Multicultural Education Challenge: Teaching Immigrant Children in Hawaii - Essay Example

Page Multicultural Education Challenge: Teaching Filipino Immigrant Children in Hawaii Table of Contents Page i Table of Contents iiIntroduction 1 Filipino Migration to Hawaii 2 Multicultural Education Principles 3 Basic Multicultural Education Issues 4 Overcoming Language and Learning Barriers 5 Traditional Learning Styles 7 Effective Learning and Teaching Styles 8 Conclusions 10 Tables 11 Table 1: Filipino population in Hawaii 11 Table 2: Growth of Filipino population in Hawaii 12 Reference List 13 Introduction This paper covers the challenges of multicultural education in Ewa Beach, Hawaii with special focus on Filipinos, a growing immigrant community who migrated in the early 20th century from the Philippines, an Asian archipelago and, until 1946, an American colony in the Pacific to the west of Hawaii. Beginning with a brief history of their immigration from the Philippines, the paper looks at developments in the past century to explain how Filipinos came to represent a growing sector of the local population. The integration of large immigrant populations from Europe (16th-20th centuries), Africa (since the 17th century), and Asia/Latin America (19th century to the present) has been a constant challenge to America’s educators and the school system. Understanding immigrant cultures, overcoming language barriers, and unifying men and women from diverse backgrounds into one dynamic and harmonized American society are but three of the issues confronted by teachers in the classroom. As a nation increasingly populated by immigrants since the early 16th century, America has repeatedly and successfully carried out what is called “multicultural education”. According to Banks and Banks (1995), multicultural education is: “a field of study and an emerging discipline whose major aim is to create equal educational opportunities for students from diverse racial, ethnic, social-class and cultural groups. One of its important goals is to help all students acquire the knowledge, attitudes and skills needed to function effectively in a pluralistic democratic society and to interact, negotiate and communicate with peoples from diverse groups in order to create a civic and moral community that works for the common good” (p. xi). This paper looks at relevant issues that would help in the integration of the growing Filipino-American community in Ewa Beach, Hawaii into American culture. Filipino Migration to Hawaii The Philippines was a Spanish colony that passed into American hands after the defeat of the Spanish fleet in 1898. In 1906, the first wave of Filipinos arrived in Hawaii to work in Oahu’s plantations, the last ethnic group recruited to work on plantations, after the Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Puerto Ricans, Spanish, and Koreans (Bernardo, 2002). Filipinos came in three waves. The first (1906 to 1934) brought in 120,000 workers. In the second wave, just after the war, 10,000 to 12,000 Filipino military personnel, war brides and laborers arrived. The third wave began in 1965, after the National Origins Act of 1924 was abolished, as the early Filipino immigrants petitioned their families to join them. During this period, 4,000 to 5,000 Filipinos migrated annually (Bernardo, 2002). Table 1 shows the proportion of Filipinos and their descendants in Hawaii as of 2002, when they accounted for 36% of Oahu’s total population and 37% of the state’s total population of 1.2 million. These are reflected in the growing proportion of Filipinos among students in Ewa Beach. As of School Year 2004-2005: 31% of Ewa Beach Elementary School students and 50% of James Campbell High School students are of Filipino descent (HSDE, 2005). In the school where this researcher is currently teaching, 60% of students are Filipinos. Majority of Filipino students are third and fourth generation Americans whose ancestors belonged to the three waves of migration. Serrano (2006) showed that this growing ethnic group is educated, gainfully employed, and has a median household income of $52,000. However, 20% of the Filipinos in Hawaii (probably recent arrivals working as plantation farmers) are in poverty. A growing number, though lower than the national standard, are pursuing university education. Like other Asians, Filipinos are motivated to pursue higher education. However, most of these are women who move to the mainland where job opportunities are better, bringing their families along with them (Toth, 2006). Table 2 shows other data on Filipinos. A growing number are having an impact on American society, encouraged by past generation role models as public officials, athletes, professionals, and even American Idol semifinalists (Bernardo, 2002; Paiva, 2006). The challenges to educators are clear-cut: (1) increase education rates through motivation, (2) improve the numbers pursuing post-secondary degrees, (3) improve their integration into American-Hawaiian society without losing their cultural and ethnic Filipino heritage, and (4) convince more to stay and contribute to the development of the state. Hawaii’s educational system can achieve these goals in line with national objectives by successfully improving the capability to apply and implement multicultural education principles. Multicultural Education Principles Banks et al. (2001) identified twelve essential principles of multicultural education grouped into five categories: (1) Teacher Learning; (2) Student Learning; (3) Inter-group Relations; (4) School Governance, Organization, and Equity; and (5) Assessment. What would be given emphasis in this paper are the issues parallel to these categories