Teach Like Finland

In this episode, I speak with Tim Walker, the author of Teach Like Finland: 33 Simple Strategies for Joyful Classrooms (W. W. Norton & Company, 2017). This book stems from recent interest in Finland’s educational system resulting from its success on international assessments and explains how policy translates into classroom routines and structures as well as what American teachers can learn from their Finnish counterparts. We discuss how the two countries take different views on what makes good teachers and learning outcomes as well as ways teachers can promote well-being in any school context.

He recommends the following books for listeners interested in his work and our conversation:

• Finnish Lessons 2.0: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland? by Pasi Sahlberg
• The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way by Amanda Ripley
• The Well-Balanced Teacher: How to Work Smarter and Stay Sane Inside the Classroom and Out by Mike Anderson

Listen to the interview on New Books in Education.