Running Head: IMMIGRANT CHILDREN

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Immigrant Children And Their School Performance

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America has been said to be the country of opportunities. A country where anyone from

around the world can live the American dream. For this same reason, the United States is

populated by people from all around the world, different nationalities, traditions, religions,

cultures, and languages. But what is the process of these families that uproot themselves from

their countries of origin to settle here and blend in, adapting with the customs and ways of

living? How hard it is to get used to the new world that they voluntarily decided to live in? But

what about their children, who didn’t ask to be moved from their country of origin which was

home for them? Unfortunately, society has this image of how the American family should be like

and immigrant families fall into the pattern that American society has developed. Many families

can suffer from oppression by not being who they meant to be, hiding their culture their customs

and even their language. But what is the trauma in their development or the things that a child

goes through when acquiring a new culture, country and language? How does the education

system help or harm an immigrant child in the process? We will discuss some factors that can

influence school performance on immigrant children.

As immigrants arrived to this country they are expected to gradually forget the

life style they have until they completely incorporate into the American culture way of living to

achieve their successful life in America. This is taken for minorities as the oppression of their

culture and they identity to be incorporated or accepted by the American society. This can affect

their children school performance and the way they perceive education. According to John U.

Ogbu from the Department of Anthropology University of California, Berkeley, immigrants are

classified in to three categories: Autonomous, voluntary or immigrant, and involuntary or non-

immigrant minorities. Next he describes cultural-ecological theory of minority school

performance. Ogbu has studied minority education in the United States for almost 28 years. For
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the first fifteen years he studied differences in school performance between minorities and the

dominant group of students. He came up to conclude that the differences in their performance

was based by the treatment of minority groups in our society as a whole in schools and how they

respond and perceive to school according for the treat experiences from such institution.(Ogbu &

Simons, 1998)

Heber D. Simons Graduate of Education University of California, Berkeley explains how

Ogbu’s research in the 1980s was to explain school performance between the two types of

minorities: the involuntary and the voluntary. This research was made between 1968 and 1980, it

tried to explain why minority students perform poorer in school than students from the majority,

he began his study in Stockton, California. Years later he published that there were six countries

with the same problems: Britain, India, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States. He

said that these minorities groups were subordinated groups. In every case, they were not given a

fair education and had inadequate access to school resources. He continues his research and in

another research realized between 1980 and 1997 he based his study in “community forces”,

which are the effects of sociocultural adaptation and are placed within the minority community

(Ogbu & Simmons, 1998) He stated that the research will show him how the sociocultural

acceptance within the two different minority groups would give the answer in why immigrant

minorities would do better in school in comparison of non-immigrants minorities. According to

Ogbu and Simmons (1998) argued that the differences in minority school performance cannot be

blamed on cultural, linguistic, or genetic differences, but he wouldn’t deny that cultural and

language differences would have a positive or negative effect on school performance. But

language and culture would not determine minority differences.

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The reason why the two minority groups differ in their performance in school has to do

with two things: the way they understand the history of their settlement in the United States and

the way they have been treated by the white- American society. And the second one is how that

treatment and history makes them respond to school. The school system and the way they are

being treated affects minorities school performance. (Ogbu & Simmons, 1998)

Hebert explains how Obgu classified the two minority groups not by race but by the

beliefs and behaviors contribute to school success or failure. In order to explain school

performance, Obgu classifies three different categories: autonomous, voluntary(immigrant) and

involuntary (non- immigrant) minorities. The first one refers to people who are a small group

that they might be different in their religious practice, race, ethnicity and language from the

dominant group examples: Amish, Jews, and Mormons, these groups might suffer from

discrimination but are not completely dominated or oppressed and their school achievement is

not different from the dominant group.

The difference between the other two groups is: first the nature of the involvement of

white Americans in becoming minorities and second the reasons they came or were brought to

the United States. immigrants come to the United States voluntarily they come to look a better

future a better opportunitie than their home land. They might be different in their culture, race,

ethnicity and language. They don’t see the adaptation into this country as an oppression of their

culture when adapting to the American society. This group experienced problems at school

specially when they first arrive due to the educational policies and practices because of language

and cultural differences. But these are not long term problems. Some examples of voluntary

immigrants are: Africa, Cuba, China, India, Japan, Korea, Central and South America, The

Caribbean and Mexico.

