Guide to TIS Curriculum

Guide to TIS Curriculum Tuire Suvitie, Adele Harju, Marta Mäki

Dear TIS Guardians, We all have experiences about school. We might have an opinion about: what a good school should be like, what should be taught, what is the best way to learn, and what is important for my child’s future. Our views, opinions and experiences are mostly likely very different from what Finnish schools are like nowadays. Especially if you have been through the school system outside of Finland, you might be wondering what makes the Finnish school system work.

The Finnish education system has consistently been ranked as one of the best education systems in the world. In Finland, the National Core Curriculum for Basic Education produced by the Finnish National Board of Education is a framework around which local curricula are designed. It contains the objectives and core contents of teaching for all school subjects, and also describes the mission, values, and structure of basic education. It describes the conception of learning and goals for developing the learning environment, school culture and working methods as well as giving the criteria for assessment. TIS follows the same local curriculum as the Turku Teacher Training School.

Cooperation between school and home is considered extremely important at TIS. Together we can work to ensure that your child has the best start at TIS and is able to get the best possible education.

We want you as guardians to be aware of the fundamentals of the National Core Curriculum so that you can support your child throughout his/her time at TIS. However, the National Core Curriculum is a document written using pedagogical language. Moreover, this 400-page document is not always easy to approach or to understand.

This booklet is a summary based on The National Core Curriculum for Basic Education (free full version only available in Finnish) and TIS Curriculum (in Finnish).

How do we see learning in TIS? What kind of methods are used and in what kind of learning environments are we using them? What are transversal competences and why are they so important?

How is assessment done in TIS? This booklet was made to answer these questions.

We hope that this booklet will help you. We all want what is best for your child and we want to be open, easily approachable and work in cooperation with you to give your child the best possible education.

On behalf of Turku International School, Tuire Suvitie, Adele Harju-Palviainen and Marta Mäki

Learning in TIS The National Core Curriculum is based on a conception of learning that sees the pupils as active actors. Learning is an inseparable part of an individual's growth as a human being and the building of a decent life for the community. Learning is diverse and connected to the content to be learnt, time and location.

In TIS during their learning process, the pupils will learn working and thinking skills and practise anticipating and planning the various stages of learning. In order for them to learn new concepts and deepen their understanding of the topics to be learnt, the pupils are guided in connecting the learning topics and new concepts with what they have learnt before. Learning knowledge and skills is cumulative and often requires long-term and persistent practice. In TIS the pupils learn together. This promotes the pupils' skills in creative and critical thinking, as well as problem-solving and their ability to understand different viewpoints.

Š Suvitie, Harju, Mäki

Š Suvitie, Harju, Mäki

Š Suvitie, Harju, Mäki

Working Methods and Learning Environments In TIS we use a variety of working methods to support and direct the learning of the entire teaching group and each pupil. The working methods are age-appropriate and suitable for the learning situation. Varied working and assessment methods give each pupil the possibility of demonstrating their competence in different ways. Versatile working methods bring the pupils joy of learning and experiences of success. The pupils take part in evaluating and choosing the working methods together with the teachers.

Learning environments refer to the facilities, locations, communities, and operating practices where learning and studying take place. The learning environment also includes the tools, services, and materials used for studying. Learning environments must support the growth, learning, and interaction of the individual and the community. Well-functioning learning environments promote interaction, participation, and communal building of knowledge.

Multidisciplinary learning modules are tools for integrating learning and for increasing the dialogue between different subjects. It helps the pupils to link the knowledge of, and skills in various fields, in interaction with others, to structure them as meaningful entities.

Information and communication technology (ICT) is a key part of versatile learning environments. It can help to reinforce the pupils’ participation and skills in communal work and support their personal learning paths. New ICT solutions are to support and promote learning.

Š Suvitie, Harju, Mäki

Š Suvitie, Harju, Mäki

Transversal competences Transversal competence refers to knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, as well as the will and the ability to apply these in a given situation. The increased need for transversal competence arises from changes in the surrounding world. Competences that cross the boundaries of, and link different fields of knowledge and skills are a precondition for personal growth, studying, work, and civic activity now and in the future.

