Bridging cultures between teachers and parents Stimulating interaction between teachers and parents in a multicultural s

1. Bridging cultures between teachers and parentsStimulating interaction between teachers and parents in a multicultural setting Natalia Eernstman Wageningen University and Research Department of Education and Competence Studies

2. Program • Description of the conducted study: • Framework • approach • Results • Conclusions and recommendations • Discussion

3. Study Framework

4. Roma in the Romanian schooling system • In school: discrimination and exclusion of Romani pupils • About half of the Romani children never attends school • Schooling program does not fit pupil’s background or needs • Only 4,5 % of the Romani population in Romania graduates from high school. framework·approach·results·conclusions

5. School as socializing agency: key in uplifting population transferring non-discriminative values Intercultural education: applies to needs of ALL children transfers non-discriminative values is integrated in the entire mainstream schooling program the child is taken as focus point revolves around the formation of values involves an interactive way of teaching aims to impart critical thinking a guideline, rather than fixed blueprint Intercultural education framework·approach·results·conclusions

6. Intercultural education • Intercultural Institute Timisoara • Intercultural methodological guideline for teachers • Focus on teacher-parent interaction framework·approach·results·conclusions

7. Teacher-parent interaction • Interaction between teachers and parents: • allows both sides to set aside biases • increases trust of parents in school • allows teachers to adapt the study program to the background of the children • Serious lack of interaction… framework·approach·results·conclusions

8. Teacher-parent interaction • Teachers: • “They stink” • “Parents do not show interest in the education of their children” • “Parents only attend a meeting if they get the monthly allowance” • Parents: • “I want my boy to go to school so that he can write his name and read me the subtitles on television” • “Most Roma parents do not show a lot of interest in the education of their children” framework·approach·results·conclusions

9. Study Focus and Objectives • Assessing the intercultural module by • looking at the changes that occur in the teacher parent interaction as a consequence of it and thereby • give recommendations for the improvement of the method and intercultural education in general, based on obstacles and opportunities discerned in the process. framework·approach·results·conclusions

10. Research Approach 1. Collecting opinions before the Eurrom implementation 2. Instructing the Eurrom module 3. Redirecting the module 4. Collecting data after the module implementation 5. Data analysis framework·approach·results·conclusions

11. Results Three forms of interaction

12. Types of Interaction that took place 1. Parents were invited to class • Regarded as very useful • Increased parent involvement • Parents realized that they are not separated • Increased trust framework·approach·results·conclusions

13. Types of Interaction that took place 2. A teacher visiting the Roma community • Reach parents that seldom come to school • Eye-opener for teacher: “seeing how the children live, made me understand some of the difficulties they have.” • Teachers did not go on own initiative framework·approach·results·conclusions

14. Types of Interaction that took place 3. Teachers and parents met on a festivity • Intercultural Christmas Celebration • Little interaction, only when parents were involved in the preparations • Parents liked ‘gypsy’ program items most. framework·approach·results·conclusions

15. Conclusions & Recommendations

16. Conclusions • The module did not apply to local conditions • Little motivation of teachers to participate in the module • Hard to reach parents that do not show interest • Eurrom mostly reinforces existing relationships between teachers and parents and not so much stimulates the emergence of new ones • If teachers do carry out intercultural activities, the module does proof to be useful framework·approach·results·conclusions

17. Recommendations • Choose module carefully and adapt • Develop strategies to motivate teachers • Find and instruct ways in which teachers can reach the parents • Need for external person to initiate the process and bring the parties together • Involving other parties to tackle the problems framework·approach·results·conclusions

18. Questions and Discussion

19. Discussion • Finding: school is often seen as unnecessary and a threat by parents • Intercultural educationpropagates inclusion of all groups in society, shouldn’t it also accept self-exclusion? • Or, in other words: Should minority parents be free to retain from sending their children to mainstream education?