Education Valued at An Early Age in Finland
My frame for ASCD's study trip to Finland was to examine complex issues of teaching, learning, and culture within an early childhood development context. I soon discovered that strong cultural values built on responsibility, trust, and respect for education, schools, and teachers pervade Finnish culture and are evident even in early child development.
On our first full day in Finland, we visited the Ministry of Education and Culture-- responsible for developing education, science, cultural, sport and youth policies, and fostering international cooperation in these important fields. Within the Ministry, the Child Welfare division oversees early childhood development programs. These are the programs Finnish children attend, prior to
