Helping Latino students feel comfortable in your classroom

Helping Latino students feel comfortable in your classroom Most Latino students have experiences, family backgrounds, and expectations that conflict with the expectations of the American classroom environment. By understanding the expectations of Latino students and their parents, teachers can help them to succeed. A for grades K 12 BY SARAH PLASTINO You may have noticed that the Latino students in your class feel uncomfortable in the American classroom environment. Maybe they would rather not call out answers or ask you questions, maybe they feel uncomfortable showing off what they ve learned, or maybe they seem disillusioned with school. This unit will address the unique behavioral norms that Latino children bring from home to the classroom, describe both Latino students and parents differing expectations and understandings about education, and provide you with strategies to increase your student s level of comfort at school. Why Latino students may feel uncomfortable Latino children frequently feel uncomfortable in the American classroom environment. For starters, most new Latino students have grown up only playing with their siblings and cousins. Since the family is the center of social life for most Latino families, many young Latino children haven t had significant exposure to children outside of their extended families or students in their communities of origin. Play groups, day care, preschool and after-school activities are not as common among Latino children as they are among children in this country. Consequently, when Latino children enter the classroom it may be the first time they are immersed in an environment with a different culture, language, food, and set of expectations for behavior. This can make a child feel very nervous, out of place, or shy. Without a concerted effort to make a Latino child feel welcome and included, that child could fall into a pattern of social isolation and low educational achievement. Latino parents expectations for education The importance of a good education is universally recognized by American and Mexican parents alike. Both want their children to learn, succeed, and be happy in life. While this 1

mutual desire for a good education is possessed by both Mexican and American parents, the requirements for a quality education are varied in each culture. It is critical that as a teacher you understand that the definition of a good education, or una buena educación, held by Latino parents is far more comprehensive than the dominant American definition of a good education. For Latino parents, the term una buena educación is a term used to refer to the broad education of a child rather than the solely the schooling of a child. In fact, the term in Spanish meaning well-educated is synonymous with the term ser gente decente, or to be a good person. A good education serves as the foundation for all other learning and instills in children a sense of moral, social, and personal responsibility. This includes teaching a child how to treat elders with respect, behave properly, and become a person of good moral standing. Placed in contrast with the American definition of a good education, which refers to a standard of knowledge, critical thinking skills, and level of literacy, Latino educational expectations are far more comprehensive. As a consequence, Latino students may develop conflicting understandings of what is expected of them. Expectations of education again diverge with the understanding of parental role in a child s education. While Latino parents place a very high value on education and learning English, Latino mothers bring the cultural understanding that schooling is the responsibility of the teacher and the school rather than the parents. They often do not realize that most children entering kindergarten already know their ABCs, the colors and the numbers. A Latina mother from a rural area might expect that her son or daughter would learn all of these things in school. Even more influential for home learning is that some new immigrant parents may work long hours, may be unable to read, or may fill the house with things other than books or school supplies. Since a Latina mother considers schooling the responsibility of the teachers, she may not understand that teachers requests to bring in supplies are to be followed, that classroom open-houses are normally attended by parents, or that homework frequently comes before family time in American households. While these cultural expectations for education may constitute a challenge for many educators, attempts to educate non-mainstream parents may interrupt the functioning of the household and should be avoided. Rather than attempting to conform a Latino family s outlook to mainstream American expectations, it is best to try to work within their unique cultural framework and understand the perspective that Latino families bring to a community. 2

Latino students expectations for education It is common for Latino students to prefer a model of schooling that considers respectful caring relationships with teachers to be the foundation for learning, while American expectations ask that the student possesses an aesthetic caring, which entails caring about the course material, rules, and assignments. The authentic caring that students expect is typical of teacher/student interaction in Mexico, and includes genuine concern for the student s general welfare, emotional wellbeing, and personal growth. The American student is expected to be an individual maximizer, to drive for success independent of his or her teacher. When entering an American school, Latino students will likely expect that their interaction with a teacher is more of a reciprocal dialogue. Latino students will poner empeño, or possess diligence, in response to a warm relationship with a teacher. Without authentic caring relationships with educators, Latino students may feel disillusioned with their schooling experience and struggle to do well in school. A student may not participate, complete their assignments, or have a positive attitude in class. Many teachers see older Latino students as not sufficiently caring about school, while many Latino students see teachers as not sufficiently caring for them. Many American teachers and Latino students alike may not realize the type of behavior they expect from the other. This could lead to a misunderstanding and could be remedied by communication. Expectations for school-based relationships can have a direct influence on a student s achievement and even frequently play an important factor in high drop-out rates among Latino high-school students. For examples of ways to build an authentic caring relationship with your Latino students, see the strategies section. Behavioral norms In addition to a unique definition of a good education, Mexican parents have a unique parenting style which influences their children s classroom behavior. When Latino children first enter the American classroom, either in kindergarten or later due to immigration, they may bring from home their own set of behavioral norms. Central to good behavior and successful parenting is instilling in Latino children a strong sense of respect, or respeto, for adults and older family members. Respect includes not acting out in public, not interrupting or bothering adults, and obediently complying with 3

