Carl Linnaeus & Scandinavian Education

I thought the presentation on Carl Linnaeus was very interesting and detailed. In particular, I was unaware of his humanitarian and medical efforts. I thought it was interesting that in the 18th century a well educated individual on a tour of Scandinavia to see the wildlife primarily would take a great interest in the well being of the Sami people. It seemed very forward-thinking that Linnaeus made note of how the Sami were expected to conform to standards that did not fit their lifestyle nor living conditions. Additionally, the prestige of his medical practice which gained initial notoriety from treating STD's and went on to be the physician to the admiralty and the royal family was something I found particularly noteworthy.

After the class discussion and seeing the articles and videos online, I was really intrigued by the success of the Scandinavian school system because it appears to conflict on many levels with the American school system. Particularly the late start policy, which I think might be viewed as a hassle for parents in America who are eager for their children to read and write from very young ages. I did think the community responsibility associated with education, particularly in the Finnish School System video, was great. Families, and also international corporations, seem to take pride in educating children and watching them succeed. If education was a source of pride in America, students and family alike may take it more seriously.

The outdoor schools were the most unique, in my opinion. While I liked hearing about them and reading the article on the Danish schools, I doubt I would have liked that kind of education as a child and I think many Americans are far too worried about the dangers of the outdoors to support that type of education for their children. One of the primary differences that could make outdoor schools in America successful, in my opinion, would be higher education levels for teachers. Day care providers in America often lack the credentials that would make such a project successful. Though not outdoors, I think many small-scale American day cares, such as those found in private homes, also focus on developing team work and social skills through play and foster positive educational experiences for American children.

Carl Linnaeus

I also really enjoyed this lecture. Carl Linnaeus was someone who I had learned about in Biology last year, but we did not go into great depth in covering his accomplishments and achievements. I recognized the name and the face on the money from living in Sweden, but was unaware of everything that he had done. It was really neat to learn about his travels and discoveries and the pictures that Sarah had to accompany the lecture made me want to go and hike in Scandinavia.

Having spent half of my childhood in Sweden, and half in the United States it is always really interesting and fun for me to compare the two cultures. One of the things that I miss the most about Sweden and definitely one of the biggest differences and culture shocks upon returning to the U.S. is the amount of time I spent outside in Sweden. We would play outside, rain or shine. In my three years of school there I can not remember a time when they had us stay inside for recess. The whole culture is based around spending time outdoors, we would eat outside and have picnics outside and go on walks with the whole family, or with family friends. We would spend the day in the park, or outside by the water. During school hours we would go on nature hikes a couple times a months and in the winter, we would go cross country skiing one a week. The thing I miss the most about Sweden is probably the emphasis that is placed on nature and the outdoors.

Carl Linnaeus - Sam

I found Sarah's lecture and slide show on nature and Carl Linnaeus very interesting. He was a great ecologist, botanist and was very well respected, enough to be a face on their money. He got to travel all over Sweden and Finland and even some parts of Norway and write many books on his studies.

I really admire Scandinavia’s relationship with nature. Starting at a young age, the kids are forced to create a bond with nature and live outside for portions of the day. When I visited Sweden, I loved how we always had meals outside, went on hikes all over Öland, and basically did as much as we could outside. Also, whenever possible we would walk or bike to our destinations, not drive unnecessarily large vehicles. I had a type of culture shock when I returned home and saw the huge TV with too many channels and several computers in my house. Everything in Scandinavia seemed so much more natural, more desirable and I really enjoyed it and miss it.

Carl Linnaeus and Finnish and Swedish Education

I found the lecture on Carl Linnaeus very interesting and informative, because I didn't know very much about him other than that I could recognize his name and associate it with taxonomy. I didn't realize how much of an impact his work had, and how much recognition he gained during his lifetime. It was neat to see all of the different plants and flowers and examine Linnaeus' life through what he saw and experienced during his travels and comparing it to those same places today and how he is honored throughout Sweden.

When we compared and discussed the Finnish and Swedish school system versus education in the United States, I realized I would have preferred to have gone to school in Finland or Sweden! The emphasis on learning for the sake of learning and fostering a natural sense of curiosity was definitely not a big part of my education as a kid. There was constant grading and expectations right off the bat, and interaction with nature/the outdoors was minimal, and decreased significantly until it ended with a final P.E. class in the beginning of Freshman year (highschool). I think many students under this system might have felt the way I felt, extremely stressed about grades and "doing well" and probably not getting enough exercise at school or at home as there was only time for homework and studying. I can also say that I don't feel like I learned anything that stuck with me, it was always a process that included memorizing everything for an exam, and erasing that knowledge and repeat the process. The Finnish and Swedish students seem to have gained a more cumulative and well rounded knowledge of many aspects of life. I really enjoy the outdoors and wish it had been more incorporated into my education and I really admire the Scandinavian emphasis on learning about nature and getting the opportunity to explore it freely!