Inside a science classroom in the Finnish school system

Summary

In this video, Timothy Walker takes viewers inside a Finnish middle school biology class, led by Mario, a passionate teacher with nearly 20 years of experience. Mario engages her students with hands-on learning, using real pig lungs to explore the respiratory system. Students measure their lung capacity and dissect organs, gaining valuable real-world insights. Despite the expense and effort involved, Mario believes in the importance of real-world connections in education, which she integrates into various science lessons. The Finnish education system’s emphasis on critical thinking and experiential learning shines through in this innovative biology lesson.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video follows Timothy Walker, an American teacher in Finland, who visits a middle school science classroom to observe biology lessons.
• 😀 Mario, the biology teacher, has been teaching for nearly 20 years at Hatzolah Classical School, a large public school in Eastern Finland.
• 😀 The biology class observed by Timothy has 11 students, and the focus of the lesson is to study the structure and function of the respiratory system.
• 😀 Mario uses hands-on learning by having students observe and dissect pig lungs to better understand biology concepts.
• 😀 One of the lesson’s key objectives is to help students feel comfortable with organs and tissues, especially since many students aren't exposed to animals in rural settings.
• 😀 Students get the opportunity to measure their lung capacity during the lesson, reinforcing their understanding of the respiratory system.
• 😀 Teaching biology in this interactive way is expensive, with the school spending hundreds of euros annually on biology supplies.
• 😀 The pig organs are sourced from a major food supplier in Finland, which would otherwise dispose of them, and Mario prepares these organs for lessons herself.
• 😀 Mario believes that the hands-on approach is worth the cost and effort, as it helps students critically engage with the material and understand real-world connections.
• 😀 The Finnish education system emphasizes critical thinking and real-world connections in science education, with examples drawn from nature and daily life.
• 😀 Mario advocates for taking students out into the real world, such as visiting forests or lakes, to observe ecosystems and connect classroom learning with nature.

Q & A

What is the main objective of the lesson observed in the video?

The main objective of the lesson was to study the structure and function of the respiratory system, with a focus on understanding the different parts and how they function, using real pig organs for dissection.

Why did Mario choose to use pig lungs in the lesson?

Mario chose to use pig lungs because the students typically don't have access to real organs due to modern lifestyles, and she wanted them to become familiar with the organs' structure, helping them overcome any fears or hesitations.

How does Mario engage students in learning biology beyond the classroom?

Mario encourages hands-on learning by taking students on field trips to observe natural ecosystems like forests and lakes, where they collect samples and study ecological systems, making real-world connections.

What challenge does Mario face in offering such hands-on learning experiences?

Mario faces the challenge of high costs, as providing dissections of animal organs is expensive. The budget for biology supplies is limited, and the organs come from a major food supplier in Finland who typically discards them.

How do the students react to the hands-on lesson involving pig lungs?

While initially hesitant, especially those who are afraid of touching or dissecting the organs, the students show enthusiasm and curiosity, with some overcoming their fears, like one student who initially resisted but later volunteered to help with the dissection.

What is the significance of real-world connections in Finnish education, according to Mario?

Real-world connections are crucial in Finnish education because they help students relate what they learn in the classroom to everyday life, fostering deeper understanding and critical thinking.

What does Mario say about the effect of smoking on the respiratory system during the lesson?

Mario explains that smoking damages the respiratory system, highlighting how pollutants and dust enter the lungs and the damage that occurs, including the destruction of the cilia in the trachea, which would normally filter dust.

How does the Finnish educational system perform on international standardized tests like PISA?

Finnish students perform well on international standardized tests like PISA, especially in critical thinking and problem-solving in reading, math, and science, which reflects the emphasis on learning through real-world applications.

What does Mario believe is the benefit of teaching biology through dissections and hands-on experiences?

Mario believes that using dissections and hands-on experiences helps students think critically about biology, allowing them to observe and understand the fragile and complex structures of organs, making the learning experience more impactful.

Why does Mario consider field trips an important part of the learning process?

Field trips are important because they allow students to experience biology in real-life contexts, such as collecting water and soil samples from natural environments, which reinforces theoretical knowledge with practical experience.