applicable to Filipino-Americans in Hawaii’s educational system, more specifically in Ewa Beach. The issues that need to be addressed with respect to the education of Filipino children are the following: (1) Cultural Sensitivity of Teachers to the Ethnic Character of Filipino-Americans (2) Resolving Language Barriers, their Causes, and Proposed Solutions (3) Traditional Learning Styles of the Group (4) Effective Teaching Styles and Strategies Each portion contains examples of practical experiences with Filipino American students. Basic Multicultural Education Issues Ponce and Forman (1974) identified important characteristics of Filipino culture, including the concept of the extended family, the hierarchical nature of relationships, and the conflicting and contradictory Malay, Spanish, and American influences upon Filipino culture and character. In describing the Filipino experience in Hawaii and the lives and goals of immigrants during the three distinct periods of migration, they enumerated five distinctive Filipino cultural characteristics: (1) self-esteem; (2) shame/embarrassment; (3) debt of gratitude; (4) getting along harmoniously; and, (5) leaving things to fate. Tsuchida (1991) described key educational issues of Filipino Americans in Hawaii, observing that although many post-1965 immigrants have high levels of formal education in the Philippines, their children have academic and social adjustment problems because of high parental expectations, stereotyping of high-achieving Asian American students, gang activity, and lack of parenting skills in relation to their Americanized children. These students lack English proficiency, find it difficult to maintain eye contact with persons of authority, lack aggressiveness or quickness to seek recognition in the classroom, and are not used to or good at taking standardized tests. He concluded that immigrant students from the Philippines are very different from 3rd generation Filipino Americans. The prevalence of these characteristics even among Filipino American students in Ewa Beach demand that teachers be more sensitive to varied cultural heritage identities and how these relate to the effectiveness and efficiency of the educational process. These differences in family and cultural backgrounds affect how students assimilate what are taught and the process of developing their American identity. The teaching process, while maintaining the significance of each student’s cultural background, must transform this identity into an integral part of gaining a deeper appreciation for American culture and history. In the process, immigrants are encouraged to give back to the community through their accomplishments as citizens and facilitate the process of assimilation for future generations. One advantage Filipinos have compared to other ethnic groups of Asian-Americans such as the Japanese and the Chinese is their long historical and cultural heritage as a Western colony. The Philippines was under Spain (1521-1898) and America (1898-1946), unlike other East Asian countries never colonized by the West, making Filipinos culturally unique as Asians more open to Western influence, enabling them to adapt more easily to western modes of thought and behavior. This is why in most countries where they migrate and settle Filipinos adapt easily compared to others from enclosed cultures (Agbayani-Siewert, 1991). Overcoming Language and Learning Barriers One significant finding of Ponce et al. (1974), Tsuchida (1991), and Agbayani-Siewert (1991) is the importance of non-verbal communications, a reflection of the emphasis placed by Filipino culture on authority, family structures, and sensitivity towards others, more especially regarding the Asian characteristic of “saving face” or not being embarrassed in front of others. This means students are sensitive to facial expressions, the tone of voice (the researchers point out that talking in a loud or aggressive voice is more often interpreted as anger), and body language of teachers and school administrators. This can be an advantage, because a teacher need not raise his/her voice as often when dealing with these students. Very often, a stern look or a change in the tone of voice would be enough to establish order among Filipino-American children, but not if the class has students from diverse cultural backgrounds. This sensitivity to non-verbal communication and the propensity to shyness among Filipinos signify the importance of respecting their space, and why touch (or its absence) can be a powerful means of communication. In a culture where a glance would be enough to show emotions (anger, disgust, joy, etc.) a teacher’s touch can reinforce and magnify what the student perceives from the teacher’s non-verbal signals. An important root of current educational problems among 2nd generation Filipino-American students is the lack of facility for English if the parents are uneducated farm laborers. The children never learned to speak English at home, exposed only to immediate family members most of whom spoke the Filipino dialect they knew when they migrated. The children enter the school system with a very basic knowledge of English, and this leads to insecurities in social behavior and communication. If this obstacle is not overcome, the socialization process is affected, impeding advancement in cultural assimilation. The teacher has an important role to encourage communication to take place among children of similar backgrounds, matching those who know with those who do not, to give them the opportunity to learn good language skills in class as the same opportunity may not exist at home. An illustrative example follows. Carol was a young girl whose