School Partners' Expedition to Finland's Educational Haven

At School Partners, a non-profit committed to enhancing schools through professional development and coaching, we're setting off on an insightful journey to Finland. Renowned for its high-performing education system, Finland offers key lessons on how to create schools that are inclusive, focus on student-well being and are high performing. 

According to the experts, why does Finland's Education System Shine?

Equitable Education for All - 

Finland stands out for ensuring equal quality education for every child. This approach significantly reduces performance gaps, creating a more inclusive and fair educational landscape.

Respect and Autonomy for Teachers - 

In Finland, teachers are highly esteemed and hold master's degrees. They enjoy considerable autonomy, fostering an environment ripe for innovation and responsive teaching.

Focus on Holistic Learning - 

Finnish schools emphasize overall learning and critical thinking over frequent testing. This nurtures a genuine love for learning beyond mere exam performance.

Student Well-being at the Core - 

With shorter school days and emphasis on overall development, Finnish schools prioritize student well-being, producing well-rounded individuals.

Early Support Systems - 

The Finnish model excels in providing early and effective support to students (early interventions), ensuring no one is left behind in their educational journey.

Collaborative Culture - 

Finnish education thrives on collaboration, not competition, a practice extending from inter-school networks to teacher-student relationships.

So, what's School Partners' Finnish mission?

Our Finland visit, filled with conferences and interactions with educators, aims to observe, learn and ask more about these effective practices. We hope to bring these insights back to France, sharing our knowledge with the many schools with which we partner.

Jessica Lament and Emilia Pastor are cofounders of School Partners, a boutique non profit organization that provides professional development, instructional coaching, and school leadership coaching for educators in and out of schools in the Paris area.