Participants 3
This topic explains four core Finnish approaches and how to make them everyday classroom routines: learner‑centred teaching, formative assessment, play, and inquiry. Each approach is explained simply and shown in concrete, ready‑to‑use ways for mathematics, science and social studies lessons (K–12). Use the ready lesson plans in the course library as the base material and adapt them with the routines below. Where useful, supplement lessons with the Top Teacher 5 online materials for short videos, readings or activities.
1. Learner‑centred teaching — what it looks like in practice
Definition
- Learner‑centred teaching gives learners an active role in constructing understanding. The teacher designs tasks that invite students to think, discuss and decide, rather than only receive information.
Classroom routines to adopt
- Start with a short elicitation: a question, image or problem that reveals what learners already know.
- Use mixed‑ability pairs or small groups for most tasks.
- Offer choices: e.g., three task options with different support levels or output types (poster, calculation sheet, short report).
- Regular student reflection: 2–3 minutes at the end of a lesson for learners to write or share what they learned and what they still find hard.
Subject examples (using the lesson plan library)
- Mathematics (primary): Give three problem cards with increasing challenge. Let each pair pick one and trade answers with another pair for peer feedback.
- Science (upper primary): Provide a short phenomenon (an image of plants in different light). Groups list hypotheses, choose one to test, and plan a quick hands‑on experiment.
- Social studies (secondary): Offer three project options (local history poster, interview plan, short documentary script). Groups choose and plan research steps.
Quick script for the teacher
- Present the starter prompt (2–3 minutes).
- Learners discuss in pairs and record an idea (5 minutes).
- Groups choose a task and begin (20–30 minutes).
- Teacher circulates, asks focused questions, supports groups (ongoing).
- Whole‑class share and reflection (5–10 minutes).
2. Formative assessment — simple, regular and useful
Principle
- Use short, regular checks to find out what students understand and adapt teaching immediately.
Easy formative routines
- Exit ticket: one thing you learned, one question you still have.
- Mini‑whiteboards or paper slates: quick answers to teacher questions so you see the whole class’s understanding.
- Traffic lights: students hold up green/yellow/red cards for confidence.
- Two‑minute teacher conference: brief one‑on‑one checks with 3–4 students per lesson.
- Peer feedback checklist: short, subject‑specific criteria for classmates to use when reviewing each other’s work.
Formative tasks linked to lesson plans
- Maths: after a guided task, ask everyone to write one strategy used and one mistake to avoid on a mini‑whiteboard.
- Science: at the end of an investigation, each group records whether their hypothesis was supported and why.
- Social studies: after research time, pairs submit a two‑sentence summary and one source they found useful.
Simple rubric (example for an investigation report)
- 3 — Clear question, suitable method, correct interpretation.
- 2 — Question and method OK, interpretation incomplete.
- 1 — Question unclear, method unsuitable or missing interpretation.
Use the rubric as a quick 30‑second read on group work and give a focused next step to move learners forward.
3. Play — structured and purposeful
Why play matters
- Play supports exploration, language development, social skills and deeper understanding, especially in younger learners. In Finland, play is part of the curriculum and used with clear learning goals.
How to add play routines
- Warm‑up play (5–10 minutes): a quick game that practises a skill (e.g., number snap for maths, vocabulary charades for social studies).
- Learning stations with playful tasks: rotate through a hands‑on station, a game station and a reflection station.
- Role play and simulations: use short dramatic tasks to explore historical situations or scientific roles (e.g., plant, sun, water).
- Open‑ended materials: counters, cards, building blocks for mathematical pattern work or modelling science ideas.
Age adaptations
- Early years: free play with teacher prompts (observe, ask one question).
- Primary: guided play with learning cards and short outcomes.
- Secondary: structured simulations and project‑based play with clear assessment criteria.
Examples
- Maths (primary): “Build and explain” — small groups build a shape from blocks and explain its properties to another group.
- Science (upper primary): “Investigator role play” — one student acts as a scientist explaining their method while others ask probing questions.
- Social studies (secondary): “Town council simulation” — students take roles and negotiate a community decision, using evidence from sources.
Keep play purposeful: always link the activity to a specific learning outcome and a short reflection at the end.
