Minnesota
OPINION EXCHANGE | Counterpoint: It's not Finland or bust: How Minnesota schools can evolve
Opinion editor’s note: Star Tribune Opinion publishes a mix of national and local commentaries online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.
•••
Minnesota should “adopt the Finnish education model,” Jon Olson wrote in his Feb. 13 commentary “10 bold initiatives for Minnesota.” Ted Kolderie quickly shot down the idea, calling it an “impossibility” (“Delving more deeply into ‘bold initiative’ No. 1,” counterpoint, Feb. 16). I heard an all-or-nothing approach in these two perspectives. However, I see a middle ground as a U.S. teacher and parent living in Finland.
The North Star State should neither import nor brush aside the high-performing Finnish model. Instead, Minnesota schools can draw inspiration from Finland while exercising caution.
In the early 2000s, the Finnish education system gained a reputation for high student achievement on a set of standardized tests called the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). However, Finland’s PISA scores have gradually declined. No one can definitively explain the country’s downward trend, but theories abound. In recent years, Finnish schools have struggled to address the low performance of immigrant students and a wide gender achievement gap.
Despite its blemishes, Finland’s efficient model still produces solid academic results. Finnish schools offer shorter school days, fewer standardized tests and less stress than I have found in U.S. districts. Elementary school students in Finland enjoy multiple recess periods per day, a balanced curriculum and very little homework. Finnish teachers, who typically hold a master’s degree in education, experience significant autonomy within a collaborative teaching environment.
Copper Island Academy, a Michigan charter school I work with, borrows best practices from Finnish education. For example, it implements hands-on programs (including studio and culinary arts), frequent outdoor breaks and teacher-powered leadership. Educators at this K-8 school also minimize homework and standardized test prep.
In 2023, Copper Island emerged as a top performer based on its high Michigan School Index score, placing it among the top 10% of the state’s public schools. Their Finnish-inspired model has quickly gained traction in their local community. The school expects enrollment to rise in the fall — from 340 to more than 400 students in just a year.
Finnish inspiration takes different forms. Sure, it can look like starting a school from scratch, but it can be much less ambitious than that. Since I wrote my book “Teach Like Finland,” U.S. educators have told me about Finnish-inspired changes they have made in their classrooms, such as giving students more responsibilities and incorporating more movement. But if I could implement just one practice in all U.S. schools, I would choose Finland’s approach to recess.
Elementary school children in Finland usually get a 15-minute break built into every hourlong lesson. Several times per day, teachers send their students to the playground for free play after 45 minutes of instruction. (Copper Island Academy sticks to a similar schedule.)
A vast body of research supports Finland’s recess strategy. Researchers, including Anthony Pellegrini, professor emeritus at the University of Minnesota, have shown that regular breaks help children to focus during the school day. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, recess is necessary “for optimizing a child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development.”
A veteran educator in St. Paul told me that elementary school students in Minnesota usually receive about 15 minutes of recess per day. The state Department of Education even calls providing at least 20 minutes of daily recess to all K-5 students a best practice. The Finns I know would be shocked to hear this.
To their credit, Minnesota policymakers recently improved recess practices across the state. The “Recess for All” law went into effect this school year, prohibiting recess detention (i.e., removing or excessively delaying a child from a scheduled break for disciplinary reasons). However, the law’s title is misleading.
Like most U.S. states, Minnesota does not guarantee daily recess for elementary school children. State law only recommends it. But many states — including Rhode Island, New Jersey and Florida — have mandated daily recess over the last decade. Rather than adopting the entire Finnish model, what if the Minnesota Legislature drew inspiration from Finland and simply guaranteed daily recess to K-5 students?
Even better, Minnesota could require its elementary schools to offer multiple recess periods per school day, Finnish style. This reform is doable. Arizona already requires its public schools to provide K-5 students with two daily recess blocks. Minnesota could be next.
Timothy Walker is a U.S. educator and author living in Espoo, Finland. He began a paid partnership with Copper Island Academy in 2023.
