Being a newcomer student in a minority position plays a significant global role in exacerbating the feelings of marginalization and isolation, especially among racialized students (Gollom, 2020). Consequently, both pre and in-service teachers are feeling an increased pressure to understand and work with an immigrant population whose abilities and offerings have largely been ignored or undervalued. This paper showcases a study focusing on how race, culture, language, religion, and identity intersect to move beyond the traditional perception of social justice. The scholarship was directed by one primary question: How can newcomer students' lived experiences inform best practices in the field of education?
Through collaborative action research, the scholars employed organized focus group discussions, a social media campaign, and a survey administered to the entire newcomer student body. The project included first and 1.5 generation ELL high school participants from primarily African countries and the Middle East. The participants undertook the task of creating a visionary and proactive platform for newcomer students to discuss attitudes and biases (linguistic and cultural) and use these in an advocacy role that would play out in the larger educational community. The study generated opportunities to address issues of racism, language-related barriers marginalization, and proposed communal ideas and team building activities that assisted the newcomer population to overcome these challenges. Through social media advocacy (Instagram and Tic Toc), participants created videos to sensitize the mainstream population to the linguistic and cultural barriers they face within the school and community.
Results indicated many students perceived pressure to succeed academically, feelings of racism and discrimination, a fear of backlash from participating in cultural events, and a general sense of disconnect toward the larger school community. The results challenged educational stakeholders to combat the issues at the grass roots level and generated widespread acknowledgement both locally and nationally.
The research team developed a framework that engaged all educational stakeholders and helped to bridge language, culture, and community affiliations. It addressed teacher biases and discriminatory practices and from this students were invited to public speaking engagements to discuss how such work could garner the support of teaching/administrative staff. Strategies comprised pre-/inservice professional development, including empathy and culturally responsive pedagogy, language learning methodologies and resources, trauma sensitive initiatives, and leadership approaches. Students felt empowered through the various media, and they spoke of being changemakers as they spread their message, voiced their opinions, and sought to change policy.
The student participants also formed an advisory council that grew out of the social media campaign, resulting in a provincial and national television presence as well as the establishment of a youth leadership conference. The school body worked together to move student and teacher attitudes, biases, and discriminatory practices (whether deliberate or subsconscious) from a negative and stressful environment to one where diversity played a positive role in student advocacy, emancipation and social justice.
References
Gollom, M. (2020, March 13). 'We can't flip a switch': E-learning unlikely solution for all Canadian students if COVID-19 closes schools. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/coronavirus-school-closures-canada-1.5495075
