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Si Se Puede - Immigration, Activism and Education outside the Classroom

Publicado en Mar 26th 2008 2:43PM por American Immigration Law Foundation
Categoría Noticias, Mexico, Immigration, Inmigracion, The Global Classroom, La clase mundial, Familia e Hijos, Central America, Cuba, Comunitario

The American Immigration Law Foundation's Curriculum Center recently hosted the 5^th Annual Washington, D.C. Symposium "Appreciating America's Heritage: Teaching Children about Immigration." Focused on African immigration and community, the symposium featured distinguished speakers from the Smithsonian Institute, the African Immigration and Refugee Foundation, teachers from area K-12 schools and activist/author Mary Williams, founder of the Lost Boys Foundation.

Although the focus was primarily on African migration, the Curriculum Center's mission to promote a better understanding of immigrants and immigration by providing educational resources that inspire people to engage in thoughtful dialogue, creative teaching, and critical thinking was well served. Teachers and community leaders not only learned the history of immigration, immigration curriculum and the immigration experience, but heard firsthand about the lives and experiences of two young African immigrants attending high school in the Washington D.C.

But if you think this Teachers' Symposium on Immigration sounds like all talk and no action, you'd be wrong! Enter teacher Kristin Rogers and her classroom of activists.

Kristin Rogers, a middle school teacher at Cesar Chavez Public Charter School for Public Policy in D.C., showed teachers how they could replicate her service learning project called "Immigration & Activism: Taking Action for What We Believe." This unique project required students to anonymously interview day laborers at Casa de Maryland, an organization which assists immigrants with a variety of services. Through these interviews, students were able to sample what the immigration experience is actually like instead of reading it out of a text book. To follow up, students made their own website, http://immigration.capstone.googlepages.com/main, which features immigrant surveys, interviews, personal narratives, basic immigration vocabulary and most importantly, information on how to make a difference in your own community.

If you know of an active classroom that could benefit from this posting, please forward this along. And for more information on AILF symposia, teaching resources or grant information, please visit www.ailf.org/teach/index.shtml and sign up for our newsletter.

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(Page 1)

1. well let's not forget that here in America, specially in California are thousands of students who are immigrants. Although, they can attend school, and junior colleges is impossible for most of them to graduate, it costs them thousands of dollars per class units for semester. It has to be a way to help all immigrant students, who are wanting to be legalized so they can have the same opportunities at least as a resident of the united states. So, please let's keep in mind that these immigrant students from all over the world need help in order to reach their schooling dream. It is impossible for immigrant students to finish college and get a degree because they don't have a social secury number which for them is impossible to get because of their illegal status, therefore it becames a berrier for wich can not do anything about it. It is very upsetting and depressing for immigrant students, who know are very hard working students but yet no one seems to care about them evidently because they have never experience been here illegal and been an immigrant students.

so who ever reads this message respond back, or send me some info about this issue so we can help immigrant students. this in not a joke it is reality and I am very happy for those immigrant students who habe been help already but Hey How about the rest of them From CALIFORNIA>>> IT'S THERE ANYTHING FOR THEM TOO? OR AT LEAST A FOUNDATION WHERE THEY CAN GET SOME ADVICE AND HELP IN ERDER FOR THEIR DREAM TO COME TRUE.

Mar 29th 2008 | 1:26PM | alex

2. IS THERE ANYTHING FOR IMMIGRANT STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA? HEY THEY NEED HELP ALSO AND MANY OF THESE STUDENTS ARE DROPPING COLLEGE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE IMCOME TO PAY HIGH RATES TO CONTINUE THEIR SCHOOLING DREAMS. NOT ONLY INCOME IS THE ISSUE BUT ALSO THE NEED OF A SOCIAL S. WITHOUT IT, THEY CAN'T NEVER GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE AND GET A DEGREE. SO IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT YOU KNOW PASS THE INFO. CALIFORNIA IMMIGRANT STUDENTS NEED OF YOUR HELP ALSO.