There are few things in soccer that are certain, but one thing seems clear: No matter the competition, when Minnesota United goes to Seattle, the team is coming home with zero points.
The Loons lost 2-0 to the Sounders in the opening game of the Leagues Cup, adding another defeat to their horrifying record in MLS play. All-time, Minnesota’s record in the Emerald City is spotless: played 10, lost 10.
The Loons managed to hold out until the 87th minute at 0-0, despite a second-half red card to Hassani Dotson, but their defense gave way just as they began to hope for a point. Paul Rothrock just barely stayed onside against Minnesota’s trap and crossed for Jordan Morris, who tapped home from 3 yards out to break the deadlock.
In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Morris returned the favor, setting up Rothrock for a wide-open chance that gave the Sounders a second goal. Morris and Rothrock were also the two players who scored for the Sounders in Minnesota’s 2-0 defeat earlier this season in MLS play.
In between the two late goals, Samuel Shashoua tripped up Cristian Roldan in the furthest corner of the Loons penalty area, giving Seattle a penalty kick. Dayne St. Clair, though, denied Albert Rusnak the chance to add insult to injury, diving to his right to tip the ball around the post.
St. Clair made nine saves, far and away the standout performance for the Loons.
Last season, Minnesota managed to earn three red cards in five Leagues Cup matches — and Dotson continued the trend in this one. In the 64th minute, he badly mistimed a slide into Raul Ruidiaz, crunching the striker’s ankles and earning a straight red from referee Joe Dickerson.
It was Dotson’s second red card of the year, after he was sent off in MLS play for two yellow cards in less than a minute against Austin FC, and it changed the game — since for once, Minnesota was actually competitive in Seattle.
Unlike Minnesota’s visit June 15, the Loons actually created a number of chances in this game. Bongokuhle Hlongwane hit the crossbar with a first-half header, and Tani Oluwaseyi slipped behind the defense in the second half — but saw his attempt to chip goalkeeper Andrew Thomas slapped away.
In the end, though, the result was the same as it always is in Seattle. No matter what happens, something will always go wrong, and the Loons will end the night with zero points.
With every right back on the Minnesota roster injured or unavailable, the Loons handed Loïc Mesanvi his first-ever start for the first team. Mesanvi, who played high school soccer at Lakeville South, then moved on to Minneapolis City SC and the MNUFC youth and second teams, is normally a forward — but fit in well at right wingback in Minnesota’s scheme, playing 59 minutes there.
Rookie Hugo Bacharach also started the game at center back. Bacharach, who was Minnesota’s first-round pick in the MLS SuperDraft over the winter, hadn’t played since injuring his knee April 13.
The Star Tribune did not send the writer of this article to the game. This was written using a broadcast, interviews and other material.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have one of the brightest futures in the entire NBA with an exciting young core led by Anthony Edwards who looked like the best shooting guard in the league this past season. The Wolves were very aggressive in this year’s draft as they traded up to the eight pick without giving away any key player.
Let’s dive into each selection they made and the summary of their draft.
The Timberwolves traded into the top ten to land Rob Dillingham out of Kentucky. The 6-foot-2 point guard is arguably the best pure shot-creator and shot-maker in the entire draft. He is wired to score as he plays with unlimited confidence and can score it at all three levels. Dillingham’s pull-up jumper is elite as he has deep range and he is also a tough mid-range scorer.
What makes him an easy fit next to fellow stars is due to his elite spot-up shooting. He’s great at converting shots off the catch due to his great shot preparation, quick shot release and elite shooting ability. Dillingham is more than just a scorer as the Kentucky star is a very good playmaker who plays with a ton of flash.
His scoring gravity opens up the floor for his teammates mixed in with his good court vision which allows him to be one of the top playmakers in the draft. His elite handle combined with his quickness allows him to create space from defenders with ease. On the downside of things, he’s very limited as a defender and will likely be a negative defender in the NBA.
