Teaching Immigrant Students in the Age of Trump

Trump’s administration has caused a wave of fear, anxiety, and tension for immigrant students. But there are populations that are feeling the ripple effect of Trump-related tensions as more of a series of tidal waves. Many immigrants and their children are living in constant fear that a neighborhood visit from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could halt the life they have come to build. We know this, yet are we as teachers aware of the day-to-day silent implications of Trump’s chokehold on our immigrant students? As a public high school teacher and graduate student of Education at Boston University, the baggage students carry into the classroom has become an increasingly important part of the equation to their success.

Programs have long been established to make sure the health and nutrition of our students is taken care of. Teachers know that we cannot teach the child’s mind if their body and spirit are not taken care of. We also know that a child who has experienced trauma is bringing that trauma into the classroom, hindering their learning experience. Yet how many of us are truly aware of the experiences, stressors, and implications of being an immigrant or first-generation immigrant in communities that either ignore this status or are deeply ingrained in running for cover when government agencies come rolling into town?

Schools that have a high population of students who are immigrants or first-generation immigrants know these fears, anxieties, and tensions all too well. But what about the schools with low numbers of students of immigrant status? Are we as teachers aware of and caring for the quiet tension residing in the minds of our most vulnerable population?

According to Nguyen and Kebede (2017), current populations of immigrant students feel high anxiety levels in school, particularly in neighborhoods that are more likely to experience an increased presence by ICE. Additionally, there is a race, wealth, and gender achievement gap between immigrant and U.S.-born students (Powers & Pivovarova, 2017). Supporting these students can be tricky if the existence of such anxieties and tensions are not transparent. Many families hide their immigrant status out of fear of being reported to government agencies. Empathy, understanding, and support are key to teaching the whole child.

As schools become increasingly aware of the variables affecting student progress, attention and support MUST be given to risk factors that so many families are not willing to divulge. This is your call to action.

Knowing that students have an entire world, an entire family, and vastly different experiences from your own once the bell rings is the first step in making a change for the lives of our students. While policy swirls around us in an ever changing tornado path, we are one pillar of constance and support for our students. Supporting them with positivity, encouragement, and understanding is only the start of what our immigrant students need. Knowledge is power and when combined with compassion, it is the power behind change.

Photo by NeONBRANDon Unsplash

References

Nguyen, C., & Kebede, M. (2017). Immigrant students in the Trump era: What we know and do not know. Educational Policy,31(6), 716-742. DOI: 10.1177/0895904817723740

Powers, J.M., & Pivovarova, M. (2017). Analyzing the achievement and isolation of immigrant and U.S.-born students: Insights from PISA 2012. Educational Policy,31(6), 830-857. DOI: 10.1177/0895904817719530