Abstract

Even smaller Western countries receive immigrants from remote areas with poorer living conditions. As stated in the U.N. Child Convention, immigrant children should be given equal opportunities in education. Parents are always interested in their children’s future, and education may gain from stronger cooperation between school and parents. Some research shows that even illiterate parents may support their children’s training in a second language (Cummins, 1986/2001, p. 665). Dialogues between teachers and parents promote mutualunderstanding and increase parents’ knowledge of school and society. This might make the parents trust society more, enhance their acculturation and reduce future intergenerational conflicts (Portes & Rumbaut, 2001). A professional teacher needs cultural knowledge and understanding in order to give her/his students an education adapted to their needs. Migrant students especially should feel that there is coherence in their education, because culturalconflicts sap their energy and may also cause identity problems and lead to lack of motivation. For teachers it is important that education policy provides for equal opportunities. Norway has an inclusive policy concerning immigrant children. The students have language support to a certain degree both in their mother tongue and in Norwegian when needed. Parents and schools are obliged to cooperate in education, and some support is therefore given totranslation. Cooperation is required by conferences and meetings. There are gains for all parties in cooperation between school and migrant parents, but it is difficult to develop mutual cultural understanding for all students and equal opportunities for migrant students. This requires a clear school policy, the means to implement it, and teacher competence. It takes a process to learn how to cooperate and give adequate support. The Norwegian policy shows a will to cooperation, but the implementation of the policy can still be improved.

Highlights

  • The aim of the education system has always been to give every generation possibilities to develop their competence for a social life

  • Cooperation between parents and school is exceedingly important for the students, the migrant parents, their family life and the teachers

  • Immigrant parents have to raise their children considering their future in a new society, and want the best qualifications for their children

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Summary

Martha Lea

Celo majhne zahodne države sprejemajo priseljence iz oddaljenih držav z revnejšimi življenjskimi pogoji. Starše vedno zanima prihodnost njihovih otrok; izobraževanje pridobi na kakovosti, če je sodelovanje med šolo in starši trdno. Da lahko celo nepismeni starši podpirajo otroke pri urjenju drugega jezika Dialog med učitelji in starši spodbuja medsebojno razumevanje ter povečuje poznavanje šole in družbe s strani staršev. Sodelovanje med šolo in starši je obvezno, zato je omogočeno tudi prevajanje. V procesu sodelovanja pridobita obe strani – šola in starši migranti –, vendar je težko vzpostaviti medsebojno kulturno razumevanje za vse učence in enake možnosti za učence migrante. Norveška politika kaže voljo za sodelovanje, vendar so pri izvajanju politike še mogoče izboljšave. Ključne besede: sodelovanje šola – starši migranti, multikulturne šole, dialog učitelji – starši, politika šole glede učencev migrantov c e p s Journal | Vol.2 | No1| Year 2012 107

Introduction
Why should schools cooperate with migrant parents?
What are the opportunities and challenges in official Norwegian policy?
What experiences do teachers encounter?
Concluding remarks
The school Content
The pupils
The parents Method
Biographical note

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