Preventing school disaffection and school failure through mentoring, parental involvement and community support. Initial results of the Enxaneta project (Osona, Catalonia).

Author(s):

Jordi Collet(presenting / submitting)Marta Crespo Verónica Jiménez Joan-Carles Martori Mercè Mauri Antoni Tort

Conference:

ECER 2017

Network:

14. Communities, Families and Schooling in Educational Research

Format:

Paper

Session Information

14 SES 13, Parents, Schools and Communities to Prevent Disaffection and Reduce Inequalities

Paper Session

Time:

2017-08-25

13:30-15:00

Room:

K3.21

Chair:

Rocío García Carrión

Contribution

As expounded by the European Commission (2013) or Eurydice (2014), the fight against school failure and early school leaving is, above all, a matter of prevention. The processes of school disaffection result in some children, especially those from lower income families, being left increasingly behind (Lareau 2003; Enguita 2010; Cebolla 2014; OCDE 2016). It is therefore crucial to prevent such processes of school disaffection when they first arise; that is to say, in early years and primary education (Heckman 2006 and 2011). The aim of the Enxaneta project (Enxaneta refers to the child that crowns the human towers that are traditionally constructed in Catalonia and that metaphorically denotes the need for a strong bond between teachers, families and community in order to achieve the success of each child) is to prevent school disaffection and failure of children in the region of Osona with marks between 3 and 6 out of 10 in the first years of primary school (year 1 – year 3, ISCED 1). Most of the children in the project come from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds (focused policy), but the project also includes middle class families that contribute to building a normalised and non-stigmatised service (global policy). The pillars of the project are: a) professional educational mentoring that works with two children 90 minutes a week in order to practice the basic skills (reading comprehension and mathematics); b) strong family involvement with a weekly session involving children, parents, mentors and teachers with the aim of recognising and fomenting their capacities and knowledge as educators and companions in school education; c) teacher involvement in the family sessions and two annual pedagogic meetings that seek to involve the whole school in preventing school disaffection; d) support of the community, both from the town council in covering 50% of the cost of the mentoring (the other 50% is covered by the Regional Council of Osona, the region in which the project is implemented) and support for the families from the social services, as well as through public (like libraries and civic centres) and private (like sports clubs and areas or activities of educational free-time areas or activities) resources.

The perspective on mentoring work derives from existing research (Lauer et al. 2004; Zief et al 2006; Durlak and Weissberg 2007; Shllruf 2010; Kidron and Lindsay 2014), and with both children and families it is based on their interests, knowledge and capacities; strengthens the high expectations of and about the children; and empowers parents as the main agents of educational and school support. It avoids any temptation to treat them as ‘culturally deprived’ (Bernstein, 1970). The research question is whether this project of school support through a collaborative network between children, families and community can reverse processes of school disaffection. That is to say, whether it can help children of the target group (Enxaneta) learn more that the children of the control group (non-Enxeneta) in the different pre- and post-intervention measures; prevent future school failure (this will be analysed from longitudinal studies that are not yet available); and contribute to building a more inclusive and equitable educational system for all pupils (Ainscow 2012).

Method

The Enxaneta project began in September 2014 with 15 primary schools (14 state schools and 1 catholic granted school). The total number of Enxaneta pupils is 154, 46.8% of whose mothers were born in Catalonia, 23.4% in Morocco and the remaining 29.9% in other countries (especially Ghana, India and Ecuador). The evaluation of the project involves three aspects: a) analysis of how the childrens’ marks in Catalan and mathematics progress, taking them from the first and third terms of the target group (Enxaneta) and control group (non-Enxaneta); b) analysis of progress in a number of specific tests of basic skills created by the research team based on the PISA tests and basic skills administered by the government of Catalonia. These tests were administered in October 2014 and May 2015 (pre and post). Progress made by the Enxaneta and non-Enxaneta children is compared; c) qualitative evaluation (Likert scales 1-7) of the project and its impact on different aspects (for example whether they like the project, are happier going to school and like arriving more to school) by the Enxaneta children, their families, the mentors and teachers. A questionnaire on the family, social and economic context was also created, enabling the correlation and contextualisation of the marks, results of the tests and qualitative evaluation based on class, gender, ethnic group, family capital and so on.

Expected Outcomes

a) Marks The marks in Catalan of the non-Enxaneta children (control group) improved an average of 0.26 points between those of the first term (pre) and second term (post), while those of the Enxaneta children improved 0.13 (half as much). In mathematics the pre–post improvement was 0.23 in the non-Enxaneta group and 0.14 in the Enxaneta children. From these initial results we can see that the project did not contribute, at least in its first year, to improving the results of the Enxaneta children in relation to those children that did not participate in the project. b) Results The results regarding progress in the skills tests between the beginning and end of the year are different. While the non-Enxaneta children improved 0.76 points from the pre to the post tests, the Enxaneta children improved by 0.83 points. These results allow us to think that perhaps the project is capable of reducing the gap, the school disaffection that exists among the Enxaneta children. And to do so thanks to a net effect of improvement that, while not statistically significant, could lead us to think that the Enxaneta project generates improvement in basic skills of the children / families that attend above those acquired by their peers. The data suggests that especially those children with parents born in Morocco clearly (and significantly) improve in comparison with non-Enxaneta children, especially in mathematics. c) Qualitative evaluation The results are especially good in the case of the children and families. Both appreciate that with the Enxaneta the child goes to school happier, behaves better in class, reads more and does more homework. The parents highlight especially the greater proximity, trust and connection with the teachers. In contrast, the teachers and mentors are more moderate in their optimism, although both value the subjective improvements of the children and families that attend the project.

References

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