Mathematics teacher training
Finnish schools have normally managed to recruit competent teachers of mathematics to fill open vacancies. A higher university degree is required for the post of class teacher or subject teacher in Finland. Although the job of mathematics teacher may not be among the most popular professions, fairly motivated students have started university studies to become qualified teachers of mathematics and science. In the future, when the older age groups retire, there will be a threat of the shortage of teachers, which has been alleviated by teachers’ in-service training and conversion training. Class teachers’ training to make them qualified teachers of mathematics has been very popular. More and more students in class teacher training choose mathematics as their subject of specialization. In 1999 more than one thousand class teachers had at least the grade cum laude approbatur in mathematics. Even if these teachers with specialization in mathematics never taught in classes 7-9 in basic education, their deeper and broader command of the subject is important to pupils’ development of mathematical thinking.
Continuing teacher training in natural sciences
Ever since the launch of the Development Programme for Mathematics and Science Education (LUMA) in 1996, natural sciences have formed one of the priority areas of continuing training for class teachers. Since the beginning of the 21st century, continuing training has specifically focused on physics and chemistry instruction in grades 5 and 6. Subject teachers have completed study modules in physics, chemistry and geography in the Swedish language, but the amount of shorter-term continuing training available free of charge for subject teachers has been scarce in natural sciences.