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The Intersection Family, School and Community in the Education of Immigrant Children

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In Cape Verde: Creole. Portuguese. French. English. In the US: Creole (home, school) ... Caregivers in Cape Verde. Parents' sacrifice. Native language and culture ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: The Intersection Family, School and Community in the Education of Immigrant Children


1
The Intersection Family, School and Community in
the Education of Immigrant Children
  • Ambrizeth H. Lima, Ed.D.
  • Race, Culture and Language Effective Teaching of
    Immigrant Children
  • December 6, 2007

2
Overview
  • What teaching means to me
  • My research and my teaching
  • The Immigrant child
  • The Family
  • The School
  • The Community
  • Recommendations

3
What Teaching Means to MeFrom Practice to
Research, to Practice
  • It is impossible to teach without the courage to
    love, without the courage to try a thousand times
    before giving up
  • From Teachers as Cultural Workers Letters to
    Those who Dare Teach (Freire, 1998 p.3)

4
My Research
  • My participants
  • 12 Cape Verdean young men
  • Foreign-born
  • Age range 18-28

Overarching Research Question
How do they describe/understand/interpret their
experiences in the U.S., within family, school,
and community contexts?
5
The Three Contexts
  • Family
  • Family Resources
  • Family Separation/Reunion
  • Family Needs and Gifts
  • School
  • The Role of Bilingual Programs
  • The Role of Teachers as Agents of Socialization
  • Community/Neighborhood
  • The environment
  • Community Resources (the Teen Center)

6
The Immigrant Family
  • The search of a better life
  • Educational opportunities
  • Reunion (offspring, siblings)
  • Safety (war, persecution)
  • Economic stability
  • Remittances to those who stayed behind

7
Family Separation and Reunion
(Translated from Creole) I met my father here i
n the U.S. In the beginning it was difficult
because there was no communication between us
because we didnt know each otherWe dont have a
father-son relationship. We are two good friends.
(Adalberto, 21)
8
The Role of Former Caregivers
  • She don't want to see me in the positions she
    sees on the TV, like a lot of deportations, a lot
    of killingsthe only thing I have to give to her
    is love, and respect...
  • (Adilson, 24)

9
Possible Implications (Suarez-Orozco, 2002)
  • Depression
  • Amicable relationship with parent
  • Hostile relationship with parent
  • Sibling rivalry/perception of preferential
    treatment
  • Lack of communication at home, which may lead to
    family instability

10
And/or
  • A stronger determination to succeed
  • A maturity beyond their years
  • Respect for educational process
  • Respect for authority figures
  • Appreciation for the opportunities available in
    the U.S.

11
Linguistic Acrobatics
12
My Experience
  • In Cape Verde
  • Creole
  • Portuguese
  • French
  • English
  • In the US
  • Creole (home, school)
  • Portuguese (home, school)
  • English (school)

13
Linguistic Acrobatics
My stepfather speaks Cape Verdean Creole, but my
mother speaks both English and Creole, and
Spanish. My mother spoke English with my
brother and she spoke Creole with us. (Adilson,
24)
14
Linguistic Power
I can really you know, understand, but sometimes
I keep it. I hold backI can say it in Creole,
but sometimes I act like Im stupid too, because
I dont want to talk about it. (Carlitos, 18)
15
Role Reversal
  • Letters from school are sent in English. I
    read them and in some occasions when it's things
    my parents need to know, I translate.
  • (Carlitos, 18)

16
Possible Linguistic Outcomes
  • Multilingual
  • Resourceful and savvy in their social context
  • Skillful translators and interpreters
  • Mature, given the level of responsibility at home

17
Or
  • Develop linguistic problems that may lead to
    cognitive issues
  • Become the authority at home at a very early age
  • Resent the role of language brokers

18
Implications for Educators
  • Identifying the problem
  • Referring student for counseling
  • Communicating with parents
  • Discussing general issues related to families
    in the classroom
  • Encouraging the student to hang on
  • Allowing students time to sort out the myriad
    languages in their lives
  • Watching for issues that may be linguistic and
    not cognitive or vise-versa
  • Translating/interpreting resources within the
    school

19
The School Context
  • The Role of Bilingual Programs
  • Teachers and School Personnel as Agents of
    Socialization

20
The Familiar
  • I think the whole environment bilingual classI
    was feeling more comfortable because like after I
    came here, you know, came to the school, and we
    found Cape Verdean people. (Denzel, 21)

21
The Role of Teachers
  • It was very good because teachers take their
    time when I didn't understand and stuff like
    that. They always made sure that we learned
    something.
  • (Adalberto, 22)

22
The Challenges
  • I didnt know anything about school. The next day
    I was in school. So fear, you know being
    nervousI was always getting into fights as soon
    as I got there.
  • (Miguel, 28)

23
Teachers as Agents of Socialization
  • Ideological clarity refers to the process by
    which individuals struggle to identify and
    compare their own explanations for the existing
    socioeconomic and political hierarchy with the
    dominant societys. (Bartolome, 1994, p.1)

24
When Cultures Collide
  • The first day of school you come with all
    tight clothesand few days later you want a
    jersey because you see other students in
    jerseys. You have the jersey but you still have
    tight pants, you have to go little by little.
  • (Adilson, 24)

25
The Compromise
  • It's different, Hip Hop culture, and then I
    don't want to pick it up, but I have to pick it
    up, to fit in because if I don't, I won't fit in
    the culture.
  • (Adilson, 24)

26
A Teachers Guidance
  • Don't push yourself too far don't push yourself
    too hard to get in that position. It might be a
    good position, it might be a bad position, but
    don't push too hard. Don't focus on that, focus
    on your grades.
  • (Pedro, 21)

27
Implications for Educators
  • Orientation for parents and students
  • Thematic curricula about the integration of youth
    in the U.S.
  • Awareness of what new immigrants experience
  • Awareness of students environment
  • Knowledge of resources to assist the students

28
The Community (Neighborhood) Context
  • The Environment
  • Community Resources (the Teen Center)

29
The Neighborhoods
  • At any moment, you know, you can be in your house
    and get shot, you know, it's a constant danger to
    your life out here.
  • (Albertino, 24)

30
Urban Insulation
  • Friends told me about the teen center. I used
    to mostly to stay home. So I came here and they
    said there were people that was offering help on
    homework, so I came here and started playing
    sports. (Angelo, 18)

31
What Worked
  • Friends with the same language and culture
  • Avoidance of situations/locations where they can
    be discriminated against
  • Avoidance of conflicts with authorities
  • Participation in political and cultural events
  • Membership in a center that provides support

32
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33
Implications for Educators
  • Know the resources available in the community
  • Refer students to the resources
  • Communicate with students about their needs
  • Watch for students fear, anger, and frustration
  • Speak to the students they are the greatest
    resources for educators

34
Recommendations
  • Orientation for parents/children
  • Orientation for schools around immigration
    issues
  • Curricula rich in cultural awareness and
    strategies for integration
  • ESL classes for parents
  • Information about schooling (booklets, videos)
  • Awareness of resources available in the community
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