Debora Roorda on EMPO

Debora Roorda is an associate professor at the Department of Pedagogy at the University of Amsterdam. She conducts research on teacher-pupil relationships (the emotional bond between teachers and pupils) and teaches various courses within the bachelor's degree in pedagogy, master's degree in orthopaedagogy and the research master's degree at the UvA. Within the EMPO, she will teach the subjects Pupil-Teacher and Teacher-Parent Relationships and PDP2 View of the Group. She also coordinates the EMPO master's from the UvA.

According to you, what makes EMPO (Master’s of Science in Primary Education) so special?

EMPO allows you to get both your teaching qualification in primary education and a master's degree. The beauty of this is the exchange between the more practical profession of teaching and the more theoretical/academic side of university education. If you start working as a teacher, you can benefit from the extra theoretical knowledge gained during the master's degree. If you are going to work as an educator/educator, you can also benefit from the practical experience of being in front of the classroom. In addition, you could work partly as a teacher and partly as an educator/educator.

What expertise will you add to the programme?

Knowledge about teacher-pupil relations, or the emotional bond between teachers and pupils. The importance of a safe classroom climate and good relationships in the classroom for children's functioning, interventions to improve relationships etc.

What do you expect for the future of this new master's programme?

I think this master's programme will attract many students in the future. It is a unique opportunity to get both a teaching qualification and an academic master's degree. I think graduates will be very valuable to the field, as they bring both a lot of theoretical/academic knowledge and skills and more practical experience. You are so versatile and can go in many different directions after graduation.

An interview with one of the teachers of EMPO (Master’s of Science in Primary Education).