Expertisenetwork ouderbetrokkenheid.nl

Parental Participation For TIES

Amsterdam, 12th of MayEsther Sarphatie, projectleader

Expertisenetwork Ouderbetrokkenheid.nl

Ouderbetrokkenheid.nl is an initiative focusing on stimulating parental participation in Amsterdam schools, strengthening thecontact between parents and schools, as well as sharing knowledgeand 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 knowledgeexchanges between Amsterdam schools, and training for school

staff.

Expertisenetwork Ouderbetrokkenheid.nl

Our main-focus supporting schools is reciproxityand 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