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On the Value of Public Education in a Democracy

"The public education system is a fundamental element of our democracies.  A free world, a free mind. And I see clearly enough the dangers and risks that come with the school education as a private good and something you can purchase."  (Pasi Sahlberg, 2013)
Recent posts

On Learning Cultural Values

"Playing in an orchestra is a wonderful way to teach those kinds of skills that society really values – your capacity to be creative, your capacity to collaborate with others, your capacity to be part of a bigger picture." (Andreas Schleicher, OECD, Paris, 2013)

On Challenging Children to Grow Intellectually

"Children must be given a problem at the beginning and the children try to solve it. You don’t have to tell them exactly what to do all the time. You don’t have to say,  'This is the only right way.' You don’t correct (them) right away. You say, 'Try more! Try more! Try more!'" (Paavo Sivonen, Joensuu, Finland)

On the Struggle for Creativity

"In the beginning it’s so wonderful to see... at first they (students) struggle - of course, if you don’t struggle you don’t learn anything. There has to be the chaos so that something happens. I try to teach the children to love that moment...that is when the learning starts."(Terhi Oksanen, Music Teacher, Espoo, Finland)