EDUCATION SYSTEM IN FINLAND AND INDONESIA

The government says it wants to learn from Finland, known to have one of the best educational systems in the world, to improve education. It has been widely known that Finland is the country with the best education system in the world. It is proven from the result of Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) test which shows that Finland students achieve either the first or the second place, beating other students from many countries. Indonesia, however, is in the 57^th place. This discrepancy must have something to do with the education system in both countries. What makes Finland students perform better than Indonesian students? What makes Finland education system become the best in the world? Let's check the answer here.

Compared with other systems, they rarely take exams or do homework until they are well into their teens.

This is the first aspect which really different compared to Indonesia education system. In Indonesia, students from Elementary school have a lot of homework to do. 

The children are not measured at all for the first six years of their education.

In Indonesia, since the children attended school in the beginner level, all the things about them has been measured, including their achievement. Students has been measured whether they smart or not.

There is only one mandatory standardized test in Finland, taken when children are 16.

It is really different with Indonesia, right? National Exam, that is claimed as Standardized test, is taken in all phase of school, from Elementary until Senior High School.

All children, clever or not, are taught in the same classrooms. 

It is different with Indonesia which has piloting class and regular class.

Elementary school students get 75 minutes of recess a day in Finnish versus an average of 30 minutes in Indonesia.

So much time was used to study in classroom, that is what experienced by elementary students in Indonesia.

Teachers only spend 4 hours a day in the classroom, and take 2 hours a week for "professional development".

This is really good way that Indonesia's government must learn from. With an highly educated and developed teacher, the result of education for our young gen in Indonesia will be much better. 

Finland has the same amount of teachers as New York City, but far fewer students.

Different to New York, and really different to Indonesia. A lot of students, fewer teachers.

All teachers in Finland must have a masters degree, which is fully subsidized.

From this aspect, in Finland, we can see that teacher is the most important thing in establishing a good education for their young generations and resulted at the best education system in the world.

GETTING SUCCESS IN TOEFL TEST

The TOEFL is one of the most difficult tests you will ever take in your life! Here is a list of ten things that will help you get the highest score possible on the TOEFL iBT, and fulfill your dream of studying at an English-speaking university.

Familiarize yourself with the TOEFL format

Most countries now offer the Internet based TOEFL (iBT). A few offer only the paper-based test (PBT). Make sure you find out which test you will be taking before you start studying for the TOEFL. You cannot choose to take the paper based test if your country offers the iBT. One reason people experience exam stress is because they don't know what to expect before a test. Prevent stress on exam day by studying the format of the test in detail. ETS has very clear standards about the format of their test. This is why it is called a "standardized" test.

Research TOEFL score requirements

The TOEFL is required for any non-native English student who wants to go to a post-secondary school in the United States. Most people take the TOEFL in order to apply to a specific school or program. Before you begin studying, find out what the requirements are for the schools you are interested in going to. Remember that the scores for the paper based test are different than the scores for the iBT. Some schools will look at your scores from different sections. Each iBT section is scored out of 30. Many universities expect you to achieve higher writing skills than speaking skills. TOEFL scores are only valid for two years.

Learn academic English

TOEFL is used for a different purpose than other ESL tests. The TOEFL measures your

ability to succeed in an American university or college. Other English-speaking countries also require TOEFL scores as a prerequisite for admission. You don't have to know about the business world as you do in the TOEIC test. Instead, you should concentrate on studying language that you would hear and see on campus and in the classroom. In other words, you should read textbooks, encyclopaedias, journals and research articles rather than advertisements and resumes. You won't need to know any background information about certain subjects, but it will help you to become familiar with the presentation and language used in academic material. You should also watch modern television and movies. If you have a friend who goes to an English university, go to class with him as often as you can. Borrow his books and hang out with his friends.

Use practice tests

The best way to prepare for the TOEFL is to practise doing the tests. If you are taking a TOEFL class, your teacher will provide you with plenty of material. If you are studying for the TOEFL on your own, you will have to purchase a few key resources. Find a textbook that has exercises, vocabulary, practice tests, CDs, and explanatory answers. You might not want to work through a book from front to back. Work on the sections that you find most challenging. Don't just rely on one book. You might have a book that is much easier than the official TOEFL. Look for free samples on the Internet to supplement your textbook. Make sure the question types are up to date.

Find a mentor

A reliable native English teacher who knows a lot about the TOEFL is one of the best

resources a student can have. You will have many questions that your textbook can't answer for you. Frustrated students often give up. It is important that you have someone who will answer your questions and encourage you when you feel down. If you cannot afford a teacher or a tutor, find a student who has studied for the test before. Sometimes other students can give you excellent hints and help you with grammar questions. You might be able to help other students with their questions too. Teaching another person is a great way to learn. If you use Twitter, search for "TOEFL". You will find teachers and students to follow and network with.

Build up your stamina

The TOEFL test takes a long time to write. If you are taking the paper based test it will take you about 2.5 hours. The iBT is much longer. You can expect to be at the computer for 4 hours. Many students have an attention span of about two hours. This is the maximum length of most classes. After this amount of time performance starts to weaken. If you keep your study sessions to one or two hours, your brain will not be prepared to work for four. Start off with short study sessions, and work up to longer ones. It is absolutely necessary that you get a good night's sleep before this test. You cannot afford to be tired.

SENTENCES AND THEIR CATEGORIES

The meaning of a sentence is not seen as a sum of the meaning of the words that make up the

sentence. A sentence meaning is a unit of meaning that is carried by the whole sentence. Based on their meanings, sentences can be classified into seven categories as follows:

1.      Analytic Sentence.

Analytic sentences are sentences that are necessarily true. They are true by definition, and are generally self-explanatory. It tells us about logic and about language use in which the meaning of the sentence is found to be true according to the facts.In additional, they often have little to no informative value. Examples of analytic sentences include:

o   Frozen water is ice.

o   Bachelors are unmarried men.

o   My mother is a female.

2.      Contradictory Sentence.

A contradictory sentence is any sentences that are necessarily false. It means that the meaning of the sentence is proved to be false according to the facts. For examples:

Ø  The river is bigger than the sea.

Ø  The boy is pregnant.

Ø  Water is heavier than iron.

Educational Facts

Every minute, Four Teenagers become School Drop-Outs

Based on Education for All Global Monitoring Report released by UNESCO in 2011, the increasing number of students dropping out of school yield a decline in a country’s development index. Indonesia ranked 69th out of the 127 countries included in the Education Development Index.

In the meantime, Indonesia’s Ministry of Education stated that every minute, four teenagers drop out from school. Several factors are behind this, the main being high cost of education.
2010 education data shows that 1.3 million children and teenagers aged 7 to 15 years old dropped out from school.

54% of Teachers in Indonesia are Underqulified

Teachers are at the forefront in improving the quality of education as they directly interact with the students in the classroom. The teaching and learning process is the onset of quality education -- the overall measure of education is in the teaching attributes of the educators.

In terms of quantity, the number of teachers in Indonesia is quite adequate. However, in terms of quality, Indonesian teachers still fall below the benchmark. This is evident in the number of teachers who are yet to hold a bachelor’s degree but are already teaching in secondary and vocational schools. There are also a handful of educators who teach subjects which are outside of their course disciplines.

Based on 2010 data from the Ministry of National Education, more than 1.5 million children will not be able to continue their education; 54 percent of teachers need skills improvement; and 13.19 percent of schools are in bad shape.