Gypsy/Traveller Culture and the Schooling Process

Cudworth, Dave

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-91364-3_5

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…The pull factors usually identified reference "cultural norms", such as the tendency to marry young and the lure of the Traveller economy (i.e., the economic activities in which Travellers have traditionally engaged, which are "'outside' dominant or 'mainstream' economic activity that is based on sedentary modes of production" [27,42] p. 13. Additionally, nomadism has been identified as one of the key reasons for Travellers' poor attendance at school and low achievement levels [43]. While some of the reasons why Travellers leave school early may be linked to pull factors, research has found that it is more likely due to push factors, "such as exposure to racist bullying, social disengagement, educational policy and low teacher expectations" [39] p. 360 as well as isolation, poor relationships with their teachers and peers, low teacher expectations, and an overall lack of support [39,44].…”

Section: Literature Review 21 Minority Ethnic Students' Experiences O...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“The School for the Travellers and the Blacks”: Student and Teacher Perspectives on “Choosing” a Post-Primary School with a High Concentration of Disadvantage

Ginley

Keane

2021

Education Sciences

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Since the formation of the Irish State, the participation and attainment in education of members of the Irish Traveller community have been low. In terms of school-related factors, research points to Travellers perceiving the curriculum as irrelevant, experiencing problematic relationships with peers and teachers, a strong sense of not belonging, and low teacher expectations. This paper draws on the findings of a wider study which explored how an intercultural approach to education was conceptualised and enacted, with particular reference to Travellers, in one urban DEIS (disadvantaged) post-primary school in the West of Ireland (St. Greg’s) with a highly diverse student population. Located in the interpretivist/constructivist paradigm, and informed by critical race theory, an in-depth qualitative case study research design was employed. Data collection involved twenty-eight semi-structured interviews with teacher and student participants, including Traveller and “other” minority ethnic students, as well as White settled Irish students. Data analysis involved several coding stages, and the development of categories. In this paper, we examine one of the categories, the participants’ perceptions of the school as being a school “for the Travellers and the Blacks” and its “reputation” in this regard, as well as the factors impacting the “choice” of the school by different groups of students. Both teacher and student participants were aware of the school’s negative reputation and how this was associated with the socio-demographic composition of its student population. Regarded as the school “for the Travellers and the Blacks”, it was seen as a “tough” school and one in which academic expectations were low. Choosing St. Greg’s was perceived as being related to having a family history of attending the school, not being able to access other schools, and the school providing supports and “freebies”. The findings are discussed in the context of previous research, focusing in particular on critical issues of school socio-demographics, reputation, and choice. The paper concludes with observations about the problematic nature of Ireland’s increasingly segregated schooling system and recommendations about how the education system might better work to include and support Traveller and other minority ethnic students in post-primary education.

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