1. Innovations in the Finnish Education Jari Koivisto Counsellor of Education The Finnish National Board of Education

2. School as an Innovation Center • Teacher pre-service and in-service training emphasizing innovation in teachers’ profession • Teachers working in teams in the school • School administration supporting teachers’ innovative initiatives • School networking • Project oriented development • Funding available to test and implement innovations • National curriculum supporting innovations • Excellent ICT-services

3. National Curriculum Supporting Innovations • Subject teams and extensive feedback system • Balance between the national guidance and local initiative • Generic description of subject contents • Support to local implementation of the curriculum • Each teacher in a school has a responsibility to define the local curriculum in their own subject area introducing innovative ideas to school practices

4. Teacher Training Supporting Innovations • Teacher students closely connected to the research at the universities → Teacher pre-service training contents and methods are up-to-date • Emphasis on subject areas → Teachers are knowledgeable in their areas and are able and allowed to create innovations in their work • All teachers must have a masters degree • Teacher recruitment is free and based on competences

5. School Administration Supporting Innovations • School leader ↔ school manager • Intensive school leader in-service training • A teacher can work as an autonomous professional • Support for professional growth • Teacher teams • Control does not create excellence

6. Learning Environment Supporting Innovations • School environment built to be flexible and cozy • Space for changing learning situations • Regular classrooms adequately furnished • Space for projects, workshops and teams • Auditorium • Interactive classroom situation • ICT available at all times, wireless networks • Interactive teaching and learning methods • Interaction with the surrounding society • Learning materials • ICT