Why Finland has fewer tests and smarter kids by Kala Kachmar

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"Finnish students consistently rank at the top in reading and math internationally." summarizes Kala Kachmar, Watchdog/projects reporter at the Asbury Park Press.

Finnish students consistently rank at the top in reading and math internationally. Pasi Sahlberg, a visiting professor of international education from Finland at Harvard University, identifies key differences in the two education systems:

Photo: Pasi Sahlberg

1. There's no common standard that every student is expected to meet. 
In Finland, students aren't measured against the same benchmark — they're measured against themselves. "The whole ethos of education is different. The main philosophy of schooling is to try to teach everyone to be different and foster individual talents and strengths." In America, performance is based on average performance statistics in each grade level. In Finland, students are graded based on their own personal abilities, and because each child learns at his or her own pace, schools can't be compared to one another.
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Additional resources 
Pasi Sahlberg Blog 
Follow on Twitter as @pasi_sahlberg 

Source: Asbury Park Press