Examining Teachers’ Efforts to Educate Refugee Students at One Elementary School in Texas

• In Event: Rooted in Care: Imagining Inclusive and Sustainable Educational Futures for Refugees

Abstract

Purpose
Schools are an integral part of the resettlement process for refugee children in new homelands. This paper highlights how teachers supported the schooling experiences of refugee students at Northstar Elementary School (NES), which was designated by the school district as one of the elementary schools that served this student population.
Theoretical Perspectives
In response to dominant Eurocentric influence on education, scholars have proposed more culturally sensitive and inclusive pedagogies such as culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) (Gay, 2013). Gay (2018) defined CRP as “using the cultural knowledge, prior experiences, frames of reference, and performance styles of ethnically diverse students to make learning more relevant and effective for them” (p. 36). Four central practices associated with CRP framed this study: critical cultural consciousness of teachers, culturally pluralistic classroom climates, diverse communities of learners, and multicultural curriculum and instruction (Gay, 2002).
Methods
This qualitative case study collected data through interviews, classroom observations, and school-related documents. Study participants included the principal, three other administrative team members (i.e., vice principal and two counselors), five Newcomer teachers (teachers of refugee students in the Newcomer Program), five general English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers, two Language Support teachers (LSTs), and ten refugee parents who had resided in the country for less than two years. The data were analyzed using the four central CRP practices. This paper focuses on how Newcomer teachers supported refugee students.
Results
Critical Cultural Consciousness
Newcomer teachers were aware of their own cultural socialization and values and fully acknowledged the existence of diverse cultural frames. This conception guided the hiring process for Newcomer teachers, as the principal stated, “...I will tell you the five teachers I have, I purposely selected them…”
Culturally Pluralistic Classroom Climates
All the Newcomer teachers at NES worked hard to ensure the classroom was a safe space for all students, which was expressed in a variety of ways: they displayed multicultural artifacts, attended to the material and socioemotional needs of students, and provided advice and support beyond the classroom.
Diverse Communities of Learners
NES featured a diverse community of learners with 30 different languages spoken from across the globe. One Newcomer teacher noted, “Their love of learning, their cultures, their acceptance – they seem to have acceptance of other people…[they] want to hold each other accountable…They don’t really have discipline issues and it’s like the kids can run the class.”
Multicultural Curriculum and Instruction
The teachers understood the relevance of finding books and other resources that connected with students' backgrounds and experiences. A Language Support teacher explained, “A lot of the books are nonfiction type readers, and it has to do with international things – breakfast around the world, cultures around the world and if something is coming up for one culture, we’ll read a book about it just like we do the ones here.”
Conclusions
These findings underscore the need for schools to ensure a welcoming environment for refugee students and their families through intentional hiring practices, collaboration, and culturally responsive pedagogy.

Authors

• Nathern S.A. Okilwa, Baylor University

• M. Michelle Kelley, Northside Independent School District

• Kerry Haupert, North East I.S.D.