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2 Liu Huan Author International Student Education Center Chiang Rai Rajabhat University Editors Prawet Wetcha Priroj Doungnakhorn Boonchob Chantapoon Thuschai Chansa Yiching Saejao
3 Liu Huan Author International Student Education Center Chiang Rai Rajabhat University Guarantee Sahatthaya Sitthiwiset Director of International Student Education Center Sornchai Mungthaisong President of Rajabhat University Chiang Rai.
i Preface Basic education plays a vital role in shaping the future of a country and the prospects of society. Finland's basic education system has always attracted international attention and is known as one of the most successful education systems in the world. This article will explore the key features, objectives, education system, teacher training and development, teaching methods, curriculum, student assessment, educational equity, diversity and inclusion, student well-being and support services, family and community involvement, schools Management and operations, technology and innovative applications, mental health and well-being issues, leadership and management selection and training, financial management and resource allocation, challenges facing education, international cooperation and exchanges, and future development trends. Finland's basic education system is known for its excellent quality, equity and innovation, providing valuable experience and inspiration for the global education field. In this article, weìll take a closer look at this compelling education system, explorethe reasons behind its success, and look at possible
ii future directions. Finlandìs educational experience may provide valuable reference for educational reforms in other countries and help shape a more prosperous and equitable education system. Letìs dive into the many facets of Finnish basic education to understand what makes this education system unique and its important place on the global education stage. I hope this article can provide you with a comprehensive understanding of basic education in Finland and inspire you to think and discuss education.
iii About the author Liu Huan Education background DoctorofEducation(Educational Administration and Education Leader) Master of Philosophy (Philosophy of Science and Technology) Bachelor of Engineering (Textile Engineering) Work experience DehongVocational and Technical College (Teacher) Honghe Vocational and Technical College (Teacher)
a Table Preface ................................................................................................................................i About the author............................................................................................................iii Table.................................................................................................................................. a 1、What are the main goals of basic education in Finland?...................... 1 2、How is the basic education system organized in Finland?................... 3 3、How are Finnish basic education teachers selected and trained?...... 5 4、How do teachers in Finland receive professional development and continuing education?.......................................................................................... 7 5、What teaching methods are used in Finnish basic education? ........... 9 6、What are the characteristics of Finland’s curriculum? .........................12 7、How is student progress assessed and monitored in Finland? .........15 8、What is special about Finland’s approach to student assessment? .18 9、How does Finnish basic education policy promote educational equity? ...............................................................................................................21 10、How is student diversity and inclusion addressed in Finland? ........24 11、What are the student welfare and support services in Finnish basic education?.............................................................................................................27 12、How do families and communities participate in basic education in Finland? 30 13、How are basic education schools in Finland managed and operated? ...............................................................................................................33 14、How is technology and innovation integrated into the Finnish basic education system?...............................................................................................36 15、How does Finland deal with the mental health and well-being of students in basic education? ............................................................................39 16、In Finland, how are the leaders and management of basic education schools selected and trained? ..........................................................................42 17、How are financial management and resource allocation carried out in Finnish basic education? ...............................................................................44 18、What are the main challenges facing the Finnish education system? ...............................................................................................................47 19、What is the international cooperation and exchange situation in Finnish basic education?....................................................................................49
b 20、What is the future development trend of basic education in Finland? ...............................................................................................................52 After-class exercises and reference answers.........................................................55 Back cover......................................................................................................................60
1 1、What are the main goals of basic education in Finland? The main goal of basic education in Finland is to provide high-quality education, ensure that every student has equal access to high-quality education, and cultivate them to become independent, creative and socially responsible individuals. The following are the main goals and principles of basic education in Finland: Equality: Finland emphasizes the principle of equality in education to ensure that every student has equal opportunities regardless of their social background, economic status or other characteristics such as gender, cultural background, etc. Personalized learning: The Finnish education system encourages personalized learning to meet the needs and interests of each student. The goal of education is to adjust students' abilities and interests to stimulate their motivation to learn.
