Sinti youth and challenges to changing educational practices

Abstract

Roma and Sinti young people are a historical presence that makes us reflect on the ability of intercultural schools to guarantee equal opportunities, respecting differences and without discrimination. The literature shows the difficulties of the Roma population at school, the different attitudes of teachers, but also some changes in the attitudes and experiences of Roma and Sinti. The contribution proposes a reflection starting from a multi-year research project carried out in Reggio Emilia, with interviews with teachers, municipal operators, Sinti students from Reggio Emilia and parents, culminating in a research-training project in 2023 that brought together different perspectives in order to grasp the representations and attitudes of teachers, educators and social workers, and the ability to recognize the changes present and the repercussions on teaching practices. The research findings highlight the existence of dynamic identities, often reified and caged, in which schools can play a new role, questioning the ability of educational contexts to see this dynamism and adopt flexible practices capable of responding to the needs and potential of Sinti pupils.