have learned to real-life situations using collaborative group work.

They use creativity, integrating learning with ability, with feedback being used to guide ‘next steps’ in learning and assist learners to appreciate and monitor their own progress.

Finnish ideology is based on the learner’s readiness to learn and the belief that learning is an ongoing, long-term process, meaning that the points individuals the learners reach in their learning by age are not as important as the progress in their learning.  

The teachers use the benchmark information provided by GL assessment, CAT4 to identify student’s cognitive ability, NGRT, to establish their reading ages, Progress in Mathematics, English and Science to assist with start points, and progress and PASS to evaluate attitudes to learning. https://www.gl-education.com/; The Finnish School of Kosovo has been identified as a school of Excellence by GL. Tracking of progress inspires the students as they celebrate their successes. They use SeeSaw to share their learning with the community a classroom platform for meaningful student engagement...https://web.seesaw.me;

By establishing where learners are in their long-term progress in an area of learning, teachers are better able to provide guidance on appropriately challenging learning goals, provide feedback to inform next steps in learning, and assist learners to see and monitor the progress they make over time.

Learning evidence is key, and this is shared using Microsoft Teams https://www.microsoft.com/en-ww/microsoft-teams/log-in - which offers also the opportunity to collaborate via chats for on-line students.

Evidence of learning is recorded against learning objectives – an important element is self-assessment and peer assessment which validates teacher assessment. Assessment is for learning and not for judging. 

In general, the focus is on learners being intrinsically motivated so learning is focused on responding to a challenge that they believe is within their capabilities, and ensuring that learners feel a sense of autonomy and control over their learning. There is strong support for a much greater focus on knowledge application in learning and for the development of skills that enable young learners to apply their learning to meaningful challenges and problems. 

For example, the study on immunity is not focused on the ‘Vaccine’ for COViD – which enable students to think critically and use sophisticated knowledge, skills understanding. 

Teachers focus on teaching, coaching, mentoring, and ensuring that learners targets are appropriate, supportive, and challenging.

There is meaningful collaboration, where learners are able to plan ahead and direct their learning to achieve challenging but realistic learning goals. 

Achieving a step on their learning journey towards “deeper understanding” acts as a key motivator to achieve more at a greater depth, increasing social acceptance, task orientation and improved self-esteem.

Finnish ideology inspires young learners progress to the next learning objective once they have mastered the one. There is flexibility in relation to the timing of teaching and learning to accommodate young learners’ widely varying levels of attainment. Teachers have autonomy curriculum and teaching design in terms of what they teach and when they teach it.   Most important is the relevance and focus on creativity.

Assessment encourages young learners’ sense of autonomy and control over their own learning and provide opportunities for metacognitive behaviours such as goal setting and monitoring learning progress, including the ability to reflect on long-term improvements.

It ensures every that young learner can make ongoing progress through self, peer and teacher assessment, which effectively guides the learner to the next steps on their learning journey. 

Curiosity, discovery, wonder and passion aim to be the prime motivators and features of learning for every young learner throughout the school.

Skills in using technologies, sourcing and analysing information, critical and creative thinking, collaborating and communicating through practical applications, problem solving activities or investigative projects.  

These are essential components in developing young learners’ abilities to build and extend their area of learning knowledge whilst developing an important range of skills in using that knowledge so that learners ‘learn how to learn’ within the curriculum and assessment framework.

At the Finnish School of Kosovo, students are seen as unique whose individual strengths are nurtured.  Educational guidance by the teachers is seen as essential aiming to support and guide all students so that they can all perform as well as possible and make correct and appropriate decisions concerning their education and careers.  There is a strong support system in place. 

General support is provided firstly to meet a student’s need for support. This usually means individual pedagogical solutions as well as guidance and support measures that address the situation at the earliest possible stage as part of the daily life in the school. Intensified support is more continuous, stronger, and individualized support for student's learning.

An individual educational plan (IEP) is drawn up for the pupil. Special support consists of special education and other support needed by the student. Special education and other support received by the student form a systematic whole. Parental support, interprofessional cooperation and individual guidance are important.

Diverse learning environments and methods promote active learning. For example, field trips, cultural exchange programs, and inter-class programs that enrich the learning experience.

The joy of learning through playing is also important, particularly in early childhood classes.

The Finnish curriculum uses an integrative approach which aims for pupils understand the relationship and inter-dependencies between different subjects, for example, learning is project based where knowledge and skills of different are cross disciplinary. As students approach High School the curriculum used prepares students to take A-level examinations, which will require additional home learning and practice of examination skills and 21st Century skills. 

 A perfect learning based solution blending Finnish and International curricula with a focus on learning...

Dr. Tassos Anastasiades