Children of Migrant Workers: Exploring the Issues

Lynne Bercaw, Susan Colby, Linda Pacifici, Sandra Oldendorf, Robin Groce, and Eric Groce

After a long, hard, and hot day in the field, under the implacable rays of the Father of Life, my muscles ache and my bones hurt and crack as though they were crystals breaking. I’m dirty, thirsty, and hungry. My body is so tired and sore that I fear it might crumble like an old building being torn down.

Oritz, in S. B. Atkin, ed., Voices from the Fields. Scholastic

The topic of migrant workers is either an “undocumented commonplace among headlines in the worker” or an “illegal alien.”) the emigration of one million Mexican national news, but such workers have We define a “migrant worker” as a workers and their families across the been part of the United States economy person who moves (within a country or border. Today, immigrants (legal and for at least seventy-five years, as can be across borders) in order to find employ- undocumented) from Mexico number seen in decades of enrollment records ment. Often, migrant workers follow sea- about 20 million.4 in K-12 schools.1 Migrant students have sonal jobs, like harvesting crops. Many been, until recent years, a concern for migrant workers in the United States Challenge and Change schools closest to the US-Mexican bor- today are immigrants from Mexico. The opening quote hints at the physical der, but children of migrant workers are The first wave of immigration from hardships that migrant workers com- now part of the social fabric across the Mexico began with the Mexican monly endured. The language barrier; country—there are almost one million in Revolution from 1910-1930. The harsh segregation in housing and education; our schools today.2 economic conditions and severe political lower wages; extremely difficult physical Teachers can help their students, both unrest at that time left all but the wealthi- labor; and other prejudicial hardships migrant and non-migrant, understand est Mexicans desperate for a new life. conflicted with the dream of a new and the experiences of this ever-growing Initially, many of these Mexican more prosperous life. Each wave of immi- population, and thus aid in disman- immigrants took jobs working for the grants across the decades has confronted tling stereotypes and building a stronger railroad, in mining camps, and on farms, the challenge of acculturation: learning democratic citizenry. especially in the Southwestern United about the culture, language, values, and First, we must define a few terms.3 For States. The Great Depression and traditions of the majority. At the same the purposes of classroom discussion, drought left many Americans homeless, time, immigrants introduce elements of we define an “immigrant” as any person both immigrants and U.S-born citizens, their culture of origin to their new com- who has come to the United States from forcing them to migrate from place to munity. another country. (Depending on where place, seeking work in the fields harvest- Mexican immigrants began organiz- the speaker stands on the controversial ing crops. ing to obtain the same opportunities issue of immigration, one who enters the During World War II, demands for as mainstream Americans (for educa- United States without permission from factory laborers along with a rapidly tion, voting rights, and employment) the federal government could be called growing U.S. agricultural industry fueled in 1929, when The League of United

Social Studies and the Young Learner Latin American Citizens was founded that is alive and relevant to children and Core Literature in Texas. Since then, many organizations their world. For example, stereotypes We chose relevant, quality literature that have worked to improve the process of can be deconstructed when students was appropriate to the theme and level integration into mainstream American are immersed in personal stories and of reading difficulty. We used a variety society and influence public policy. facts that accurately portray a specific of sources in selecting books.7 Prominent figures and organizations culture. For this unit, we chose Esperanza include: Cesar Chavez and the United This unit aligns with the curricular Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan as the pri- Farm Workers, the Chicano Movement, thematic strand Culture; Time, mary text. This novel chronicles the life the Mexican American Youth Organi Continuity, and Change; and of Esperanza, a young girl whose father zation, the Mexican American Legal People, Places, and Environments.5 is an affluent rancher in Mexico. In a Defense and Education Fund, and the In addition, this unit is aligned with tragic series of events, Esperanza’s family National Council of La Raza. goals outlined in many state curricula. loses everything, and she and her mother The growing number of Mexicans For instance, in North Carolina, it aligns migrate to the United States in hopes of entering the United States as undocu- with fifth grade social studies curricu- escaping dire poverty. Here, Esperanza mented workers is an increasingly con- lum goals: experiences the harsh circumstances troversial issue. • The learner will apply key geo- of migrant workers as they follow the graphic concepts to the United harvest. During her personal journey of Current Issues States and other countries of self-understanding, she transforms from With this increasing immigrant popula- North America. a comfortable rancher’s daughter to a tion, issues arise from conflicting politi- • The learner will analyze political strong independent woman. cal, religious, economic, and ideological and social institutions in North There are several other novels that points of view. U.S. legislation has, over America and examine how these can be used for literature circles. The the years, alternately helped or hindered institutions respond to human Circuit is an autobiographical account of opportunities for immigrants to work and needs, structure society, and influ- a migrant family as they move from one become citizens. For example, in 1986 ence behavior. labor camp to another harvesting crops. the Immigration Reform and Control • The learner will examine the roles Francisco Jimenez, the author, describes Act, also known as the Amnesty Act, various ethnic groups have played his experiences as a member of a migrant provided opportunities for some illegal in the development of the United worker family and his struggles to assim- immigrants to become permanent legal States and its neighboring coun- ilate into school. In Spirits of the High residents, while also limiting the num- tries. Mesa, the reader learns of Flavio and bers of new immigrants coming into the • The learner will trace key devel- his attempts to balance his native home United States. In the 1990s the U.S. gov- opments in United States history life with the modern world. My Name is ernment instituted Operation Hold the and describe their impact on the Maria Isabel is an account of a young girl Line and Operation Gatekeeper, among land and people of the nation and whose classroom teacher naively tries to other programs, to slow the influx of its neighboring countries.6 change her student’s name to “Mary.” immigrants and tighten border security. The policy controversies surrounding Picture Books the lives of the migrant workers and their Picture books can be used to families continue today. further students’ understanding of the people, places, and issues An Integrated Unit of Study in the unit. In Harvesting Hope, This unit of study integrates language the reader follows the life story arts and social studies for the fifth grade of Cesar Chavez, learning of his classroom. It explores the issues faced commitment to raise the quality of by children of migrant workers through life for the migrant worker. In Going various literature, both fiction and non- Home, Carlos and his family return fiction, historical and contemporary. to their native Mexico for Christmas. History is about significant issues and The reader follows the family as the questions that involve people, their cul- generational differences unfold dur- tures, and their choices in the past and ing the course of the trip. in the present. Using literature to talk about the past and social-cultural issues Nonfiction moves social studies from the study of Nonfiction resources provide back dates, names and places to something ground information for this unit. These

