Page 55 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Cooperation Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 55
how does community learning work and how does it help reduce esl?
those projects is versatile as it can be. The topics most frequently covered
are those addressing cultural diversity, elders and ageing, environmen-
tal efforts, families, youth and children, health and wellness, hunger and
homelessness response, and educational support for a variety of subjects.
Since we are particularly interested in the overlap between community
learning and educational support in terms of tackling the effects of ESL, we
want to describe this relationship even further in the following paragraph.
Community Learning and ESL
In the context of the role of community learning in ESL, one initiative is
particularly present: the initiative to connect schools with the wider com-
munity and to use schools as a catalyst for bringing community resourc-
es together to bear on community problems. The European Commission
(2015) identified the so-called whole school approach as one of the most
important steps in tackling ESL. The whole school approach defines the
school as the logical site to initiate community collaboration in address-
ing ESL. Deliberately bridging institutions such as community organisa-
tions and schools are also rooted in social capital theory (Putnam, 2000;
Rodriguez & Conchas, 2009). This means that the entire school commu-
nity (school leaders, teachers, learners, parents and families) engages in a
cohesive and collaborative action with external stakeholders and the com-
munity at large in order to support each learner through community learn-
ing. Studies (e.g. Epstein et al., 2002; Schargel & Smink, 2001) show that
such collaborative action importantly improves learners’ educational mo-
tivation (by connecting with real-life experiences and interests), academ-
ic achievement, behaviour (increased sense of belonging to the commu-
nity and school) and supports their emotional, social and psychological
well-being (supporting climate). According to research results (e.g. Epstein,
2001; Epstein et al., 2002; Blank, Berg, & Melaville, 2006; Shumow, 2009)
partnership between schools and communities also leads to better school
programmes and climate, increased parenting skills and leadership, and
connected families. In reviewing the studies that address the effects of
family and parental involvement in the educational and learning process
on student participation, different authors (e.g. Henderson & Mapp, 2002;
Smink & Shargel, 2004) established that connecting families with commu-
nity and schools, in terms of the inclusion of parents in planning and lead-
ership activities and addressing the family’s needs, importantly increases
55
those projects is versatile as it can be. The topics most frequently covered
are those addressing cultural diversity, elders and ageing, environmen-
tal efforts, families, youth and children, health and wellness, hunger and
homelessness response, and educational support for a variety of subjects.
Since we are particularly interested in the overlap between community
learning and educational support in terms of tackling the effects of ESL, we
want to describe this relationship even further in the following paragraph.
Community Learning and ESL
In the context of the role of community learning in ESL, one initiative is
particularly present: the initiative to connect schools with the wider com-
munity and to use schools as a catalyst for bringing community resourc-
es together to bear on community problems. The European Commission
(2015) identified the so-called whole school approach as one of the most
important steps in tackling ESL. The whole school approach defines the
school as the logical site to initiate community collaboration in address-
ing ESL. Deliberately bridging institutions such as community organisa-
tions and schools are also rooted in social capital theory (Putnam, 2000;
Rodriguez & Conchas, 2009). This means that the entire school commu-
nity (school leaders, teachers, learners, parents and families) engages in a
cohesive and collaborative action with external stakeholders and the com-
munity at large in order to support each learner through community learn-
ing. Studies (e.g. Epstein et al., 2002; Schargel & Smink, 2001) show that
such collaborative action importantly improves learners’ educational mo-
tivation (by connecting with real-life experiences and interests), academ-
ic achievement, behaviour (increased sense of belonging to the commu-
nity and school) and supports their emotional, social and psychological
well-being (supporting climate). According to research results (e.g. Epstein,
2001; Epstein et al., 2002; Blank, Berg, & Melaville, 2006; Shumow, 2009)
partnership between schools and communities also leads to better school
programmes and climate, increased parenting skills and leadership, and
connected families. In reviewing the studies that address the effects of
family and parental involvement in the educational and learning process
on student participation, different authors (e.g. Henderson & Mapp, 2002;
Smink & Shargel, 2004) established that connecting families with commu-
nity and schools, in terms of the inclusion of parents in planning and lead-
ership activities and addressing the family’s needs, importantly increases
55
