Expectations and wishes of ethnic minority parents regarding education and schooling Frederik Smit, Geert Driessen, Peter Sleegers & Paul Hoop ITS, University of Nijmegen Research funded by the City of Rotterdam

Background Tendencies in the Netherlands: schools have a clear role transferring norms and values to their students strengthen the notion of the school’s educational tasks parents and teachers are increasingly expected to have meaningful and efficient interactions relations between parents and school are characterized by cooperation and consultation white middle-class parents are seen as cooperating partners education is becoming the task of school and family combined 12th INET Roundtable, San Diego 2004

The city of Rotterdam, the Netherlands hosts some 170 different nationalities more than 60% of the primary school students are ethnic minorities traditional groups, such as the Turks, Moroccans and Surinamese new migrant groups: from countries like Somalia, Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq 12th INET Roundtable, San Diego 2004

Policy of the city of Rotterdam the city seeks to set up a high quality education system community-empowered schools schools’ pedagogical task is supported by other activities in the community 12th INET Roundtable, San Diego 2004

Goal of the research project better understanding of the relationship between parents of ethnic minority children and schools better understanding of the parents’ points of view on education (a survey study was conducted)  12th INET Roundtable, San Diego 2004

Four strategies for acculturation Question 1: Is it important to preserve typical cultural identity and characteristics? yes no Question 2: Is it important to maintain relations with other groups in the society? yes Integration Assimilation Separation Marginalization no 12th INET Roundtable, San Diego 2004

Shift in norms and values of parents of ethnic minority with children in primairy education   norms and values original country norms and values the Netherlands sex age years in the Netherlands civil status highest completed education knowledge of Dutch language 12th INET Roundtable, San Diego 2004

Collaboration between families and school 12th INET Roundtable, San Diego 2004

Integrated planned participation strategy 12th INET Roundtable, San Diego 2004

Sample & Design 1000 parents nine ethnic minority categories (900), Dutch (100) traditional migrant groups: e.g., Turkey, Morocco, Suriname new migrant groups: e.g., Pakistan, Somalia, Russia 100 native Dutch parents included as a reference category parents selected by the so-called snowball method interviews by bilingual interviewers 12th INET Roundtable, San Diego 2004

Questionnaire parental participation communication schools – parents the importance of norms and values discrepancies between educational goals at school and at home 12th INET Roundtable, San Diego 2004

Research questions, results and recommendations to create and to build partnerships with families of ethnic minorities and communities neccessity puts in motion school choice communication to be prepared vision points the way awareness / inclusion success makes believe participation support Integrated planned participation strategy spirit gives strength structures provoke eductional goals to be informed Conceptual map: six types of Epstein capacities enable systems confirm 12th INET Roundtable, San Diego 2004

Barriers: gaps to overcome family-based barriers: psychological, physical, lack of skills and knowledge normative barriers: family-, school-, community-based school-based barriers: teacher as an autonomous professional, psychological, communicative skills and respect 12th INET Roundtable, San Diego 2004

Expectations and wishes ethnic minority parents regarding schools two-way communication flows between families and the school collaborative relationships about norms and values to become more fully informed participate more equitably in the children’s school experience more attention to discipline and structure good learning environment 12th INET Roundtable, San Diego 2004

Different points of view regarding the relations between parents and schools welcoming school climate two-way communication professional preparation respect for parents as educators schools reach out to order involve all families 12th INET Roundtable, San Diego 2004

Successful policies that support parents and schools how to involve parents how to organize more effective action for partnership understanding of parents diversity awareness of own mind-map to share information about parenting 12th INET Roundtable, San Diego 2004