ITB School of Sustainability

Finland’s education system continues to astonish the world — not by doing more, but by doing better. Finnish students spend only 4–5 hours a day in school, with minimal homework and frequent breaks for play. Yet, they consistently rank among the top performers globally in literacy, math, and science. The secret? A focus on quality teaching, equality, and emotional well-being over rote memorization.

Teachers in Finland are required to hold master’s degrees and are trusted as educational professionals, not pressured by standardized testing. Students learn through creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving — developing real-world skills and a lifelong love for learning.

By prioritizing balance, mental health, and joy in education, Finland has redefined what academic success looks like — proving that shorter days and smarter teaching can achieve far more than endless hours and heavy workloads.

“Teach the children. We don’t matter so much, but the children do. Show them daisies and the pale hepatica. Teach them the taste of sassafras and wintergreen. The lives of the blue sailors, mallow, sunbursts, the moccasin-flowers. And the frisky ones–inkberry, lamb’s-quarters, blueberries. And the aromatic ones–rosemary, oregano. Give them peppermint to put in their pockets as they go to school. Give them the fields and the woods and the possibility of the world salvaged from the lords of profit. Stand them in the stream, head them upstream, rejoice as they learn to love this green space they live in, its sticks and leaves and then the silent, beautiful blossoms. Attention is the beginning of devotion.” - `Mary Oliver
Artwork by Catrin Welz-Stein

Field trip to learn about goats and sustainability through a scavenger hunt and goat walk 🐐

For some fun ideas of how to keep your kids busy indoors + out take a look at our stories...

Even in the coldness of winter it’s important to get outside to play, learn, and explore🧣🥾🧭

This is why we created a natural playground because having children play, explore, and use their imagination helps develop their creativity and out the box thinking!

You can help to make change, please do for our planet and our children’s future

Greta and George, the best short video of 2019

Hmm who’s this sound like? Minus the cows, although I’d love to have cows ♥️

Could Urban Farms Be the Preschools of the Future? A group of architects proposed a new design to help raise environmentally responsible kids.

Yesterday was National Plant a Flower Day! How could we miss it!? Flowers are very important to the biodiversity of the environment, plus they look & smell so pretty! 🌱🌸🌼🌷
What’s you’re favorite flower?