I’ve heard people say that the Finnish school system is based on trust. The culture, they say, is vastly different here, and they argue that this ingredient drives the success of Finland’s schools.
I want to start investigating the role of trust in education with you. In particular, what does this trust-based culture look like in Finnish schools and why might it be so important?
In February 2018, I met Miika Tammekann, an elementary school teacher who works at the Martti Ahtisaari school in Kuopio, Finland. Like other class teachers in this country, he teaches just about every subject, but he specializes in woodworking. During my visit to his school, I watched his classroom in action and I interviewed him about his approach to teaching.
The word “trust” came up a lot.
At one point during my visit, I noticed several of his students slip into a room where they could easily access a blowtorch. (This tool is something that Miika will use to help his students complete their woodworking projects.) I brought my observation to Miika’s attention and he assured me that they wouldn’t turn on this blowtorch.
How did he know?
“I trust them,” he told me. “I have to trust. And if I don’t trust them, they are not here.”
On another occasion, I noticed a boy using a knife so sharp it made me uncomfortable. I asked Miika if the child could cut off his finger with that tool.
“If he cuts [himself], he will learn,” he told me with a smile. We both laughed, but I knew he wasn’t joking about this philosophy.
He added, “Nobody’s telling me afterwards, they cut their finger! That’s life.”
See Miika’s woodworking classroom with your own eyes and watch the Taught by Finland vlog’s episode 3 below or HERE!
Please leave a comment on YouTube and, if you’d like to catch more Finnish education videos, subscribe to the channel!
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Timothy D. Walker is an American teacher living in Finland and the author of the book Teach Like Finland: 33 Simple Strategies for Joyful Classrooms. He is a contributing writer on education issues for The Atlantic.
