What does a cultural gap between home and school entail?
Culture involves values, norms, behaviours, habits and expectations. The culture that pupils acquire at home is influenced by many factors, such as cultural background, religion, the family's socioeconomic status and the parenting style of the parents.
When the cultures at home and at school correspond, pupils feel at ease at school more quickly. For example, children celebrate the same holidays at home and at school. And they recognise the traditions that are important at school, such as Sinterklaas. Because people at school think in a similar way to those at home, this can help pupils feel at home at school and in the classroom. These children consciously or unconsciously know how to adopt an appropriate attitude, because teachers act in a way that is familiar from how their parents act at home.
When the home culture differs greatly from the culture at school, this can instead cause confusion and discomfort for pupils. For example, different behaviour may be expected of them at home and at school. School and home seem less connected to each other. For these children, there is a gap between the home culture and the school culture.
What does a cultural gap between home and school entail?
Culture involves values, norms, behaviours, habits and expectations. The culture that pupils acquire at home is influenced by many factors, such as cultural background, religion, the family's socioeconomic status and the parenting style of the parents.
When the cultures at home and at school correspond, pupils feel at ease at school more quickly. For example, children celebrate the same holidays at home and at school. And they recognise the traditions that are important at school, such as Sinterklaas. Because people at school think in a similar way to those at home, this can help pupils feel at home at school and in the classroom. These children consciously or unconsciously know how to adopt an appropriate attitude, because teachers act in a way that is familiar from how their parents act at home.
When the home culture differs greatly from the culture at school, this can instead cause confusion and discomfort for pupils. For example, different behaviour may be expected of them at home and at school. School and home seem less connected to each other. For these children, there is a gap between the home culture and the school culture.
What does the average school culture in the Netherlands look like?
In many Dutch schools, the emphasis is on self-reflection, self-expression, self-development and independence. Pupils are encouraged to express their opinions, make their own choices and think critically. Broadly speaking, this approach aligns with the norms and values often found in middle-class families, and is reflected in the language used and in teachers' educational approach. Because many teachers themselves grew up in a similar context, the school culture feels familiar to them. For children who are accustomed to different ways of parenting or communicating at home, it may require more effort to connect with the way of working at school.
When do pupils experience a cultural gap?
A gap between home culture and school culture arises when the values, norms and behaviours of the home environment do not correspond with those of the school. This can manifest itself in different ways and for different reasons:
- Parent-child relationships and obedience
- Pedagogical differences
- Different forms of communication
Consequences of the gap between home culture and school culture
A cultural gap can have various consequences for pupils:
- Misinterpretations of behaviour
- Impact on well-being and self-image
- Stress and identity development
Source: Netherlands Youth Institute.