In the US, the Finnish school system is sometimes seen as o sort of spectacle. How does such a small, quiet country, with shorter school days and less homework hove such successful students? Many people have tried to answer this question, and as such, many articles have been written about the virtues of the Finnish school system. As on education student at university with a long-time love of Finland, I have always read these articles with great interest, but at times, I have wondered how the things I read could really be applied to my own future classroom. I felt like the ideas I read (no standardized tests, free lunches, more outside play, less homework, etc.) just could not work outside of the context of the Finnish school system. I have had the amazing opportunity for the post month and o half to observe and work with the teachers and students here at Puolimatka school, and as I have experienced the system first hand, one theme jumps out to me as the glue which holds all the elements of the Finnish school system together: trust. In Finland, and particularly at Puolimatka, both students and teachers are given a great amount of autonomy and trust. Teachers ore trusted to teach in a way that best facilitates their students' learning. They in turn trust their students to be respectful and to take ownership of their education. The students know that their teachers trust them and believe in them, so they work hard to be worthy of that trust. Their teachers' faith in them, leads them to believe in their own abilities. They perform better because they know thot they ore trusted. Of course, students and teachers in Finland are just as human as students and teachers anywhere else. They are not perfect; they make mistakes, but the policy of trust does not go away. lt is evident during the time between classes when students go outside to play. lt is evident in the special education system as students come to get help in whatever subjects they are struggling with. lt is evident in the way that teachers and students treat each other both in the classroom and on field trips. Trust is everywhere. There are many lessons that I hope to take with me as I begin my career as a teacher, but I believe that one of the most important ones, the one that will make all the others matter is trust in my students and to believe that each of them are capable and worthy of learning.

Ruth Bruce (ruth.bruce(at)brucefamily.org)