TALK TIME – “GETTING PERSONAL”

Discuss among yourselves what you are learning, finding surprising, questioning, or
relating back to your own life and teaching pedagogies. You can answer all these
questions or none of them and make up your own questions to answer.

• How might you react if the US went into war, and you
needed to move away from your family and friends in
order to survive?
• In your opinion, what would be the hardest thing
about being a refugee?
• What strengths can you see in these students that are
a result of their past?
• How can you as a teacher play off these strengths?
• How did you notice that these students reacted to
their situations?
Refugee Education Panel
MSU
February 24, 2010

Judi Harris
Refugee Services Director
 Who are Refugees
Definition:
The 1951 Convention Refugee Definition
“Any other person who is outside the country of his [or her]
nationality or, if he [or she] has no nationality, the country of
his [or her] former habitual residence, because he [or she] has
or had well-founded fear of persecution by reason of his [or
her] race, religion, nationality or political opinion and is
unable or, because of such fear, is unwilling to avail him [or
her]self of the protection of the government of the country of
his [or her] nationality, or, if he [or she] has no nationality, to
return to the country of his [or her]
former habitual residence.”

vs. Asylees, Immigrants...

 Myths
• Economic refugees? Tsunami
refugees?
– Nope
• What if they don’t cross a border?
– Nope, IDP (Internally Displaced Person)
• What if there is no “conflict?”
– Can have internal persecution
• What if there is no “persecution” or “loss of
nationality?”
– Then there is no “refugee”
 How do refugees get to USA?
1. Conflict/genocide/persecution in Country
2. Flee to refugee camp/“country of first asylum”/
host country
3. Interviewed by UNHCR
4. If they prove well-founded fear of persecution
and meet all UNHCR criteria, may be ID’d for
3rd country resettlement (Durable Solution #3).
5. Sent to IOM for
processing (country selected,
paperwork, medical, cultural
orientation)
 Durable solutions
Voluntary repatriation: refugees voluntarily return in safety and with
dignity to their country of origin;

Local integration: a process which ultimately leads to the permanent

settlement of refugees in the country where they sought asylum; and

Resettlement: refugees are transferred from the country of asylum to

a third State willing to admit them on a permanent basis. Can take up
to 17 years

Less than 1% of refugees worldwide are ever

resettled in a third country.

Resettlement is often called “the option of last resort,”

 Why do they “choose” to come to Lansing?
How do refugees get to Michigan?
Refugee Processing Center in
Washington, DC
“VOLAGS”

• USCCB
• USCRI
• LIRS
• HIAS
• IRC
• ECDC
• EMM
• CWS
• World Relief
 What resettlement agencies can
provide
Pre-Arrival Services
• Case file Preparation and
Maintenance
• Reception Services
• Community and other Orientation
• Health -- Orientation and Referrals
• Health – screenings and referrals
• Resettlement Plans; Employment
Orientation and Referrals
• Applications for cash assistance and
other benefits
• Health -- Notification of State and
Local Authorities
•Liaise with health department and
DHS
AND…. Employment Services
The goal? Self-sufficiency!!!
AND…
•Decent, safe, and sanitary housing;
•Essential furnishings;
•Food or a food allowance and other
basic necessities;
•Necessary clothing (warm coats);
•Referral to appropriate health programs
and screening;
•Assistance in applying for social
security cards;
•Assistance in registering children for
school;
•Transportation to job interviews and job
training.
 Challenges
• Language!!
• Transportation
• Mental Health
services
• Awareness
• Bias
• Time and money
 Further information
• www.stvcc.org
• www.unhcr.org
• www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/
• www.usccb.org

Judi Harris, Director

harrisj@stvcc.org
517-323-4734 ex. 1402

Beth Browning, Community Outreach Coordinator

brownib@stvcc.org
517-323-4734 ex. 1424
 TALK TIME – “GETTING PERSONAL”
Discuss among yourselves what you are learning, finding surprising, questioning, or
relating back to your own life and teaching pedagogies. You can answer all these
questions or none of them and make up your own questions to answer.

• What steps can you as a teacher take to better prepare yourself to teach a more diverse
classroom?
• What challenges do you think you might face as a teacher with refugee students in your
room? How might you work though them?
• What ways do you think you can prepare yourself for any language barrier issues
between you and the student?
• What ways can you make your classroom a welcoming environment for someone form
another country?
• What were some characteristics you heard that the refugee students cited as being a
“good teacher”? What were some for a “bad teacher”? How might you change or correct
these?
• What stereotypes did you have about refugees coming into tonight’s panel? Have any of
these been changed? What other “story” are you learning about the refugee?
• How do your views on the U.S. education system match up with those of the refugee
students?
• In what ways do you think teachers “miss the mark” in teaching refugee students?