Case study 1 Autonomy in a diverse VMBO2 class

Before you can dive further into the case study, it is important to know more about pre-vocational secondary education in the Netherlands. In this step you read about the Dutch school system and talk about the similarities and differences between the different countries. 

Materials 

• https://www.government.nl/topics/secondary-education  

• https://youtu.be/AeNgPgToWwU?si=mwIDs2hSU4l4cJdM 

After reading the information, answer the following questions with your team. Make sure to take notes in your team document at each step. 

• What are the main characteristics of VMBO in the Netherlands?  

  1. • • What kind of tracks are there within VMBO? 

       • What is the duration of the tracks? 

       • What are the main learning goals of VMBO? 

• What constitutes diversity in VMBO2? In your team, discuss the following:

  • • • What pupils do you know in pre-vocational secondary education? What are these pupils like? 

      • What are strengths of these pupils? What are they interested in? 

      • What are challenges of these pupils?  

      • How does this affect your teaching? 

• Compare the pre-vocational education of the Netherlands with the other countries. What are the differences and similarities with this form of education in your own country? 

In this step, you will learn more about autonomy-support in general and motivation of pupils in Dutch pre-vocational education specifically. 

Materials

• Revisit literature and team notes from The basics: 

  • • Katz & Assor 2006

    • The Radboud University brochure on autonomy support

The brochure is in Dutch. An English translation is provided for in the Google Drive folder (-> Course materials). 

• • • Deci & Ryan 2000 on the self-determination theory of motivation 

• Smit, et al. 2017 on motivation in Dutch pre-vocational secondary education 

After reading the materials, answer the following questions with your team. 

• What is autonomy-support? 

• What should you take into account when you want to implement more autonomy-support? 

• What is important to consider regarding motivation of pupils in pre-vocational education? 

• What role can autonomy-support play in motivation of pupils in pre-vocational education? 

In this step, you will dive deeper into culturally responsive teaching in secondary education. 

Materials 

• Chapter 2 from Theeuwes 2024 on teachers and their culturally diverse classrooms in Dutch secondary education

If you have the time, it is useful to also read chapter 1 (the general introduction) and understand more of the context and scope of the study. 

Read the chapter and take notes based on the following questions. You can do this as a team or individually (but make sure to exchange notes). 

• What have you learned from the article? 

• What questions do you have based on this article? 

• What would you like to use or explore further? 

In this step, you will integrate the findings from the earlier steps. 

With your team, 

• Re-read the case study 

• Formulate the problem of this case study in your own words

• Check your notes from step 1-3 

• Do you have any unanswered questions? If so, how can you answer these questions? 

• Integrate your findings to formulate a solution to the problem 

• What questions do you have left? 

In the exchange week you will visit a Montessori secondary school. Montessori is an educational concept for preschool, primary and secondary education. Based on the philosophy of Italian educator Maria Montessori, this educational approach revolves around the principle help me to do it myself. The Montessori method supports children’s sense of curiosity and initiative, and encourages the development of their natural abilities, particularly through practical play. Children learn to work independently. Nowadays, Montessori schools often combine Montessori materials with regular language and math methods. At a Montessori secondary school, the same core objectives apply as for other secondary schools: all students finish their track (vmbo, havo or vwo) with school exams and the central exam.   

Materials

• Brouwer, Leenders, & Sins 2023 on Montessori education in the Netherlands

• The Montessori Theory: Key Concepts (video) 

Take the final steps of the case study:

• Read the article about Montessori education in the Netherlands and watch the video with the key concepts of the Montessori Theory. 

• Imagine that the teacher from the case study works at the Montessori school you are visiting. This Montessori secondary school is one of the few comprehensive schools that offers all the different tracks within VMBO (https://montessoricollege.nl/leerroutes/vmbo-b-k-t/). How does this specific school context affect the outcome of step 4? Discuss within the group on which basis you need to change your advice to help the specific teacher at the Montessori school.  

• Formulate at least one question that you are curious about after the case study and want to ask one of the VMBO-teachers present at the Montessori school visit in January. 

Consult your teacher trainer via e-mail or during the physical meeting on campus planned in week 4 of the course. 

It is also possible to contact the coordinator of STEP, Esmée Bruggink. She can help you out with practical matters and connect you to teacher trainers from Radboud University when you have questions on the materials and/or assignments of this case study specifically. 

Are any of the links to the materials for this case study unavailable to you? Downloads of all course materials are also available in our Google Drive.