2 Autonomy and creativity: Finland emphasizes cultivating students' autonomy, creativity and critical thinking skills, rather than focusing solely on memorization and standardized testing. Comprehensive assessment: The education system emphasizes comprehensive assessment rather than relying on high-pressure examinations. Student performance is assessed in a variety of ways, including class performance, assignments, projects, and oral presentations. Health and well-being: Finland focuses on the health and well-being of students as an important factor for successful learning. They provide a great learning environment and support pupilsì social-emotional development. In general, the main goal of basic education in Finland is to cultivate well-rounded individuals, emphasizing equality, personalized learning and the overall quality of students, not just the transfer of knowledge and test scores. This educational model has attracted international attention and is considered a successful model.
3 2、How is the basic education system organized in Finland? The Finnish basic education system is highly decentralized and localized and consists of the following main components: Pre-school education: The Finnish education system begins with preschool education, usually starting in a kindergarten or similar early education institution, and is provided to children aged 3 to 6 years. Preschool education is designed to promote social-emotional development, language proficiency, and basic skills. Basic education: Basic education in Finland is 9 years old, usually starting from the age of 7 and continuing to 16 years old. Education at this stage is compulsory and all students are entitled to free basic education. Basic education emphasizes interdisciplinary education, not only focusing on academic knowledge, but also on the cultivation of comprehensive quality. High school education: After basic education, students can choose to enter high school ( lukio ) or vocational school ( ammattioppilaitos ). High
4 school is usually three years long and provides a more academically oriented education, preparing students for college or higher education. Vocational education: Vocational schools provide students with practical skills and vocational training, often closely related to job market needs. These schools offer a variety of vocational courses that provide students with the skills needed for employment in a specific industry or field. Higher Education: Finland has a number of universities and university colleges offering a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The higher education system enjoys an excellent international reputation and attracts students from all over the world. The Finnish education system focuses on student autonomy and personalized learning, emphasizing practical applications and interdisciplinary approaches. There are some guiding frameworks for education at the national level, but schools and teachers have a lot of autonomy in terms of flexibility to meet students' needs. This localized education management model helps provide high-quality education and allows adaptation to the needs of different regions and students.
5 3 、 How are Finnish basic education teachers selected and trained? Basic education teacher selection and training in Finland undergoes a carefully planned series of steps, which help ensure that teachers have highquality educational and professional qualities. The following are the main aspects of teacher selection and training in Finland: University education: Teachers in Finland usually need to obtain a bachelor's degree in the field of education from a university. Education is a common subject, but there are also other related fields, such as special education, early childhood education, etc. Undergraduate programs are usually three to four years in length and include theoretical courses and educational internships. Educational internship: Educational internship plays an important role in teacher training in Finland. Future teachers undertake educational internships in schools, working alongside experienced teachers to gain practical educational experience. These internships typically last several months and ensure that teacher candidates can apply their knowledge in real educational settings.
6 Research master's degree: Finland's education system encourages teachers to pursue further studies, and many teachers choose to pursue a research master's degree to improve their professionalism and delve into issues in the field of education. Continuing education: Once you become a teacher, the Finnish education system also encourages teachers to undertake continuing education and professional development. This helps ensure that they are always up to date with their educational methods and domain knowledge. The teacher selection process is rigorous and typically involves interviews and assessment of competency in areas such as pedagogical knowledge, educational practice, and educational philosophy. In addition, after teachers are selected, they usually undergo a period of normal school training to further enhance their professionalism. Finland focuses on the professionalization of teachers and high-quality education, which helps ensure that students receive a high level of education.
7 4、How do teachers in Finland receive professional development and continuing education? Teachers in Finland attach great importance to professional development and continuing education, and they have many opportunities to continuously improve their educational literacy and teaching skills. Here are the main ways teachers in Finland can engage in professional development and continuing education: Normal school and university courses: Teachers can continuously improve their education by taking courses at universities and normal schools. These courses can be master's degree programs or courses specifically designed for professional development in education. Academic studies and research master's degrees: Many teachers choose to participate in academic studies and pursue research master's degrees to improve their professionalism and delve into issues in the field of education. This helps them become not just practitioners of education but also creators of knowledge in the field of education.
