A Walk in my Shoes:

1. A Walk in my Shoes: Understanding the Immigrant Experience

2. Overview Audience: Teachers and Staff Professional development Teacher in-service week with a follow up midyear Objective To inform teachers and staff about the challenges facing immigrant students and their parents

3. Summary of Professional Development Session Materials available at: http://walkintheirshoes.org/ Blank template available to customize for your school demographics Print out enough dossiers for each grade level/specialist group at your school Give dossier to each group and have them study their profile and the task assigned Discuss in groups how to complete the task and answer the discussion questions

4. Summary of Professional Development Session Have each group share their profile and how they would accomplish their task Any other issues? Questions? Concerns? Following activity, show video: http://walkintheirshoes.org/video/ Discuss statistical slides that accompany several of the profiles. How are these profiles representative of your classes? Follow up mid year to address new questions/concerns and provide additional resources to teachers based on identified needs

5. Marisol Guevara • Barriers • You do not have an established social network in your adopted city, and do not know where to go or with whom to speak about registration. • The school year has already commenced • Your oldest daughter has never attended a formal school, though she is seven years old, because she lived with elderly relatives in a rural area in Mexico while you were working in the US to save money and establish yourself abroad. • You are functionally literate, completed a 5th grade education • You have a relatively moderate to high fear of being reported as an undocumented immigrant because your identification documents have been forged. • You have no medical or educational records in your possession for your children. • You are unsure of what documents you need to provide to register your children for school. • Demographics • Age: 27 • Country: Mexico • Language: Spanish (only) • Education: Less than HS (Primary) • Legal Status: Undocumented via Land Border Crossing • Time in Country: 2 years • Work Status: Unemployed (Housewife) / Non-Migrant • Children: Three (Age PK – 7), Interrupted Schooling

6. Discussion Questions How would you proceed if you were Marisol? Would you attempt to enroll your children in the local school? As educators and community members how could you assist both Marisol and her children in both enrolling in and contributing to the school community? What other needs and limitations do you feel she many have, and do you have suggestions for resources she may use as she establishes a life in the United States? What are other ways both she and community members may advocate to address her concerns and struggles?

7. Representation 28% (11.2 million) foreign born immigrants are undocumented 58% (6.5 million) undocumented immigrants are from Mexico 46% of undocumented households have children 68% worry about deportation 46% of undocumented immigrants have less than a high school education

8. Mikeyas Mulugeta Demographics Age: 38 Sex: Male Country: Ethiopia Language: Amharic/very limited English Education: High School graduate Legal Status: Refugee Time in Country: 3 years Work Status: Employed (Taxi Driver) Children: 4 (Age 7 – 18), Interrupted Schooling • Barriers • You have just moved to a new county and do not have the same family network you had previously. • The school year has not already commenced in your current county. • Your two oldest children (15 and 18) have had interrupted schooling in several countries before coming to the United States for high school. Your two youngest children have been in several schools both in Africa and the U.S. already. • You are literate in your native language and completed high school, but cannot read or write English at all. • You were not able to bring any birth certificates with you. • You rely on your 15 year old daughter to translate for you in formal settings

9. Discussion Questions How would you proceed if you were Mikeyas? Would you attend the conference? Would you bring your daughter to translate or trust that the school will provide one? As educators, what could you do beforehand to make Mikeyas feel welcome and comfortable with coming to the school? What resources or assistance could you suggest to Mikeyas for helping his son through the college application process? How could you begin to promote a school wide culture to make this process less daunting for immigrants so as to increase the likelihood that their children attend college?

10. Representation 4% (1.8 million) of immigrants are from Africa or other nations It is estimated that approximately 250,000 Ethiopian immigrants live in the metro DC area 895,200 refugees in the U.S. are from East Africa

11. Carla Gonzalez Demographics • Age: 16 • Sex: Female • Country: El Salvador • Language: Spanish/English • Education: current high school student • Legal Status: Undocumented • Time in Country: 12 years • Work Status: Student • Children: none • Barriers • You are a straight A student. Your SAT scores are 1430. • You have a fear of deportation as you approach the college application process • Both parents work but do not make enough money to pay college tuition • Neither parent attended college and are unable to help you with the application process • Attending college has been a lifelong family goal, but your families’ immigration status prevents you from applying for financial aid

12. Discussion Questions As her counselor and/or teachers what support could you give her as she navigates the college application process? What programs are in place to help her financially with attending school? How could you involve her parents in the process? What would you change in your school culture to help future students like Carla

13. Representation Unlike the 34% of undocumented female Latinas who do not graduate high school, Carla will graduate However, those that do graduate, are less likely to go on to college 27% of Latino immigrants who have been in the country 10-20 years are bilingual 55% of undocumented female Latinas who arrived before age 14 go on to attend college Under the Dream Act, Carla could obtain legal status after completing 2 years of college If passed, 726,000 undocumented immigrants could receive legal status if they complete their 2 years

14. http://walkintheirshoes.org/video/ Real Voices…

15. Final Thoughts… Best Practices: • Know your students • Family • History • Background (educational, emotional, economic) • What are their needs and are they being met? Above all: Compassion!

16. References Passel, J. U.S. Immigration – Myth & Reality – Challenges & Options [PowerPoint Slides]. Flaitz, J. (2006). Understanding Your Refugee and Immigrant Students. University of Michigan: The University of Michigan Press.