Finland is the new global standard for education, and teachers from every major country in the world are flocking there to observe how they do things. Major elements in the Finnish system that differ from America's educational model include delayed school start age, how early and often students are tested, avoidance of merit pay for teachers, the amount of job-embedded professional development time teachers are provided weekly, the honorable status of teachers within the Finnish society, and the limited number of students in each classroom.
Naturally, as librarians our curiosity is inclined to wonder about the role of school libraries in Finland. Though it is rumored that school libraries do not exist in Finland, this is not true. There is a major reliance upon the public library system, and a strong tie to school libraries strengthens the programs of each.
Below are a few resources including valuable information about the vitally essential school library programs in what is currently recognized as the strongest educational model in the world:
School Library Association in Finland
Observations about School Libraries in Finland from an American school librarian
Finland's Library Network
What aspirations do the Finnish librarians provide for our own instructional practices?
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