8 Educational institutions and professional organizations: Finland has a variety of educational institutions and professional organizations that provide teachers with professional development opportunities. These organizations typically organize workshops, seminars, training courses, and other educational activities to help teachers continually improve their teaching skills. Collaboration within schools: Finnish schools encourage collaboration and cooperation among teachers. Teachers can share best practices with each other within schools, learn from each otherìs experiences, and work together to discuss how to improve the quality of education. Reflection and self-evaluation: Teachers are encouraged to reflect on their own teaching methods and educational practices and constantly seek improvement. This reflection and self-assessment is a key part of professional development. The Finnish education system emphasizes the professionalization of teachers and the importance of continuous learning, which helps ensure that teachers always maintain the latest educational methods and field knowledge and provide high-quality education.
9 5、What teaching methods are used in Finnish basic education? Finnish basic education adopts a unique set of teaching methods and educational principles that contribute to the provision of high-quality, personalized and comprehensive education. The following are some common teaching methods in Finnish basic education: Personalized learning: Finland emphasizes personalized learning, and teachers strive to understand each student's needs and learning style to adapt to their abilities and interests. This approach is designed to ensure that each student is able to learn at their own pace and reach their full potential. Interdisciplinary education: Finlandìs education system encourages interdisciplinary teaching methods, allowing students to make connections between different disciplines and promoting deep learning and creative thinking. Small class sizes: Small class sizes are commonly used in Finnish education, with a relatively small number of students in each class, which helps teachers better focus on the needs and progress of each student.
10 Inquiry-based learning: Finland encourages students to learn through actual inquiry and problem solving, rather than just passively receiving knowledge. This helps stimulate curiosity and initiative in students. Curriculum flexibility: Finlandìs education system has high curriculum flexibility, and schools and teachers have a certain degree of autonomy to adjust teaching content to meet studentsì needs and interests. This means that teaching does not only rely on textbooks, but can also be adjusted according to the actual situation of students. Comprehensive assessment: Finnish education focuses on comprehensive assessment. Teachers will comprehensively consider students' classroom performance, assignments, projects, oral expressions and other factors, rather than relying solely on standardized tests. Language education: Finland emphasizes language education, and multilingual education is common in the country. Students typically study multiple languages, including Finnish, Swedish and English.
11 These teaching methods and principles jointly promote the high quality of Finnish education and the all-round development of students, making it an education model that has attracted much attention internationally.
12 6 、 What are the characteristics of Finland’s curriculum? Finland's curriculum has some unique features that help shape its successful education system. The following are the main features of the Finnish curriculum: Emphasis on interdisciplinary education: Finnish curricula emphasize interdisciplinary education, encouraging students to make connections and integrate knowledge between different disciplines. This helps promote integrative and creative thinking. Personalized learning: The curriculum allows students to choose their own learning paths and areas of interest to a certain extent. This helps personalize learning so that each student can learn according to their own needs and interests. High degree of autonomy: Finland's curriculum gives schools and teachers a high degree of autonomy to plan curriculum according to the needs of students and the characteristics of the school. This encourages innovation and flexibility in schools.
13 Emphasis on comprehensive qualities: Finnish courses not only focus on academic knowledge, but also on cultivating students' comprehensive qualities, including social skills , creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving skills and moral values. Respect the voice of students: Finnish curriculum respects the voices and needs of students and encourages students to participate in the curriculum planning and evaluation process. Student feedback is considered an important basis for course improvement. Multilingual education: Finlandìs curriculum includes multilingual education, with students often learning multiple languages, including Finnish, Swedish and English. Multilingual education helps develop global citizenship. Few standardized tests: Unlike many other countries, Finland has few large-scale standardized tests. Assessment is mainly done through teachersì comprehensive assessment and classroom performance. In general, Finnish curriculum emphasizes personalized learning, interdisciplinary education and the comprehensive development of students,
14 paying attention to students' voice and autonomy, rather than relying solely on standardized education. These characteristics have helped shape Finland's successful education system and put it in the spotlight internationally.
