Generally, immigration has many different causes, and some are more negative and damaging than others. People who escape from their countries and find rescue in other states may be already traumatized by the events they faced. Therefore, children from such families are also damaged, stressed, and scared, and educators who begin to work with them may meet a number of various challenges apart from a language barrier.
In my opinion, a teacher who has refugee students in the class should aim at encouraging them to study hard, boosting their confidence and self-esteem, and making sure that the atmosphere is always inclusive and welcoming. Consequently, the key challenges I would see if I were to work with immigrant children in the future would be related to these objectives. First, not all refugee parents find it necessary to learn, which may also increase their children’s unwillingness to be active during their studies. Second, refugee kids usually want to do anything to fit in, so their low confidence may lead them to join bad groups. Finally, other children in class may not be very friendly or welcoming, making it difficult for an immigrant kid to have positive experiences.
The way to overcome these challenges is to be a supportive, caring, and interested educator who pays increased attention to the refugee students and encourages the rest of the class to make them feel at home. It is essential for ECE workers to communicate with the whole family, provide them with support, and incorporate various interventions, including arts-based approaches and after-school programs (Reynolds & Bacon, 2018). As for our larger society’s efforts to help immigrants better meet the challenges of adjusting to life in Canada, it is most important to eliminate discrimination and any racial prejudices and become more inclusive and supportive. Further, special caring programs need to be created to help whole families, including children and parents, become integrated into their new society.
Reference
Reynolds, A. D., & Bacon, R. (2018). Interventions supporting the social integration of refugee children and youth in school communities: A review of the literature. Advances in Social Work, 18(3), 745-766.