Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Migrant Students

Due date: Wednesday November 7, 2012

Please create a comment to this posting as a response to Saulo Fernandez's presentation:

1. Review notes here Migrant Education Program
2. How have you seen students from migrant families dealt with in your placements?
3. How do you see yourself meeting the needs of this population in your future teaching?


13 comments:

  1. 2) To be honest, I haven't heard a single word about migrant families in either of my placements. Given what Saulo told us about the Beaverton School District, and the high population of hispanic and latino/latina students in my classes, I think it's safe to assume I have migrant students in my classes.
    3) To meet the needs of this population, I think communication is the first primary step: talking to my school's counselors, staff, parents, and students to get as much information about my migrant students as possible. Given the sensitive nature of the topic for students, however, it is something that needs to be dealt with delicately. One of the most discreat ways of assisting the student in my opinion is to simply be that much more understanding and supportive. These students are dealing with so much more stress and responsibility than the average student, from poverty, to moving, to language barriers, to social constraints and judgements. They need extra support, both financially and emotionally. In my opinion, learning about MED can and should really shake up one's perspectives on what the biggest concerns in the classroom really are.

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    1. I too wonder if the sensitivity of the issue is why many of you are not hearing about it in your placements. I have to say that in past years I cant really think of any candidates who have brought this up either. I would agree that in this case, taking a personal one-on-one approach would be most effective. As a teacher, what I would be striving for is how to help make the transition easier for those students affected.

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  2. Unfortunately, I have to agree with Alex. I don't think this is a publicized issue around schools today. However, I am aware of two migrant students in one of my placement. It's actually uncanny that we had Saulo speak about this issue because just the other week, I spoke out in my Math Methods course that these two particular students have shown me how being under-resourced and under-staffed has become a more apparent problem in times like these. These two students do not speak English, moved into the school in the middle of the first semester, and work really hard, but the language barrier has restricted me and my mentor teacher from providing the help that they need. We are not even aware of their previous knowledge in Math. This is where our concern for students' academics becomes a larger issue. It was unsettling to hear that schools, teachers, and especially counselors are given the responsibility to know how to meet the needs of all students and in this case, students that do not have transcripts or English-speaking skills.

    As a future teacher, I am actually not exactly sure how to solve this problem. I definitely, like Alex, think communication is key (for addressing all issues). I need to be in constant communication with staff, counselors, and parents. Building that support is necessary to ensure the success of the child in the classroom. Also, like Anita was saying, creating awareness is immensely vital as well. Not only do teachers need to increase their understanding and awareness for their students and their struggles, but also other students as well (peers). I will provide support and encouragement for all my students, but I will expect the same from my students to treat their peers similarly. I want to emphasize the importance of making my classroom a safe and open environment to learn, speak, and grow. Lastly, I would probably place the responsibility on myself to become more familiar with this unfamiliar language and culture. Personally, this last part seems like a necessary measure for my role as a teacher.

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  3. Unfortunately I was unable to go to class last week for the speaker on Migrant Education. However, from the notes on Saulo’s presentation and watching the video I learned a lot more than I knew (the video was especially helpful in understanding these kids a little better). As for my placements, my mentor teacher at the high school has disclosed to me a couple of students who have recently moved and speak little English. There is a Vietnamese girl who joined the class about a month ago and she speaks very little English so has an aide in the classroom. Aides are also offered to other ESL learners that have difficulties with English. Other than that I am not very aware of the population of Migrant students, even in my other placement. I think it is wrong to try to assume whom I think might be a migrant student and honestly the thought has never really come to my mind that there are students who may come from migrant families. Watching that video kind of opened my eyes to how they are stereotyped into being lazy and uneducated, when in fact they probably work the hardest helping out their families and sacrificing their summers.

    I’m not exactly sure what I would do to help, but I know I would start with dropping the stereotype. I think giving these students the same opportunities and not acting like they can’t do something would boost not only their self-esteem, but also their desire to be in school. The dropout rate is probably so high because teachers give up on these students and don’t show them that they care. I also agree with Kellie and Alex about communication because that is the first obstacle in showing the students that you care. If you make the effort to communicate then I think it shows them that you care and are willing to put in effort, so they will too. I’m probably being really naïve and optimistic, but this is just what I think.

