TEACHING HISTORY AND SOCIAL STUDIES IN FINLAND Maarit

TEACHING HISTORY AND SOCIAL STUDIES IN FINLAND Maarit Mattila Taina Sipiläinen-Veikkanen

Aims in History - To create an individual, national and European identity - To appreciate human rights and democracy - The key concepts of history include time, change, continuity and causality

Aims in Social studies - To give skills to evaluate critically documents, statistics and pictures - Training will provide students with capabilities for active and critical examination of current phenomena - To teach how to be an active citizen

Primary School (age 7 – 12) - History begins in 5 th class; pupils are 11 -12 years old - From the prehistory to the French Revolution - All subjects are tought by class teacher - Once or twice a week; lesson lasts 45 min - Studying is free of charge; pencils, rubbers, notebooks are given to students, textbooks are reused - Methods: activities, drawings, films, stories…

History in Secondary School (age 13 -16) - From the French Revolution to modern times - Specialized history teachers - 2 courses a year (1 course = 30 hours / lessons 75 min) - argumentation and discussions are common teaching methods - Copies from maps, internet, - learning how to write essays - To understand which is reason, which is result

Social studies in Secondary School - Last year (= 9 th class) in compalsory school - 3 courses a year - ”How the modern Finnish society works? ” - The responsibilities & rights of citizens; taxation, student allowance… - Finances and economics; expensies of family, how to found the company? - Law and order; a visit to district court… - Social security; child benefit… - Media; familiarize to local printing office, influence of advertising…

History courses in Upper Secondary School (age 16 -19) • Thematic courses; 1 course = 30 hours (the total number is 75 courses) • 4 compulsary courses – – Man, the environment and culture (=economical history) European man (=cultural history) International relations (=political history 1815 – 2011) Turning-points in Finnish history (= 1809 – 2011) • 2 – x voluntary specialisation courses – Finnish history before 1809 – Meeting of cultures: Non-European Cultures – Extras e. g. ancient history, world politics, training for the finals etc.

Social studies courses in Upper Secondary School (age 16 – 19) • 2 compulsary courses – Political science – Economics • 2 – x voluntary specialisation courses – Law – European Union – Extras e. g. entrepreneurship, training for the finals, etc.

The Final Exams • Final exams in history and social studies are voluntary but popular • The popularity of social studies is rising in the final exams • In each subject’s exam 10 questions to choose from: write 6 essays, 6 hours time

Teacher’s perspective • You have to advertise your courses and • Motivate the students • About 30 % of my courses are voluntary for the students: if you teach more courses, you’ll get higher pay • You have lots of freedom to choose your methods: films, debates, cartoons, news portfolios etc. • If you are active you can make projects and organize visits outside school • Sometimes competition between the subjects and between the teachers

Students’ opinions (18 year olds) • ”History and social studies give you general knowledge” • ”You need to know some basic things from the past to understand the present” • ”Finnish and international history are equally important” • ”There should be more compulsary courses in social studies because they are so useful” • ”The most interesting subjects at school!”

Thank you for your attention!