Делотворне стратегије у раду са ромском децом: Искуства учитеља

Abstract

The paper analyzes responses of teachers, participants of the seminar »A Gypsy child and school«, to the questions on the most relevant achievements in work with Gypsy children and on how those results were achieved. Teacher treatments resulting in positive educational outcomes were classified into three effective strategies: developing a good teacher-child relationship; encouraging motivation for learning; intellectual activating. Those strategies are a prerequisite for accomplishing teaching/learning processes in general, but some components are particularly important for work with Gypsy children: meeting the need for feeling safe, affiliation to a group and attachment to a relevant adult (teacher); provisions for experiencing achievement in school activities, linking teaching content to a child’s out-of-school experiences, respect for previously acquired knowledge, for the knowledge of Serbian and content of out-of-school experiences. The described strategies can be also considered as intercultural approach to education, tending to make any child feel safe, accepted and welcome in school. Experiences from other countries show that additional training of teachers also promotes Gypsy children education. The training should involve effective strategies, information about Gypsy life and culture, which could contribute to gradual development of tolerance to diversities and reduce Gypsy children’s failure in school.