Issue link: https://trevordayschool.uberflip.com/i/1315612
I n March of 2019, I traveled to Finland with a group of 30 New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) educators to learn about the Finnish school system. During this eight-day adventure, we visited four schools, and were privileged to meet with six principals. We also spent a day at the University of Eastern Finland, site of the country's leading teaching preparation program. We approached this trip expecting to learn a great deal; the experience exceeded our high expectations. As adapted from its website, PISA is a triennial international survey. It aims to evaluate worldwide education systems by testing the skills and knowledge of 15-year- old students who are nearing the end of their compulsory education. PISA assesses how well they can apply what they have learned in school to real-life situations. Thus far, over 90 countries (including the United States) have participated in the assessment, which began in 2000. Every three years, students are tested in reading, mathematics, and science. In addition to these three subjects, students are tested in non-academic abilities, such as collaborative problem solving (in 2015) and global competence (in 2018). Students also complete a background questionnaire, which provides far-ranging contextual data. They are asked, for example, about their parents' level of education—and even "how many possessions are in the household?" Finland has garnered worldwide acclaim for earning the highest scores within the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) multiple times over the past decade. When students (and teachers) are healthy and happy, they learn Finland's national standards dictate a 15-minute outdoor break for every 45 minutes of class- room time. Remember, Finland's weather in March is cold and biting—the day we visited, it was 20 degrees Fahrenheit and snowing; I found it difficult to be outside for any amount of time. Is Finland "teaching to this test"? It seems unlikely, given that Finnish students take only one national standardized test during their entire primary and secondary schooling, and it is entirely voluntary. Teachers and administrators— not computers—score it. This trip showed me that the Finnish education system teaches to the whole child and works to instill respect, safety, and a love of learning. It was also affirming—and heartening—to recognize how much Trevor's mission, vision, and pedagogy resonated in almost everything I witnessed. What many characterized as innovative and revolutionary in Finnish education have been tenets of Trevor since its inception. Finnish schools and Trevor are both invested in graduating thoughtful, creative, independent students who have learned to think critically and analytically. Mikko Leppänen, principal of Viherlaakson Koulu, a comprehensive school in Helsinki, spoke a great deal about trust in the teachers and students. He struck me as the ideal administrator, whose vision and leadership were evident throughout the school. He has, it seemed, embraced innovation and has been able to originate programs and curricula by creating and cultivating a foundation of communication, collaboration, respect, and autonomy. So much of what I saw was familiar: School principals complete a questionnaire about how they manage their schools. The compilation of this data is thought to provide insights into how students' backgrounds and the school environment combine to influence their performance. 3 1 T R E V O R D AY S C H O O L n W I N T E R 2 0 1 9 – 2 0 2 0