9/17/14 Hill and Torres

9/17/14 Hill and Torres

Negotiating the American Dream: The paradox of Aspirations and Achievement among Latino Students and Engagement between their families and Schools

The america dream is that one comes to american and they can achieve success and prosperity through determination, hard work and courage.  That there is an open system for mobility.

Latinos really emphasize education and have made great sacrifices to come to America.  However, despite all the sacrifice, hard work, desire to succeed, Latinos are lagging behind other immigrants.  

• Highest high school drop out rate, only 64% of Latinos age 18-24 have complete high school.
• Oddly enough, the longer Latinos are here the worse they perform.  So 2nd and 3rd generation Latinos are doing WORSE than the 1st generation.

Why is this happening?

High Expectations met with Harsh Realities: Experiences of Latinos in American Schools

• Latinos are currently the most segregated racial or ethic group in America.
• go to the most poor schools, with inadequate instruction.  Schools that do not promote success
• Not on track for college, rather they are set on course for vocational jobs.  Bachelor degrees are essential these days and not being on this track is detrimental.
• Teachers expect little from them and there are very few Latino teachers.  Teachers tend to praise Latino kids less, reprimand more.
• Latino students do not feel respected and valued.
• So it isn't surprising that by the 2nd generations, they have lower achievement motivation and reject school.

Parents' experiences engaging with Schools: Misunderstandings, Mistrust, and Frustration

• Many Latinos parents are expecting better schools with more rigor and standards.  Better schools with dress codes and high academic standards.  But they find school districts put Latinos last.
• Parent usually feel unwelcome and not trusted when working with school personnel
• no enough translators so it's difficult for parents to get involved.  
• Latinos are used to know and being involved with the teacher, but that's not how it works here.

Discontinuities and Incongruence between Home and School

• Latinos see education as encompassing more than just math and reading, but moral values and how to behave, etc.  
• Latinos believe the parents should teach these values and are hesitant to "team" up with teachers.  Part of their hesitation is that they don't fee as qualified as the teacher.
• Latinos are reluctant to express opinions because teachers have more education and are respected.
• because of the lack of familiarity with the school system, parents don't know how to get involved or even who to turn to.
• Latino parents don't know the culture of school and how to make their voices heard
• Values contradict.  US culture is too permissive. 
• Latino parents don't understand how kids could be so good at home and have teacher report behavior problems at school
• Latino youth acculturate faster, but still have difficulties understanding teachers.  They feel a lot of internalized shame and failure.
• Students feel marginalized at school

US School Culture, Latino Cultures, and the Theories and Policies that Shape Engagement

• Schools serve dual purpose, to educate academically and to help immigrants assimilate.
• US Schools promote the individual and individual achievement, very opposite from the community oriented Latinos.
• Schools promote the idea the Euro-America is the norm and the right way to do things.
• Attempts to endorse multicultural things is nice, but it's only a day or a month.
• Epstein's six factor model (bottom of page 103 if you want to know the six steps) promotes that schools and families are equal partners and must collaborate.
• No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is where this comes in.  Bringing the parent into the school

Latino Cultures and Practices Related to Achievement

• Latino culture is all about communalism and interdependence.  Respect for each other, getting along.  Conforming to the family or the culture or the community.
• Simpatia = willingness to conform to others to be agreeable, ability to share with others, empathize with others.
• Personalismo = reflects a desire to relate to and trust people, rather than insitiutions.  A genuine interest in people, in contrast to a professional distance.
• Respeto = means empathy, respect, intimacy in relationships.  
• dignidad = is reverence, venerability, and honor expressed between people.
• Parents try to instill values in their kids that would help them achieve.  
• Ganas = the drive to succeed
• empenos = the dedication and commitment to the task or goal
• estudios = diligent study and effort that will bring success
• Children are expected to make productive use of their time.
• however, for their efforts, much of what Latino parents try to teach their children gets lost.  Their achievement-related parenting strategies are not captured in models of family-school relationships.  Their parenting doesn't translate to success in school.

Applying knowledge about Latino Cultures and School Culture to Practice

• Latino immigrants, despite not having found much success so far, still want to help their children in school.
• Schools must consider their cultural biases.
• Getting more information to Latino families about how to support their children.
• Educate schools on what would be inconsistent with Lantino values so they can work to bridge the gap.

Building on Current Knowledge: Next Steps for Theory and Reasearch

• The Latino values, practices, are not included in the theories of parental involvement in education.
• More research needs to be done including Latino values.
• More studies need to be done on why Latino achievement gets worse with more time in the US, when 2nd and 3rd generations should be doing better.
• By 2050 or sooner, Latinos will be the largest ethnic minority.  We need to address these issues.