Lifelong Learning Programme

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Teachers Experiences

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TITLE OF THE EXPERIENCE
Clash of cultures
NAME AND SURNAME OF THE TEACHER
Rosario Ángela Martín Almaraz
SUBJECTS TAUGHT
Spanish Language and Mathematics
YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE
8 YEARS
TYPE OF SCHOOL
Elementary
COUNTRY
Spain
THEMATIC AREA
Integration of immigrants students
DESCRIPTION OF THE EXPERIENCE
The story took place during the 2011-2012 school year in a clustered rural center ( CRA ) .
The protagonists of the story were the student, the parents of it, the Psychology team , tutor and Hearing and Language Specialists and Therapeutic Pedagogy.
The student was an immigrant in social disadvantage . His family had a very low socio- economic level. The family was large , with the most student brothers . The father works all day away from home , and the mother was very young with a family situation that overwhelms him , so the student is responsible for performing many of the tasks that the mother does not play , ie , the student has lots of family burden and many responsibilities that prevent often attend class and follow the normal pace of the class .
The school to try to solve this situation attempted regular meetings with the mother (the father does not attend meetings ) through the guidance team , especially with the social worker , with teachers and the school management .
The cultural mindset of the family, serving as a barrier to normalize the situation of the student at school. As seen in the college search financial aid to facilitate as far as possible the economic crisis of the family is a good choice.
In addition the school has thought it would be effective to organize training courses for parents through the guidance team . And finally another measure curricular adaptations are , in this case significant because of the large curricular gaps in several areas of the curriculum and educational support by specialists AL and PT,
In this particular case a strong initial rejection was given to recognize the family situation , lack of knowledge of the Spanish language , lack of parental education and little or no interest on the part of the father in everything related to school ( well defined roles in that education is the exclusive task of the mother)
Notably good coordination by professionals involved with this student , although limited psychoeducational intervention equipment due to the high number of centers to attend to. As unwillingness parents and interest .
 After the first two assessments, finally gets some extent raise parents ( largely for the training given to the mother to get organized at home and face homework their children ) the importance of the education of their children . Following is somewhat reduces truancy, and having continuity by student progresses , gaining some successes , reinforcing self-esteem , gaining greater autonomy and achieving greater motivation.
Working all professionals in line with a well-structured work, focus is achieved the problem and develop an improvement plan tailored to the needs of this student and her family. On the other hand we must not take anything for granted and expand the number of personal interviews to learn more firsthand the family situation and to help them more effectively . It is necessary to expand and continue the training of parents providing the conditions thereof to the extent of the possible ( environment , working hours , educational level , language ... ) and trying to meet their demands and needs.

Comments on this Teachers Experience

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Date: 2014.08.20

Posted by Metin Elkatmış (Turkey)

Message: Immigrants can have different culture, social-economic situation, values, religion because of this, we should be careful during the school environment. Teachers, psychologist, pedagogues should be in connection with student’s parent and they should identify parent’s features. Then, they can start adapting to immigrant student to school environment. First of all, teachers, psychologist and pedagogues give the some values (like equality, respect to difference, solidarity etc.) during the lessons. Then, they should communicate with student’s parent for understand the student’s social-economic situation, educational level, behavior pattern. If student’s parent doesn’t interested in student’s education life, parent should be started in service training. Conscious parent members will be more beneficial for integration process. Then, we should observe to student and analyse student’s educational level. After all this, we should design special educational programme for immigrant student. He/she should be in same level with his/her friends. For example, if student have some deficiency about countries’ language, we can arrange meeting with his/her friends, talk with her/him in free times. If we want integrate to this student to normal life and school environment, we have a lof of preferences. I can summarize to my view with five step. Firstly,we should give fundamental human values to our students. Secondly, we should communicate with student’s parent and recognize his/her situation. Then we should investigate to student’s deficiency about the educational life. Fourthly, we should arrange special educational programme. Finally, we should analyse special education programme, if it is not sufficient, we should arrange to this programme’s effectiveness.

Date: 2014.08.19

Posted by Erdi Erdoğan (Turkey)

Message: The story dealt with a subject in the academic year 2011-2012. The lack of children's social care, which is a child of immigrants. His family has a very low socio-economic level. His father works away and children were forced to help. Interviews were conducted with the family. Students emphasized the importance of the training. Training given to the mother, the situation is described. Has seen an increase in the student's self-esteem. Thus, improvements in students’ behavior were observed.

Date: 2014.08.18

Posted by Volkan Akkurt (Turkey)

Message: The event which was described in Portugal shows difference since majority of parents used to show interest in school life and be involved in it. This story is very important since it describes the actual meaning of “inclusive school”. İt illustrates the things the school had better do in order to assist students coming from other countries and improve their incorporation since education is a positive first step toward assisting immigrant students integrate into school with success and highest, social, especially the experience illustrates that the school had better consider every pupil in his own characteristics, with his own problems and his necessities. This is correct for especially for immigrant students, students that move from foreign countries usually have social and financial difficulties. They do not have the information about the language people use and come across with comparative difficulties. Their parents have cognition and culture which prevent the integration of young pupils (for instance the story emphasises that in the pupil’s family there are well identified roles in accordance with which only the mother cares the education of the children.) After all, the school had better try to have information about the pupil and his/her family and figure out their characteristic features. It is sometimes hard for schools to have a contact with the families of those sort of students since they usually do not talk in the language of the country to which they immigrated. And they have some traditions and cognition of their native land. Then the school had better try to assist the family not only from the financial point of view but also from the social point of view (to give an example by coordinating conventions with the pupil’s families.) The school has to include both educators and other people related to this profession and social service workers. Additionaly, the school had better adjust the education in accordance with the necessities of students coming from other countries. Actually it is necesssary that the boy gets positive outcomes and fortifies their self-pride. We all should learn and know the language of the country to which he/she immigrated.

