Expertisenetwork ouderbetrokkenheid.nl Parental Participation For TIES Amsterdam, 12th of May Esther Sarphatie, projectleader

Expertisenetwork Ouderbetrokkenheid.nl Ouderbetrokkenheid.nl is an initiative focusing on stimulating parental participation in Amsterdam schools, strengthening the contact between parents and schools, as well as sharing knowledge and experience. The emphasis lies primarily on parents’ needs and experiences. Een initiative of several departments of the City of Amsterdam For all Amsterdam schools (pre-schools, elemantary schools, primary schools and superior schools), Amsterdam parents and partners organisations

Expertisenetwork Ouderbetrokkenheid.nl Our vision and our goals School and parents are equal partners in achieving the same goal: A successfull educational career for their children Goals are: - support for schools and parents - exchange and integration of knowledge. The network’s activities include, among others, process management at schools, help in creating a parent plan, organising knowledge exchanges between Amsterdam schools, and training for school staff.

Expertisenetwork Ouderbetrokkenheid.nl Our main-focus supporting schools is reciproxity and partnership Statements: -Parents are very involved but don’t have alway the tools to show and act likewise -Most problems are not caused by parents but by the schools -Fear of approaching parents at teachers -Lack of vision at managementlevel

Expertisenetwork Ouderbetrokkenheid.nl Some instruments for supporting the schools: -Exchange of Best Practices -Process Management -Establishing Parent Plans -Parent and teachers Questionnaires -Workshop vision development for teachers -Organising House Calls -Training communication with teachers for parents -Training communication with parents for teachers

Expertisenetwork Ouderbetrokkenheid.nl Examples of exchange and integration of knowledge: -Our website ouderbetrokkenheid.nl -Several meetings on f.e. house-calls for teachers, meeting on parentparticipation and policy for policymakers/advisors, parent coordinator at schoollevel, etc. -A library full with books, articles, methods, magasins, research, studymaterial etc.

Expertisenetwork Ouderbetrokkenheid.nl Statements: Parent participation (parental involvement) is for all parents not only for migrant parents Diversity in participation of parents in the school of their children is more often caused by different education (high/low) level instead of cultural bakground Possible migrant-parents-related-problems can be knowledge of Dutch language and familiarity with the Dutch educational system. Migrant parents can be unfamiliair with implicite, social codes of Dutch society. That doesn’t mean they are not involved