A Design to Educate

"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)

"Experienced, effective teachers  are a vastly underutilized resource in education systems … perhaps the only resource that can truly create the  change and improvements  that students and teachers  deserve."  (Davida [Dee Dee] Desmond)

"He stole cars.  Now he’s selling them." (Jari Kurtilla, Joensuu, Finland)

"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)

"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)

"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)

"The result is not so important. It is more important what happens on the way; those are the steps when you learn something. You're not  learning  anymore when you know it."    (Terhi Oksanen, Music Teacher, Espoo, Finland)

"When does life let you choose from a list?" (By Iiris S. and Saana S., Kerava, Finland)

In America, practicing teachers are oftentimes taught by non-teachers; imagine computer programmers being taught by non-computer programmers, or a violinist taught by someone who doesn't play the violin.