Fostering Good Citizenry through Examination of the Immigrant Experience by Charlene Davis

We find ourselves, I believe, in the midst of the most massive  shift in perspective that humankind has ever known.  We are living in a time--and  see this all over the world--in which our very nature is in transition.*  Jean Houston

How does it really feel for a youngster to adjust, and settle into a new country?  How hospitable are we really, in our classrooms? In our schools? These are initial questions that I believe hold promising opportunities for students’ own character examination and development. Through read-aloud, book-talks and such, across genre, teachers can expose their students to the plight of their immigrant peers who sometimes have endured tough trials. In doing such an activity, American students are given the opportunity to examine themselves in personal ways. Consider a preliminary character assessment report card such as the one below for grades 4, and up:

My Personal Character Trait Assessment Report Card

Name:                                                                          Date:

As I prepare to examine the plight of immigrants in this country, I currently rate myself according to the following grades. I understand that these grades are for my own personal reflection, and are an informal assessment of what my attitudes are. I will be as honest as I can, and I am under no obligation to share them.

I would like to grow and stretch in the following areas:__________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

I would administer this assessment before and after this unit of focus. I would fill the report card out first. I would then discuss my own ratings and rationale with my students. This takes great courage, but students need to understand that it is through honest self-examination that we grow. Next, I would talk through the directions for the task with students, patiently answering any questions posed. If you don’t get to the activity until day two, that is just fine—you will have to judge. I would move forward combining read-aloud, writing, and even book talks around this social issues topic. Of course, you should feel free to adapt your activities as you see fit!  By the way, lower grades can adapt this downward by selecting easier texts and creating a simpler report card.

The possibilities in writing are many: persuasive, expository, and editorials; personal narratives, poetry, essays, letter-writing! Of course, a critical vehicle to foster behavioral shift will be regular reflective writing. Questions to ask, or prompts to pose could be:

• How do I feel about what I learned about ___________ today? 
• If I were in ____________’s shoes, I would feel ____________.
• If I had to experience/endure __________ like (character’s name) did, I would have _____________________.
• I can make a difference in a new student’s life by ____________________.
• I can help make my classroom a better place by ______________________.
• I can make my school a better place by _______________.
• I can help make other people aware of immigrants’ needs by __________.
• A problem I would like to help resolve is ____________.
• A class project we could start to help resolve a problem I read about is __________.

My reading list would contain (but would not be limited to) the following books:

1. The Story of My Life, by Farah Ahmedi. 978-1-4169-0670-4 [great for read-aloud!]
   This is a non-fiction account of an Afghan girl’s survival in her war-torn native country and of her challenging integration into American society.

2. Something about America, by Maria Testa. 978-0-7636-3415-5 [poetry]
   A young immigrant girl’s struggle to define herself in America.

3. When I Left My Village, by Maxine Schur. 0-8037-1562-5
   A boy is uprooted from his village and the life he knew; refugee issues.

4. The Burnt Stick, by Anthony Hill. 0-395-73974-8
   Historical fiction about an Aboriginal boy’s traumatic removal from his village.

5. Brothers in Hope, by Mary Williams  www.thelbf.org
   The real-life account of a Sudanese boys who survived warfare and made it to America.

6. Also, relevant current events articles, documentaries, and such are always worthwhile!

In many ways, the immigrant student becomes invisible to many of the students around them. Their language and culture set them apart, often causing them to feel out of place, or even rejected. It is, therefore, my contention that once American students are challenged to explore and test out their character and attitudes, application of any new behaviors in the classroom will follow. I would love to hear about other literature, movies, or activities you utilize. Remember, it is through collaboration with other colleagues that you can enrich your ideas as well as your resource list!  Best wishes!!

As long as there is respect and acknowledgment of connections, things continue working.  When that stops, we all die.  Joy Harjo*

As always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to e-mail me.

Quotes taken from The Middle of Everywhere by Mary Pipher.