Supporting Immigrants in School: Educators' Personal and Professional Identities in Context

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 9
  In Roundtable Session: Context Matters: The Power of Lived Experiences to Facilitate Change

Abstract

Recently, immigrant-origin youth have faced increasing challenges in the midst of hostile federal policies. Educators play an important role in supporting them as they navigate these challenges. Our paper explores how teachers’ personal and professional identities, as well as the contexts in which they work, influence their understanding of their responsibilities in serving immigrant-origin students and families. Through analysis of survey and interview data from two school districts, we found that educators who identify as immigrant-origin and/or ESL or bilingual educators are more likely to view supporting immigrant-origin students as their responsibility. District-wide communication, the predominant racial-identity of educators, and proximity to the border can impact whether or not educators take on this responsibility. Implications for leadership are discussed.

Authors

• Jennifer Queenan, Research Foundation - CUNY

• Paulette Andrade Gonzalez, Boston College

• Rebecca J. Lowenhaupt, Boston College

• Ariana Mangual Figueroa, Graduate Center, CUNY