Challenges+Facing+Immigrant+Youth

Created by Yi-Niu Tsai "Opening Doors to the American Dream" ~ the motto of International High School at Prospect Heights, New York City (Hauser, 2011, p. 26)

People are looking for the better life and always hope that dreams come true. Immigrant teens come to the Unites States with diverse reasons but the same goal---the American Dream. Some of them come to join families who are already here; some try to get a better education. And, others might escape from wars or unstable political situations in their countries. Immigrant teens are fighting for the future as American youths do but facing more challenges.

These new immigrant youths are here to construct a diverse society and enrich our thought.

Stories......
Different cultures in the same world. Students are from many countries with their own stories to share and try to identify who they are.

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More stories ......


__The new kids : Big dreams and brave journeys at a high school for immigrant teens__. By Hauser, Brooke (2011).

It is a great book for some of you, who want to know more about the new immigrant youths in the U.S.. You could learn and understand cultures, traditions, and different lives through reading the book. Also, some inspired insights about the education.

__Immigrant Youth__
Differences & Diversity Immigrant Youth's Challenges

The School has been doing ......to help immigrant teens overcome some challenges.
Examples are taken from Hauser's book, The new kids : Big dreams and brave journeys at a high school for immigrant teens (2011). First of all,
 * Good information to know about that as an international high school in New York City, " Using a translator when necessary- the DOE (Department of Education) provides translation in 9 languages as well as interpretation services in more than 100 languages" (Hauser, 2011, p.26).

English language learning (Hauser, 2011):
 * English language assessment --- teacher determined individuals' English level (p.26).
 * Learning English and better working in small groups so that students can help each other to learn better and faster (p.28).
 * Qualified ESL/ ELLs program.
 * Encourage students to have confidence to learn, practice, and use English.

Legal Status (Hauser, 2011):
 * "a don't-ask-don't-tell thing" (p.31)
 * The 1982 United States Supreme Court: “all students, whether documented or not, are entitled to attend public school from kindergarten through the twelfth grade.” (p.31)
 * The immigration lawyers visit school and always correct the statement about "illegal". They are “undocumented.”(p.95)
 * The door is opening for undocumented students to apply for a college or university after graduating from a high school.
 * If undocumented, students are not able to apply for the state financial aid but are eligible to get scholarships to pay for college (p.104).
 * Hard to get a job or only can get a low-paid job, if undocumented.
 * The immigration lawyers could help students to find the solution of citizenship issues.

Stress (Hauser, 2011):
 * " Almost every teacher is an advisor and has an advisory,"(p.107), so that students are able to have extra emotional supports from their teachers.
 * School social workers pay their attentions on students and cooperate with teachers to provide services whenever they need.
 * Teacher-Parents conference. Teachers tend to improve the understanding of parent-child relationships.

Cultural Differences (Hauser,2011):

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 * Guide students to share their cultures and understand others' cultures through learning, specially in English and Art classes.
 * Teachers also present and teach students the American culture.
 * Eye contact is important when you go on an interview (p.165).

The following content is focusing on Chinese/Asian immigrant youth.

Factors Influencing Chinese Immigrant Youth
Ma and Yeh (2010) concluded the four main factors that influence Chinese immigrant youths to make their decision of the education and careers.
 * English Language Fluency (career opportunities) (p. 232)
 * Parental Value (emphasize the importance of education and the higher achievement is positively related to honor of the family) (p. 232)
 * Perceptions of Barriers (educational and career achievement) (p. 233)
 * Parental Support/ Control (depends on the socioeconomic status) (p. 233)

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It has been an interesting topic to discuss the parental support/ control in Eastern culture and how Chinese parents educate their children. In addition, the issue of Chinese immigrants' parenting style has launched some attentions nowadays.======

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This book was written by Amy Chua, a Chinese second-generation immigrant mother. She is a professor of Law at Yale Law School. She wrote her own experiences about being a tough Chinese immigrant mother and how she applied the Chinese parenting to raise her two successful daughters in the U.S..======

