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Diversity and Urban Schools

This presentation discusses the Comenius Project's aim to improve school leadership in disadvantaged urban communities. It explores the Finnish educational system and the challenges faced by schools in urban contexts. The data and methods used in the project are discussed, as well as case examples from research schools. The USIS homepage provides access to all presentations.

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Diversity and Urban Schools

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  1. Diversity and Urban Schools Professor Kirsi Tirri University of Helsinki FINLAND

  2. Presentation Comenius Project Religious and Cultural Sensitivity Ethical Sensitivity Emotional Intelligence Co-operation between school and church

  3. Comenius Project • ”Leading Schools Successfully in Challenging Urban Contexts: Strategies for Improvement” • An innovative, Europe wide three-year project • A nine-country partnership (The United Kingdom (coordinator), Ireland, The Netherlands, Greece, Spain, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and Finland) between higher education institutions and thirty-six schools in disadvantaged urban contexts • Research schools must be located in challenging urban contexts; four schools from every project country • Aims of the project: • To identify strategies to improve school leadership in primary and secondary schools in disadvantaged urban communities Educating through Diversity in Europe

  4. The Finnish Educational System • A central objective: to provide all citizens equal opportunities to receive education irrespective of age, domicile, economic situation, sex or mother tongue • Education is a fundamental right of all citizens • System: comprehensive school, post-compulsory general and vocational education, higher education and adult education • General education is free of charge for entire age groups, neither admission nor requirements • Almost all chidren in Finland complete the nine-year comprehensive school, interruption is rare Educating through Diversity in Europe

  5. Problems of Schooling in Urban Context • Transformation in the social context of urban education in Finland – major features: • The percentage of pupils living with two biological parents has decreased • The percentage of children from other cultural backgrounds has increased • Student background: the relationship between social factors and the educational access and outcomes • Diversity: minority students are an increasing share of the school age population during the coming decades • Differences in schools: in and between schools • The role of school: pupils’ general learning capabilities; school management Educating through Diversity in Europe

  6. Data and methods • 4 urban primary schools and 4 urban secondary schools from two cities in Finland • Sucessful and experienced principals • Quantitative methods • Cultural, spiritual and ethical sensitivity of the students and teachers. The teachers of the schools (N=124) evaluated their principals’ emotional leadership with an Emotional Leadership Questionnaire (ELQ) that operationalizes four domains of EI with 51 items (Goleman, Boyazis & McKee, 2002; Nokelainen & Ruohotie, 2005). Educating through Diversity in Europe

  7. Data and methods • Qualitative methods • Qualitative interviews have been narrative case studies, in which the principals (N=4), parents (N=8), teachers (N=8) and students (N=8) of each school have reflected the characteristics of their principal, the ethos of their school and the reasons for their success Educating through Diversity in Europe

  8. Research Schools and Case Examples • Primary School: Meri-Rastila • In the capital area of Helsinki; about 300 pupils and 20 teachers • Case example: • Challenge: multicultural families • Project: supporting immigrant mothers • Primary School: Keltinmäki • In Jyväskylä, about 300 km to the north from Helsinki; about 400 pupils and 27 teachers • Case example: • Challenge: students with learning difficulties • Project: integration with the help from school assistants Educating through Diversity in Europe

  9. Research Schools and Case Examples • Secondary School: Helsingin normaalilyseo • In the city centre of Helsinki; about 300 pupils (total 546 pupils with the upper secondary school) and 70 teachers • Case example: • Challenge: differences between rich and poor • Project: peer mediation • Secondary School: Huhtaharju • In Jyväskylä; about 400 pupils and 41 teachers • Case example: • Challenge: students with special needs • Project: pupils with personal curriculum Educating through Diversity in Europe

  10. USIS homepage • All the following presentations are available after the conference at • http://www.helsinki.fi/teol/ktel/tutkimus/usis Educating through Diversity in Europe

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