With their other pick in the first round, the Timberwolves added more offensive firepower as they selected Terrence Shannon Jr. out of Illinois. The 6-foot-7 wing was one of the most explosive players in all of college basketball last season.
The smooth lefty is extremely dominant in the open floor as he’s too fast and athletic for opposing players to handle him. He was able to score over 20 points per game while being one of the top scorers in the entire country.
Shannon improved as a shooter each year he was in college which opened up the floor for the rest of his teammates. At the next level, he will be able to bring microwave scoring off the bench while also having the tools to be a versatile perimeter defender. The main question for Shannon is the limited handle as he struggles to create space off the dribble if it’s not a straight-line drive.
The Timberwolves arguably had one of the best drafts of any team this year. They landed an elite point guard in Dillingham who has elite star potential. The talented lead guard will be playing behind Mike Conley who is one of the top veterans in the NBA so that will go a long way in Dillingham’s career.
There’s not a better fit in the NBA for Dillingham. Shannon could be a valuable piece to their rotation down the line as he offers three-level scoring while being able to make high-level athletic plays. The Timberwolves added more youth and elite talent to an already well-established roster. Minnesota fans should be extremely excited for the future.
Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.
Minnesota
Texas man swindled northern Minnesota woman out of $100K in gold bars, $36K in cash, charges say
MARSHALL COUNTY, Minn. — A 23-year-old Texas man faces charges for his role in swindling $36,000 in cash and $100,000 in gold bars from a northern Minnesota woman.
Charges filed in Marshall County say that a 66-year-old woman said she sent the money to a man in Texas because he had told her he had access to her Social Security number. She said she’d sent the cash in $100 bills and tucked the money into books, which she sent to two different CVS stores in Texas.
She added that he had also bought $100,000 worth of gold bars online in August of last year. The man told her he would pick the gold bars up outside her home on Sept. 1, charges say.
That day, she received a phone call and the man told her to bring the gold bars outside and put them in the backseat of a white car sitting outside her home. Once she did so, the car drove off and she couldn’t see who was driving.
Documents say the suspect was apprehended in McKinney, Texas. He was seen on video footage picking up the packages from the CVS stores.
He admitted to collecting the packages and delivering them to an unknown individual, charges say. He said he knew what was in the pacakges, and had picked up roughly 40 of them between August and September of 2023.
He said he had been coerced into picking up the packages, and he was being compensated for his work, according to documents.
The suspect was charged with two counts of theft. The theft charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment.
Southern California man hospitalized after suspect steals coffee cart, leads police on wild chase
Why Nets Signed Former Pistons PG Killian Hayes
Messi Out For Defending Champ Miami As Leagues Cup Begins
1M illegal immigrants could be given 'amnesty' as Biden faces pressure from left wing
At Manny’s cafe, group therapy for newly hopeful Democrats
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
At least 2 dead as tornadoes hit Alabama, damage homes across Southeast
Trump announces to crowd he 'just took off the last bandage' at faith event after assassination attempt
Where are the world’s millionaires and how is wealth divided globally?
Sonya Massey killing: Black woman died from gunshot wound to head, confirms autopsy; attorney calls shooting 'senseless' – Times of India
Park Police union says officers ‘did everything they could’ during DC anti-Israel riot
Passengers face long, uncertain wait at stations amid rail disruption
-
World1 week agoOne dead after car crashes into restaurant in Paris
-
Midwest1 week agoMichigan rep posts video response to Stephen Colbert's joke about his RNC speech: 'Touché'
-
News1 week agoVideo: Young Republicans on Why Their Party Isn’t Reaching Gen Z (And What They Can Do About It)
-
Movie Reviews1 week agoMovie Review: A new generation drives into the storm in rousing ‘Twisters’
-
Politics1 week agoFox News Politics: The Call is Coming from Inside the House
-
News1 week agoVideo: J.D. Vance Accepts Vice-Presidential Nomination
-
World1 week agoTrump to take RNC stage for first speech since assassination attempt
-
News1 week agoRNC speakers want to separate the president from the person to show softer side of Trump