Five student-researchers and the author engaged in
a continually-evolving, student-driven qualitative
research study. Despite significant disadvantages,
including navigating a. foreign culture without speaking
the language, these invulnerable learners succeeded.
Ultimately of greatest interest to the six were an
analysis of their collective knowledge and experiences,
and their individual transformation over the course of
the study.
The findings are organized around emergent themes
and their evidence. Themes participants identified
include resilience, the Mexican family, teachers and
education, Mexican pride, and misconceptions about
Mexicans.
Resilience: A combination of personal resources
(e.g., resilience) and environmental resources helped
student participants to feel cared about, supported,
and significant in school. Schools, as external
mediators, were critical environmental resources in
alleviating negative effects of student participants'
stress.
Family: Families, especially participants' parents,
were their greatest source of motivation, inspiration,
and support. The five student participants' concluded
that the best means of promoting the ability to avoid
problems is to instill in children early on a strong,
non-negotiable value system.
Teachers and Education: Participants and their
families viewed education, and related necessary
sacrifices, as key to success in this country. Academic
frustrations included often-unchallenging curricula,
isolation in the English as a Second Language program,
and being treated as "less than" by teachers and peers.
Pride in Being Mexican: The five expressed strong
pride in being Mexican, and chose to demonstrate this
through showing the dominant culture that Mexicans are
capable, intelligent, hard-working people. Participants
were also committed to serving as role models and
counselors to those struggling as they had.
Misconceptions about Mexicans: Interdependence,
generosity, altruism, and camaraderie are attributes
highly valued among most Mexican individuals.
Misconceptions about Mexicans abound and are
exacerbated by the American media. / Graduation date: 2000
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/34181 |
| Date | 28 March 2000 |
| Creators | Temes, Carla A. |
| Contributors | Suzuki, Warren N. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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