15 7 、 How is student progress assessed and monitored in Finland? The Finnish education system uses a relatively comprehensive approach with a small number of standardized tests to assess and monitor student progress. The following are the main methods used in Finland to assess and monitor student progress: Teacher evaluation: Teachers play a key role in the Finnish education system. They evaluate students' learning progress by observing students' classroom performance, participation, homework completion and project results. This kind of teacher evaluation is very important and is usually more comprehensive and individualized. Comprehensive assessment: Finland emphasizes comprehensive assessment. Teachers will consider a variety of factors to evaluate students, including classroom performance, homework, projects, oral expression, group cooperation, etc. This multidimensional assessment helps provide a more comprehensive understanding of student learning progress.
16 Few standardized tests: Unlike many other countries, Finland has few large-scale standardized tests. However, in some cases, some small-scale standardized tests may be administered , but these tests are relatively small in number and are used only to assist in the assessment of a student's academic progress. Student self-evaluation and reflection: Finland encourages students to engage in self-evaluation and reflection. Students are generally encouraged to evaluate their own learning progress, provide feedback, and engage in discussions about their learning goals and needs. Subject assessment: Finnish schools usually conduct subject assessments to ensure the quality of teaching. These assessments can cover different subjects and topics, helping teachers and schools understand how students are performing in different areas. Career advisors and special education support: If students encounter difficulties in their studies, the Finnish education system provides career advisors and special education support to ensure they receive the necessary help and support.
17 In general, Finnish educational evaluation and monitoring methods focus on multi-dimensional evaluation, attach importance to teacher observation and evaluation, encourage students to participate in evaluation and reflection, and minimize the use of standardized tests. This helps create an educational environment that focuses on personalized learning and all-round quality development.
18 8、What is special about Finland’s approach to student assessment? There is something unique in the global context about Finland's approach to student assessment, which has helped shape its successful education system. Here are some special features of Finnish student assessment methods: Personalized assessment: Finland emphasizes personalized assessment, and teachers will assess each student according to their needs and learning style. Assessment methods will vary from student to student to ensure assessment is relevant and helps studentsprogress. Teacher evaluation: Teachers play a key role in the Finnish education system. They evaluate students' learning progress by observing students' classroom performance, participation, homework completion and project results. This kind of teacher evaluation is very important and is usually more comprehensive and individualized. Comprehensive assessment: Finnish assessment emphasizes comprehensiveness, and teachers will consider a variety of factors to evaluate students, including classroom performance, assignments , projects, oral
19 expressions, group cooperation, etc. This multidimensional assessment helps provide a more comprehensive understanding of student learning progress. Few standardized tests: Finland has few large-scale standardized tests. However, in some cases, some small-scale standardized tests may be administered, but these tests are relatively small in number and are used only to assist in the assessment of a student's academic progress. Student participation in assessment: Finland encourages students to participate in self-evaluation and reflection. Students are generally encouraged to evaluate their own learning progress, provide feedback, and engage in discussions about their learning goals and needs. Focus on overall quality: Finnish student assessment not only focuses on academic performance, but also emphasizes cultivating students' comprehensive qualities, including social skills, creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and moral values. Career advisors and special education support: If students encounter difficulties in their studies, the Finnish education system provides career
20 advisors and special education support to ensure they receive the necessary help and support. In general, Finnish student assessment methods focus on personalized, comprehensive and multi-dimensional assessment, emphasizing the role of teachers and student participation rather than relying on large-scale standardized tests. This helps to create an educational environment that focuses on studentsì comprehensive development and personalized learning.