Joe Cepeda/Scholastic November/December 2006 resources provide factual information neither a city nor a town. It was a lowing questions: and authentic perspectives to the les- farm worker labor camp owned by • What are the challenges that a child sons. Nonfiction books for this unit Sheehey Strawberry Farms. Tent of a migrant worker encounters include two compilations of autobio- City had no address; it was simply given this family value? graphical accounts and two nonfiction known as rural Santa Maria. It was • How has this value changed across texts. Voices from the Fields: Children on Main Street, about ten miles east generations? of Migrant Farmworkers Tell Their of the center of town. A half a mile • What will this value mean for a new Story and We are Americans: Voices east of it were hundreds of acres of generation of sons and daughters of the Immigrant Experience offer an strawberries cultivated by Japanese educated in America? insider’s view of the immigrant experi- sharecroppers and harvested by • Compare and contrast this family ence. The Mexican Americans and The people from the camp. Behind Tent value with your family values. Mexicans provide juvenile readers with City was dry wilderness and a mile the historical and contemporary context north of it was the city dump. Many Literature Circles for this unit, covering a variety of topics of the residents in the camp were After reading Esperanza Rising as a in a child-friendly format. The Mexicans, single men, most of whom, like us, whole class, form literature circles based a book for more advanced readers, is a had crossed the border illegally. on students’ interests and abilities using series of edited pieces on topics such as There were a few single women and one or more of the novels and informa- the American Southwest as a cultural a few families, all Mexican. tional texts described above. Literature extension of Mexico; immigration and circles allow a small group of students assimilation; struggles and successes; and • What are the working conditions for to discuss a piece of literature in depth. profiles of Mexican Americans. Several migrant workers? Use excerpts from Students become critical thinkers as they informative websites can also be used the book you are reading to provide engage in an ongoing dialogue about the in this unit.8 evidence for your description. book. For this strategy, teachers often • How do these conditions compare provide prompts to spark discussion. Whole-group Reading to the conditions experienced by Information on how to conduct litera- To begin the unit, Esperanza Rising is other American families? ture circles as well as models, prompts, read and discussed with the guidance • What are the problems that migrant and printable copies of “role sheets” are of the teacher. The teacher can choose to workers and their children face? readily available.11 read this novel aloud, have students read • Using samples of news headlines By reading and discussing these novels the book in pairs, or assign sections for provided by the teacher, list some and texts in the literature circle, students independent reading, providing support of the key issues involved in the are able to more intimately construct a for various reading abilities. Generally, debate regarding undocumented rich understanding of the issues facing the reading this novel as a class takes immigrants and migrant workers. children of migrant workers. In addition, between 5-10 days. As students read and • What are the views of Americans the teacher has an opportunity to expand respond to Esperanza Rising, teachers towards migrant workers? Toward upon prompts with in-depth discussion. can focus on comprehension, compar- undocumented workers? Are these The first day of the literature circle ing and contrasting, detecting cause and perceptions based on stereotypes? begins with the teacher establishing effect, and other English/language arts Critique these views based on your the broad historical context in which objectives. From a social studies per- knowledge of our current situation. the novel takes place. Prompts used in spective, Esperanza Rising provides a Use a variety of resources (websites, the literature circles could be used with foundation for exploring the issues faced news articles, etc.) to support your any selected novel and informational by the children of migrant workers and critique. text. For example, after students read their families. The following questions the first section of their novel and the and suggestions might guide discussion One value that is held in high esteem appropriate sections of their informa- and further study before, during, and by many Mexican farm workers is loy- tional texts, they could respond to the after reading. alty to the family. Family members are following prompts: • Read the following quote from The expected to help each other, to sacrifice • What is the historical context of the Circuit. Using this excerpt and oth- for the good of the entire family, even book you are reading? Describe ers you have found in Esperanza when the cost to the individual is great.10 how you know this using informa- Rising, describe the living condi- For example, the main source of income tion/text from the book. tions in migrant camps9: for many poor families in rural Mexico • Read the nonfiction book that accom- is the wage of a relative working in the panies your historical fiction selec- We called it Tent City. Everybody United States. With this point in mind, tion. Write down a few facts or ideas called it Tent City, although it was students can try responding to the fol- that you learned from your reading