4. Inquiry — simple cycles teachers can use every lesson
Core cycle (short and repeatable)
- Ask: Pose a meaningful question or problem.
- Investigate: Students gather evidence or try tasks.
- Reason: Interpret findings, discuss patterns or explanations.
- Communicate: Share results and reflect.
- Act/Apply: Decide a next step or real‑world application.
Question starters (use these to frame inquiry prompts)
- What do you notice?
- Why might this be happening?
- How could we find out?
- What evidence supports your idea?
- How would you explain this to someone else?
Practical classroom routine
- Use a 2–3 minute “notice/wonder” starter with an image or short clip.
- Groups choose one question to investigate (10–25 minutes).
- Short gallery walk to view others’ work (5–10 minutes).
- Whole‑class synthesis and next steps (5–10 minutes).
Examples with lesson plans
- Maths: Begin with a puzzling pattern. Students generate explanations, test with examples, and present a general rule.
- Science: Start with a surprising fact. Small experiments explore variables; groups present evidence and refine explanations.
- Social studies: Present a primary source image; students ask questions, research background, and present multiple perspectives.
Assessment during inquiry
- Use formative checks at investigation and reasoning stages:
- Ask one group to explain their evidence.
- Use a checklist to fast‑mark whether investigation steps were followed.
Combining approaches in one lesson: a sample 45‑minute plan
Goal: Introduce fractions concept (primary maths lesson plan from library)
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Starter (5 min) — Learner‑centred + play
- Show a real object (slice of cake). Ask “notice/wonder”. Quick pair discussion.
-
Teacher modelling (5 min)
- Show two ways to divide the cake into equal parts. Ask students to predict.
-
Group investigation (20 min) — inquiry + play
- Stations: cut paper shapes; online interactive from Top Teacher 5 materials; word problems.
- Groups choose a station; teacher circulates asking formative questions (How do you know parts are equal?).
-
Share and peer feedback (8 min) — learner‑centred + formative
- Gallery walk. Peers use a 3‑point checklist to give feedback.
-
Exit ticket and reflection (4 min) — formative
- Each student writes one rule about fractions and one question they still have.
This structure shows how Finnish approaches fit into a normal class and can be used with the provided lesson plan library.
Blended learning: using Top Teacher 5 materials
Ways to blend classroom work with the online course materials
- Flip the starter: ask learners to watch a 5–8 minute Top Teacher 5 short video before class and come with one question.
- Use online interactive tasks as one of the stations during investigation time.
- Assign short formative quizzes online for homework; use results to group learners next lesson.
- Share model answers or exemplar student work from the course as reference for peer feedback.
Tips
- Keep online tasks short and purposeful (5–15 minutes).
- Provide clear instructions and a backup offline task for learners without reliable internet.
- Use online material to extend higher‑attaining students or to consolidate learning for others.
Quick templates and tools to copy
Exit ticket (one line each)
- Today I learned:
- I’m still confused about:
Mini‑whiteboard prompts (choose one)
- Show one way to solve this: ______
- Draw the main idea from today’s lesson.
Peer feedback checklist (3 items)
- The explanation is clear.
- There is evidence or an example.
- One thing to improve: ______
Short formative rubric for group work (1–3)
- 3 — Complete, explains thinking, uses evidence.
- 2 — Partly complete, some explanation.
- 1 — Incomplete or unclear.
Inquiry planning card (student sheet)
- Question:
- What we will do:
- What we expect to find:
- What we found:
- One conclusion:
Practical tips for teachers — keep it manageable
- Start small: add one new routine a week (e.g., Week 1: exit tickets; Week 2: mixed‑ability pairs).
- Timebox activities: use a visible timer so routines fit the lesson length.
- Use the lesson plan library: pick one plan and apply one Finnish routine to it each time.
- Record short notes: after each lesson note one thing that worked and one change to try next time.
- Involve students in classroom routines: let them run the gallery walk or collect exit tickets.
Use these approaches together: a learner‑centred starter that uses play, an inquiry investigation with formative checks, and a short reflective exit ticket becomes a single powerful lesson routine. Apply the routines to the K–12 maths, science and social studies lesson plans in the course library and support learners with short online resources from the Top Teacher 5 materials when useful.