Finland – Dr. Phil Downs

January 5, 2023January 7, 2023

What Indiana Can Learn from Finland

Submitted by Phil on Mon, 05/01/2017 – 15:33

Since I have returned, I have been asked whether I think we could match Finland’s success in Indiana. There are conditions contributing to Finland’s success that Indiana will probably never be able to duplicate (its homogeneous society and universal early child care). That being said, the Finns would love to have our talent for creativity and innovation, which is born of our diversity. I did come away with three concrete ideas that are applicable to Indiana.

January 5, 2023January 7, 2023

My Trip to Finland

Submitted by Phil on Mon, 05/01/2017 – 15:31

I went to Finland in June of 2015. Finland, where public restrooms have a soundtrack of birds chirping in the woods. Finland, where death-metal is one of the most popular styles of music. Finland, where more coffee is consumed per capita than anywhere else in the world, but in teensy little cups. Finland, where children have one of the shortest school days and one of the shortest school years, and yet their students perform higher on international tests than almost any other country in the world.