This book examines oral and written communicative practices of a binational network of Mexican immigrants in Chicago and their relatives and friends remaining in three rural Mexican towns. The book's primary goals are to demonstrate the richness of the linguistic and cultural resources available to adult Mexicanos and to provide a basis for…

This book examines the experiences of four Mexican children in American middle schools struggling to learn English. It discusses policy and instructional dilemmas surrounding English language education for immigrant children. Using analysis of the children's oral and written language and examination of their classrooms, schools, and communities,…

For over a decade, Latino immigrants, especially those of Mexican origin, have been at the heart of the immigration debate and have borne the brunt of conservative populism. Contributing factors to the public reaction to immigrants in general and Latinos specifically include the sheer size of recent immigration, the increasing prevalence of…

This book is an ethnohistorical and ethnographic account of how several generations of Mexican immigrants became an integral part of the city of Woodland, California. These immigrants came to rural northern California as underclass agricultural workers, but, in the last 2 decades, have risen rapidly to political power through participation in the…

In the summer of 1972, selected experts on Mexican American affairs attended a conference at Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies in Colorado. Sponsored by the Weatherhead Foundation, the conference dealt with the educational and economic perspectives of the Mexican Americans in the Southwest. The conference's objective was to convert the papers…

This book reports on a 3-year ethnographic study of academic achievement and schooling orientations among immigrant Mexican and Mexican American students at a Houston (Texas) high school. The study included a survey of the entire student body (2,281 students), participant observation in the school and community from 1992 to 1995, 25 open-ended…

This book presents an ethnography of community efforts in Carpinteria, California, to bridge ethnic differences, empower parents, and improve education for the town's diverse student population. Located on the central California coast south of Santa Barbara, Carpinteria has been home to generations of Mexican immigrants and their children. Over…

Many immigrant Latino families are settling in U.S. communities that previously had little Latino presence. Through case studies of such communities in Georgia, North Carolina, Maine, Colorado, Illinois, and Indiana, this book describes relations between host communities and newcomers, with particular focus on educational policy formation and…

The U.S.-Mexican border is an extensive geographical region that is socially and economically distinct from either the United States or Mexico. It has always been a multilingual and multicultural place. This book examines the social and cultural complexities of life in one small rural border town and its high school. Chapter 1 describes Havens,…

This book aims to provide a better understanding of Mexican American high school students and their struggles with ethnicity, Americanization, prejudice, schools, and life's purposes. In most Anglo minds, these students are characterized by exceptionally high dropout rates and poor school performance, without any explanation for this performance…

School systems in the United States are not serving Latino students well, especially those from low-income families. This book examines difficulties encountered by Mexican-origin students--one of the fastest growing minority groups--and describes why some schools fall short and how others have improved student outcomes. The focus throughout the…

This book presents a detailed study of the social support networks and help-seeking experiences of low-income Mexican-origin adolescents from immigrant families in the San Diego and San Francisco areas. Drawing on social network data, interviews, and statistical survey data, the book documents and elaborates on the numerous constraints and social…

This book includes 20 chapters that provide background on the historical and current context of U.S.-Mexico relations and education in Mexico, examine existing binational educational and health programs, and describe effective practices for teaching Mexican migrant and immigrant students and working with families from Mexico. Following a foreword…

Focusing on the ethnic identity and achievement motivation of adolescents, this book reports on a study of Mexican-origin and Anglo American adolescents and sets it in sociopolitical, theoretical, ethnohistorical, and demographic contexts. The opening chapters examine public malaise over immigration and ethnic diversification in the United States…

This book examines the education of Mexican Americans in the U.S. Southwest during the era of de jure segregation, 1900-50. The book focuses on the influence of the national political economy and the socioeconomic position of Mexican Americans as contributing factors to inequality in education. During the early 1900s, dynamic economic processes…