ECER 2009, Vienna - Network 7 Proposal for a Symposium on A European project for Roma pupils’ educational inclusion: How can teacher in-service trainings draw from theory and empirical research on Roma culture, school practices, and on cooperation between schools and Roma families? Chair: Francesca Gobbo, francesca.gobbo@unito.it Co-presenters: Loizos Symeou, l.symeou@euc.ac.cy Yiasemina Karagiorgi yiasemin@logosnet.cy.net Eleni Roussounidou releni@cytanet.com.cy Chrystalla Kalogirou chrykalo@spidernet.com.cy Gill Crozier, g.Crozier@roehampton.ac.uk Jane Davies jane.davies@sunderland.ac.uk Kim Szymanski kim.szymanski@sunderland.ac.uk Mikael Luciak, mikael.luciak@univie.ac.at Rasto Rosinski, rrosinsky@ukf.sk Blandína Šramová bsramova@ukf.sk Vladimír Klein vklein@ukf.sk Yorgos Nikolau, gnikolau@uoi.gr Francesca Gobbo francesca.gobbo@unito.it Giorgia Peano 151297@studenti.unito.it The symposium aims to present first results from the European Union funded Comenius project INSETRom, which involves eight EU partners. The project was developed against the background of the critical educational situation of Roma children in these respective countries and aimed at developing teacher in-service trainings in order to improve classroom practice and parent-teacher relationships. The training plans and curriculum development were based on the results of qualitative research on the perspectives of teachers, Roma parents, and Roma pupils on school practice. Project partners will present their results on how the training of selected teachers in their respective countries was conducted as well as on the training’s effectiveness in terms of knowledge enhancement and applicability. The presentations will focus on trans-national themes as well as on specific issues that arose in particular countries pertaining to teachers’ awareness of Roma culture and how to meet the challenge of bridging the gap between Roma traditions and school traditions. The presentations will address scientific research • on Roma people, their cultural ways, and their historical relationship with the majority society, • on didactics and pedagogy meant to foster the development of teachers’ knowledge and understanding of Roma/non Roma relationships, and • on communication and collaboration between teachers, Roma parents and their children.

Qualitative methodology (formal/informal interviews and conversations with teachers, principals, Roma families, Roma children), historical and anthropological research, education and pedagogic literature and research

Teachers will be able to implement educational approaches in classrooms that will improve families school relationships, help them devise effective learning projects, enhance their awareness of the historical, anthropological and educational complexity of issues of Roma/non Roma relationship.