March 22, 2005

Visitors from the Netherlands to learn about American schools

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Seven educators from the Netherlands will get hands-on experience with the American education system when they visit Purdue University from April 2-15 as part of an exchange program through the College of Education.

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"The Dutch view of education is very different from the American system," said Jean Peterson, associate professor in educational studies. "There is no such thing as a non-traditional student there. These visitors are between 35 and 50 years of age and are still involved in regular professional development, preparing for new levels of practice. Some of them also train professionals in their fields."

The curriculum for the group's visit combines counselor education, which is Peterson's specialty, with a special-education component, provided by Teresa Taber Doughty, assistant professor in educational studies.

Many activities are planned for the visitors, who will be staying in the homes of volunteers throughout the visit. They will get an overview of the educational system and experience two weeks packed with visits to schools and community agencies, including Kyger Elementary School in Frankfort, Jefferson High School in Lafayette; and Wea Ridge Middle School and Harrison High School in the Tippecanoe County School Corporation among nine school sites on their itinerary.

The program is a continuation of a partnership that began in 2003 when Peterson went to the Netherlands in response to an invitation to explore the possibility of a joint master's degree program with Fontys University. For a variety of reasons, including constraints related to accreditation and the reality that special education and school counseling are conceptualized differently in the Netherlands, she and her Dutch counterpart developed a curriculum called School Counselors in International Dialogue that is designed to allow students to learn from differences between the educational approaches of different nations during direct, reciprocal exchanges.

Last May six Purdue graduate students were the first group to participate in the exchange. They spent more than two weeks immersed in the education system of the Netherlands and in the lives of their host families and then wrote a paper detailing their observations.

"During their visit, the students discovered that educational systems reflect the culture, history and values of the country," Peterson said. "With this exchange program, we want to unsettle people enough to think outside the box and come up with fresh ideas about education."

The students conducted extensive research on culture and history of education in the Netherlands before the visit.

"They were well-informed and were often commended as good ambassadors," Peterson said. "Some studied the language prior to the trip, out of respect for the culture, and everyone learned some while there."

Among the students' discoveries were that special education is more inclusive in the Netherlands than in the United States, Peterson said. Special schools offer high-quality, short- or long-term assistance for a wide range of students with social, cognitive, developmental or physical problems.

Because extracurricular activities are community-based, not school-based, separation from peers doesn't prevent contact, she said. In addition, Dutch counselors consult primarily with teachers instead of mostly intervening with students directly, as in the United States.

"In terms of funding, all schools, including parochial, are publicly and fairly equally funded," Peterson said. "Our impression was that fewer kids fall through the cracks because everyone has equal access to good education."

Writer: Maggie Morris, (765) 494-2432, maggiemorris@purdue.edu

Sources: Jean Peterson, (765) 494-9742, petersoj@purdue.edu

Teresa Taber Doughty, (765) 494-7345, tabert@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

Note to Journalists: To interview any of the visitors or to find out their itinerary, contact Maggie Morris, Purdue News Service, (765) 494-2432, maggiemorris@purdue.edu.

PHOTO CAPTION:
Two elementary students in the Netherlands get a fresh perspective from Melinda Shawhan, who was part of the first group of Purdue students taking part in an exchange program in 2004 from the College of Education. The program is called School Counselors in International Dialogue and will continue on April 2-15 when graduate students from the Netherlands visit Purdue. Shawhan has since graduated from Purdue and is a therapist with Family Services Inc. (Photo provided by Purdue University)

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