Invisible Borders for Mexican Immigrants in U.S. Schools
By Kimberly J. HowardPhD Student at University of South Carolina
ESOL teacher in Lancaster County, SC
What are the invisible borders that Mexican immigrant students face? When are they crossed? Why are they important?
A call to research:
• Problem: High numbers of Mexican Immigrants in U.S. schools are not succeeding educationally.
• Goal: To illuminate difficulties and differences that Mexican immigrants encounter in U.S. schools
Latino population growth in SC
0 50000 100000 150000
1990
2000
2005
Latino
Latino population in South Carolina by country of origin
MexicanPuerto RicanCubanDominicanCosta RicanGuatemalanHonduranNicaraguanPanamenianSalvadoranOther Central AmericansArgentineanBolivianChileanColumbianEcuadorianParaguayanPeruvianUruguayanVenezuelanOther South AmericanSpaniardOther Hispanic or Latino
Spanish-speaking ESOL students in South Carolina
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
Spanish-Speaking
ESOLStudents
2003-20042004-20052005-20062006-2007
Grounding Theory
“Cultural Capital” is a major factor in a student’s success. Cultural Capital can be:
1. Institutionalised- formally accredited learning2. Objectified- art, books, and style3. Embodied- non-accredited and tacit
knowledge, tastes, and dispositions(Gary Bridge, Perspectives on Cultural Capital and the Neighbourhood, Urban Studies, April 2006, p. 720)
Research Design
• Ethnographic case study based in San Diego, California and Tijuana, Mexico
• Data were collected by conducting formal and informal interviews, recording field notes as a non-participant observer, and by collecting artifacts
Participants:
5 Mexican immigrant parents (3 interviews each)
2 U.S. teachers and 2 Mexican teachers (interview and classroom observation)
1 Mexican immigrant student (interview)
Invisible borders are both Institutionalized and embodied (I/E):
Claudia, Student, 22, Tijuana “…” (stereotypes) “…” (alienation-I/E)
Amber Oros, Parent, 49, Mexico City “…” (assumed knowledge-E) “…” (grade placement-I)
“…” (Mexican public school limitations-I)
Delia Bond, Parent and Mexican Teacher, 49, Mexico City “…” (Mexican curriculum-I) “…” (price of university-I)
Rosa Hernandez, Parent, 37, TijuanaMaria Valdes, Mexican Teacher, 43, Mexicali,
“…” (parent participation-E)
Institutionalized Invisible borders…
Themes Mexico US
School day 2 sessions; 4-5 hours 1 session; 7 hours
Average level of attendance
6-9th grade 12th grade
Funding Building & textbooks Fully funded
Class size 35-40 average 20-25 average
School year 200 days 180 days
Parent/Teacher Conferences
As a group Individual
Report cards 1-10, average (promedio) passes; nat’l format
A-F scale; various formats
Special Education Not available in most cases
Federal mandate for all
Textbooks Student owned School property
School attendance Encouraged Mandatory
Conclusions Education is culturally interpreted. When Mexican
immigrants enter U.S. schools, there are both institutionalized (grade placement, school background) and embodied (assumed knowledge, parent participation) cultural capital that they do not share with their American peers. These differences become social borders that are often invisible to the parents, teachers, and the students themselves.
Limitations and further research
Limitations: time constraints, finances, access to participants, location and
language ability. Further research:• A case study of Mexican immigrant High School
students (comparison between states)• A comparison of Mexican and other Latino
countries’ educational systems• Accurate data on dropouts• Tracking of Mexican immigrant students into
special education
Recommendations
• Newcomer orientation programs should be implemented in schools for students and parents
• Teachers and administrators should be made aware of these differences
Questions????