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The involuntary minority group are people who have been conquered, colonized, or

enslaved and were made part of the United States against their will. Some examples of

involuntary (non-immigrants) American Indians, They feel they were forced by Americans to

become permanently residents. For the most part they experience long term difficulties in culture

and language and do less well in school and Alaska Natives, who were conquered, Native

Hawaiians who were colonized, Puerto Ricans who were conquered as the Mexican Americans

in the South West and African Americans who were brought in to the United States as slaves.

They see and compare their schools as bad due to discrimination offering better education to

white communities because non-immigrant students or families do not have the back home

comparison. They are more susceptible to blame or criticize the school system’s curriculum.

They also believe that education is part of the “make it” in the country but they have also

experienced discrimination in the work force, they know that getting a good job might not be

possible after getting a good education. The involuntary immigrants and their long history of

discrimination schools are seeing as suspicious and that the system would not be fair in the way

they teach their children compared to white children. The involuntary minority group feels that

by adapting the English language it is imposing the Americans in their way of talking.

When immigrants come to the United States voluntarily they come to look for a better

future, a better opportunity than their home land. They might be different in their culture, race,

ethnicity and language. They don’t see the adaptation into this country as an oppression for their

culture when adapting to the American society. This group experienced problems at school,

especially when they first arrive due to the educational policies and practices, because of

language and cultural differences. But these are not long term problems. As the voluntary

immigrants come to this country they do face discrimination but they think is temporary, and it is
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because they don’t speak the language or because they are unaware of the American culture, they

know that they are not close to be an American but they come with a positive mind of their hope

to succeed in the United State. They compare their status and economical situations they had in

their home land and encourage their children to do good in schools to have better futures. Their

children grow up hearing the stories of the economical situations of their parents birth place or

by the conversations their hear with families that reside in their homelands and understand the

concept of the importance of education. They believe that in order to “make it “ they have to

work hard and get a good education and follow the rules in order to succeed. The immigrants

trust the school system because they haven’t experienced or are unaware of minority

discrimination. Also the voluntary group is more flexible to changes and the adaptation and enter

the mainstream of American society by for example learning the English language.

In the process of assimilation, it is important for immigrant adolescents to develop self-

concept, Erikson’s theory suggest that by the adolescent stage they establish their identity as part

of the self. This self-identity leads to psychological sense of well-being can also lead to a period

of crisis, when they face the social environment including home and school as an impediment of

reaching for their goals.

Every child has their own way of learning. Immigrant children go through stages to learn,

according to Cristina Igoa author of The Inner World of the Immigrant Child. These stages help

children to adapt to the new culture and adapt to learning a new language in a different

environment. It is more difficult for immigrant children to succeed in school, it takes hard work

and dedication from the child, teachers, and parents (Igoa, _).

One stage is the silent stage, this is when the children experience the school culture as

different from their own and when their inability to communicate with peers is caused by language
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or cultural differences. Children tend to have mood changes, they are afraid even terrified to talk

to others around them even when they want to. This stage can last from one to two years if they

don’t find friends. This stage is not necessarily negative it has a positive side too. When these

children avoid speaking to others they become insightful observes of everything around them.

They develop strong listening skills of the English language.

Another stage is culture shock. Culture shock comes from losing all the familiar signs

and symbols, and cultures. Anxiety tends to build up and emotions tend to mix because

everything they once knew is unfamiliar. In order for immigrant children to overcome this stage

they need to stay connected with their culture while little by little learn the cues of the new

culture. (Igoa, p39) Children and even parents may become homesick which may make it hard

for them to learn in school. Children can feel the stress and frustration of their parents trying to

also adapt to the new country. Parent need to help children adapt to their school and help them

succeed

Language plays an important part in ethnic identity. In the United States, acquisition of

the English Language has been seen fundamental in the adaptation of immigrants and their

children into the American society. Also, the immigrants who encourage their children to

maintain their ethnic language have been seen throughout U.S history as negative attitudes from

the dominant group prospective. However, evidence shows that using and knowing the ethnic

language has a positive effect on developmental outcomes for adolescents in immigrant families.

