Teachers in General Education

Teacher education and training in Finland was established in the late 19th century in two main tracks: teachers for folk schools were trained in teacher training colleges, whereas teachers for secondary schools were trained at universities. When the folk school and secondary school were abolished in conjunction with the comprehensive school reform of the 1970s, teacher education was also reformed.

As early as 1970, the objectives of education for teachers at comprehensive schools and general upper secondary schools were redefined: teacher education was divided into education for class teachers and subject teachers. This division still applies today. Class teachers mainly work in grades 1–6 of comprehensive school (primary level), whereas subject teacher education is mainly for those teaching in grades 7–9 of comprehensive school (lower secondary level) and at upper secondary school,  but teachers with subject teacher’s education may also work in vocational education and training and liberal adult education. Teacher education for both is provided by university departments of teacher education. The training of kindergarten teachers was transferred completely to universities in 1995.

Class teacher education is provided by university faculties of education or other equivalent units called teacher education units. One university may even have two departments of teacher education. Education is provided by seven Finnish-language universities and by one Swedish-language university. Since 1995, kindergarten teacher education has also been provided by university faculties of education. Each teacher education unit has teacher training school(s) for teaching practice, experiments, research and continuing education. Teacher training schools may have either grades 1–6 of basic education or grades 7–9 of basic education and general upper secondary school, or all of these. They may also include pre-primary level.

Subject teacher education is provided by university faculties of different subjects. Pedagogical studies are provided by teacher education units within faculties of education. The periods of teaching practice included in pedagogical studies are organised at university teacher training schools and at so-called affiliated schools. Teacher education in art subjects is offered by art academies. Class teacher and kindergarten teacher education is organised concurrently. The length of kindergarten teacher education is 3 years and class teacher education 5 years.

What comes to subject teacher education, students usually first apply to study a particular subject at the relevant university faculty and, after one or two years of studying, they may apply for subject teacher education. At some universities and faculties, students may also apply directly for subject teacher education; in such cases, education is provided in co-operation between the department of teacher education, the relevant subject departments and teacher training schools. The department of teacher education is responsible for providing pedagogical studies, whereas subject departments of different faculties provide education in the teaching subjects. These studies are taken in parallel and in interaction with each other. The length of subject teacher education is 5-6 years.

Teacher's pedagogical studies are minimum 60 ECTS while the whole degree is 300 ECTS for class and subject teachers and 180 for kindergarten teachers. In the teacher's pedagogical studies practical training amounts to 20 ECTS for class teachers and subject teachers and 25 ECTS for kindergarten teachers. The pedagogical studies combine theory to practice.