Date: 2014.07.07

Posted by Agostinho Arranca (Portugal)

Message: The experience reported on Portugal, is different because most parents were very interested and engaged in school life. The immigrants (1997) were mostly from countries like Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation.
In Portugal (http://schoolsafetynet.pixel-online.org/DB_texperiences_scheda.php?art_id=150&ta=&cou=&aut=&tip=&q=) the social problems require coordinated responses between partners and educational responses were based on the placement of students in certain establishments where they could get help from other students already integrated.
In your case the support of social services is essential to the success of students but is necessary to ensure that there is no social and / or cultural discrimination of these students. We must value their culture of origin ...

Date: 2014.05.26

Posted by Francis Maka (Belgium)

Message: *Again we see the involvement of a whole team, which shows how important it is to create a network to help children in difficulties.

*While the phenomenon seemed to have disappeared in the late twentieth century, it seems child labour, (I mean children with many domestic tasks) is back with a vengeance. So is it in Belgium. A cause among others seems to me to be the increasing number of fragmented families.

*It is often difficult to have both parents at school.

*The lack of “integration” is also symptomatic in some cultures, learning the language of the country, regularly going to school, doing one’s homework ... all just seem pointless. Probably because the school is not the same in their country of origin.

*The importance of maintaining links and communication, and to be patient and empathetic with the parents, is highlighted here. It pays off most of the time.

Date: 2014.05.16

Posted by : NICOLETTA GROSSI (VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES BUSINESS AND TOURISM COUNTRY: ITALY)

Message: THE STORY IS VERY SIGNIFICATIVE BECAUSE IT EXPLAINS WHAT REALLY “INCLUSIVE SCHOOL” MEANS. IT SHOWS WHAT SCHOOL MUST DO TO HELP IMMIGRANTS STUDENTS AND FACILITATE THEIR INCLUSION BECAUSE EDUCATION IS A GOOD FIRST STEP TOWARDS HELPING IMMIGRANT STUDENTS INTEGRATE SUCCESSFULLY INTO SCHOOL AND, ULTIMATE, SOCIETY. IN PARTICULAR THE EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT THE SCHOOL SHOULD CONSIDER EACH STUDENT IN HIS INDIVIDUALITY, WITH HIS PROBLEMS AND HIS NEEDS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR IMMIGRANTS STUDENTS. STUDENTS WHO COME FROM FOREIGNER COUNTRIES OFTEN HAVE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES. THEY DON’T KNOW THE LANGUAGE OF THE HOST COUNTRY AND MEET RELATIONAL DIFFICULTIES. SOMETIMES THEIR FAMILIES HAVE MENTALITY AND CULTURE THAT HINDER THE INTEGRATION OF YOUNG STUDENTS IN SCHOOL (FOR EXAMPLE THE STORY UNDERLINES THAT IN THE STUDENT’S FAMILY THERE ARE WELL DEFINED ROLES ACCORDING TO WHICH ONLY THE MOTHER TAKES CARE OF THE EDUCATION). FIRST OF ALL, THE SCHOOL SHOULD TRY TO KNOW THE STUDENT AND HIS FAMILY AND UNDERSTAND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS, THEIR NEEDS AND THEIR DIFFICULTIES. IT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE FAMILIES OF THESE STUDENTS BECAUSE THEY OFTEN DON’T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF THE HOST COUNTRY AND THEY HAVE HABITS AND MENTALITY OF THEIR NATIVE LAND. THEN THE SCHOOL SHOULD TRY TO HELP THE FAMILY BOTH FROM THE ECONOMIC POINT OF VIEW AND FROM THE SOCIAL POINT OF VIEW (FOR EXAMPLE BY ORGANIZING MEETINGS WITH THE STUDENT’S FAMILIES). THE SCHOOL MUST INVOLVE NOT ONLY TEACHERS BUT ALSO OTHER PROFESSIONALS: PSYCHOLOGISTS AND SOCIAL SERVICE WORKERS. IN ADDITION, THE SCHOOL SHOULD ADAPT THE TEACHING TO THE NEEDS OF IMMIGRANT STUDENTS. TO THIS END, IT MUST BE ADOPTED A WORK PLAN BASED ON PERSONALIZED SKILLS OF THE STUDENT. IT IS ESSENTIAL IN FACT THAT THE BOY REACHES POSITIVE RESULTS AND STRENGTHENS THEIR SELF-ESTEEM. WE MUST NOT FORGET THAT IT’S ESSENTIAL FOR KID TO IMPROVE LEARNING OF THE LANGUAGE OF THE HOST COUNTRY. THIS SKILL IN FACT ALSO FACILITATES RELATIONSHIPS WITH HIS PEERS AND THE INCLUSION IN THE SCHOOL AND, ULTIMATE, SOCIETY. THE WEAK POINT OF THIS EXPERIENCE IS THE DIFFICULTY OF IMPLEMENTING AND THE HIGH COST. THE TASK ASKED THE SCHOOL IS VERY ARDUOUS AND EXPENSIVE. IT REQUIRES SIGNIFICATIVE FINANCIAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES. IT REQUIRES A GREAT EFFORT FOR TEACHERS AND HEADMASTER.

Date: 2014.05.03

Posted by Giotis Assimakis (Greece)

Message: I think that the immigrant student's problem has to be confronted from the European Union.
As too many immigrants come to Europe, the Europe Union had owed to be more sensitive to these situations.

20 December 2014

Final Partners’ meeting

The fourth partners’ meeting took place in Florence (IT) on 15 December 2014. The meeting had the objective to check the activities carried out since the third meeting of the project and share and assess the in progress results. A special focus has been dedicated to the presentation of the strategies to solve the case scenarios.