Moving to another country means changing your life. You will be in an entire new home, community, surrounded by strange culture and a different language. While you already have a lot to worry about, you will probably worry most about your children. They will face a lot of their own obstacles while doing their best in school.
You and your children are not alone. One out of every four children in the U.S. is an immigrant, or born of immigrant parents. There are an estimated 1 million undocumented children in the U.S., making up about a third of all immigrant children. These kids face unique challenges that their classmates and teachers might not understand.
A new language makes communication difficult
As you know, working to learn a new language can be frustrating. Kids are usually placed in grades by their age rather than their ability. For kids who cannot speak English this makes it feel impossible to catch up. It will be hard for them to do schoolwork and understand teacher instructions. This makes parents feel disappointed as their children struggle to keep up in the classroom.
It also makes it hard for parents to help their kids with homework. Many parents feel helpless to understand their kid' schoolwork when they are not fluent in English themselves. This creates a language barrier between teachers and parents, reducing each side's ability to help the student. As kids get older they will learn English a lot faster than their parents. While this will greatly help the kids in school it can frustrate parents who feel left in the dark.
Environmental changes can be hard on kids
Immigrant children face stress that school faculty might not understand. Kids go through huge life changes including being removed from their childhood home, their old culture, their friends and family. Undocumented students face major stress from fear of family member deportation or from financial struggles.
This can cause immigrant children to feel scared, confused and even angry. Their emotions could result in acting out at school or skipping class. Some teachers will scold their students without understanding why they are acting out. Kids can be helped greatly by being encouraged to talk about their feelings. Parents can talk with them after school to help kids feel more comfortable, and teachers can keep open communication, even if it is through drawings and sculptures.
If children are undocumented then they might come across new struggles as they enter adolescence. Undocumented immigrant students will be unable to find afterschool work, get a driver's license, or get financial aid for college. Undocumented children and their family members can seek family-based immigration and deportation defense options with the help of an attorney. Seeking a legal immigration status for your children can help them achieve a better school life and future career.
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