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    1. I'd like to support your comment about making assumptions about who might be migrant students, Nicole. The history of migrant families includes the poor - Whites, African americans, all immigrants coming to America who are starting from the bottom [e.g. lack formal education or specialized skills], as well as Hispanics. I think it is a mistake to assume that only Hispanics fall into this population, even if it is predominantly the group we tend to see highly represented in this region.

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  4. For question 2, I am not sure if I have any migrant students in my placements. Either it isn't important to tell the student teacher or there isn't a need to be spoken about. I haven't heard anything from my mentor teachers' about migrant students, so I don't know who, what, and how to look for these kinds of students. I assume that all the students that are in my classes to have families that are not in the situations that Saulo mentioned. I guess you can say I lucked out from my placement in not having migrant students. I find it hard to label students as migrant students because it changes our perspectives and expectations from them to do good in school. It's like telling the secret to a cool magic trick that I don't want to know about. It ruins the trick and it ruins the atmosphere that we are trying to maintain.

    I'm not sure how to help the situation, but other than changing my perspective on the situation. I would need to do away with the stereotypes, but it's going to be hard because it still remains with us as we try to teach. The only way students can succeed is if we as teachers give them the opportunities that they need in order to succeed just like what Nicole pointed out in her post. If we give them opportunities we have to make sure these are important for their life and future. We can put care into the way we interact with these students and hopefully the transitions that these students are in go smoothly.

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  5. I would agree Tony that we dont want to be labeling or drawing attention to migrant students, but I'm not sure that not addressing the issue - i.e. just treating them like everyone else - is the answer either. Like the student with exceptionalities, migrant students too need help as the constant moving is interfering with their ability to learn. It would seem to me that schools - administrators, staff, and teachers - should be working with community groups and the local MEP to find a way to help these students transition as seamlessly as possible so that they can end up graduating. Based on what Saulo was saying, it feels to me like right now this end goal is just a crap shoot - some may make it, but many wont.

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  6. 2. How have you seen students from migrant families dealt with in your placements?
    I’m actually not sure if I have any migrant education students in my classes. No one at the district or at the school has told me if any of my students are MEP students. However, I think that many of them must be since I teach primarily Latino students from Beaverton or Hillsboro. I know that one of my students went back to Mexico for 5 weeks and has come back and is so far behind the other students, even the students of his level. The teacher expressed concern that he would not be able to move on to the next grade level because he has fallen so far behind. The teacher also said that students like him in the past have not moved on to the next grade and have dropped out from high school.

    3. How do you see yourself meeting the needs of this population in your future teaching?
    Since I am a fluent Spanish speaker I can see myself offering support to these students and to their families. I can not place judgment on them just because they’re MEP students and make sure that they feel welcomed within the classroom for however long they are there. I think involving them in the school as much as possible and letting them be involved in the classroom is important. I think it will be a difficult but rewarding learning experience for me with each student involved in the MEP program.

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  7. 2. How have you seen students from migrant families dealt with in your placements?
    I, like many others, have not heard anything about migrant families in my placements and I am sure that I have some in at least my middle school placement. My high school is an interesting situation and I imagine the demographics are different there compared to the standard high school setting. In my middle school we struggle with English language learners of multiple origins (not just Latino) and I know several are recent immigrants but we don’t hear about migrant workers in the family or the child moving around. I’ll admit that it was not something that I thought of in Beaverton. Hillsboro is an area that came to mind as well as rural farming areas. My boyfriend is from a rural farming area, so I have heard a lot about migrant workers and the way his district dealt with it while he was there. In that area, his class sizes would swell from 12 students in the off season to 35 during harvest and there was no hiding the lives of migrant workers. This is what I thought of first when we approached the topic of migrant education. It is easier to hide or get lost, depending on the child, in a district that doesn’t make migrant education a focus and something they train teachers on.

