1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

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

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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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