Educational Systems around the world are as diverse as theircountries. On an international level, you will find that education and exams open doors for the population to move up the social and economic ladder. Obviously, that is combined with hard work and dedication. So good educational systems would support the learners, create the relevant challenges for development and praise the success on a continuous level.

In Korea, a country where the educational system has undergone a vast change over the last 50 years, students are expected to work hard. Talent is not taken for granted, if you work hard enough, you will be smart. The pressure to perform well comes from the society, the parents, other students and also the desire for a better future. “I think it is clear there are better and worse way to educate our children,” says Amanda Ripley, author of The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way. “At the same time, if I had to choose between an average US education and an average Korean education for my own kid, I would choose, very reluctantly, the Korean model. The reality is, in the modern world the kid is going to have to know how to learn, how to work hard and how to persist after failure. The Korean model teaches that.” (A. S. Choi, TED 2014)

We find that Finland, on the other hand, is at the other extreme of the spectrum where the educational system promotes flexibility, short school hours and a lot of development outside of the classroom. And bare in mind, the Finish educational system is considered to be one of the most popular in the world. Personal interests of the students strongly direct their learning and choices of subjects. Who wouldn’t like learning when it is in an area you really enjoy? Another important aspect is around the teacher. Those who teach need to be developed as well. We can find quite opposite approach to teacher training and development across the globe where countries encourage or discourage teacher development. Wouldn’t you consider that having a competent and professional teacher might the decisive factor if someone succeeds in a subject?

We’d love to hear about your best experience with great teachers. What have they done differently? How would you describe them?