    3. How do you see yourself meeting the needs of this population in your future teaching?
    I think that so much comes down to where I end up teaching. There are areas that are more equipped to deal with this than others and I will be expected to conform to their policies; which is a comfort and a distress. It would be nice to have an official policy that it figured out and implemented at the district level, but at the same time those policies are not always helpful and don’t always work. As teachers, we have to make them work. There is more than just a language issue, with the kids and parents, there is also the issue that we may not have them for long when they move and their education is more likely to have gaps. If that student has anything else working against them (a learning disability for example), they don’t stand a chance alone. It strikes me more than ever that it takes a village to raise a child, and the school may have to provide a lot of the support with teachers, specialists and others to meet the basic needs of these students. They need to be pushed, held to the same standards, but with those extra supports designed to meet their needs.

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  8. 2. I haven't heard anything about migrant students at either of my placements. However, from what we heard from Saulo about the Beaverton School District, and the high population of hispanic and latino/latina students in my classes, I think it's safe to assume I have migrant students in my classes. I think that the sensitivity of the subject is why I have not heard anything about migrant students.

    3. I don't know what I would do to help these students. I think the most important thing I could do is try to communicate with these students and their families, and just try to keep everyone involve well informed on what is happening in school. However, before I could do any of this I would need to learn more about all the issues related to migrant students, and get myself up to speed concerning what we as teachers can do.

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  9. 2. I will be echoing some of the previous statements within the discussion so far. I too have yet to hear anything about potential migrant students. With that being said I am sure I have some within my classes at both placements. As Nicole pointed out we must not assume that migrants students only come from a latino(a) background but instead could be just about anyone of our students. However, I am placed in Forest Grove as well as Beaverton so I would assume to have more than a couple migrant students. Why do I not know who they are? I am not entirely sure, is it my job as a student teacher to seek out this information and the resources available to them? Or should my mentors, administration, and counseling office be providing me with this? Either way the fact I have not come across this information is troublesome. I feel as if the migrant population within schools is already a forgotten group of students and my own ignorance seems to support this hypothesis.

    3. The previous comments lead myself to what I can do for these students. The first step is awareness. Myself and many others have echoed this throughout our discussion on many different student population groups (at risk, and LD students) but I truly believe this is the first step. Being aware that these students exist and potentially finding out who they are will be the only way I can begin to support them. After identifying these students I think the best course of action is allowing them to feel comfortable and included. Because of their constant moving I would imagine many migrant students have a difficulty connecting to school and their peers. Making their opinions and strengthens in the classroom valid and important will hopefully get them excited about school. Helping keep them connected and motivated will hopefully push these students to continue the educational experience as they move from district to district. This is only a starting point yet becoming aware and and trying to develop connections between these students, their peers, the teacher, and learning I think is an important first step to take.

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  10. 2. How have you seen students from migrant families dealt with in your placements?
    I didn't even know I had migrant family students at my placements. I'm not sure how I would go about finding that out unless either they or the counselors told me. I just try and pay attention to where I see that students need help.
    3. How do you see yourself meeting the needs of this population in your future teaching?
    First I would have to find out what the student specifically needs. I notice that students who have an alternative home life tend to not complete homework. I would try and make accommodation for homework time as much as I could. My goal would be to do what ever I can to help that student be successful with out compromising the integrity of the content.

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  11. 2. Honestly...I have not heard a single thing from teachers or administration in either one of my placements about migrant students or the MEP. In my middle school placement I have not been able to identify one student who might benefit from this program or come from a migrant family. In my high school placement, I know of at least five MEP students in my classes, one in my AP bio class and the other four in my freshman bio classes. If it weren't for my spontaneous outgoing personality and trying to speak spanish-I don't think they ever would have let me know. With all this said, after hearing Saulo speak last class, the numbers to me are very alarming since both my placements are within the Hillsboro school district!

    3. Meeting the needs...? Ohhff for me this is tough! I feel this is almost asking an impossible question and expecting a possible answer? For me the best thing I can do is give them the best support system and learning environment I can while they are in my reach, I guess. Learning spanish and immersing yourself in cultural differences will also help in identifying the needs of these students. I am hoping that once students see my open diversification and welcoming atmosphere they will be comfortable in sharing a respectful relationship in which they can share who they really are and the parts of them that are kept hidden or fronted in school, such as being from a migrant family...

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