Phenomenon-based learning Finnish schools Finland education model

The Finnish Education Revolution Miracle: Beyond the PISA Miracle

An American teacher’s reflection on early childhood and primary education in Finland and Sweden highlights that academic instruction typically begins at age 7, with the years prior focused on nurturing social and emotional intelligence, executive function, and self-regulation through robust support for families and extended parental leave. Children in these systems develop world-class manners, grace, courtesy, self-discipline, and emotional awareness before stepping into formal academics, which is deeply rooted in both culture and educational policy.

Scandinavian Early Education Philosophy

In Scandinavia, the preschool years (up to age 7) are dedicated almost exclusively to social and emotional growth rather than academic drills. This approach is facilitated by social welfare systems that enable extensive parental leave and practical support for families, allowing children to learn through play, peer interaction, and modeled empathy. The Finnish “Educare” model integrates education and care, prioritizing emotional well-being, cooperation, and executive functioning.

Social Emotional Intelligence and Executive Function

Scandinavian pedagogy aims for children to internalize and practice values like kindness, self-control, and empathy, which are threaded through classroom routines and interactions.

• In Finland, terms like emotional intelligence and self-regulation (tunteiden säätely in Finnish) are central to ECEC (Early Childhood Education and Care), where children learn to adjust their own emotions and behaviors, making empathy a core competency.
• Teachers model empathy, listen to children, and encourage open dialogue about emotions, fostering resilience and trust.

Cultural Concepts and Indigenous Terms

Finnish and Swedish cultures possess distinctive concepts describing social attitudes against egocentrism and self-centeredness:

• Finnish “Sisu” — not directly about compliance, but reflects determination, self-reliance, and inner strength. It is a character trait celebrated in Finnish society and embedded in pedagogical practices to instill persistence and grit in children.
• In Finnish, terms like kohteliaisuus (courtesy) and hillitty (self-controlled) are associated with prosocial behavior and emotional regulation.
• Swedish “Jantelagen” (literally “The Law of Jante”) — an unwritten cultural code that discourages boastfulness or egocentricity. It emphasizes humility, collective responsibility, and compliance with social norms rather than seeking attention or personal distinction.
• Swedish early education focuses on värdegrund (value foundation) and “democratic participation,” teaching children to respect others, cooperate, and negotiate personal values in the context of collective well-being.

Impact on Child Development

The result is children who display remarkable compliance (the positive type—internally motivated, not authoritarian), self-regulation, and readiness to participate in group activities without excessive adult coercion. The emphasis on empathy, patience, and collective harmony leads to measurable outcomes in well-being, learning motivation, and social competence.

Summary Table: Key Concepts in Finnish and Swedish Education

Language	Core Concept	Local Term	Meaning / Practice
Finnish	Determination	Sisu	Grit, resilience, self-reliance
Finnish	Courtesy / Empathy	Kohteliaisuus, Empatia	Social responsibility, kindness
Finnish	Self-Regulation	Hillitty	Emotional adjustment, impulse control
Swedish	Humility / Compliance	Jantelagen	Humility, collective ethos vs. egocentrism
Swedish	Values / SEL	Värdegrund, Empati	Value-based education, empathy, democracy, participation

Educators visiting Finnish and Swedish classrooms often note the absence of attention-seeking, egocentric behaviors and the presence of deep-rooted cultural expectations for empathy, cooperation, and modesty, which originate from a system designed to nurture the whole child before academic instruction begin

From War-Torn Nation to Educational Pioneer: The Finnish Education Journey

Finland's educational transformation is one of the most remarkable success stories of the late 20th century. From a nation devastated by war in the 1940s with limited natural resources, Finland rebuilt itself through strategic investment in human capital. The comprehensive school reform of the 1970s laid the foundation for what would become a globally admired education system.

Current PISA Performance: A Nuanced Picture

While Finland's PISA dominance has evolved since its peak in 2006, the 2022 results reveal a more complex narrative. Finnish students scored 490 points in reading, 484 points in mathematics, and 511 in science, maintaining performance above OECD averages despite global declines. However, Finland was no longer ranked number one in math among PISA participants. It was twentieth, marking a significant shift from its earlier dominance.

This decline isn't unique to Finland. In 1990, education spending took up 6.2% of Finland's GDP. By 2022, that figure was 5.5%, and reduced funding has led to larger class sizes and fewer resources. Yet Finland continues to excel in creative thinking, with 15-year-olds achieved high scores in the Creative Thinking assessment, outperforming the OECD average.

Weekly Class Schedule

Time	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
8:00-8:45 AM	Small group: Finnish Language (Group B)	phenomenon-based learning (PhBL)	phenomenon-based learning (PhBL)	phenomenon-based learning (PhBL)	phenomenon-based learning (PhBL)
9:00-9:45 AM	Finnish Language	Small group: Mathematics (Group A)	English	Environmental Studies	English
10:00-10:45 AM	Environmental Studies	Environmental Studies	Mathematics	History and Social Studies	Finnish Language
11:00-11:45 AM	Mathematics	Music	Sports	Finnish Language	Mathematics
12:00-12:45 PM	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch
12:15-1:00 PM	Religion/Ethics	Finnish Language	Handicrafts	Arts	Physical Education
1:15-2:00 PM	Small group: Mathematics (Group B)	Handicrafts (project completion)	Small group: Finnish Language (Group A)	Physical Education	Morality/Character Education

The Phenomenal Education Revolution: Beyond Traditional Learning

One of Finland's most innovative contributions to global education is phenomenon-based learning (PhBL), introduced into the national curriculum in 2014. There are five dimensions of a phenomenon-based approach to education: holisticity, authenticity, contextuality, problem-based inquiry, and open-ended learning processes.