__The Pattern of Chinese Immigrant Families__
Chua (2011) gave the typical description of Chinese immigrant families.
 * First- generation---1960s (Chua, 2011, p.21)
 * To be the hardest-working and successful engineers, scientists, doctors, academics, or businesspeople.
 * As parents, they are extremely strict.
 * Everything they have done and earned will go for children’s education and future.
 * Second-generation---1980s (Chua, 2011, p.21)
 * Be born in the U.S. (parents have immigrated to the U.S.)
 * High-achieving
 * Play piano/ violin, etc.
 * Attend a Top 10 university, then to be professionals, such as lawyers, doctors, bankers, and so on.
 * Make much more money than their parents
 * Do not be as strict with their children as their parents were with them
 * Third-plus generation---late 1990s ~ (Chua, 2011, p.22)
 * Be born into the great comforts of the upper middle class (thanks for their parents and grandparents)
 * More resources for learning
 * Receive money or gifts reward for B+
 * Expensive/brand-name clothes
 * Individual rights guaranteed
 * Likely to disobey rules and ignore career advice

The pattern of Chinese immigrants has been changed from the first-generation to now, the third-plus generation. The new generation Chinese immigrant youths present different personal identity from their parents. According to Confucian tradition, control and discipline are considered as an important parental responsibilities and in some levels are presenting caring and love their children(Aque & Chao, 2009). Because of the different cultural values, some studies point out the parent-child conflict has driven some emotional challenges to Chinese immigrant parents and their children. Furthermore, researches have found that the cultural conflict as contributing the risk of depression and suicidal behavior to Chinese immigrant youths ( Lipsicas & Mäkinen, 2010).

__School Counseling__
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 * Tips for counselors to provide useful help: (Ma & Yeh, 2010, p.243)
 * Develop culturally sensitive career counseling services for Chinese immigrant youths.
 * Counselors need to recognize the obstacles that Chinese immigrant youths face, which affect their attitude toward the future.
 * Counselors should also pay more attention on other challenges, such as language barriers, and financial difficulty.
 * Collaborate with ESL/ELLs teachers to help immigrant youths overcome their challenges.
 * Work with parents and educate them about different types of educational and career opportunities available in the United States.
 * To help students feel more positive about their future.

Useful Websites:
__Facing History and Ourselves__ The website for teachers to search more curriculum resources and develop their teaching in the classroom based on understanding more about students cultural histories and background to redesign lesson plans and help students learn better. []

__NYC Department of Youth and Community Development__ The organization provides high-quality community-based development programs for immigrant youth and family. []

__Exodus Refugee Immigration__ Social work services for refugee (children and families ) to rebuild themselves and the new life in Indiana. []

__The Center__ Community-based research and social services to reduce and prevent immigrant youth violence in California. []

Local agency:
Law Office of Michael E. Durham The Tower Building, Ninth Floor 218 West Washington Street South Bend, Indiana 46601 Phone: 574-246-1530 Fax: 574-246-1535 info@DurhamLawGroup.com Practicing Exclusively in the Area of Immigration and Nationality Law

Scholarly article summaries
__Immigration and Suicidality in the Young__ The researchers have reviewed previous researches and conclude that the factors of suicidal behavior in immigrant youths vary with ethnicity and the length of time living in the U.S..

__Individual and Familial Factors Influencing the Educational and Career Plans of Chinese Immigrant Youths__ This study explored that how the self-reported English language fluency and parents' supports influence the Chinese immigrant youths to make a decision about their further educational and career plans after high school. The finding is higher self-report English fluency and parent's supports positively relate to plan for earn higher educational degree and look for a better job.

__Interpretations of Parental Control by Asian Immigrant and European American Youth__ The study investigates that the differences of parental control and emotional reactions between Asian and European American youths.