Mar 29th 2008 | 1:26PM | alex

3. Qiara Ramirez
History, Geoff
A Band

Blog #3

I believe that it is very important for people to recognize the value of education and its prosperous momentum in an advancing society like the United States’. In today’s world, in order to pursue a stable career and manage a firm position in the workforce, it is vital to have an educational background and a profession in a field where one can further their expertise, and in effect, gain a higher level of respect as well as a higher income. I completely agree with connecting the issues beneath education and immigration by implementing students with knowledge about immigrants. I believe that many students are deprived of sufficient information of how immigrants-from all around the world- have affected America today for the better. With the downfalls in the economy and the overall mold of the United States during the Great Depression in the 1930s, America was left wounded, and in a state of vulnerability to end up in complete destruction if the government did not make an effort to create any changes. In an effort to overcome the weak conditions of the Great Depression’s aftermath on America’s society, the Social Security Act was introduced in 1935 as part of President Roosevelt’s New Deal legislation. On a general scale, the purpose of the Social Security Act was to better the lives of elders, mend the unemployment rate, and provide support for orphans with government funding for homes, public health services, public housing, and with that- issued social security numbers. These numbers were solely designed for identification purposes. However, what started as identification purposes and a blueprint for demographics, is now depriving people from a better future. Now without a social security number, illegal immigrants are limited to a higher education and graduating from college. Without a social security number, immigrants are not able to graduate from college and pursue a better life. I believe that illegal immigrants that show that they are in the United States for valid reasons (I.e. they have jobs, are attending school), and maintain a with healthy relationship society (I.e. do not get into trouble with the police, are respectful to the community) are eligible for a temporary card which will allow them to attend college (with the assistance of scholarships) and with the maintenance of a certain GPA, be able to graduate from college. After graduating college, the illegal immigrants will become legal. This process, however, is not to be viewed as an updated process of naturalizing. This solely grants them as being legal, not moreover, citizens of the United States. Under the assumption that they learned English while in school, they would proceed with being active members in society, and eventually aim for citizenship. The requirements for the certifications of a citizen is not to be altered; it will remain the same. Many people tend to forget that immigrants, from all around the world have contributed to today’s society, and have been the platform for the growing country that America is today. Even looking at Chinese immigration, the rapid pace of knowledge and growth in science and math would not be where it is today had there not been intelligences and theories introduced from the Chinese. There is a lack of knowledge out there about U.S. history, and its origins.

Apr 28th 2008 | 1:28AM | Qiara

4. Qiara Ramirez
History, Geoff
A Band

Blog #3

I believe that it is very important for people to recognize the value of education and its prosperous momentum in an advancing society like the United States’. In today’s world, in order to pursue a stable career and manage a firm position in the workforce, it is vital to have an educational background and a profession in a field where one can further their expertise, and in effect, gain a higher level of respect as well as a higher income. I completely agree with connecting the issues beneath education and immigration by implementing students with knowledge about immigrants. I believe that many students are deprived of sufficient information of how immigrants-from all around the world- have affected America today for the better. With the downfalls in the economy and the overall mold of the United States during the Great Depression in the 1930s, America was left wounded, and in a state of vulnerability to end up in complete destruction if the government did not make an effort to create any changes. In an effort to overcome the weak conditions of the Great Depression’s aftermath on America’s society, the Social Security Act was introduced in 1935 as part of President Roosevelt’s New Deal legislation. On a general scale, the purpose of the Social Security Act was to better the lives of elders, mend the unemployment rate, and provide support for orphans with government funding for homes, public health services, public housing, and with that- issued social security numbers. These numbers were solely designed for identification purposes. However, what started as identification purposes and a blueprint for demographics, is now depriving people from a better future. Now without a social security number, illegal immigrants are limited to a higher education and graduating from college. Without a social security number, immigrants are not able to graduate from college and pursue a better life. I believe that illegal immigrants that show that they are in the United States for valid reasons (I.e. they have jobs, are attending school), and maintain a with healthy relationship society (I.e. do not get into trouble with the police, are respectful to the community) are eligible for a temporary card which will allow them to attend college (with the assistance of scholarships) and with the maintenance of a certain GPA, be able to graduate from college. After graduating college, the illegal immigrants will become legal. This process, however, is not to be viewed as an updated process of naturalizing. This solely grants them as being legal, not moreover, citizens of the United States. Under the assumption that they learned English while in school, they would proceed with being active members in society, and eventually aim for citizenship. The requirements for the certifications of a citizen is not to be altered; it will remain the same. Many people tend to forget that immigrants, from all around the world have contributed to today’s society, and have been the platform for the growing country that America is today. Even looking at Chinese immigration, the rapid pace of knowledge and growth in science and math would not be where it is today had there not been intelligences and theories introduced from the Chinese. There is a lack of knowledge out there about U.S. history, and its origins.

Apr 28th 2008 | 1:28AM | Qiara