There are seven transversal competence areas that are frequently interconnected. Their mission is to support growth as a human being and to impart competences required for membership in a democratic society, and a sustainable way of living. It is particularly vital to encourage the pupils to recognize their uniqueness, and their personal strengths and development potential, and to appreciate themselves. The transversal competence areas are developed in all subjects and it is present in everyday schoolwork.

This is the foundation of the development of other competences and lifelong learning. The pupils make observations and seek, evaluate, edit, produce, and share information and ideas. The pupils use information independently, and in interaction with others and in different environments for problemsolving, argumentation, reasoning, drawing of conclusions, and invention. The pupils are supported to recognise his/her personal way of learning, and in developing learning strategies as well as finding the joy of learning.

The pupils are guided in recognizing, and appreciating cultural meanings in their environment. The aim is to learn to know and appreciate their living environment and its cultural heritage as well as their personal, social, cultural, religious, philosophical, and linguistic roots. They are guided to consider cultural diversity as a fundamentally positive resource.

The pupils are encouraged to take care of themselves and others, to practice skills that are important for managing their daily lives, and for their well-being. This requires an increasingly wide range of skills. This area covers health, safety and human relationships, mobility and transport, acting in the increasingly technological daily life, and managing personal finance, and consumption, all of which are elements of a sustainable way of living.

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Multiliteracy is the competence to interpret, produce and make a value judgement across a variety of different texts. In this context, text refers to knowledge presented by systems of verbal, visual, auditive, numeric and kinesthetic symbols and their combinations. The pupils need multiliteracy in order to interpret the world around them; to perceive its cultural diversity and to build their personal identity. Multiliteracy means abilities to obtain, combine, modify, produce, present and evaluate information in different modes, in different contexts and situations, and by using various tools.

This is an important civic skill and an object and a tool of learning.

The pupils are supported to develop practical ICT competence in producing own work, using ICT responsibly, safely and ergonomically. The pupils learn how to use ICT in exploratory and creative work, as well as to use ICT in interaction and networking.

The aim is to promote the pupils’ interest in and a positive attitude towards work and working life. The pupils obtain experiences that help them to understand the importance of work and the potential of entrepreneurship. The pupils learn to understand their personal responsibility as members of their community and society.

The aim is to support the pupils’ growth into active citizens who use their democratic rights and freedoms responsibly. The mission of the school is to reinforce the participation of each pupil and to guide them to recognise the significance of their choices, way of living and actions not only for themselves but also to their environment, community, society and nature.

© Suvitie, Harju, Mäki

Assessment in TIS The pupils are supported to understand their personal learning process and make it visible for them. The assessment is versatile, fair and ethical. Most of the assessment takes place in interaction between the teachers and pupils.

Pupils receive feedback about their progress and achievements. This feedback guides and encourages pupils, supports learning and promotes the skills of self-assessment and peer assessment. The assessment also helps the teachers to adapt their instruction to the pupils’ needs.

The pupils are guided to make observations of their personal and shared work and to give constructive feedback to each other and to the teacher.

Self-assessment skills are developed by helping the pupils to recognize their success and strengths. Experiences of success encourage pupils to learn more but also to understand that failures and mistakes are part of the learning process.

The National Core Curriculum gives the criteria for subject assessment.

The subject assessment focuses on the pupils’ learning and working skills.

The behaviour assessment is done as a separate entity. Cooperation between home and school is a part of TIS assessment culture.

Both the pupils themselves and the guardians are informed at sufficiently frequent intervals of the pupils’ progress, working skills and behaviour.

© Suvitie, Harju, Mäki

SUBJECT ASSESSMENT

Pupils’ work or their performances are examined in a versatile manner. The pupils’ knowledge and skills are assessed using the National Core Curriculum criteria. The assessment is always done by the teachers. Transversal competences are part of assessment.

Working skills are important part of subject assessment. The pupils are expected to work independently, and together with others, to concentrate, listen and follow instructions. Lesson work, homework assignments and projects are part of assessment as well as self-assessment and peer assessment skills. Active and responsible participation and the ability to plan and assess are also important parts of assessment. The working skills emphasised in different subjects vary according to its objectives.