This approach breaks down traditional subject silos, encouraging students to explore real-world phenomena through multiple disciplinary lenses. For example, students might study climate change by combining science, geography, mathematics, and social studies, creating a more integrated understanding of complex global issues.

The Craft Education Legacy: Sloyd and Creative Expression

Finland's commitment to hands-on learning has deep historical roots. Originating in Finland in eighteen-sixty-five, Educational Sloyd used handicrafts practised in schools to promote educational completeness through the interdependence of the mind and body. This philosophy spread globally and continues to influence Finnish education today.

Modern Finnish schools maintain robust craft education programs where students have space to think critically, solve problems, and express their creativity. And as they grow in competence, they receive greater autonomy from their teachers. Pupils design their own handicraft processes in a guided way. In handicraft classes teacher teaches different techniques, perseverance and skills to handle different materials appropriately and also creatively.

The Trust-Based System: Less Control, More Quality

Finland's education philosophy fundamentally differs from many global systems through its emphasis on trust over control. There are no standardized tests until age 16, no school rankings, and no external inspections. Instead, the system relies on "intelligent accountability" - professional trust in teachers and school leaders combined with continuous self-evaluation.

Teachers in Finland are highly respected professionals, requiring a master's degree and passing through rigorous selection processes where only about 10% of applicants are accepted into elementary teacher education programs. This creates a culture where teaching is viewed as a prestigious career choice.

Finnish "forest schools" are a form of nature-based education, particularly for early childhood, that integrate learning into the natural forest environment and are a part of the national curriculum. Instead of isolated field trips, these programs embed learning outdoors in all weather conditions, transforming nature into a "living textbook" for core academic and social-emotional subjects. The focus is on hands-on exploration, fostering deep, experiential learning, promoting physical development, and nurturing a profound connection with the environment and nature. 

 Sisu: The Cultural Foundation of Finnish Education

The concept of "sisu" - a uniquely Finnish quality of stoic determination, resilience, and grit - permeates the educational philosophy. This cultural value emphasizes perseverance through challenges and has become integral to how Finnish schools approach student development and well-being.

The Three-Tier Support System: Ensuring No Student is Left Behind

Finland's inclusive approach to special education operates on three levels:

Level 1: General Support - Provided by regular teachers with special education teacher assistance, addressing minor learning difficulties immediately.

Level 2: Intensified Support - More structured intervention combining regular and special education resources for students needing additional help.

Level 3: Special Support - Comprehensive support requiring formal assessment and individualized education plans, often involving multidisciplinary teams.

This system ensures that support is seamlessly integrated, with other students often unaware of the specific interventions their classmates receive, maintaining dignity and inclusion.

Current Challenges and Adaptations

Despite its successes, Finnish education faces modern challenges. The deterioration in performance, however, is evenly distributed between genders, though girls now slightly outperform boys in mathematics. Socioeconomic inequality has increased, and fewer students read for pleasure, impacting overall performance.

The system is adapting through initiatives focused on digitalization, internationalization, and ensuring students engage in at least one hour of physical activity daily. New pedagogical approaches are being tested to maintain Finland's educational edge while addressing contemporary challenges.

Food for Thought

The Assessment Paradox: Finland achieves high performance without frequent testing. What does this suggest about the role of assessment in learning? Could excessive testing actually hinder educational progress?

Trust vs. Control: Finnish teachers operate with remarkable autonomy compared to their international counterparts. How might high-stakes accountability measures in other systems affect teacher creativity and student learning?

The Well-being Factor: Finnish schools prioritize student well-being alongside academic achievement. In an increasingly competitive global environment, is this approach sustainable, or does it represent the future of education?

Cultural Translation: Finland's success is deeply rooted in its cultural values of equality, trust, and sisu. Can educational practices be successfully transplanted across different cultural contexts?

The Digital Divide: As education becomes increasingly digital, how can systems maintain the hands-on, experiential learning that characterizes Finnish craft education and phenomenon-based learning?

Fascinating Finnish Education Facts

🏫 School Architecture: Many Finnish schools are designed without traditional corridors, instead featuring open learning spaces that encourage collaboration and flexible teaching arrangements.

📚 No Homework Myth: Contrary to popular belief, Finnish students do receive homework, but it's typically less than the OECD average and emphasizes quality over quantity.

🍎 Free Everything: Education is completely free from pre-primary through university, including meals, transportation, learning materials, and even school supplies.

🎨 Arts Integration: Every Finnish student must learn at least one musical instrument and engage in visual arts, craft education, and physical education throughout their basic education.

🌲 Forest Schools: Many Finnish schools incorporate outdoor education, with some classes held entirely in forests to connect students with nature and develop environmental consciousness.

👥 Class Size Reality: While often cited as having small classes, Finland's average class sizes are actually similar to the OECD average - the difference lies in teaching quality and student support.

🏃‍♀️ Movement Culture: Finnish schools integrate movement throughout the day, with many schools requiring 15-minute breaks between lessons and encouraging outdoor activity regardless of weather.

🧠 Late Start Advantage: Finnish children don't begin formal academic instruction until age 7, spending early years in play-based learning environments that develop social and emotional skills.

🌍 Language Learning: Most Finnish students learn at least three languages: Finnish (or Swedish), English, and typically German, French, or Russian, reflecting the country's commitment to global citizenship.

🎭 Drama and Philosophy: Finnish schools often include philosophy discussions and drama education as core components, believing these develop critical thinking and emotional intelligence essential for the 21st century.

The Finnish education model continues to evolve, balancing its foundational principles of equity, trust, and holistic development with the demands of an increasingly complex global landscape. While its PISA rankings may have shifted, Finland's commitment to student well-being, creative thinking, and inclusive education remains a compelling vision for the future of learning.