10 Social Studies and the Young Learner that you would like to discuss with your reading and record the page it will become clear to the students that your group. Explain how these number. Describe why you selected some letters of the alphabet have not insights further your understanding each passage. been used (probably X, Y, Z, and a few of the novel you are reading. others). Challenge students to turn to the Response activities in the fourth Spanish section of the dictionary and Additionally, each day students and fifth days are based on revisiting look for words that complete the missing respond to the following prompts. Their the questions discussed for the novel parts of their ABC book. Can students written responses can be used later in the Esperanza Rising. The teacher may ask creatively relate these new words to the unit to create two timelines: each literature circle group to focus on book they have just read? Words from • Record the important historical a different set of questions or may select one group’s bilingual ABC book, based events that you learned about from the same questions for the entire class. on Esperanza Rising, included your nonfiction selection. For example, a teacher wishing to con- E - esperanza, hope • Record the important historical tinue exploring stereotypes may ask stu- G - gato pequeno, kitten events that you learned about from dents to respond to the following prompt, I - immigracion, immigration your novel. which applies to Esperanza Rising: V - viaje, journey or voyage • What are the views of Americans On the second day, students make towards migrant workers? The students’ finished ABC book connections with their personal lives When discussing these views, the should contain one letter per page, with and the lives of the characters portrayed teacher can mention the wide range of both Spanish and English words. If there in the novel. This is an opportunity for public opinions on these matters today. is time, students can draw an illustration students from various backgrounds and During the fourth and fifth days, ask for each word. experiences to contribute to the discus- students to create one timeline based on sion. Numerous personal accounts may the important events in their novel, and A Suitcase for Necessities be gathered from the informational a second timeline (covering the same The culminating project for social studies texts, or teachers may wish to use (after years) based on the historical events is an adaptation of suitcase geography.13 a careful reading) websites where chil- outlined in their nonfiction sources. To prepare for this activity, the teacher dren of migrant workers have written Creating timelines in the fourth, fifth, has assembled artifacts and other materi- their stories.12 and sixth grades is useful in showing als from a particular region, country, or Students respond to the following trends in human experience, causes and city (from anywhere in the world) and prompts: effects, and eras and their characteristics. placed them in a suitcase. These items • What personal connections did you Ask students from each literature circle may include books, musical instruments, make with your book so far? Did group to discuss their novel and what plants, photos, and other artifacts from it make you think of anything hap- they have learned, and to share their that place. The teacher asks the students pening in the news, around school, timelines with the class. to guess where he or she has visited and or in your life? If so, describe the records their responses. Students exam- event. A,B,C in Spanish ine each artifact, passing them around • Describe challenges your main There are two culminating activities that one at a time. The class then engages in character is facing in your book. could be used with this unit: a bilingual discussion centered on questions such What types of support did he/she ABC book, which emphasizes language as: What do you think you are holding? have? arts skills, and a “suitcase geography” Describe what you have. What do you • Go online and explore one website presentation, which emphasizes social think it is used for? Where do you think discussed in class. Look for inter- studies skills. it is from and why? Is it like anything we esting information, ideas, and/or For the first activity, students create a have in our country or region? compelling contributions. Share bilingual ABC book based on the core Now invite students to turn to the this information with your group. reading. Their finished book will feature situation of an emigrant leaving Mexico. Be sure to note your sources. Spanish words in alphabetical order. What might one take if he or she were Ask students to review the core novel emigrating to the United States? The On the third day, students select and select one or more key words for teacher may engage the students in a specific passages that are meaningful, each chapter. A key word would remind prioritizing activity, referring back to surprising, or even troubling. Students the reader of important events or experi- Esperanza Rising, at the point when the respond to the following prompts: ences in that chapter. Then they can use girl and her mother leave Mexico bring- • Write a summary of your reading English/Spanish dictionaries to translate ing only what they could carry. Students selection. each word into Spanish. could discuss the value—functional, • Select three favorite passages from After translating twenty words or so, monetary, aesthetic, and personal—of

