Title: The Intersection Family, School and Community in the Education of Immigrant Children
1The 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
2Overview
- What teaching means to me
- My research and my teaching
- The Immigrant child
- The Family
- The School
- The Community
- Recommendations
3What 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)
4My 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?
5The 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)
6The Immigrant Family
- The search of a better life
- Educational opportunities
- Reunion (offspring, siblings)
- Safety (war, persecution)
- Economic stability
- Remittances to those who stayed behind
7Family 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)
8The 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)
9Possible 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
10And/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.
11Linguistic Acrobatics
12My Experience
- In Cape Verde
- Creole
- Portuguese
- French
- English
- In the US
- Creole (home, school)
- Portuguese (home, school)
- English (school)
13Linguistic 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)
14Linguistic 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)
15Role 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)
16Possible Linguistic Outcomes
- Multilingual
- Resourceful and savvy in their social context
- Skillful translators and interpreters
- Mature, given the level of responsibility at home
17Or
- 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
18Implications 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
19The School Context
- The Role of Bilingual Programs
- Teachers and School Personnel as Agents of
Socialization
20The 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)
21The 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)
22The 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)
23Teachers 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)
24When 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)
25The 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)
26A 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)
27Implications 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
28The Community (Neighborhood) Context
- The Environment
- Community Resources (the Teen Center)
29The 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)
30Urban 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)
31What 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(No Transcript)
33Implications 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
34Recommendations
- 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