21 9 、 How does Finnish basic education policy promote educational equity? Finlandìs basic education policy has adopted a series of measures aimed at promoting educational equity and ensuring that every student has equal access to high-quality education. The following are the main ways in which Finnish basic education policy promotes educational equity: Equal opportunities: Finlandìs education policy emphasizes the principle of equality in education, ensuring that every student has equal opportunities to receive education, regardless of their social background, economic status, cultural background or other characteristics such as gender. Comprehensive schools: Finnish schools are all comprehensive schools, regardless of grade. Students receive education in the same school without being separated according to ability. This helps reduce inequalities between educational stages. Small class sizes: Finnish schools often have small class sizes, with relatively few students in each class, which helps teachers better focus on each student's needs and progress and reduces inequality.
22 Free education: Basic education in Finland is free, including tuition, fees, textbooks, lunch, etc. This ensures that every student has access to education regardless of financial constraints. Educational support and special education: The Finnish education system provides educational support and special education to meet the needs of students with learning difficulties or special needs. This helps reduce inequalities and ensures that every student receives appropriate support. Language support: Finland focuses on multilingual education to ensure that students with different language backgrounds can receive appropriate language support and have the opportunity to participate in education. Education research and policy development: The Finnish government and education institutions conduct extensive education research to understand the root causes of inequality and develop policies to address these issues. Education reform: Finland continues to carry out education reforms to continuously improve the quality and equity of education and ensure that the education system can adapt to social and economic changes.
23 In general, Finland's basic education policy is committed to promoting educational equity and ensuring that every student has an equal opportunity to obtain high-quality education by emphasizing equality, providing free education, small class sizes, multi-language support and special education. . These policies and practices are highly praised internationally and are considered to be effective ways to promote educational equity.
24 10 、 How is student diversity and inclusion addressed in Finland? Finland's approach to student diversity and inclusion is an important part of the success of its education system. Here are some key aspects of how Finland deals with these issues: Comprehensive schools: Finnish schools are comprehensive and nongraded, meaning that students are educated in the same school and are not separated based on ability or background. This helps reduce social and academic divisions and promotes inclusive education. Small class sizes: Finnish schools usually use small class sizes, with relatively few students in each class, which helps teachers better focus on the needs of each student and provide personalized support. Educational support and special education: The Finnish education system provides a wide range of educational support, including special education, to meet the needs of students with learning difficulties or special needs. Educational support includes personalized assistance to ensure each student is successful.
25 Multilingual education: Finland focuses on multilingual education to ensure that students with different language backgrounds can receive appropriate language support and have the opportunity to participate in education. Swedish and English are also commonlanguages of instruction in schools. Student participation and reflection: Finland encourages students to participate in the educational process, evaluate their own learning progress, provide feedback, and participate in discussions about their learning goals and needs. This helps to enhance studentsì self-confidence and self-management skills. Teacher training and awareness: Teachers in Finland receive training on diversity and inclusion to increase their competence and awareness in dealing with students with different needs. Educational research and policy development: The Finnish government and educational institutions conduct extensive educational research to understand the root causes of diversity and inclusion issues and develop policies to address them.
26 Overall, Finland adopts a comprehensive approach to student diversity and inclusion issues, including policy, practice, training and research. This helps create an inclusive educational environment that ensures every student has access to equal educational opportunities and is supported, regardless of their background and needs. These efforts help advance equity and diversity in the education system.
27 11、What are the student welfare and support services in Finnish basic education? Finland's basic education system provides a variety of student welfare and support services to ensure students' overall development and well-being. Here are some student welfare and support services in Finnish basic education: Free education: Basic education in Finland is free, including tuition, textbooks and lunch. This ensures that every student has access to education, regardless of their financial circumstances. Special education support: The Finnish education system provides special education support to meet the needs of students with learning difficulties or special needs. This includes personalized teaching plans and resource support. Academic and Career Advisors: Students can receive support from academic and career advisors to help them make informed decisions about school and careers.
