This is the first newsletter of the CHANCE project, ‘Everybody should have a chance’. With this project we want to contribute to an improved inclusion of pupils with a migration background in education. During this project, the aim is to further professionalize employees who supervise students with a migration background at the schools Pev Koley (in Denizli, Turkey) and Het Erasmus (in Almelo, the Netherlands) by exchanging knowledge and experience. At the end of the project, this will result, among other things, in a blueprint in which a training path has been worked out for professionals whose aim is to optimally guide students with a migration background. This first newsletter provides insight into the first exchange that took place in Almelo on Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 May 2023.

Welcome and introduction

After a good journey and a short visit to Amsterdam, the delegation from Denizli (Turkey) arrived in Almelo on Tuesday evening 9 May. The next morning at 9 am, the group, consisting of nine people, was present at the ISK main location of Het Erasmus. After a warm welcome from education director Hans Ruisch and ISK department leader Thea Kruiskamp, ​​a few presents were exchanged. After this, guided tours took place in small groups along both adjacent school buildings of the ISK (International Transition Class). The entire group of participants for this exchange consisted of the nineteen persons listed below.

Het Erasmus Thea Kruiskamp-Tijhuis    (Department leader) Thomas Tijhuis    (Educationalist) Janneke Tuin (student counselor/ Teacher Dutch) Seyit Dereli (Teacher/Translator) Hennie Luimes (Teacher Dutch) Adinda van Affelen van Saemsfoort (Teacher Music) Alida Boessenkool (Teacher Dutch) Jannet Veerbeek (Teacher Dutch) Mehtap Gözükeles (İntern/Translator)   Consilium vitae Ivo van Dongen (Project manager)

Pev Kolej Pınar Kaya (General Manager) Işın Orpak Çevik (Project Coordinator) Fulya Uysal (Project Coordinator) Aykut Kurt (Assistent Director/Teacher Turkish) Tuğba Kıymaz (Teacher Turkish) Büşra Özen (Student Counselor) Umut Özden (Student counselor) Ali Cem Girgin (Teacher Physics) Nesrin Ültay (Teacher Mathematics)

Presentation ISK school system

After the extensive tour, during which there was plenty of discussion about education at the ISK locations of Het Erasmus, Thea Kruiskamp gave a presentation about the school system of the ISK. During this presentation, the student population at the ISK was discussed, the overall content of the curriculum, the way in which the (extended) intake of new students takes place, the national targets for NT2 education (Dutch as a second language), the way in which the groups are divided, the transfer/outflow possibilities for the ISK students, the challenges that the ISK faces to (continue to) shape education optimally and the composition of the ISK team with professionals and volunteers . After this presentation and the conversation that took place, it was time for lunch.

Attend various ISK classes and Transnational Project Meeting (TPM)

After lunch, the entire group of participants split into small groups. The vast majority of the participants, mainly teaching professionals, attended various ISK lessons in the afternoon. Dutch (NT2) lessons were visited in groups of three, under the supervision of a translator, but visits were also made to lessons of practical subjects such as ICT, music and cooking. Simultaneously with these lessons, the project group (consisting of Thea Kruiskamp-Tijhuis, Thomas Tijhuis, Pınar Kaya, Işın Orpak Çevik, Fulya Uysal and Ivo van Dongen) had the first Transnational Project Meeting (TPM 1). During this meeting, the design of the project was discussed and the planning was previewed.

Closing conversation day 1

The first day was concluded with a joint discussion in which the tour, presentation and lessons attended were reviewed. During this conversation, the visitors from Denizli asked many questions in order to optimally form their image of the ISK and NT2 education. Around 4 p.m., the first day of the two-day exchange was over.

Presentation Pev Kolej Denizli

The second day, Thursday 11 May 2023, kicked off with a presentation about the school system in Turkey. In it, the guests from Denizli (Pev Koley) explained how they guide other schools in providing education to students with a migration background and the challenges faced in Turkey. Thanks to this presentation, a substantive discussion started about the differences and similarities between Dutch and Turkish education for students with a migration background. The biggest difference between the two is that in the Netherlands, pupils with a migration background attend classes together at an ISK location during their first two years of education, although in Turkey, pupils with a migration background live directly with Turkish pupils. come to class. Based on these findings, ideas were exchanged about a follow-up project to apply the ‘Dutch way’ in a small-scale setting at one of the schools in Denizli.

Presentation ISK-curriculum and conversation Turkish ISK students

During the second part of the morning program, various employees of the ISK gave a presentation about the concrete implementation of the ISK curriculum at Het Erasmus. This explains in detail how a student progresses from phase 0 (entry class) to phase 1 and phase 2. For each phase, it is explained how the curriculum is structured in terms of learning lines (in the areas of Dutch, Mathematics and Mathematics), vocabulary, citizenship, coaching of the mentor and various teaching methods. In addition, it was explained how matters such as literacy, career orientation and guidance (LOB), practical subjects such as sports, drawing/handicrafts, ICT, music and pre-vocational subjects (economics, cooking, technology, care), internal/external support (and /or care) for the students and the transition from the ISK to regular education. Following this extensive presentation, colleagues from Denizli had a substantive conversation with three ISK students of Turkish origin. This mainly focused on the experiences of the Turkish students, both on a personal and educational level.

AMV location visit and closing dinner

After lunch, the entire group of participants traveled to nearby Wierden, where they visited the AMV (unaccompanied minor aliens) reception location. Several ISK students from Erasmus stay here. During a guided tour, the participants gained insight into the living conditions of the students and the way in which these underage migrants are supported and guided was discussed in detail. After this interesting site visit, the extremely valuable two-day exchange ended in the evening with a delicious and cozy dinner at restaurant Kreta in Almelo. From 7 to 10 November 2023, a delegation from Erasmus will travel to Denizli to continue the successful knowledge exchange. We are looking forward to meet each other again!