Timothy D. Walker

I am a student in English Department of Tidar University and I am in 6th semester. In the first meeting of this semester, there was a lecturer who assigned her students, including me, to read a book. I choose a book which has an interesting title, “Teach Like Finland” by Timothy D. Walker (a teacher). The cover of this book is not bad, but maybe looks bored because the cover is simple. Besides, this book doesn't provide any pictures or something else. Therefore, I give 4 stars for this book because the language can be understood easily.
This book tells about Timothy’s experience during his life as a teacher. Before Timothy moved to follow his Finnish wife, he previously taught in Boston, USA. There are significant differences between education in the USA and Finland. Timothy poured the results of his experience, research, and observation during his time as a teacher in Finland into this book. However, he also explains the education system in the USA.
Being a teacher made Timothy often feels depressed and stressed. He should arrive at American school around 6:30 A.M. and go back home in the evening and bring teaching guides. There is no difference between at school and at home, because he should finish the lesson plans when breakfast time and then in the evening he thinks about all things that he was doing wrong. In his first classroom teaching, he feels so enthusiastic, confident, and loves his job as a teacher. However, when he starts to teach, he becomes hating his job. According to me, the education system in the USA is similar to Indonesian education (my country). As we know that Indonesian students and teachers should arrive at school before 7:00 A.M. and class will over at 4:00 P.M. It means both students and teachers spent full of the day at school, from the morning until the evening. Besides, at home, Indonesian teachers should think about the lesson plans which is suitable with the students and do self-correction to make sure anything that has been taught is in the correct way. The same with Indonesian students, they also get a lot of homework and assignments (projects) at home although they have studied all day at school. Both students and teachers still have a job at home (working nonstop).
It is different from the education system in Finland. The success of Finnish students is related to a variety of strategies which is implemented in Finnish schools. The main thing that he mentioned in this book is happiness must be achieved in the teaching-learning process because happiness is the success key of Finnish schools. Finland is currently recognized as the country with the best education system in the world. There are short study hours, the amount of rest time, and the absence of homework for students. However, they have amazing quality students. Finland is ranked first (especially for reading, math, and sciences) in the United States and other developed countries and this has been proven in the PISA (Program for International Student Assessment/International Student Assessment Program). In this book, there are interesting strategies (33 strategies) to teach in the Finnish style. Timothy divided the explanation of the strategies into 5 chapters. The first chapter of this book tells that become workaholic is does not mean proves to be successful but do something relax will lead to being successful and happy. In the second chapter of this book, I find the intimacy of the relationship between teachers, between students, and also between teacher and student. The third chapter is talking about independence. The next chapter explains about mastery. The last chapter discusses the mindset. Besides, in Finnish schools, teachers and students will over the class at 2:00 P.M. It is clear that Finnish education is different from American education and Indonesian education. However, there are some similarities also. take an example in Indonesian education, I think I can find the intimacy of the relationship between teachers, between students, and also between teacher and student also.
Now, here I will be a little note of what is written in the book that I want to apply in the future when I am a teacher someday. Actually, there is a lot of explanation about strategies outlined in this book to create an attractive and effective teaching atmosphere in Finnish style. However, I am just interesting with some explanation which are really good. I hope I can apply this as a teacher in the future to make an effective and joy teaching-learning process.
1. Break Schedule
Finnish Schools accustom the learning system. After 45 minutes of lessons, there will be 15 minutes to take a break. They believe it will make students more focused after the break than before the break. I think it can be applied in Indonesia since there are a variety of simple ways to rest the brain such as by giving them games or just chatting joking with friends. If students feel they are starting to focus, there is no harm in giving them time for a short break. It is effective to make easier in absorbing information.
2. Physical Health
By making the classroom atmosphere monotonous such as the teacher talking and students listening, will make a passive motion which is less in benefits. Class activities can involve physical activities like by making students more active during the lesson. The first example is when students do their assignments by standing up. Another example is students deliver their work (presentation) in a passive way.
The book is given an example when Timothy asked his students for a presentation. It would be a little boring if one child in front explained and another they stood in front of the presentation and their friend just listened. Actually, it can be replaced by a walking gallery Students put their presentations on the classroom wall as if exhibiting their art in an art gallery. Each work is numbered and children going around from one work to another. Studying and commenting in writing and on paper that has been provided.
