The education experience of Gypsy/Travellers

Maureen Finn, STEP

How is education experienced?

• The data• The educator• The Gypsy/Traveller

• Cultural dilution• Interferes with

traditional work patterns

• Not enough time to keep in touch

• No family history of attendance

• Curriculum not relevant-don’t understandits value

• Bullying and discrimination

• Safety• Not welcome in

school• Poverty-related

Issues• Bureaucracy• No role

models

Schooling has never been seen as having an educative function, but simply as offering a possibility – which one may exploit or not…of mastering a code used by non-Gypsies: writing.

Liegeois, 1998

• More competition for traditional jobs

• The theory test• Digital potential in

Business• Good relations with

teachers• Recognition of ethnicity• Pupil motivation

What are we doing?

‘…aim of inclusion is for all learners to be present in mainstream school and of maximising their participation in the life of the school when present.

I am not convinced that presence and participation are, of themselves, enough to address the deep structural inequalities, which many children experience.’

A. Dyson in Clough and Corbett, 2000

But why don’t you want to come in? We’re inclusive…we’ll

teach you to be like us!

‘Education offers the promise of freedom – three freedoms

“from” and five freedoms “to”.

These are: freedom from ignorance; freedom from economic

want; freedom from political, social and economic manipulation.

The others are the freedom to develop intellectual and practical

capacities; to put talents and capacities to the service of society;

to exercise critical and informed judgements; to develop

understanding and personal integrity; to respect fellow humans

and associates in a community of equals.....’

Government

Exam board

School

Teacher

Curriculum

Mobile learner

International competition

Business and industry

Policy

National targets

Government

Exam board

School

Teacher

Curriculum

Mobile learner

Moble learner

Teacher

Flexible curriculum

Family

Culture

Digital media

Communitysupport

Recognition or inclusion

What does digital media offer?

Creative, culturally relevant, skills-based

Key issues

• Supporting young people and families between two worlds.• Tension between policy and accountability (input/output)?• Recognition of the new professional dilemas- working with

uncertainty?• Harnessing digital media as creative pedagogy?

To know more about the work of STEP, get links to our new website materials and receive information feeds contact:Jean.oliver@ed.ac.ukmaureen.finn@ed.ac.uk@mobileandlearn