The Finnish Educational System: The Place of Private Schools –

autonomy and curriculum

Associate Professor Jari Salminen

University of Helsinki

Department of Teacher Education

e-mail: jari.salminen@helsinki.fi

telephone: 19129563

This presentation:

• Some theoretical aspects• Finnish Private School development• Autonomy and curriculum: the future of

Finnish (Private) Schools

School education• past v. future, tradition v. change• dynamo of the modern society: (Hegel,

Marx, Dewey, Spencer, Gadamer, Russell)• economy• politics• ideologies• family structures• pedagogical issues

Explanatory framework *

• The impact of government-centered political control• Reconciliation of ideological, social and local

aspirations• Systemic change• Human capital theory• The reform of economic structures and the

distribution of power in political spheres of interest

* Tyack, D. 1976; Shulman, L.S. 1997, Salminen, J. 2002.

Political and educational circumstances in Finland until 1870´s

• As a part of Sweden, peripheral role

• 1809 an independent Grand Duchy of the Russian empire

• 1809-1850´s byrocratic, slow development in school education

• Tsar Alexander II (1855-1881)

Farming as a profession

1860 90 %

1910 66 %

1950 46 %

1960 35 %

1970 20 %

1975 15 %

Elementary education: a very slow development

• 1866 law

• a very slow progress

1890 20 %

1907 47 %

1921 compulsory education

1936 92 %

J.V. Snellman 1806-1881

• The Hegelian tradition

• finnish language, culture and schools

• tradition and new challenges = synthesis

• national identity, local values

• ”bildung” = ”sivistys”

• education = hidden politics

• confidence of Russian tsar

Finnish Private School History

• Civic society was a very important factor in developing secondary education

• Because of:

- Russian control and byrocracy

- Economy

- Different regional demands

- Language question

- Pedagogigal innovations (swedish speaking schools)

First Private Schools in Finland

• 1830-1850 first girlschools were established ( 1849 first statut for private schools)

• Private School in Hämeenlinna 1812

• Bergenheim´s Realschool in Turku 1843

• Helsingfors Lyceum 1831-1891

• Behms educational institution in Viipuri

Development 1870-1900

• 1860- several private girlschools, 1870- also finnish speaking girlchools

• 1870- finnish speaking lyceums for boys

• 1877 Realschool i Fredrikshamn

• 1882 Nya svenska läröverket

• 1883 Läroverket för gossar och flickor

• 1886 Helsingin suomalainen yhteiskoulu

Co-educational schools in secondary level

• A most rapid development in Europe

• Practical reasons

• 1900 32 schools, 4200 pupils (55 % girls)

• new curriculum, pedagogical innovations

A very important law December 1884

Private school history 1900-1917

• 1900 co-educational secondary schools in countryside

• First special upper-secondary schools:

Helsingin maanviljelyslyseo 1908-

The young republic 1917-1945

• civil war 1918

• private school law 1919

• 1918-1944 106 new private secondary schools were established

• 1930 economic depression, right wing ideologies: IKL, ASK

Pedagogical development 1917-1945

• A very stabil curriculum

• swedish speaking schools more innovative

• problematic question between public primary schools and private secondary schools

• war time problems

Pedagogical development 1945-1980

• war comission in Helsinki 1945-

• new curriculums 1948

• special private schools for music and arts, Steiner school

• left wing influence + Swedish model =

9-year comprehensive school 1968

• Difficult period for private schools

Finnish Educational System

Number of private schools

1870 16 schools

1890 40 schools

1910 78 schools

1930 133 schools

1950 210 schools

1970 360 schools

2006 n. 70 schools

Benefits of Private School

• School autonomy

• Cost effectiviness, less byrocracy

• Idealogical aspects

• Innovations

Helsper, W. 1996.

Pädagogisches Handeln in den Antinomien der Moderne.

Einführung in Grundbegriffe und Grundfragen der Erziehungswissenschaft (S. 15-34).

Krüger, H-H. & Helsper, W.

Leske + Budrich Verlag

Opladen 1996.

SOCIETY CULTURE

PERSON NATURE

SOCIETY CULTURE

CURRICULUM

PERSON NATURE

SOCIETY CULTURE

paradox of rationality

CURRICULUM

PERSON NATURE

SOCIETY CULTURE

paradox of rationality

system

V.

interactions

CURRICULUM

PERSON NATURE

SOCIETY CULTURE

paradox of rationality

system

V.

interactions

CURRICULUM

paradox of individualism

PERSON NATURE

SOCIETY CULTURE

paradox of rationality

system

V.

interactions

CURRICULUM

compulsion

V.

freedom

paradox of individuality

PERSON NATURE

SOCIETY CULTURE

paradox of rationality

system

V.

training interactions

V. CURRICULUM

self-cultivation compulsion

V.

freedom

paradox of individuality

PERSON NATURE

SOCIETY CULTURE

paradox of rationality paradox of pluralisation

system

V.

training interactions

V. CURRICULUM

self-cultivation compulsion

V.

freedom

paradox of individuality

PERSON NATURE

SOCIETY CULTURE

paradox of rationality paradox of pluralism

system differentation

V. V.

training interactions harmony

V. CURRICULUM

self-cultivation compulsion

V.

freedom

paradox of individuality

PERSON NATURE

SOCIETY CULTURE

paradox of rationality paradox pf pluralism

system differentation

V. V.

training interactions integrity

V. CURRICULUM

self-cultivation compulsion

V.

freedom

paradox of individuality paradox of civilization

PERSON NATURE

SOCIETY CULTURE

paradox of rationality paradox of pluralism

system differentation

V. V.

training interactions integrity

V. CURRICULUM

self-cultivation compulsion distance

V. V.

freedom nearness

paradox of individualism paradox of civilization

PERSON NATURE

SOCIETY CULTURE

paradox of rationality paradox of pluralisation

system differentation

V. V.

training interactions integrity socialisation

V. CURRICULUM V.

self cultivation compulsion distance maturation

V. V.

freedom nearness

paradox of individualism paradox of civilization

PERSON NATURE

SOCIETY teaching V. education CULTURE

paradox of rationality paradox of pluralism

system differentation

V. V.

training interactions integrity socialisation

V. CURRICULUM V.

self cultivation compulsion distance maturation

V. V.

freedom nearness

paradox of individualism paradox of civilization

PERSON NATURE

SOCIETY teaching V. education CULTURE

paradox of rationality paradox of pluralism

system differentation

V. V.

training interactions integrity socialisation

V. CURRICULUM V.

self cultivation compulsion distance maturation

V. V.

freedom nearness

paradox of individualism paradox of civilization

PERSON self-education V. development NATURE