The objectives of behaviour are based on the school’s educational objectives, rules and regulations. Pupils are expected to behave appropriately, to have good manners and to take other people and the environment into consideration. Personality, temperament and other personal characteristics are not part of the assessment.

The behaviour assessment does not affect the subject assessment.

The assessment is a part of daily school work. Teachers observe and interact with the pupils and give them feedback. This helps pupils to set themselves targets and use learning strategies to improve their learning. Peer assessment and self-assessment that develop pupils’ agency are also important in assessment during the school year.

Development discussions (teacher-guardian-pupil meetings) are held mid-term each year to discuss the progress and how could the performance be improved. Grade 6 also gets a mid-term report card.

An annual report card is given at the end of each school year.

This is an overall assessment of the pupil’s progress and performances during the entire school year. In TIS report card will contain verbal assessment for grades 1-3 and numerical grades from grade 4 onwards. The report card also includes a supplement on the assessment of the pupil’s behaviour.

© Suvitie, Harju, Mäki

The Finnish Grading System In grades 4-6 the assessment at the end of school year as well as mid-term assessment for grade 6 is done numerically using the following grades. These grades are also used in summative assessment during the school year.

*

*For the purposes of assessment for the school year report in grade 6, criteria derived from the objectives of all core subjects have been defined describing good achievement level or the numerical grade 8 by The Finnish National Board of Education. These criteria are found in the National Core Curriculum for Basic Education.

A pupil who has been awarded a numerical grade indicating at least adequate knowledge (5) or a corresponding verbal assessment, is promoted to the next grade. A pupil may also be promoted to the next grade even if they have failed a subject if they are deemed to be able to cope with the next school year’s studies acceptably.

A pupil may be retained in a grade if he or she has failed one or more subjects in the syllabus for that grade or if retention is to be considered appropriate from the perspective of the pupil’s general academic success.

© Suvitie, Harju, Mäki

Distribution of lesson hours subject

gr 1 Gr 2 Gr 3 Gr 4 Gr 5 Gr 6

Finnish

5

5

5

5

4

4

English (A1)

5

5

4

4

3

3 2

Swedish (B2) Mathematics

total 28 24 2 21

3

3

3

4

4

4

Environmental studies

2

2

2

3

3

2

14

Religion / ethics

1

1

1

1

2

1

7

2

1

3

1

2

History 1

Social Studies Music

1

1

2

1

1

1

7

Art

1

1

2

1

2

2

9

Handicraft

2

2

2

2

2

2

12

Physical education

2

2

2

3

2

2

13

2

2

2

6

25

25

25

25

25

Optional A2 language total number of hours per grade minimum number of hours

22

22

23

19

19

22

24

gr 1 gr 2 gr 3 gr 4 gr 5 gr 6

Š Suvitie, Harju, Mäki

CURRICULUM EXAMPLE: MATHEMATICS In this chapter, you’ll find the core of teaching and learning mathematics in TIS. The objectives, content areas and assessment are described on a general level, in a nutshell. The starting point is that mathematics is much more than only knowing how to calculate. For more information see the National Core Curriculum for Basic Education.

The task of mathematics in the primary school is to support the development of the pupils’ logical, precise, and creative mathematical thinking, and to develop the understanding of mathematical concepts and structures. Mathematics also develops the pupils’ ability to process information and solve problems. The instruction guides the pupils to understand the usefulness of mathematics in their own lives and more broadly in the society. Teaching and learning develop the pupils’ capacity of using and applying mathematics in a versatile manner. The instruction proceeds systematically due to the cumulative nature of mathematics. The instruction of mathematics lays a strong foundation for understanding the concept of numbers and the decimal system and for learning arithmetic skills.

© Suvitie, Harju, Mäki

CURRICULUM EXAMPLE: MATHEMATICS There are five key content areas in mathematics: Thinking skills; numbers and operations; algebra; geometry and measuring; data processing and software, statistics, and probability. The instruction proceeds systematically due to the cumulative nature of mathematics and each concept is revised and deepened gradually on each grade. The graph below indicates, when each content will be studied for the first time.

The assessment of mathematics includes the pupil’s knowledge of the five content areas, working skills and transversal competences, and it is based on the criteria given in the National Core Curriculum for Basic Education.

© Suvitie, Harju, Mäki