Using the Notion of Place to Investigate the Experiences of Immigrant Parents in Schools

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 8
  In Roundtable Session: Place and Meaning-Making in Educational Contexts

Abstract

This study investigated how a group of mothers of Latin-American origin (n=6) who immigrated to a mid-size city in Ontario, Canada, constructed a new sense of place as they transitioned into a new school system with their children. We found that by re-signifying the school as place, the study participants constructed idiosyncratic representations of schooling that informed their capacity to participate in their children’s education. We argue that investigating how school actors negotiate their spatial experiences provides useful insights into social difference, resistance, and inclusion. Our paper offers a theoretical and methodological contribution to the expanding body of research that examines the transitional experiences of immigrant parents in school systems.

Authors

• Gus Riveros, University of Western Ontario

• Nyasha Nyereyemhuka, University of Western Ontario