IB vs. Finnish curriculum for primary years?

[Brooklynsultana]

Hello,

Does anyone have an opinion as to which is better: an IB curriculum or the Finnish national curriculum in the primary years? I'm talking about an English stream curriculum. Do you think the Finnish national curriculum in an English language school would be more challenging than the IB or vice-versa?

Thanks in advance.

[Rosamunda]

There is not a huge difference in Finland. The PYP programme (IB Primary Years Programme) must - by law - comply with the requirements of the Finnish National Core Curriculum which governs all comprehensive schooling in Finland. All primary school teachers in Finland must have a Masters degree in Primary Years Education.

The new Finnish Core Curriculum is being introduced now and my understanding is that it will reflect even more closely some of the ideas inherent in IB schooling eg: the use of themes which run through different subjects.

I think the idea of "better" or "worse" essentially boils down to how individual schools are being run, and - as always - individual teachers.

Choosing the IB PYP programme is, unfortunately, no guarantee of a place in an IB lukio and the transition out of IB into the Finnish lukio system can be difficult. There are also implications for getting into university (IB matriculation results are published too late for direct entry into some universities).

[Brooklynsultana]

Many thanks, Rosamunda, for the information and your help.

[Vallu98]

I was at the presentation to the parents this January. The program director said that they have an agreement with universities regarding the graduation schedule. According to him they make some kind of indication earlier than actual graduation thus making possible to enter a university the same year.

IB has certain advantages, especially if the student intends to study abroad. Some 50% go to Finnish universities, another half goes abroad.I also heard IB is much more challenging than studying in a regular lukio.

[stadinslangi]

As I know, there are English track and Finnish track, which concerns about the instruction language, which should be a bigger decision. Some parents saying that English classes are so small and minor compare with Finnish track students, so they are not invited into many joint programs (robotic competitions, students constructions projects, ECP, etc), which made them a bit disadvantaged.

[Rosamunda]

As I know, there are English track and Finnish track, which concerns about the instruction language.

There is no Finnish track in IB lukios. But there is a Finnish track in the European Baccalaureat programme at ESH.

[nurmi02]

Well, I think there is actually a Finnish track in most Finnish IB lukio schools (not in ISH, though?). However, as Rosamunda said, it's not IB, but the Finnish national curriculum taught there. The majority of students are in the Finnish track and the IB students are the minority in these schools.

[meplusthree]

The is no Finnish track for International Baccalaureate® (IB) programme!

The IB programme is only offered in 3 languages - english, french & spanish see http://www.ibo.org/benefits/teaching-ib ... -language/.

My son is studying the IB at Mattlidens International, in the same building is the Swedish Lukio but the 2 year IB curriculum is totally different so you can view them as different schools that share the facilities !

The 1st year studies are a bit different :-

The first year in the upper secondary school is a preliminary year preparing for the two IB years. The students follow more or less the same programme as the other first-year students within the national system, but with some exceptions. They have extra courses in higher level Mathematics, Economics and Philosophy. The language of instruction is English.

See http://www.esbo.fi/sv-fi/Barndagvard_oc ... ational_IB