Recently, there has been some talk about Finland and the fact that a small country in Europe ranks higher than most of the world in standardized test scores while the United States has flat lined in the middle of the spectrum. Many Ladue students have fixated on one specific aspect of the Finnish system, the lessened importance of grades, and claimed that that one factor is the reason for Finnish success.

Let’s take a quick look at the most important factors that differentiate the United States and Finland:

1. The children are not measured at all for their first six years of schooling and rarely take exams or homework until high school.
2. Finnish elementary school students get about three times as much recess than their American counterparts.
3. 30 percent of students receive extra help during their first nine years of schooling.
4. Teachers are selected from the top ten percent of graduates.
5. High school teachers with 15 years of experience make 102 percent of what other college graduates make as opposed to 62 percent in the United States. 

The first two factors on this list relate to elementary school students. They both make a great deal of sense. Ladue is a school full of students who often don’t enjoy very many of their subjects, a phenomenon that begins in elementary school. Elementary school students should be discovering things on their own, without the hassle of graded assignments. Extra recess is yet another way to relieve the stress of young students and make them recognize that school can be a fun place. The earlier students recognize that school can be fun, the more passionate they will be in the future.

The third step is often overlooked in the United States. There are plenty of students throughout this country who either need extra help to understand difficult concepts or students who need additional challenges to stay interested in school. Ladue is one of many American schools that does not focus on these students. Although classes for gifted students (like Apogee) exist in elementary school and middle school, they are not run effectively. Thus, these students, as well as those who need extra attention, do not receive the chance to achieve as much as they should. In Finland, these students reach their full potential.

Most importantly, Finland’s teachers have far more ability than those in America. While I hate to be critical of Ladue’s teachers, many of whom are some of the best teachers among local school districts, there are quite a few that simply aren’t as good as those in Finland. This is a cultural problem. In Finland, teachers have a higher status in society and make more money, resulting in superior teachers. At Ladue and other schools in our country, teachers simply don’t command as much respect as doctors or lawyers. And for that very reason, schools across the country do not attract the best teachers they could get.

Many students want to focus on Finland’s lack of grading and standardized tests. Some even believe that they would learn more if there was no pressure stemming from grades. Unfortunately, it is incorrect to analyze the United States and Finland, highlight one unique factor, and assume that that is the reason for their success. And frankly, if grades limit learning, let’s eliminate them. Let’s experiment without grades in BC Calculus or AP United States Government during the second semester. Please let me know how you and your class do on the AP test at the end of the year.

I’m just saying.