The first years of school are undeniably important for any child, but more so for the children of immigrant families. This is because they are only beginning to understand their culture, community and identity, making them especially vulnerable to prejudiced comments and attitudes. Unfortunately, many immigrant children are subjected to some form of discrimination during their initial weeks in school. Schools are supposed to be stress-free environments where children can thrive, develop companionship with others and a sense of self, but this remains as nothing more than a dream for many immigrant students, who have to go through an abundance of negative experiences that can have detrimental effects.
Personal discrimination against children of immigrants can be classified into three broad categories:
Interactions with peers and school staff
Children of immigrants are often victims of negative comments about their skin tone, facial features and accent as they differ from the “norm” and are deemed the misfits of the class from the very first day. Additionally, their teachers and peers may show clear signs of impatience towards their inability to express themselves. Such interactions pose huge challenges for these immigrant children who need a positive school climate to succeed, like any other child.
The language barrier
Studies have shown that strong ties to families and coethnic communities can support learning and give students a sense of belonging and identity. Despite this, schools often fail to recognise the value of bilingual education and home-language skills. For example, the ability to switch between languages may be looked upon as an obstacle to overcome rather than a skill to develop.
Low academic expectations
Often, teachers may discriminate against immigrant students by holding lower academic expectations. This is because immigrant children usually come into school with negative labels as they struggle with English and have minimal knowledge of U.S. history. This then puts educators under pressure to improve average test scores and as a result, offer narrow learning experiences. Such instruction focuses on rote tasks and memorisation rather than opportunities for creativity, inquiry and problem-solving.
Furthermore, immigrant students are also a victim to the inherent discrimination in the education system that affects their academic trajectories and mindsets.
Inherent discrimination in the education system can be sorted into two groups:
Segregation of students:
Immigrant students are usually segregated from other students of different races and socioeconomic backgrounds. In Texas, for example, nearly one-quarter of schools have majority-Latino, English-learner and low-income student bodies. As a result, children of immigrants are frequently clustered in schools with little exposure to English-speaking kids and a large number of other low-income students who may also be facing economic challenges.
Lack of teacher-parent communication
Factors outside of school have a considerable impact on a child’s education. Research and studies have shown that family engagement can lead to better grades, improved attendance and better behaviour in general. Whilst this may be the case, most teachers are often unable to communicate with immigrant parents due to the language barrier that exists. On the other hand, immigrant parents may feel intimidated and deem it inappropriate to meet teachers. This then results in parents not being able to guide their children and completely shuns them from their child’s academic life.
Conclusion
Discrimination - no matter how subtle, is wrong and unsettling, especially a nation’s youth. The education system that is supposed to be helping them reach new heights shouldn’t be the one dragging them down. It’s high time that schools change and modify their policies and mindsets to confront discrimination and help children of immigrants. Some possibilities include educating teachers about different cultures and
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