Resiliency and Success: Migrant Children in the U.S.

by Garza,Encarnacion

• ISBN13: 9781594510458
• ISBN10: 1594510458
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2004-05-19
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

This book elucidates the amazing life journeys of academically successful migrant students. Most literature on Hispanic students - especially the children of migrant farm workers who have been referred to as the 'invisible children' or the children of 'ghost workers' - has focused on the sociocultural factors that have contributed to their low level of achievement, high attrition rates, and other academic failures. Such studies lead to a deficit model, portraying Hispanic children as deficient in a variety of ways, and through its negative focus perpetuates these failures. Offering vivid case studies of successful students, this book offers a corrective, helping teachers, education students, and researchers understand the factors that lead to success in minority language children. The authors develop the lessons of student success stories into recommendations for schools and for educational policy. Readers gain from this book the stories of real students, the challenges they faced, and the means by which students and schools may overcome language and cultural barriers to educational success.

Author Biography

Enrique T. Trueba teaches at the University of Texas at Austin.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. ix
Why Is This Study Significant?	p. xi
Acknowledgments	p. xiii
The Immigration Experience and Resiliency of Mexican Families in the United States	p. 1
The Context of Mexican Immigration	p. 2
Immigration Stressors	p. 4
School Performance of Mexican Children	p. 6
Resiliency	p. 10
Social Network Support	p. 12
External Support	p. 13
Personal Attributes	p. 14
Migrant Farm Workers and their Children	p. 16
Role and Profile of the Migrant Farm Worker	p. 16
The Migrant Child's Educational Experience	p. 18
The Educational System	p. 22
A Compensatory Program: The Migrant Education Program	p. 23
Mid-1960s to Early 1970s: Segregated Classrooms	p. 24
Early and Mid-1970s: Segregated, Six Months, Extended Day	p. 24
Mid- and Late 1970s: Return to Segregated Classrooms	p. 25
Late 1970s to Late 1980s: Integrated/Remedial Pullout Programs	p. 25
Early 1990s to Present: Pullout Accelerated Instruction	p. 25
Present-Day Approaches: Schoolwide Projects	p. 26
Purpose of the Migrant Education Program	p. 26
Summary	p. 27
The Struggles of the Migrant Lifestyle	p. 28
Introduction	p. 28
Belinda's Experience	p. 29
Benito's Experience	p. 35
Sonia's Experience	p. 40
The Family--Support and Influence	p. 47
Belinda's Biographical Data	p. 47
Benito's Biographical Data	p. 55
Sonia's Biographical Data	p. 63
The School	p. 69
School Work Versus Field Work: Mental Versus Physical	p. 69
Belinda's School Life and Experiences	p. 69
Benito's School Life and Experiences	p. 79
Sonia's School Life and Experiences	p. 83
The Mentors--Environmental Resources	p. 92
The Human Connection: "You can! I will help you"	p. 92
Belinda's Mentors: "If it hadn't been for you"	p. 92
Benito's Mentor: "He turned my life around"	p. 94
Sonia's Mentors: "They were always encouraging us to do our best"	p. 96
The Present--Success Against All Odds	p. 99
Belinda	p. 99
Belinda's View of Success and Reflection	p. 100
Benito	p. 102
Benito's Views of Success and Reflection	p. 105
Sonia	p. 106
Sonia's Views of Success and Reflection	p. 108
Destiny's Architect	p. 108
Belinda: "I could do anything I really wanted to do"	p. 109
Benito: "I'm going to show them because I don't like to lose"	p. 110
Sonia: "I'll show you I can make it, and I will"	p. 111
Analysis of Central Research Questions	p. 113
Related Themes	p. 115
Stressors: Sociocultural Factors	p. 117
Mobility	p. 117
Poverty	p. 118
Ethnic and Language Minority Status	p. 119
Children's Need to Work	p. 119
Family Income and Composition	p. 120
Educational and Occupational Status	p. 120
Substandard Housing	p. 121
Absence of Learning Materials	p. 121
Personal Characteristics: Personal Resources	p. 121
Sonia	p. 123
Belinda	p. 124
Benito	p. 125
Support: Environmental Resources	p. 125
Family Support	p. 126
School Support	p. 129
Expectations and Caring	p. 131
Family Expectations	p. 131
Caring Families	p. 132
School Expectations	p. 132
Coping Strategies	p. 133
Lessons Learned about Critical Ethnography and Pedagogy	p. 136
This Ethnographic Research Project	p. 137
Lessons Learned from the Study	p. 141
Critical Ethnography	p. 144
A Vygotskian Pedagogy of Hope	p. 147
Concluding Thoughts	p. 151
Appendix	p. 155
Belinda	p. 155
Benito	p. 155
Sonia	p. 156
References	p. 159
Index	p. 169
About the Authors	p. 173
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