INSETRom in Slovakia Rastislav Rosinský Blandína Šramová Constantine the Philosopher University Nitra, Slovakia

Background information  citizens of Slovakia declared their Roma nationality (2001)  Number of Roma people in SVK is estimated for (cca 5,8%)  2 subethnic groups of Roma -Rumungro Roma -Vlachike Roma

Background information Some information about education of Roma in Slovakia:   30-40% of Roma children attends school only irregularly;   98% of Roma children does not attend kindergartens,   they fail 14 x more often in general as other children;   30x more frequently they drop out of school before finishing the elementary school;   almost 90% of Roma did not proceed to higher than elementary education;   only 2,5% of Roma attends secondary school   from 2002 we are not able to collect ethnic data.

Background information   In 1992 Roma people received status of national minority in Slovakia. However, Roma still do not have their independent national education system – in their own language or culture background.   First schools with attribute “Roma” started to occur recently. These schools are supposed to be attended mostly by Roma pupils. Curriculum in these schools is supplemented by so called romological disciplines that should saturate the need of learning about their own, Roma culture (for example Roma History, Roma Language...).

Background information In schools with high number of Roma pupils tools for decreasing of handicaps in school system are created:  Zero grade – helps children to reduce problems of lack of experience with majority school system, because they do not have any social and hygienic habits. Content of 1st grade is distributed for 2 years.  Teacher’s assistant – helps the teacher and children in overcoming the language barrier, s/he also operates in families, checks the attendance, supervises over school duties etc.

Aim of the survey and survey methods One aim of the project INSETRom (Comenius programme) was to identify the real needs of teachers and Roma parents and how to increase the success of Roma children in school. The prevalent method of the survey was semi-structured interview with teachers (N=15), Roma paretns (N=11) and their pupils (N=12). Survey took place in the course of March 2008 in east part of Slovakia (where Rumungro Roma live) and west part of Slovakia (where Vlachike Roma live)

Analyses of teachers’ responses Experience with Roma pupils  The biggest problems are seen especially in absence of preparation at home, not bringing the school aids etc.  Most frequently were reported problems in the field of creativity, temperament, ability to find excuse under all circumstances, etc.

Analyses of teachers’ responses Experience with Roma pupils  Majority of them reported that Roma pupils require more visual aids (also in secondary schools) or the teachers have to be more directive.  Teachers warn that Roma pupils change the face of their class.  In classes with smaller number of Roma pupils, teachers reported that there is much more aggression towards Roma even among children.

Analyses of teachers’ responses Experience with Roma family  Teachers work with a family especially when problems occur. Despite this, all teachers consider cooperation with family as crucial, not only at the school level. Parents of pupils do not visit the school.  If Roma parents are asked to help their kids (e.g. with home works), many parents do not help, because they either do not have interest or knowledge.  More teachers pointed out that parents do not accept that their children can do anything wrong.

Analyses of childrens’ responses School attendance  What children do not like about school: insufficient technical equipment, subjective evaluation of teachers, aggression in classes, and monotony of lessons.  Children reported that in school they do not learn about Roma culture on any subject,  only few respondents admitted that they mention Roma marginally in history and civil study.

Analyses of childrens’ responses Teachers  All children described their relationship to the teacher as positive. They like best their class teachers.  Pupils stated that they like those teachers that are kind, warm to them, without prejudices and those who let them feel that they like them.  When pupils have problems in school, they report to teacher or rely on their own strengths.  According to children teachers think about parents and overall about Roma what the rest of society thinks – that they are uneducated, dirty, lazy.

Analyses of childrens’ responses Parents  Pupils think that parents cannot help them to have better time in school. All respondents would like if their parents deal with their school problems and tasks.

Analyses of parents’s responses Issues related to children  They expect from children to learn well, to do business and to earn money (Vlachike Roma), that they not to take drugs (Rumungro Roma).  They evaluate themselves as good parents, who do everything for their children.  The biggest problems of the child according to the parents are school, teachers and classmates.

Analyses of parents’s responses Child and school  Roma parents think about school that it does not provide future.  Reason to visit of school is mainly disrupting the school rules from the side of their children  Parents do not know what their children do at school and do not understand the teachers either  Parents report that teachers are unwilling and bad.

 We could see a lot of stereotypes and prejudice in responses of each group in our research. The project INSETRom tried to break the mental wall which is between us and them by intervention program.

Teacher training curriculum in Slovak Republic  Consist of modules: Culture and enculturation Culture and enculturation Stereotypes and prejudice Stereotypes and prejudice Roma history Roma history Intercultural education Intercultural education Teacher-Parent relations Teacher-Parent relations  Place of training : Spišská Nová Ves- (small city in eastern Slovakia)  Time of training : 24 hours (from November 25th to 27th, 2008)

Materials and Methods  Participants: N= 15 ( N=12-female, N=13 male) Participants: N= 15 (N= 1 School manager, N=13 teachers, N=1 Roma assistant)

Materials and Methods  1. Questionnaire for monitoring basic questions regarding (pre training, 19q.): the work with pupils the work with pupils learning of Roma pupils learning of Roma pupils mapping their experience with the work with both Roma pupils and their parents mapping their experience with the work with both Roma pupils and their parents identification of basic critical problems with teaching Roma pupils identification of basic critical problems with teaching Roma pupils knowledge of culture, habits and nature of Roma pupils knowledge of culture, habits and nature of Roma pupils

