De Standaard
Living together in peace begins in the cradle
12 August 2015 | By our editor Veerle Beel
No single reason explains why the nursery De Tierlantuin in the Ghent district of Rabot has
won a European Prize for Peace Education. It was their approach in general that convinced
the jury. ‘Living together in peace isn't down to small individual lessons. You live and breathe
it,’ says nursery manager Katrien Reynaert.
Respecting diversity is the rule at De Tierlantuin. Photo by Fred Debrock
GHENT – When toddlers first used the ‘barefoot path’ in the garden, a Polish mother angrily
accused staff of being ‘too lazy to put on the children's shoes’.
This might have caused a conflict, damaging the relationship between the parents and the
nursery. But staff chose to follow a different path: they called in an interpreter to explain to
the mother that it was not a question of neglect but in fact an adventurous outdoor activity.
These days a photo of bare-footed toddlers features in De Tierlantuin’s photo album, used as
information for parents.
The Ghent nursery has won the prestigious Evens Prize for Peace Education because of its
unique approach. The award, which has just been announced, includes a sum of 25,000 euros.
Some parents prefer their child not to change their clothes when they take an afternoon nap.
To reduce the risk of cot death, the Flemish child support agency Kind en Gezin has stipulated
that the bedroom temperature should not be higher than 18 degrees. ‘Some parents find that
too cold,’ says manager Katrien Reynaert. ‘We could fall out with them, but we choose not to.
So we just put the child to bed in their normal clothes.’
There's a hanging cradle in the hall. ‘Sssh!’ says Reynaert, because the authorities don't allow
them. ‘But there are so many children with African parents who are used to sleeping while
tied on to their mother's back. Those children just don't sleep in a standard bed.' So what if
there's an inspection? ‘Well, then the “hanging baby” just happened to fall asleep.’
Respect for diversity and for each family’s home life features high up on the agenda. That
applies also to the language used in the home. Some staff can speak Turkish or Farsi, and it's
always possible to call upon an interpreter. On a wall, a map shows that the children, or their
parents, originate from over 20 countries.
‘We won't just organise a Chinese day for the fun of it,’ says Reynaert. ‘We'll only do
something linked to another culture if it's relevant to one of our children.’
Parents get involved
In the morning parents are welcome in the nursery, while many tend to stay around and chat
in the evening, even playing with children in their groups or in the garden.
Gideon Hagan and Evelyn Abotwe's two youngest children love coming here, says their
mother, adding: ‘And I do too!’ Her husband acts as an interpreter but she can get by in
English: ‘De teachers are goed, de food is very good, de pampers are goed.’ And the children
never cry when she leaves. She'll be sad when her youngest child has outgrown this nursery.
Her husband Gideon laughs when he translates that comment from Ghanaian: ‘Maybe it's
time for another one!’
Gideon helped build the children's library, which was set up in De Tierlantuin last year.
Parents were even able to choose the books themselves, and can now borrow them using a
simple scanning system. After each summer holiday more books arrive from Turkey, Poland
and other home countries.
Local parents and Turkish seniors also helped create the adventure garden. Participation is not
just a nice idea here. Many parents and local residents come and read out loud. Every few
months De Tierlantuin organises a big event ‘on the doorstep’ for the whole neighbourhood,
which helps strengthen the social network in the area.
‘It is this implicit, holistic approach that convinced the jury to choose them as the winners of
the Peace Prize,’ says Marjolein Delvou of the Evens Foundation. ‘This nursery has an
inspired vision, which it applies as much as possible in practice.’
The prize will be presented on 22 October at De Loketten at the Flemish Parliament. Former
laureates include a teacher training course in Barcelona and a school close to Lyon in France.
Part of the winnings will be used to share De Tierlantuin's vision elsewhere in Flanders and
beyond.
www.evensfoundation