Intercultural Education: The Position of Roma in Education=Obrazovanje za interkulturalizam: Položaj Roma u odgoju i obrazovanju
Author: Mlinarevic, Vesnica, Ed.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Collected Works - Proceedings
Subjects: Minority Group Students,Civil Rights,Teaching Methods,Multicultural Education,Ethnic Groups,Prosocial Behavior,Peace,Cultural Pluralism,Cultural Awareness,Racial Bias,Student Attitudes,Educational Change,Democratic Values,Social Integration,Conference Papers,Teacher Competencies,Educational Attainment,Family Characteristics,Teacher Attitudes,Self Concept,Romance Languages,Case Studies,Textbooks,Death,Hidden Curriculum,Foreign Countries

Faculty of Educational Sciences has recognized the importance of education for interculturalism, and it organizes the conference entitled &quot;Education for interculturalism&quot; every five years, so that all participants could gain new insights about interculturalism and strengthen their intercultural competencies. Modern interculturalism, as a modern and current topic in scientific and public educational policy, appears in the 20th century in the United States as an expression of pragmatic interest for international convergence of majority and minority ethnic groups. Education must be directed to the full development of the humans and strengthen respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It must promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and further support the United Nations work on the maintenance of peace. Pedagogy as a scientific discipline has an important role in the development of intercultural society. It cannot take full responsibility for suppressing racism and promoting intercultural competencies, but it is important in facilitating the development of students' intercultural competencies, skills, attitudes, values and knowledge. Education which is aimed at only one culture is more and more undesirable and unfamiliar to today's students. It is important that the transformation of the education system, in addition to a series of plural democratic demands, pays much more attention precisely to cultural sensitivity that will meet the educational needs of every individual, and as an educational effect among young people, develop respect, appreciation and a positive attitude towards differences, education for diversity. The immediate implications of the new approaches to pedagogy are also reflected in the implementation level, national curriculum and the implementation in (school) practice: encouraging team work in the classrooms (cooperative approach), adopting European values, education for solidarity, empowering the personality and self-esteem of students, developing motivation for learning (changes in the way of work), (co)construction of the school curriculum, and towards the intercultural school community. The need for changes in traditional schools stems from the creation of a new paradigm: towards viewing life and the world from multiple directions and philosophical views, where the educational way of thinking changes as well as the structure of the school, from (pre)enhanced cognitive, towards social relations, democratic participation, the acquisition of competences, collaborative learning and solidarity. School can significantly influence, through intercultural curriculum, the formation of intercultural attitudes and preparation of students for mutual and equal relations. Therefore, the importance of indirect impacts hidden curriculum which is reflected in the organization, the social structure of students, school culture, relations between teachers and students, teaching methods, extracurricular activities of students is unquestionable. It is meetings of researchers and teachers from different backgrounds and countries, and in these conferences in the field of interculturalism that allow the exchange of educational experiences in learning and understanding of intercultural relations in different countries and have a significant, not only informative, but also educational value. The conference was very fruitful and stimulating with the conclusion that with such small steps we actually made a decisive step towards improving the position of Roma in education. Generally, investment in human capital is one of the most important foundations of the sustainable development of human beings, and their individual growth and development as well as investment in human society as a whole. Therefore, the sustaining of diversity and global exchange of goods represents one of the greatest challenges that humanity faces today, the solution of which depends largely on the principles governing the relationships between individuals in a society--what was promoted within the framework of all activities of the Project RO-ufos-luna-MI and presented in the context of scientific and professional papers of the conference. The Faculty of Education in Osijek, together with its partner, the Association of Roma Friendship Luna from Beli Manastir, has launched a project titled &quot;The Improvement of the Position of Roma Children in Education in Baranja Region&quot; (RO-ufos-luna-MI) in order to contribute to raising awareness of the importance of creating an intercultural atmosphere in the community. The associates on the project are the Osijek Branch Office of the Teacher Training Agency, the Dr Franjo Tudman primary school, and Cvrcak nursery school from Beli Manastir. The contracting authority is the Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education. The project is cofinanced by the European Union. Papers included in this document include: (1) Intercultural Approach to Education of Members of the Roma Minority (Vesna Bedekovic); (2) Dialogue--a Tool for Overcoming Segregation (Christiane Seehausen); (3) The Possibilities of Improving the Position of Roma Children in Education (Josip Ivanovic); (4) Education for Dialogue and Coexistence in Pluralism (Antun Šundalic); (5) Opportunities for the Development of Teachers' Competences for Working with Roma Children (Vesnica Mlinarevic and Maja Brust Nemet); (6) Roma Parents and Children on Education--a Sociological Analysis &quot;They have to finish school because the rules are strongly changing with us, too.&quot; (Željko Boneta, Melita Pergar, and Željka Ivkovic); (7) The Connection of the Tradition of Roma Family with the Inclusion in Life and Work of Educational Institutions (Maja Brust Nemet and Duško Kostic); (8) Attitudes of Teachers on the Roma in Education (Vesnica Mlinarevic, Ana Kurtovic, and Nikolina Svalina); (9) The Vicious Circle of the Roma Educational Progress (Svjetlana Maric, Željko Popovic, and Irella Bogut); (10) The Bayashi Language and Identity--Commodification and Objectification Practices in Education: a Case Study (Klara Bilic Meštric); (11) Analysis of the Attitudes of Teachers and their Impact on Intercultural Education (Ivana Šustek); (12) The Textbook--a Resource for Teaching and Learning about Differences (Lidija Bakota, Andelka Peko, and Rahaela Varga); (13) The Roma Genocide, Appendix to the Civic Education Class (Hrvoje Volner); (14) The Enrichment of Future Teachers' Pre-service School Practice through Volunteer Work in the Educational System (Željko Racki, Ranka Jindra, Matea Mikulic, and Marija Sablic); (15) Roma Music in Teaching Music Education (Amir Begic); (16) Intercultural Education of Music in the First Four Years of Grade School (Jasna Šulentic Begic); (17) A Practical Example--the Implementation of the Pilot Project of Roma Education in the Primary School &quot;Dr. Franjo Tudman&quot; (Melita Lesic); (18) School is oh-so-Good (Vladimir Popovic); (19) The Importance of the Half-Day Stay in Upbringing and Education of Roma (Dajana Babli); (20) Band Playing Music as a Means of Integration of Roma Nationality (Sanja Nuhanovic); and (21) Music as a Means of Education for Roma Children (Ana Popovic). [This document is presented in both English and Croatian. Individual papers contain references.]