The Emperor’s new clothes: PISA, TIMSS and Finnish mathematics

For nearly fifteen years, due to repeated successes on the Programme of International Student Assessment (PISA), Finnish education in general and mathematics education in particular have been construed internationally as benchmarks. In what is essentially a review paper I consider how the Finns explain their students' repeated PISA successes before contrasting these explanations with observational evidence indicating that typical classroom practice is unlikely to account for such successes. In addition, I examine the relative failure of Finnish students on the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), particularly with respect to algebra and geometry, and highlight the extent to which Finnish students may be inadequately prepared for higher study of mathematics. I close by indicating that continued interest in Finland as a source of excellence in mathematics teaching may be misguided and that other European systems, like Flanders, may provide better warranted research locations for those interested in transferable insights.