28 Mental health support: Schools often provide mental health support, including psychologists and counselors, to help students deal with emotional and mental health issues. Diet and Health: The school provides healthy lunches and physical activities to promote students' physical health. Inclusive support: Finlandìs education system emphasizes inclusivity and strives to ensure that every student has equal access to education, regardless of background or special needs. Multilingual support: For students with different language backgrounds, Finland provides multilingual support to help them integrate into the education system. Student Involvement: Students are often encouraged to participate in school affairs and decision-making to promote their sense of participation and autonomy. These student welfare and support services help ensure that every student has access to a high-quality education and receives comprehensive support in
29 school to meet their needs and promote their wellbeing . The Finnish education system focuses on the overall development of students, not just academic performance.
30 12、How do families and communities participate in basic education in Finland? Improve students' learning and all-round development. Here are some ways how families and communities can get involved in basic education in Finland: Family involvement: The Finnish education system encourages parents to be involved in their childrenìs education. Parents often maintain close contact with the school, participating in parent meetings, parent-teacher associations and other school events. They work with teachers to discuss student progress and needs. Homework and learning support: Families will often assist children with homework and provide learning support and encouragement to ensure students have a positive learning environment at school and at home. School Activities and Projects: Schools often organize various activities and projects that involve families and the community. These activities can include family days, cultural festivals, sports competitions, etc., helping to strengthen the connection between the school and the community.
31 Family education: Family education in Finland is very important, and parents are encouraged to provide educational support and cultivate the overall quality of their children. The value of family education is considered an important supplement to school education. Community resources: Schools often work with local communities to leverage community resources to enrich students' learning experiences. This may include cultural institutions, sports clubs, libraries etc. Student health and well-being: Families and communities also work with schools to focus on student mental health and well-being. They can provide support and resources to ensure students' holistic development. Participation in decision-making: In Finland, parents and community members sometimes participate in decisions about school and education policies. They can participate on school boards, boards of education, and other decisionmaking bodies to influence educational policy and practice. Overall, Finland values family and community involvement as critical to student success and effective school operations . This close collaboration helps
32 build an educational ecosystem that supports the all-round development of students.
33 13、How are basic education schools in Finland managed and operated? Basic education schools in Finland are managed and operated in a decentralized and autonomous manner. The following are the main features of basic education school management and operation in Finland: Autonomy: Finnish schools enjoy a high degree of autonomy. The school leadership team usually consists of the principal and members of the education committee, who are responsible for the management and decision-making of the school. This autonomy allows schools to develop educational programs and policies based on their own needs and characteristics. School Board: Every school usually has a school board consisting of the principal, teachers, parents and student representatives. The Board of Trustees is responsible for a variety of school affairs, including budget, curriculum planning, and school policies. Small class sizes: Finnish schools generally have small class sizes, with a relatively small number of students in each class. This helps teachers better focus on each student's needs and progress.
34 Teaching staff: Teachers in Finland generally enjoy higher professional status and autonomy, and they have more decision-making power in curriculum design and teaching methods. Teachers are seen as key drivers of educational improvement. Personalized learning: Finnish schools encourage personalized learning, with teachers working hard to understand each studentìs needs and learning style to adapt to their abilities and interests. Interdisciplinary education: Finnish curricula emphasize interdisciplinary education, and teachers encourage students to make connections and integrate knowledge between different disciplines. Educational resources: Educational resources are usually distributed relatively evenly to ensure that each school has enough resources to provide high-quality education. This helps reduce inequalities between schools. In general, Finnish basic education school management and operations emphasize decentralization, autonomy, and teacher professionalism. This model aims to encourage schools and teachers to better meet the needs of students and
35 provide personalized and high-quality education. Education policy is usually formulated by the state, but at the school level, schools and teachers have greater autonomy to make decisions based on student needs and school characteristics. This management and operating model is considered part of Finland's successful education system.