Materials and Methods  2. After finishing training we used the post- training questionnaire (16 questions)

Materials and Methods  3. After finishing the training: we put some questions in focus group we were searching for the effectivity of realised training modules we put some questions in focus group we were searching for the effectivity of realised training modules

Results: Pre- test measuring  was very similar to the results of interview with teachers, which was demonstrated  We can show the main problems: participants felt deficit in culture, history, psychological skills by work with Roma pupils and their parents (communication, problem solving, conflict solving..) participants felt deficit in culture, history, psychological skills by work with Roma pupils and their parents (communication, problem solving, conflict solving..) participants felt deficit in well preparing for teaching Roma pupils participants felt deficit in well preparing for teaching Roma pupils

Results: Pre- test measuring conflict among Roma families are transferred into school environment conflict among Roma families are transferred into school environment Roma pupils have difficulties in interaction with non-Roma pupils for their noise level and more emotional manifestations Roma pupils have difficulties in interaction with non-Roma pupils for their noise level and more emotional manifestations insufficient competence of teachers to handle higher emotional reactivity of parents insufficient competence of teachers to handle higher emotional reactivity of parents insufficient information in mass and communication media about lives of Roma insufficient information in mass and communication media about lives of Roma

Results: Pre- test measuring  Participants felt well in: the classroom – good, correct, fair relations among pupils (60%) the classroom – good, correct, fair relations among pupils (60%) work with Roma pupils- are extremely grateful if they feel love and positive attitude from adult side work with Roma pupils- are extremely grateful if they feel love and positive attitude from adult side

Results: Pre- test measuring  Participants would welcome : teaching material for working with Roma pupils teaching material for working with Roma pupils publications related to Roma problems (history, culture) publications related to Roma problems (history, culture) useful information about Roma culture, history, solveing personal conflicts, better communication abilities useful information about Roma culture, history, solveing personal conflicts, better communication abilities exchange of experience in working with Roma children exchange of experience in working with Roma children

Results: Post- test measuring  The results of post training questionnaire: Training (coverage of content, training methodology, duration of training, professionalism of Trainers) was evaluated positive Training (coverage of content, training methodology, duration of training, professionalism of Trainers) was evaluated positive

Results: Post- test measuring  The results of post training questionnaire: the most positive evaluation received the module Culture and enculturation with the module Stereotypes and prejudice the most positive evaluation received the module Culture and enculturation with the module Stereotypes and prejudice Intercultural education took the last place Intercultural education took the last place Highly appreciated information regarding Roma history and culture Highly appreciated information regarding Roma history and culture

Results: Post- test measuring  The results of post training questionnaire: understanding Stereotypes and prejudice, as well as Roma history is considered useful and helpful in ther pedagogic experience understanding Stereotypes and prejudice, as well as Roma history is considered useful and helpful in ther pedagogic experience

Results: Post- test measuring  Participants expected: more examples focused not only on Roma community but also on ethnic groups that are presented in high level at schools (the Vietnamese, the Korean) more examples focused not only on Roma community but also on ethnic groups that are presented in high level at schools (the Vietnamese, the Korean) according to majority of participants all the expectations before to the training were fulfilled according to majority of participants all the expectations before to the training were fulfilled

Results: Post- test measuring  Participants considered positive: the wider range of modules, not only focusing on Roma population the wider range of modules, not only focusing on Roma population orientation gained in problems orientation gained in problems methodical materials and literature sources methodical materials and literature sources playing roles with the usage of empathy of others playing roles with the usage of empathy of others handling the emotional manifestation of parents of Roma children handling the emotional manifestation of parents of Roma children

Results: Post- test measuring  Barriers: the absence of Roma pupils at school the absence of Roma pupils at school demaging school material demaging school material negativistic approaches of parents towards the school, while they need their children to help them with earning (picking up forest fruits and following sale and the like) negativistic approaches of parents towards the school, while they need their children to help them with earning (picking up forest fruits and following sale and the like) handling the pressure of colleagues who present prejudice against Roma pupils at school handling the pressure of colleagues who present prejudice against Roma pupils at school

Results: Post- test measuring  Recommendations of participants: longer training longer training to regular to regular should focus on mental hygiene of teacher (to handling the tension, stress, teacher´s burden at school) should focus on mental hygiene of teacher (to handling the tension, stress, teacher´s burden at school)

Results: Focus group  We used the focus group for searching for the effectivity of realised training modules: reflections of participants were mostly positive reflections of participants were mostly positive they required range of problems including problem of multi-culture at school they required range of problems including problem of multi-culture at school the issue focused on Roma population was adequate the issue focused on Roma population was adequate

Results: Focus group more frequent meetings with other teachers or experts more frequent meetings with other teachers or experts the possibility to exchange experience the possibility to exchange experience the requirement regarding the practicality of the training as well, it means to demonstrate ways of solution on certain specific situations the requirement regarding the practicality of the training as well, it means to demonstrate ways of solution on certain specific situations they will lead to acceptance of Roma children, their mentality, culture, experiencing, mainly with other children in the classroom they will lead to acceptance of Roma children, their mentality, culture, experiencing, mainly with other children in the classroom

Results: Focus group to manage social atmosphere in the classroom by building tolerance to manage social atmosphere in the classroom by building tolerance strengthening self-esteem, own identity of the Roma is another important task that is performable within educational environment strengthening self-esteem, own identity of the Roma is another important task that is performable within educational environment

Thank you