Parents, the Primary Educators Associating Parents for Partnership with Professional Pedagogues Roditelji, primarni ucitelji Povezivanje roditelja za partnerstvo sa profesionalnim pedagogima Johannes Theiner President of the European Parents Association (EPA) SEE-Conference in Bečići April 23 rd, 2010

EPA - THE European Parents Association founded in Milan in 1985 – 25 th anniversary almost 50 member associations from Iceland to Cyprus, from Malta to Norway Monopole status at the European Commission as stakeholder organisation of parents representing 150 Millions of European citizens involved in Civil Society/Active European Citizenship … most concerned about parents in education Introduction super macro level

Parents rights are nested and positively linked to the childs right! Parents need to participate in public education to be informed, asked, involved Parents are the primary educators of their children! … at least they have the potential Parents need encouragement and support. demands on family, social and educational policy- making! Core paradigms of EPA

Becoming and Being Parents?

PRIMARY? oFIRST oBEST – most impacting Statistician: Parents spoil the results of every survey on (public) education. (International Conference Improving Education, Dec. 1 st 2009) EPA: Dont blame good parents for impacting on the learning of their children! Rather help all parents to do so! Primary Educators?

Statisticians: The learning outcome of school students clearly correlates to the socio-economic status of their parents (Generally accepted finding from PISA, TIMSS, PIRLS …) EPA: Dont mix-up correlation with causal relation! Dont simplify parental attitude onto this single evidence of social status! Michael Schratz: Think of learning as the most individual process in life – even more private and special than sexual life, strongly influenced by empathic components (motivation) … (Seminar for Austrian parents representatives, March 2004) Primary Educators?

Sacker et al.: Parents attitude towards education strongly influences the academic success of their children. (2002) Charles Deforges: All normal parents can perform as superior educators of their children. It is a matter of parental competence. Required knowledge, skills, and attitudes can be trained. (Lecture at the EPA conference How Parents can Improve the Learning of their Children, June 19 th, 2009) Ramon Flecha: Parents from little educated classes are open to education if approached respectfully (EUCIS-LLL conference, April 14 th, 2010) Primary Educators?

RESPONSIBILITY EDUCATION – a Complex Process knowledge attitude skills self esteem competences teachinglearning ? Complex process of interaction Change and development of educator and educated LifeLong Learning Erziehung, Bildung, Aiusbildung …

S C H O O L classroom SCHOOL AUTHORITY S O C I E T Y

Participation of School-Partners Legal background Culture/Tradition of interaction -individual relation parents – (child) – teacher -classroom level parents – (children) – teacher(s) -school level head teacher – parents – (students) – teachers -administrative/governmental level representatives of all groups – civil servants

Example: Austria parents associations at most schools not regulated by school law, but linked to legal parents representation regional umbrella associations in the nine federal provinces (Länder) Compulsory Schools Secondary Schools Catholic Private Schools Federal roof associations formed by the regional associations interaction with regional authorities no legal regulation

Example: Austria Compulsory Schools School-Partnership means parents + teachers Class Forum: 1 parent per child + class teacher School Forum: 1 parent representative per class 1 teacher per class chaired by head teacher (no vote) decisive power, information, advisory rights In secondary compulsory schools (Hauptschule) pupils representatives have to be elected – advisory mandate

Example: Austria Secondary Schools School-Partnership = parents + teachers + students School Council (Schulgemeinschaftsausschuss): 3 parent representatives 3 teacher representatives 3 students representatives (aged 14+) chaired by head teacher (no vote) decisive power, information, advisory rights pupils representativefrom secondary I advisory mandate

SCHOOL- PARTNERSHIP STUDENT TEACHER PARENT Legal regulations? school board school council RESPONSIBILTY is shared BALANCE!? relations interpersonal collective/inter group authority emotion/empathy role of school principal?

EPA Organigram WORK PLAN BUDGET REPORTS etc. WORK PLAN BUDGET REPORTS etc. GENERAL ASSEMBLY twice a year one vote per full member, no vote for associate and affiliate members GENERAL ASSEMBLY twice a year one vote per full member, no vote for associate and affiliate members 2 AUDITORS PRESIDENT approving electing EUROPEAN PARTNERS EU Commission EU Institutions Associations Platforms EUROPEAN PARTNERS EU Commission EU Institutions Associations Platforms representing FULL MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS ASSOCIATE MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS AFFILIATE MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS delegating REGIONAL NETWORK ACTIVITIES NATIONAL or LOCAL ACTIVITIES taking part BOARD six members among them Vice-president Treasurer Secretary BOARD six members among them Vice-president Treasurer Secretary triggering advising supporting co-organising co-financing etc. triggering advising supporting co-organising co-financing etc. discussing - presenting - informing

EPA Organigram GENERAL ASSEMBLY twice a year one vote per full member, no vote for associate and affiliate members GENERAL ASSEMBLY twice a year one vote per full member, no vote for associate and affiliate members approving electing FULL MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS ASSOCIATE MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS AFFILIATE MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS delegating REGIONAL NETWORK ACTIVITIES NATIONAL or LOCAL ACTIVITIES taking part discussing - presenting - informing

EPA Members Structures EPA FULL MEMBER National or Regional Parents Association EPA FULL MEMBER National or Regional Parents Association individual parents EPA FULL MEMBER National Parents Association EPA FULL MEMBER National Parents Association Regional Parents Association Local/School Parents Association individual parents

EPA Members Structures EPA FULL MEMBER National Parents Association EPA FULL MEMBER National Parents Association Local School-Board individual parents Parents Representation other members e.g. head master/mistress teachers representatives students representatives repr. of funding body (municipality, order, diocese …) other members e.g. head master/mistress teachers representatives students representatives repr. of funding body (municipality, order, diocese …)

EPA Members Structures EPA FULL MEMBER National Parents Association EPA FULL MEMBER National Parents Association Local School-Board individual parents Parents Representation as Funding Body other members e.g. head master/mistress teachers representatives students representatives other members e.g. head master/mistress teachers representatives students representatives

EPA Members Structures EPA FULL MEMBER National or Regional Parents Association EPA FULL MEMBER National or Regional Parents Association Parents Assoc. PRE-SCHOOL Parents Assoc. PRE-SCHOOL Parents Assoc. PRIMARY SCHOOL Parents Assoc. PRIMARY SCHOOL Parents Assoc. SECONDARY SCHOOL Parents Assoc. SECONDARY SCHOOL

Parents and Professional Educators Partnership Cooperation based on mutual respect and esteem Trust Empathy Different roles Different competences (skills and knwoledge) Similar attitude ? NECESSARY !!

EPAs ALCUIN-Award named after Alcuin of York, one of the most important scholars at the court of Charlemagne a founding father of medieval European Education Criteria Originality Contribution to education Involvement of parents as a characteristic Constructive approach to home-school relationships in education Its potential as a role model in Europe with easy dissemination and applicability

Thank your for your attention!