November/December 2006 11 bringing certain artifacts. Notes Having seen the teacher’s model of 1. B. Bloom, The Mexican Americans (San Diego: Thomson-Gale, 2004). suitcase geography, students in their 2. Theresa Mendez, “Changing Schools with the various literature circle groups can Seasons,” The Christian Science Monitor (February now create their own collection, gath- 15, 2005). 3. The Federation for American Immigration Reform ering items such as money, a favor- has a useful glossary at www.fairus.org. ite toy, seeds from a favorite flower, 4. Yearbook of Immigration Statistics 2005, www.uscis. photos of family members staying gov/graphics/shared/statistics/publications/ILL_PE_ 2005.pdf. behind, a favorite book, a musical 5. National Council for the Social Studies, Expectations instrument, and so forth. Students of Excellence: Curriculum Standards for Social then engage their classmates in a Studies (Washington, DC: NCSS, 1994). 6. North Carolina content standards, www. discussion around these items, ask- ncpublicschools.org/curriculum. ing their peers questions similar to 7. Sources include the National Council for the Social Studies’ Notable Trade Books for Young People those the teacher has asked. This is (www.socialstudies.org/resources/notable/). an ideal opportunity for any chil- 8. League of United Latin American Citizens, www. dren who emigrated from another lulac.org; National Council of La Raza, www.nclr.org, and The Human Rights of Migrant Workers, www. country to talk about their experi- pdhre.org/rights/migrants.html. ences, if they wish. 9. F. Jimenez, The Circuit (Albuquerque, NM: Literature groups share the University of New Mexico Press, 1997), 27. 10. S. B. Atkin, Voices from the Fields (Boston, MA: Joy bilingual ABC books and the suit- Street Books, 1993). Lucent Books case geography projects with the rest of 11. www.allamericareads.org/lessonplan/strategies/ the class during the last two days of the during/litcirc1.htm and www.litcircles.org. 12. For example, Migrant Workers’ Children at users.owt. Books for Students unit. com/rpeto/migrant/migrant.html Core Literature This unit celebration is a time for stu- 13. S. B. Oldendorf, “Suitcase Geography,” Tar Heel Ada, F. A. My Name is Maria Isabel. New York: dents to share what they have learned News (Winter, 2005):12-13. Atheneum Books, 1993. Jimenez, F. The Circuit. Albuquerque, NM: University about children of migrant workers: their of New Mexico Press, 1997. values, their way of life, and the issues Lynne Bercaw is an associate professor in the Ryan, P. M. Esperanza Rising. New York: Scholastic, they face while living in the United Department of Education at California State 2000. University-Chico. Susan Colby is an assistant Martinez, F. Spirits of the High Mesa. Houston,TX: Arte States. professor, Linda Pacifici an associate professor, Publico Press, 1997. Sandra Oldendorf an associate professor, Conclusion Robin Groce an assistant professor, and Eric Groce an assistant professor, all in the Picture Books Through the integration of children’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Bunting, E. Going Home. New York: Harper Collins, literature with social studies content, stu- 1996. Appalachian State University in Boone, North Krull, K. Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez. dents can begin to see the world through Carolina. San Diego, CA: Harcourt. 2003. experiences outside of their own. The stories of both fictional characters and Nonfiction real people draw students into the lives Atkin, S. B. Voices from the Fields. Boston, MA: Joy of others. Teaching about the children of Street Books, 1993. Bloom, B. The Mexican Americans. San Diego, CA: migrant workers using engaging stories Thomson-Gale, 2004 based on real historical and contem- Hoobler, D. and Hoobler, T. We are Americans: Voices porary events will help children make of the Immigrant Experience. New York: Scholastic, 2003. personal connections to the past, to other Powell, J. Encyclopedia of North American Immigration. cultures, and to the world as it exists New York, New York: Facts on File, 2005. today. These experiences can help dispel Shane, C. J., ed. The Mexicans. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2005 stereotypical perceptions of children of migrant workers. References for Teachers Hoone, C. J. “Teaching Timelines to Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Graders,” Social Studies and the Young Learner 2, no. 2 (1989): 13-15. Levstik. L. S. & Barton, K. C. Doing History. Mohwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2001.

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