Professor Piet Van Avermaet, despite retirement, remains involved in education research. He expresses worry over the increasingly polarized debate surrounding multilingualism in Flemish schools. He notes that teachers are caught in the middle of extreme viewpoints, creating uncertainty in the classroom.
Van Avermaet criticizes Zuhal Demir's statement blaming previous education policies for declining quality, arguing that this approach only silences nuanced voices and misrepresents the complexity of the situation. He asserts that the previous twenty to thirty years haven't been dominated by a single approach.
He acknowledges a period where focus on skills overshadowed knowledge, but insists that teachers already balanced both in most classrooms. He emphasizes the need to restore this balance in the curriculum, advocating for a nuanced approach rather than extreme positions.
Van Avermaet proposes that declining student performance isn't solely attributable to knowledge deficits or discipline problems but is a multifaceted issue. He highlights the inadequate professional development opportunities for teachers in Flanders compared to other countries as a significant factor.
He suggests strategies for teachers to effectively incorporate multilingualism into the classroom, giving examples such as allowing short periods of conversations in students' native languages before reflecting on the material in Dutch.
He notes that while discipline is important, it shouldn't be punitive. He advocates for better support systems and teacher training to address behavioral issues stemming from a polarized social climate. He also stresses the importance of a nuanced approach to the integration of diversity in teaching, beyond superficial initiatives.
Van Avermaet emphasizes the shared responsibility between schools and parents for student success. He highlights that the current approach of blaming parents who don't speak Dutch primarily induces fear and is counterproductive. He suggests a more constructive and inclusive approach to working with families.