The retention of the ethnic language has been criticized for second and later generations of

immigrants. Immigrant children who arrive very young or were born here who don’t see the

value of keeping their ethic group language because of the salience of English in schools, with

peers, and in the media. Immigrant children who are proficient or retain their ethnic language
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will have a positive impact on their ethnic identity. According to Jorge Ruiz-de-Velasco

Immigrant children face the challenge of not speaking the language and there is a shortage of

teachers specially trained to teach Learning English programs and limited number of math

science or social science that can communicate effectively with LEP/immigrant children (Last

Name, Year).

Absences can be another factor of immigrant children school performance. According to

Kamala D. Harris, California Attorney General in a study made in a report of 2016-2017 in

California’s Elementary Schools of Truancy and Absenteeism Crisis in the chronic absence rate

6% of our English learners were absent for excused and unexcused reasons and 55% of

Hispanics were suspended on their overall enrollment. According to NCCP schools are key in

promoting education and making parents understand that going to school in the early years is

important to the child’s success. Being able to communicate with parents from diverse families

can make the difference in improving attendance. Teachers can be good resources for families

especially immigrant families that are unaware of the U.S. norms of education may differ from

those in their home country. The lack of personnel of Spanish- speaking to go out and educate

the community of immigrants especially Latino families in educational matters and attendance

been the second highest level of chronic early absence in our local research (Last Name, Year).

As teachers, it is their responsibility to help them with the new while they retain the old.

They need to be taught the English language and the adaptations to this new culture. It is important

for teachers to understand the importance of listening to the children, understanding their roots,

cultures and to accept the importance of their belonging. Teachers can help children through the

silent stage by helping them in different ways to communicate. Doing so verbally, inwriting or

through art. Teachers can help children through their culture shock by incorporating activities,
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games, lessons that incorporate their past culture. Teachers are held responsible for nourishing

these children that felt the abandonment of their parents who are at work trying to adapt to the

culture. Teachers need to understand the cause of the shock the child is going through and identify

what type of support they need to provide.

Teachers aren’t the only ones that can change the way these immigrant children learn; the

school system also takes a major contribution into the learning of these children. The educations

system has helped these immigrant children by providing various language programs to help the

immigrant children. The National Association for Bilingual Education works to influence and

create policies, programs, research, pedagogy, and professional development; because we know

that we are investing in our children's education, our nation’s leadership, and our world’s well-

being. By using native and second languages in everyday life, we not only develop intercultural

understanding, but we also show by example that we respect and can effectively cross cultural and

linguistic borders. (NABE 2017) NABE has affiliates in 20 states which collectively represent

more and more members that include Bilingual and English Language Learner (ELL) teachers,

parents, paraprofessionals, administrators, professors, advocates, researchers, and policy makers.

Having these programs in schools make it easier for children to learn a second language and adapt

to their new culture (Reference).

Adapting to new changes is hard especially when an education is involved. Every

immigrant has their own history, their own struggles to make it through this new change in their

lives. All their cognitive development was developed in another country with different standards

and cultures. These children are afraid from culture shock, the inability to communicate with

others, and losing their homeland.

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Works Cited

Chang, H. N., & Romero, M. (2008). Present, Engaged, and Accounted for: The Critical

Importance of Addressing Chronic Absence in the Early Grades. Report. National Center

for Children in Poverty.

Kwak, K. (2003). Adolescents and their parents: A review of intergenerational family relations

for immigrant and non-immigrant families. Human Development, 46(2-3), 115-136.

Ogbu, J. U., & Simons, H. D. (1998). Voluntary and involuntary minorities: a cultural‐ecological

theory of school performance with some implications for education. Anthropology &

Education Quarterly, 29(2), 155-188.

Phinney, J. S., Romero, I., Nava, M., & Huang, D. (2001). The role of language, parents, and

peers in ethnic identity among adolescents in immigrant families. Journal of youth and

Adolescence, 30(2), 135-153.

Ruiz-de-Velasco, J., & Fix, M. (2000). Overlooked & Underserved: Immigrant Students in US

Secondary Schools.