parents were first generation immigrants not proficient in English. I noticed she was quiet in her first week at school, so I paired her with Kristin, a fourth generation Filipino who was outgoing and friendly, and who knew some words of the dialect (Tagalog) that Carol knew well. I asked Kristin and Carol to teach each other English and Tagalog. After a week, they were talking in both languages and enjoying the experience. In the process, Carol’s outgoing nature and intellectual ability came out, and she and Kristin and their parents have become good friends. What enhanced the experience was giving them the opportunity to teach others about their culture and their language. Traditional Learning Styles Okamura (1991) observed that the learning behaviors of Filipino American students are a carryover of values and norms relevant since their family life and early education. He identified two values that pertain to the interpersonal relations and influence of Filipino learning styles: respect for authority and concern for others. The value placed on concern for others is related to their sensitivity to interpersonal relationships with teachers and fellow students. The cultural norm of respect of authority figures lead to a lack of disagreement with or excessive familiarity with authority figures such as teachers. These students prefer to correct their teachers in private after class, instead of disagreeing openly with them. This may be inefficient for the learning process, but preferred by Filipino-American students, who are open to traditional learning styles of multicultural education. It would help to acknowledge individual and cultural differences enthusiastically and identify those differences in a positive manner, creating a basis for developing effective communication and social skills that could be reinforced by the teacher. This helps build strong relationships with students and a deepening of respect and helps teachers make their lessons more relevant and meaningful. As the person in authority, teachers have a powerful means of educating children in planning tasks by being orderly, following rules, and respecting the children’s cultural norms of preparation, rituals, and customs. This helps students learn to match their behavior to the setting, making them learn appropriate modes of behavior in formal and informal school and community settings. A difficulty here is a teacher who invites disagreement or critical reactions from Filipino American students, which would be almost impossible to get and, if such is not managed properly, lead to loss of respect and authority. An example is Herbert, who made a deep observation told to me in private. He asked why I allowed students to disagree with me in class. When I answered that I wanted students to learn to think on their own, he was confused. He said that if the teacher could be wrong, how could the students trust me? He admitted it was the first time someone in authority could admit to being mistaken, having been raised in a home where the father’s word was the law. He said there were occasions in the past when what I said in class was different from what he read in the textbook, but he preferred to doubt the textbook rather than me. Effective Learning and Teaching Styles Chattergy (1992; with Ongteco,1991) provided a comprehensive list of the education needs of Filipino immigrant students in Hawaii public schools arising from clashes between the schools’ cultural norms and conventions and Filipino culture. They pointed out the relationship between culture and learning styles of Filipino students and the instructional styles of teachers in Hawaii, stressing that teachers need to understand how Filipino students learn, giving some suggestions to make the learning process more effective. Where there are Filipino-American students, teachers have to make explicit rules for the classroom, e.g. when students can talk and what points they can raise. They should know that there will be differences in perceptions and interpretations of behaviour between teacher and students because of cultural assumptions made by both sides. Teachers should not equate silence or difficulty with the use of English with the inability to think. The students are often smart, but rather than call attention, gain recognition, or embarrass other students, they think of the effects that their class interventions would have on others, the reactions of other students, and the authority and image of the teacher. Fortunately, there are similarities between Filipino and Hawaiian culture arising from their common Pacific island heritage, as pointed out by Young (1980). The importance of the extended family (ohana), which emphasizes the importance of relationships and group orientation, the love for children, constant human physical contact among friends and family members, and the need to keep relationships free of conflicts are common to both cultures. His suggested methods to avoid conflicts represent useful teaching styles: don’t ask questions that might embarrass someone and avoid individual success and competition (although performance to benefit the group is acceptable). Similarities extend to the importance placed on coping with problems through ho’oponopono, a process of group therapy involving prayer (majority of Filipinos are Catholic Christians), problem definition, the need for truthfulness and sincerity, the need for a leader to direct the session, restitution, and forgiveness (Filipinos are sentimental in social dealings). Avoiding and denying problems and avoiding intimate involvement with outsiders are other coping mechanisms. Teachers need to seek information about cultural differences even