Finnish Lessons

Pasi Sahlberg asserts many of the current educational reform efforts in the U.S. are detrimental to teaching and learning. He suggests, for example, performance related pay for teachers results in a highly competitive teaching culture that prevents meaningful collaboration and teamwork. In addition, he also asserts the emphasis on standardized testing has had harmful repercussions, particularly for students in urban school districts and those who attend "failing" schools. Sahlberg contends educational reform in the US is moving in the opposite direction of efforts in countries like Finland, China, and Singapore-countries whose students outperform our's on international standardized measures of achievement. Sahlberg's premise is that the educational policies and reforms taking place in Finland could be successfully replicated here in the U.S. Do you agree or disagree with Sahlberg? If no, why not? And if yes, which reforms do you think could work here at Woodstock Academy?