More testing . . .

While catching up on my Blog reading I saw this article about 4 year olds being tested. Normally I wouldn't spend time on it, but in skimming I got interested in the comparisons once again with Finland. There are many of these comparisons because Finland does so well on the international tests.

What is of interest to me is the differences in the status of our profession in the two countries as shared in the article with these words.

Where Finland rejects testing, nurtures teachers, and encourages its best and brightest to become educators, we fetishize testing, portray teachers as evil parasites, and financially encourage top students to become Wall Streeters.

Quite a difference. Finland's tax and social welfare system also position all students for success. Contrast this to our country where one's address and annual income have much to do with the potential for success of an individual young person. This positioning for success and the country's embracing educators and the importance of education are the major contributors to their success, not more testing.  So, what is it that we should be learning from Finland?