Rethinking integration–preparatory education teachers imagining “dream schools” for newly arrived students in Finland

Abstract

This paper focuses on preparatory education teachers' views on a “dream school” for newly arrived students in Finland. Based on 30 semi-structured interviews conducted in the spring of 2024, the teachers dreamed about the equitable treatment and inclusion of their students, equity in access and resources as well as equity in teacher awareness and representation. More precisely, the dreams included, for instance, that newly arrived students would not be seen as incapable of education, that they could study in the same building as other students and that not all their teachers would be white. Theoretically, this paper builds on critical integration research. We conclude that, despite the “well-intentioned” definitions of integration based on two-way inclusivity, processes and discourses continue to stratify and segregate. The expectations placed on newly arrived students to “integrate” are unjust. We call for anti-racism education at all levels of the education system, also including in-service training.