School attendance and dealing with differences in the classroom

The afternoon consists of a keynote by Luc Stevens and two workshop rounds, in which participants can choose from various workshops, each of which addresses the theme from its own perspective.

Keynote by Luc Stevens

Luc Stevens is professor emeritus of orthopedagogy and a leading voice in Dutch education. He is the founder of NIVOZ and is known for the educational vision 'The child first, then the student'. In his work, he emphasises the importance of relationships, responsibility and a school culture in which every child matters and feels invited to be present.

Stevens argues that dropping out and staying at home are not isolated incidents. 'Our education system is selective and meritocratic: those who fit move forward; those who deviate become disconnected more quickly.' He turns this around: how can we create, within that same system, a welcoming place where these students in particular are seen, recognised and encouraged to explore? 'This requires a non-school ethos: the pedagogical paragraph that comes before the curriculum. First person to person, and only then method and assessment.'

Workshops

School attendance and dealing with differences in the classroom – Luc Stevens (round 1)

An in-depth discussion with Luc Stevens following his keynote. There will be room for questions and for jointly exploring dilemmas from practice.

Youth care at school – talking together and, above all, taking action – Mariette Haasen, Hélène Leenders and Rian Jansen (Fontys) (rounds 1 and 2)

Group-based, preventive basic support based on social-emotional learning makes it possible to support vulnerable students in their own class, instead of referring them to youth care services. This improves students' interaction with teachers and classmates and strengthens their task motivation. The session is based on the three-year NRO study 'Youth care services at school. Talking together and, above all, taking action together' (primary education, secondary education, (vocational) special education and secondary vocational education), which focused on developing methods for cooperation in the classroom between education and youth care.

Guideline for teacher-student relationships – Teunie Morren and Irma de Wit (Support Centre for Appropriate Education) (rounds 1 and 2)

A positive teacher-student relationship contributes to the development, motivation and well-being of both students and teachers. In this workshop, you will become acquainted with the guideline of the National Knowledge Institute for Education (2025), based on international scientific literature. We will also explore the connection with school attendance. What does this mean for your professional working environment? Where and how can you implement and embed this? And how can you involve partners in this?

Introductory workshop on working with the pyramid framework – Marije Brouwer (Ingrado) (round 1)

What does school attendance REALLY mean? How does thinking shift from absenteeism to attendance, and what does this mean in practice? You will gain insight into the Multi-Dimensional Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MD-MTSS) framework and how it helps address school attendance. Suitable for both newcomers and experienced professionals.

Dealing with differences within the pyramid framework – René Halberstadt and Marije Brouwer (Ingrado) (round 2)

This interactive working session focuses on dealing with individual differences within the MD-MTSS framework (pyramid). The focus is on context-aware practice, underlying causes and what this requires of schools and professionals in practice. Since the pyramid framework is not a 'one size fits all' approach, we will look at how tailored solutions can be shaped within the different layers of the pyramid. The session is intended for participants who are already familiar with the framework.

Peer consultation – Vincent Fafieanie (Netherlands Youth Institute) (round 2)

An interactive session in which participants' questions and cases are central, and each other's knowledge and experience are put to use. Participants will be divided into small groups based on their interests.

Register here.