Pablo Jasis, Ph.D., Alejandro González, Ed.D. California State University, Fullerton College of Education and Migrant Education Program

1. Nuestra Familia es Nuestra Fuerza:
Building on the Strengths of Migrant Families Towards School
Success
Pablo Jasis, Ph.D., Alejandro González, Ed.D.Pablo Jasis, Ph.D., Alejandro González, Ed.D.
California State University, FullertonCalifornia State University, Fullerton
College of EducationCollege of Education
and Migrant Education Programand Migrant Education Program
April, 2017April, 2017

2. California Migrant Families
• 650,000 Migrant farmworkers in California, 44% of nationally
hired farm labor. California agricultural industry: 54 billion
dollars yearly (Cal. Dept. of Food and Agriculture, 2014).
• 48% of California farmworkers are US citizens or permanent
residents: • Median income is $7,500 yearly, 61 % of
families below poverty level. Farmworkers are seven times
more likely to suffer serious or fatal work accidents (NAWS,
2005).
• The average life expectancy of migrant and seasonal
farmworkers is 49 years of age, in comparison to the
U.S. average of 75 years of age (NAWS, 2007).
° Migrant families among highest impacted by elevated levels
of respiratory, reproductive, allergic and motion-repetitive
ailments (National safety Council, 2010).
P. Jasis & A. Gonzalez, 2016

3. Migrant Children
• Struggle to achieve academically, 50%-60% drop out
re 12 grade.
IMPACTED BY:
• High poverty
• Lower access to quality health care, housing, early
ation programs.
•Relocation/seasonal separation from parents,
ontinuity in education.
• Isolation from peers, rigid school structures,
uage differences.
• Need to join the workforce at early age.
• Diminished access to educational, cultural,
eational
opportunities.
P. Jasis & A. Gonzalez, 2016

4. California Migrant Families & Schools
Research Questions
•a) What are the socio-historical and ideological factors
impacting the relationship of migrant farmworker parents
and the schooling of their children?
•b) What are the visions, contexts, and historical trends
that promote leadership development and increased
participation among migrant farmworkers as it relates to
their process of educational partnership with schools?
P. Jasis & A. Gonzalez, 2016

5. Key Concepts
Respeto (Valdés, 1996): respect,
mutually inclusive and
healthier relationships
between schools and families.
Empowerment (Cruickshank, 1999): “Beginning when
people change their ideas about the causes of their powerlessness, when they
recognize the systematic forces that oppress them and act to change the
conditions of their lives.” (Cruickshank, p. 70)
Testimonios: (Beverley, 2005). Examines historical junctures and social
transformations through the narratives of historically oppressed individuals and
communities as they challenge their subaltern positioning.
Grammar of Democracy (Lichterman, 1996) Inclusive ways of
participation, self determination, leadership development.
Community of Memory (Bellah, 1985): Archive of lived experiences andP. Jasis & A. Gonzalez, 2016

6. Methods/Data Analysis(2016)
•Action Research
• Participant observation
• Purposeful Sampling
•Participatory Interviews: Individuals/ Small
Groups
•Applied Notions:
a) Testimonios (Beverley, 2005) seen as
encapsulating larger socio-historical
themes,
b) Life histories as “global constructions
defining present & future” (Kohli &
Bertaux, 1984),
c) Communities articulating own
“grammars of democracy” (Lichterman, 1996;
Osterling, 2001)
P. Jasis & A. Gonzalez, 2016

7. Service and Empowerment
SERVICE:
• The act, manner or right of “serving”, to “provide”,
“furnish”, “benefit”, “assist”, “duty”, “favor”
(Webster Dict., 2002)
EMPOWERMENTEMPOWERMENT::
• Challenges the basic power relationships in our society. It begins when
people change their ideas about the causes of their powerlessness, when they
recognize the systemic forces that oppress them and act to change the
conditions of their lives (Cruikshank, 1999)
–Ismael (Migrant Worker: …” some people believe that ‘being migrant’ is something ugly,
something inferior. In truth, being a migrant is a synonym of struggle. We are all migrants in
this life, and I say it with pride!”
P. Jasis & A. Gonzalez, 2016

8. MODEL OF SERVICE
.Jasis & A. Gonzalez, 2016

9. P. Jasis & A. Gonzalez, 2016
MODEL OF
EMPOWERMENT

10. Findings: Migrant Parents’ Voices
Leotilda: “we are active mothers, the teachers already know us,
that way we create the triangle we are looking for: parents,
teachers, and students.”
Nora: “I have grown as a person and as an active mom, and my
self-esteem has increased, especially now that I have a child with
special needs and the services we fight for are very important”.
Mr. Beraja: “how is your teacher talking to you? Are you
learning? What did you learn today?” And some of the same
questions we need to ask from the teachers, we need to be
involved all the time and always communicate with teachers. They
need to know we are here for them too!”
Alexa: “My main motivation to participate in the program are my
children and my family, but I also do it for myself because I want
them to follow my example! That’s why I am now studying to obtain
my GED and get ready for my job training. In reality, we are the
change!
Nelly: “in the migrant program all parents have a common goal: to
see our children as accomplished individuals, es que en la
familia está nuestra fuerza (our family is our strength)!”
P. Jasis & A. Gonzalez, 2016

11. Findings: Teachers’ Voices
Mrs. Díaz: “I am developing relationships with migrant
families, now they are very open with me, they are not afraid to
talk to me, and having that openness is very important!”.
Mr. Solórzano: “Migrant parents want their kids to succeed,
but if the communication goes through the kids, it is just not
enough; it doesn’t work…we need new strategies to reach out
to these families”.
Mr. García: “We need more communication with the families,
we need to be informed about PTA or parent council meetings,
so we can communicate the information to migrant families.
When we plan activities for migrant families we need to provide
transportation, since many of the families live in far away
areas, or maybe it would be better to take the activities where
they live.”
Mr. Prado: “I know they want to support their kids, but at
times they don’t know how! To me the main issue is to start
earlier talking about expectations, and provide the specific
services that are individual to each of their kids!”
P. Jasis & A. Gonzalez, 2016

12. Conclusion & Recommendations I
• Empowerment is a process by which individuals
and communities gain mastery over their lives
(Rappaport, 1984). In this context, migrant parents
clearly understand the value of education as the
central tool for their children’s empowerment.
• Migrant families strive to establish an inclusive, balanced and
positive relationship with the schools their children attend.
• Migrant families are an example in resiliency, possess a strong sense
of hope for a better future, and an ongoing commitment to community
and family values of solidarity and inner strength.
• Active migrant parents understand their advocacy efforts as critical in
ensuring that other migrant families receive the information to support
their own children. They see themselves as organizing and educating
agents for the migrant community at large.
• Migrant parents believe that all teachers needed to be aware of the
pressures farmworker families endure, but also to recognize their
family-based resilience and their hope in a better educational future for
their children
P. Jasis & A. Gonzalez, 2016

13. Conclusion & Recommendations II
• Strengthen procedures towards earlier identification of migrant
children to establish dialogue and firm partnerships with families to
provide inclusive interventions and support.
• Identify WITH the families their logistical strengths and needs, such
as transportation, translation, childcare, inclusive meetings.
• Promote and support the local work of Migrant Education Program
(MEP), particularly on areas of self-government, parent leadership
development and effective communication.
• Facilitate strong partnerships with community-based organizations
working on housing, employment, immigration, counseling and
employment rights.
• Promote the hiring of school liaisons, as well a teachers and para-
professionals, who come from migrant backgrounds. Provide
workshops on migrant education for school personnel.