In addition to being active during class time, students must also be active at rest. In Finland, it is recommended during recess that students should do a variety of physical activities outside (such as playing, running etc.), although there are also those who ordain breaks during the room by doing other activities, such as reading a book or just chatting with friends. It is quite simple and can be applied in Indonesian education. By doing a movement, it will keep the students stay healthy and active. As a teacher, I must remember that the important thing is the quality of teaching, not the number of teaching hours. It is important to get our students back in focus.
3. Recharge After School
When at work, we must focus on work. However, at home, we do not bring problems. Therefore, is recommended to recharge ourselves with other positive activities or just relax with family when we get home. In Finland, usually a few minutes after class ends, the teachers will go home. In order to stay strong as a teacher, they will limit their working hours because they realize how important is to leave the workplace and recharge. At school, I will do my job as a teacher, but when I go home, I should try to do not bring all the job business and disconnect from the work. Therefore, I will feel more joy every day and prevent the feeling of hate about my job as a teacher.
4. Relationship
The teachers try to be closer to the students. Finnish teachers will eat with their students to be as close as possible. I think it is good to apply in Indonesian schools since the students will feel more comfortable during the class if they feel close to the teachers. It is a simple way but will lead to a positive effect. It will influence in teaching and learning process.
5. Simplify Space
There is a mantra in Finland, “a little is a lot”. The meaning of this mantra is minimalist but still elegant. Classrooms are made simple by minimizing student work. However, it does not mean there are no patches. The class walls emit quality from students. Students are asked to make their best work so that their work can be displayed.
Time is valuable to the teacher. Usually, teachers involve students to display their work during school hours. It aims to stick to students’ work. It is saving time, makes the work more quality, and meaningful.
Teachers are creating a simple, calm, and pleasant classroom environment. A little patch of student work but the quality will make it easier for students to stay focused.
6. Breathe Fresh Air
it is important in being aware of air quality. Fresh air will certainly make us more focused. Therefore, the classroom should be maintained as naturally as possible. It is good to open the window.
Students in many Finland schools are asked to go outside every break. The rain cannot be used as an excuse to remain in the room during recess. Children will show better performance and minimize artificial light when they are exposed to natural light. As a teacher, we must pay attention to that. Those are simple but important also.
7. Interact with nature
Aiming at making students interact with nature directly. Take students out of the room such as go to the garden in the school area, observe plants or animals, walk around the park, explore villages or forests or any other activity will lead them to interact directly with nature.
There are many good things that they will get by interacting with nature directly. Besides, it will make them think critically, love the environment, and more active physical activities.
8. Removing Bullying with KiVa
Finland schools have a unique program to eliminate bullying called KiVa. If there are students who feel victimized and even friend or teachers who see bullying cases can report to the teacher to submit a KiVa meeting. The KiVa team consists of teachers and older students. The KiVa meeting will be attended by the teacher, two students, and older students. Those older students will be as the facilitators because they had received training to become KiVa facilitator which have a job to help, identify problems, and find a solution together. It is really important to be applied in Indonesia since nowadays there still a lot of bullying cases in the school. We should pay attention more about that because the effect is serious. It is related to students’ mentality and psychology also.
Last, I want to say thank you to Timothy for sharing the story about Finnish education. I feel surprised when I see the contents. The teaching and learning process was full of enthusiasm and togetherness. Therefore, there are no pressures on both teachers and students. As a future teacher, for me, this book consists source of inspiration. It tells about daily problems at school. If you are interesting with book which contains education or maybe you are a student or teacher, this book is recommended as your choice. However, I also remember that not everything in this book can be applied for education in the other countries. The reason is that there are some things which are irrelevant and must be considered. Besides, there are many factors which are influenced such as cultures, habits, and others. In this book, Timothy compares Finnish education and American. American teachers have long working hours because of preparing lesson plans so they have lack of time to recharge energy after school, almost the same with Indonesian education. It is different from Finnish teachers who have free time to enjoy their breaks at school. Talking about the flexibility of time for teachers, in Indonesia, teachers just need to take a break for a while after came home from school. Some of them are looking for additional income by tutoring. As a future teacher in Indonesia, I really hope that I can apply those strategies above to develop the quality of Indonesian education, especially for me and my future students. The changing is started from our self, especially from myself. I realize, maybe I cannot do a big changing, but I am sure that a little changing will lead to being a big changing.… (mehr)