36 14、How is technology and innovation integrated into the Finnish basic education system? Finland's basic education system focuses on incorporating technology and innovation to provide a more modern, flexible and effective education. Here are some of the ways in which technology and innovation are integrated into the Finnish basic education system: Information technology education: Finland regards information technology education as vital, and schools are often equipped with modern computer equipment and Internet connections. Students have extensive exposure to computers and digital technologies and learn how to use technology effectively. Online resources and digital teaching materials: Schools use online resources and digital teaching materials to enrich course content, which helps students make better use of technology for learning. Digital teaching materials can also be personalized to the needs of students. Electronic education platform: Some schools use electronic education platforms to manage teaching and student information. Teachers and students
37 can share learning materials, exchange information and complete assignments on the platform. Online learning and blended education: Some schools offer opportunities for online learning and blended education, which means students can study part of their course online, allowing for more flexibility in scheduling their studies. Innovative educational methods: The Finnish education system encourages teachers to try innovative educational methods, including projectbased learning, collaborative learning and problem-solving learning. Technology can be used to support the implementation of these educational methods. Programming education: Finland regards programming and computational thinking as important components of education, and students have the opportunity to learn programming and computer science. Educational Research and Innovation Centers: Finland has several educational research and innovation centers dedicated to developing new
38 educational technologies and educational methods to improve the quality of education. Educational policy support: Finlandìs education policy supports the application of technology and innovation, encouraging schools to adopt the latest educational technology to improve teaching effectiveness. In general, Finland's basic education system regards technology and innovation as important educational resources and is committed to providing students with a modern learning experience. Educational institutions, teachers and the government all play an active role in promoting the application of educational technology and educational innovation to continuously improve the quality of education and teaching effectiveness. This helps keep the Finnish education system at the forefront internationally.
39 15、How does Finland deal with the mental health and well-being of students in basic education? Finland is very concerned about the mental health and well-being of students in basic education and has taken various measures to deal with these issues. Here are the main ways in which Finland deals with student mental health and well-being: School mental health support: Schools often provide mental health support services, including psychologists, psychotherapists, and counselors. Students can seek help from mental health professionals to deal with emotional and mental health issues. Prevention and publicity activities: The school carries out prevention and publicity activities to increase the mental health awareness of students, parents and teachers. These activities can include mental health education, symposiums, workshops, etc. Student Participation: Finland encourages students to participate in school decisions and activities to enhance their sense of participation and
40 autonomy. Students can take an active role in school affairs and participate in social and academic activities. Family involvement: Parents often have close links with schools and can work with them to ensure students' mental health is supported and attended to. Schools may hold regular meetings with parents to share student progress and issues. Community resources: Schools often work with the community to leverage community resources to support student mental health and well-being. This includes working with mental health organizations, social service agencies and youth centers, among others. Knowledge sharing: Finnish educational institutions and professional organizations encourage knowledge sharing and collaboration between teachers and mental health professionals to increase awareness of and ability to address student mental health issues.
41 Education policy: Finnish education policy supports schoolsì work on mental health and well-being issues and provides appropriate resources and support. Overall, Finland takes a comprehensive approach to the mental health and well-being of students in basic education. Collaboration between schools, families, communities and professionals, as well as mental health education and prevention activities, help ensure studentsì mental health is properly attended to and that support and resources are provided to address underlying issues. This helps create an environment conducive to learning and growth.
42 16 、 In Finland, how are the leaders and management of basic education schools selected and trained? The selection and training of leaders and management of Finnish basic education schools usually follows the following methods: Principal selection: The principal is the leader of the school and is responsible for the management and decision-making of the school. Principals are usually appointed by the education department or local government, and they need to have educational leadership experience and relevant qualifications. Teacher training and promotion: Teachers often need to pass educational leadership training courses to qualify for principal or deputy principal positions. They need to have certain teaching experience and leadership skills, as well as training to be competent in management positions. School Board: Every school usually has a school board, made up of teacher, parent and student representatives. The Board of Directors is responsible for various affairs of the school and participates in the selection process of the principal.