Now that we have our passports I have been dreaming of all the places we could go. At the top of the short list is Finland. Didn't see that coming did you? My mother, Jeanette, is 100% Finnish. I am half Finnish, half Irish. I am fascinated by this Nordic country.
Twenty years ago Finland was one of the poorer countries in Northern Europe but today is at the top of global lists measuring social, economic and political success. It is a leading force in new technology and is home to the world largest cell phone company, Nokia. Also, according to Freedom House, Finland is now the world's #1 most democratic country (the U.S. is 15).
Where did Finland's meteoric rise come from? Education. Practically the entire world is looking at Finland's simple and free model of education as the way it should be done. Check out this article from the Wallstreet Journal from earlier this year. Teachers are highly-skilled and well-paid. Elementary teachers must have at least a master's degree. The Journal's article attributes their success to another reason as well:
One explanation for the Finns' success is their love of reading. Parents of newborns receive a government-paid gift pack that includes a picture book. Some libraries are attached to shopping malls, and a book bus travels to more remote neighborhoods like a Good Humor truck.
Far cry from U.S. kids who spend hours a day in front of the television.
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