among students of the same ethnic origin, because Filipinos from different regions have different characteristics (others more sociable, sensitive, or both). A helpful assumption is that these students are motivated to learn but need to see the teacher’s trust, confidence, and encouragement to do so. This can be a balancing factor to the stress of parental expectations to perform well, to finish college, and to support the family as soon as possible. The suggestions of Suleman and Moore (1995) for teaching math and science would be a useful teaching style to adopt for Filipino students: using word problems that encourage repetitive language use, frequent references to concrete and sensory experiences, cooperative activities that encourage interpersonal contact and problem-solving, writing and rewriting problems, songs, and rhymes. As a frequent experience attests, social pressure is strong. There was a student, Arnold, a smart boy who was doing very well in class until his behavior changed one day. Apparently, his parents were criticized in their community as having a son who wanted to be a star in class because he performed better than the daughter of a community leader, putting her and her family to shame. Arnold’s parents were accused of not raising their son properly. Arnold “toned down” his performance, but although a Filipino teacher intervened and had a heart-to-heart talk with the parents and the community leaders to encourage Arnold, his self-confidence was shaken. Conclusions Teaching Filipino immigrant children in Hawaii will continue to be a growing multicultural challenge as their proportion of the population continues to increase. Enriching courses by including multiple perspectives on American culture and history to reflect various viewpoints can help students escape ethnic encapsulation or ethnocentrism. Helping students appreciate similarities and differences can foster a sense of community among people of diverse ethnic identities, helping them feel that they are valued members of society, a valuable experience that can start in the classroom’s controlled environment. Educational resources include the use of group activities and seeking the cooperation of students, parents, and the local community, all of which can expand the students’ knowledge of ethnic groups in American history and contemporary society. This would show that ethnic diversity is compatible with national unity and learn to appreciate the immense diversity that characterizes the United States. The manner by which educators turn the multicultural education challenge into an opportunity to improve the assimilation of future generations would determine how well America can continue functioning as the largest and most dynamic model of democracy in the world. Sensitivity to cultural differences must be complemented by an equally deepening knowledge of educational techniques to enhance learning effectiveness. How educators perform this task determines the future survival of America and the spread of democratic principles. Tables Table 1: Filipino population in Hawaii [Source: Bernardo, 2002] Table 2: Growth of Filipino population in Hawaii [Source: Toth, 2006] Reference List Agbayani-Siewert, P. (1991). Filipino American culture and family: Guidelines for practitioners. Families in Society, 75 (7), 129-138. Banks, J.A. & Banks, C.A.M. (Eds.) (1995). Handbook of research on multicultural education. New York: Macmillan. Banks, J.A., Cookson, P., Gay, G., Hawley, W.D., Irvine, J.J., Nieto, S., Schofield, J.W. & Stephan, W.G. (2001). Diversity within unity: Essential principles for teaching and learning in a multicultural society. Seattle, WA: CME-UW. Bernardo, R. (2002). “Filipino Americans have rich isle history: The state will mark their centennial with a celebration in 2006” Starbulletin.com. 7 June 2002. Retrieved 24 May 2007, from: Chattergy, V. & Ongteco, B.C. (1991). Education needs of Filipino immigrant students. Social Process in Hawaii, 33, 142-152. Chattergy, V. (1992). Bridging two worlds: The teacher and the immigrant Filipino student. Kamehameha Journal of Education, 3, 23-28. Hawaii State Department of Education (2005). Education statistics. Published March 21, 2005. Updated November 1, 2005. Evaluation Section, Planning and Evaluation Office, Office of the Superintendent. Honolulu, HI: Hawaii State Department of Education. Okamura, J. (1991). Filipino cultural norms and values and higher education. Teaching and Learning at the University of Hawaii, 5 (3), 6-7. Paiva, D. (2006). “From simple roots to celebrity”. The Honolulu Advertiser. Posted May 7, 2006. Retrieved 23 May 2007, from: Ponce, D. E & Forman, S. (1974). “The Filipinos.” In Tseng, W.S. Jr.; McDermott, J. F. and Maretzki, T.W. Eds. People and cultures in Hawaii: An introduction for mental health workers. Honolulu: John A. Burns School of Medicine, UH Manoa Serrano, Z. (2006). “Youth aspiring to achieve the top rung”. The Honolulu Advertiser. Posted June 21, 2006. Retrieved 23 May 2007, from: Suleman, M.F. & Moore, R. (1995). Teaching math and science to language minority children: Implications for teachers. Hays, KS: Kansas Association of Teachers of Mathematics. Toth, C.E. (2006). “Economic, political challenges lie ahead”. The Honolulu Advertiser. Posted June 21, 2006. Retrieved 23 May 2007, from: Tsuchida, J.N. (1991). “Filipino-Americans”. In A guide on Asian and Pacific Islander American students. Washington, D.C.: National Education Association of the United States. Young, B.B.C. (1980). “The Hawaiians”. In McDermott, J.F., Tseng, W.S. Jr.; Maretzki, T.W. Eds. Peoples and cultures of Hawaii: A psychological profile. 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