Practical Use and Regenerative Role of Theories of Intercultural Pedagogy in Educating Disadvantaged (Minority) Students

Abstract

In this essay the possibilities for the practical application of Hungarian intercultural pedagogy are analyzed showing the reflective practice of cultural anthropology. In Hungary a unitedly accepted model of intercultural pedagogy does not exist and the process of its creation is also full of obstacles. Forming the right method means interfering the everyday life of school communities and the knowledge of the usual working process in the school educational system is also assumed, A long, problem-driven research using anthropological methods (participant observation, action research) is needed to examine the group dynamics of children with a different cultural background within the same school by intercultural pedagogy. The culture of the school itself is also one of the venues of social environment but to be able to get to know the students’ point of view concerning their own school we will need several qualitative social examinations in the near future. Teachers working in the Hungarian educational system have not been able to prepare for educating disadvantaged students and ethnically/culturally heterogeneous classes yet. My essay is trying to refer to the educational transformations which have been totally altered because social tensions are immediately represented in schools. The school community reflects our social system. Without realizing it schools are not able to form a certain relationship with children. They have to see children not only as members of a particular family unit, but children also have to be seen in their global social relationship which is not neutral concerning the explanations of social and educational events.