THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND NEWCOMER STUDENTS

When students learn that they will soon be migrating to a new school in the US, they begin to wonder and feel uncertain about what everything might be like. When my mother first told me that I would soon be moving to the US, I remember thinking about what my new surroundings would be like and what school would like knowing I could speak NO English. For me, this was the first time I had left part of my family behind to come live with “Papi” (my father), a stepmother, and my older brother.

One of the bigger impressions noticeable by newcomers is the size of the schools and how elaborate schools in America can be in comparison to what some of us leave behind. Once in their new school, newcomers have to figure out how to make new friends, learn new rules, procedures, and routines that tend to be very different from what they are used to.

Making new friends varies in difficulty levels because it depends on when the student arrives in the school year, considering the beginning and middle of the school year. At the beginning of the school year, he/she might have a more positive experience in making new friends because everyone is new and starting from fresh, although in this case, you are then trying to “fit” into a group of friends. On the contrary, arriving once school has started brings all the attention to you as the newcomer and making connections can become a bit of a challenge in picking who to gravitate to.

Imagine yourself having to migrate to another country at an early age with the pressure of having to learn a new language? Classroom and ESOL teachers of newcomer students should always keep in mind how difficult it is for new students to manage a new school environment. Learning to pronounce the student’s name correctly and introducing him/her to the class are two essential steps to take that can help ease some of the stress levels experienced by the new students. Another thing we can do is be selective about the students you’re choosing to pair the newcomer with. For students that can not speak English, consider having an interpreter that can shadow the student for a couple of hours to discuss:

• New rules –  rules related to school safety (no touching others).

• Procedures – daily school dismissal procedures, breakfast & lunch procedures such as how to obtain breakfast and lunch in the cafeteria.

• Homework policy – requirements, resources, and frequency

• School Routines – daily class routines, bathroom usage, schedule/class changes, class participation.

As educators, we may also want to consider giving ourselves the opportunity to learn about and/or see schools in other countries so that we can better support and teach newcomer kids.