Week 12 21/03/11-27/03/11

On Monday I had another school visit only this time to a primary school that works along side a special needs school.  The two were not entirely integrated together but there have been plans to do this.  Having visited a SEN school back in November for a week I thought that having a special needs school work along side a primary school was good to develop awareness of what happens in SEN schools.  The classes where similar as they had a teacher and two or three assistants in the room, yet in this school many teachers were proficient in sign language which was a great aid to their teaching.  Many similar technologies are used here in Turku as are used back in Northern Ireland, for example using a microphone connected to pupil hearing aids.  The goal for these schools was to assist pupils to a stand as close as possible to regular schools.  However I think the assessment measures are better here as the teacher evaluates the pupil’s performance and gives exams of improved work to and outside agenises who wish to observe this.  Whereas pupils need to take a standardised test back in Northern Ireland which many not take into account the pupil’s skill or progress and I feel it does not reflect what and how the pupil has learnt, whereas a report from the teacher would be better.  In Finland the teacher has 100% trust by the powers that be to do what they will.  This makes reports and other documents hold so much more weight as opposed to that which occurs back in Northern Ireland.  If teacher got the same amount of trust and respect as they do in Finland it would radically reduce the work load of the teachers, for the better in my opinion. 

Another significant factor in Finnish education is that parents are in constant contact with the teachers about their child.  This support and reinforcement of learning is, in my opinion, the reason why Finnish schools achieve in international studies.  The pupils do not do more or less work than what is taught back in the UK (if anything they are given less tuition) but it is supported greatly, which is the significant difference and one which I would like to see in education back in Northern Ireland.