Ms. Anderson

  Gather information and data from PISA website and compare the rankings of US and Finland.  Why do you think Finland out-performed so many developed countries with such equitable and non-consequential guiding notion? Is there any ideas or rationale behind that speak to you? As an educational leader, what elements could and should our society adopt from Finland to improve our educational programs?      While looking at the PISA website, the data is really interesting. In 2008/2009, Finland out performed by a landslide. During this timeframe, Finland invested in their teachers, and trusted them during the process. I also read some articles from the Smithsonian Magazine in regards to the education system. The first thing that I noticed was that it seemed that for the first 9 years a student is in school, they receive a individualized education plan. In addition to these plans, most teachers stay with the same group of students for around 3-5 years. They work ...

 I personally feel that before I can evaluate my teaching experiences, I have to first acknowledge my learning style. I am most of all a linear thinker. I tend to grow from previous learned experiences, and I try to apply those concepts to new situations. This is probably why I  feel much more comfortable with subjects like mathematics. I personally feel more comfortable making decisions in situations where rules or patterns can help me find a solution.  Due to my process as a learner, I find myself to teach in a reconceptualist approach. Each year, I follow the patterns of my previous students to modify situations when we come across the same situations in the present. I keep a list of techniques that work for each standard that I teach, and revisit that list each year as I teach that standard to the next group. I look for those patterns and rules, and use those to progress.  I do not find myself to be a Laissez-Fraire advocate or even traditionalist. I'd like to th...