‘Teachers should put themselves in their students’ shoes’: Perspectives of Parents from Minority-ethnic Backgrounds on Schooling in Ireland

Abstract

This paper explores the experiences and perspectives of parents from minority-ethnic backgrounds concerning their children’s education in primary and post-primary schools in Ireland. Five focus groups were conducted with 20 parents of non-White African and Asian backgrounds. Our findings demonstrate complex interactions and tensions between home and host cultures, parenting approaches and schooling experiences for both students and their families. Participating parents’ accounts illustrate their strong interest in their children’s education, their critical cultural consciousness and their desire to engage in dialogue with teachers. Positive teacher attitudes, teacher professional development, acceptance of/learning about differences and a more diverse teaching population emerged as key recommendations in parents’ discussions regarding culturally inclusive learning environments. We argue that parents from minority-ethnic backgrounds are uniquely positioned to support the development of teachers’ intercultural competencies and of inclusive education practices in schools.