For many years now, people have migrated to this country to for a better life. Every person from different countries have different reason for migrating here, that is how our country started. Now it continues to be a big political issue. Many parents bring their children, at a young age, to this country and the change they experience is unexplainable. Some of the current concerns about these families and new students is their behavior. A lot of these children experience terrifying experiences that change their view and start misbehaving. Many teachers after experiencing trouble with these students give up on them and all these kids need is someone to believe in them. Some may ask the question, where are their parents? There are many different immigrants so I would like to focus on the Hispanic low-income homes with children of elementary age. In these certain case many of the parents work more than 40 hours a week, usually less than minimum wage according to the state. Most of these kids do not have parents home to help them with homework, especially when they do not understand the language themselves. These students lack in help from their parents and their teacher, if their teacher does not know how to handle new students. With this research I would like to focus on the following questions:
1) How does a new environment and language affect the children in their behavior? Do they experience some type of trauma? Either from student or teacher at a school environment?
2) Is there programs that can provide them with the help necessary?
3) How does their parents work schedule affect their behavior and progress in school?
4) Does their parents immigration status and process and their own affect them in school?
One in five children of school age in United States is an immigrant or child of immigrants.
This is a little clearer than the previous post but I will add a new post tomorrow with more information on my research.
Sounds very interesting and relevant to very important cultural and political questions our country is now facing.
ReplyDeleteOne question I have is similar to last week's, are you planning to do your own field research (interviews, questionnaires, etc)? Or are you going to focus on academic work that has already been done?
These are big questions but things to begin thinking about. Also, are there any works that you've seen so far that seem particularly relevant to what you are doing?
Good work narrowing your ideas here.
Noelia,
ReplyDeleteI second all the good things Chris pointed out in his comment above. I also would like to mention that your second question, about whether there are programs already in existence to help exactly this population, is the one that feels most promising to me. As phrased, it might seem like it would lead only to a Yes or No answer. But, if the answer is Yes, there are such programs, then you have a possible thesis project ideally suited for you. Learn everything you can about the extant programs: What is their history? What challenges do they face, budgetary or political or otherwise? How effective have they been? Are there better programs that in the works but not yet implemented? And, this is the kicker that would make a terrific thesis, what would the ideal program look like if you designed it, now that you've learned all there is to learn about the programs available?
Thank you for your feedback. In regards to Marks question about the programs. There is programs that are designed to help these students. I have actually volunteered to these programs and worked with government programs as well that are designed to help these students. Questions such as: What challenges do they face, budgetary or political or otherwise? How effective have they been? Are there better programs that in the works but not yet implemented? are also some question that I will work on. I am grateful for your help and look forward to talking to both of you.
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