October 17, 2023
Students and faculty members from the The School of Education at St. John’s University were joined by New York City school administrators and teachers for a lecture, “Combining Excellence and Ethics in Finnish Education: the Role of Teachers” given by Kirsi Tirri, Ph.D., a Professor from the University of Helsinki, Finland, on October 12.
The lecture was sponsored by Project LEADER, a federally funded project aimed to improve teaching and learning by supporting creative and exemplary pedagogy and practices for English learners (ELs). The project is a collaboration between St. John’s University and schools in New York City and surrounding counties with high EL populations.
“This lecture was part of Project LEADER’s focus on mentoring administrators and teachers to promote achievement, equity, and social justice for ENL and all students,” said Seokhee Cho, Ph.D., Professor and Codirector of Project LEADER.
Dr. Tirri explained how the Finnish education system prioritizes the holistic development of children, aiming to strike a harmonious balance between intelligence and character and excellence and ethics, fostering lifelong learning, and instilling a sense of purpose and meaning in life. Consistent with these educational objectives, teachers are highly regarded as ethical professionals on par with doctors and lawyers, and they have been taking the Comenius Oath (akin to the Hippocrates Oath) since 2017.
In recent years, Finnish schools have seen a drop from their former number-one ranking in international comparative studies, like the Program for International Student Assessment. This has coincided with the implementation of an interdisciplinary curriculum with a holistic educational approach and the challenges of an increasingly diverse Finnish society. Finnish education, however, remains committed to the comprehensive growth of individuals.