an adult s request. To show respect to a teacher, a Latino student may not act silly or boisterous, may not call out, or may not ask a question if they feel like they would be bothering their teacher. They may quietly approach a teacher and wait until acknowledged to ask a question, or wait to provide a response until called on by the teacher. You may have noticed that your Latino students feel uncomfortable performing in front of the class or displaying information upon request. Mexican children are not commonly encouraged to show off their knowledge and are not rewarded by doing so. Children are not expected to perform on command or display knowledge as they may be in some American households. As a consequence of this modesty, Mexican students frequently feel uncomfortable performing in front of the class or displaying information upon request, but would be very willing to share in a small group setting. Mexican parenting styles also influence classroom behavior through the way children are taught to learn. When teaching a child a task, the parent usually engages the child in the activity rather than explaining or demonstrating. After the experiential learning takes place, feedback is usually straightforward and includes explicit directions of how to perform the task correctly. Because Mexican children are used to this type of learning, they may be confused by what they perceive as vague evaluations of their work at school. Even when negative, feedback may be much less straightforward than evaluative comments made about tasks performed at home. Culturally sensitive strategies for teaching Latino students TO DEMONSTRATE AUTHENTIC CARING Make an attempt to get to know the student and learn about their family. Try to get to know any siblings or cousins a student has at school, especially since older siblings are often expected to look after their younger siblings. Include elements in the curriculum that are familiar to your student and relevant to his or her experiences. Visit the student s home once or twice during the school year to speak with his or her parents and gain a better understanding of his or her culture and surroundings. Serve your students comfort food! Make a snack from your student s country of origin and serve it to the class. Common Mexican snacks, which could be purchased at a Mexican store, include: o Hot flour tortillas with strawberry marmalade or cheese o Carlos Quinto chocolate on a bolillo (Mexican baguette) o Layered Jello (mango or peach flavored) 4

o Mexican homemade candy Nourish and grow a student s demonstrated interest by providing that child with more information on the subject or supplies used to study that subject. For example, if a student demonstrates an interest in maps, let the child go on the computer to use a geography program. If you sense a divide forming between you and your student, sit down and have an honest conversation with him or her, asking what you can do to improve the situation. Ask if you have done anything to make him or her upset. TO HELP YOUR LATINO STUDENTS FEEL COMFORTABLE IN CLASS Assign small group work in class to create a less intimidating environment for a new Latino student. Do not ask Latino students to display their knowledge in front of the class. Allow them to be bicultural! Treat their language and ethnicity as assets rather than hurdles to overcome. Incorporate the Spanish language into the curriculum in creative ways. Don t make your students feel like they need to choose whether they are Mexican, etc. or American, let them be both! View this page in context Bridging Spanish language barriers in Southern schools These articles provide background on Latino immigrants in North Carolina, administrative challenges in binational education, and strategies through which teachers can build on what Latino students bring to their classrooms to create a learning environment that meets the needs of all students. Page 2.2 Learn more RELATED PAGES Climbing the school ladder: A challenging task for immigrant Latino students: Teachers play a critical role when helping immigrant children adjust to a new school life. Because immigrants' backgrounds and experiences are so diverse, it is important for teachers no to make assumptions and to get to know individual children. 5

Reaching Latinos through social studies: Teachers can help immigrant students feel more comfortable in the classroom by basing social studies lessons on students' own knowledge and backgrounds. Writing and English as a Second Language: Strategies for helping English Language Learners throughout the writing process. RELATED TOPICS Learn more about English language learners, Latinos, authentic caring, classroom culture, communicating with parents, family life, and immigrants. Help Please read our disclaimer for lesson plans. Legal The text of this page is copyright 2006. See terms of use. Images and other media may be licensed separately; see captions for more information and read the fine print. LEARN NC, a program of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Education, finds the most innovative and successful practices in K 12 education and makes them available to the teachers and students of North Carolina and the world. For more great resources for K 12 teaching and learning, visit us on the web at www.learnnc.org. 6