(1982). Our Neighbors North and South: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Teaching about Canada and Mexico.
Social studies and foreign language teachers can use these two units to teach sixth-grade students about the cultures of Canada and Mexico. The units focus on the traditions, customs, and languages of the two countries. Each unit includes a rationale statement and description, a listing of goals and objectives, learning activities, addresses to write to for information, and a bibliography of print and nonprint resources. In the unit on Canada, which stresses the threat to the nation of the separatist movement, students trace the development of the French language by reading two articles from "National Geographic," learn the Canadian national anthem, make Canadian desserts for a class buffet (recipes are provided), compare U.S. and Canadian holidays, read books and view media, and participate in class discussions to learn about the Canadian government, geography, and culture. In the unit on Mexico, students read and discuss magazine articles, read a legend, describing how…
(1986). Immigration to the United States from Latin America: Past and Present. The Latin American Project: Volume 1, No. 4.
Immigration legislation in the United States is aimed primarily at Mexican migrants, who account for over half of all undocumented immigrants in the United States. Citizens of Central American and Caribbean countries contribute another 20%. The first section of this booklet traces the development of United States immigration legislation from the late 1800s to the present and examines its impact on immigration from Latin America and the Caribbean. Section two examines the peculiar symbiotic relationship between Mexican labor and American business that developed in the American Southwest during the 34-year rule of Mexican President Porfirio Diaz (1876-1910). The bracero program is also discussed at some length. Section three presents four interviews with undocumented immigrants from Mexico, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. The interviews include information about why the immigrants left their home countries, how they entered the United States, what type of work they do, what…
(1985). Chicanos: A Checklist of Current Materials, No. 2, July-December 1985.
This bibliography of 148 new titles in the Coleccion Tloque Nahuaque contains materials for and about Hispanic Americans, particularly Mexican Americans. The largest subject divisions are literature with 24 titles, bilingual education with 18, and history with 15. Other subject areas include agricultural labor, anthropology, art, bibliographies, border studies, constitutional history and administration, cookery, dictionaries, economics, education, emigration and immigration, film, folklore, guides and directories, language, library science, media, mental health, religion, sociology, Chicano theater, U.S.-Mexico relations, and women. Entries in Spanish as well as English are included. (SV)…
(1980). Multicultural Awareness for the Classroom: The Mexicans. DORT Ethnic Literacy Project. ESAA Basic Project.
This guide provides the teacher of multi-ethnic students with information and teaching resources on Mexican people. The content of the instructional materials and lessons in the guide reinforce the reading skills included in the Detroit Objective Referenced Tests. Mexican history, holidays, food, culture, and immigration to the United States are reviewed. Lesson plans focusing on the Mexican flag, geography, and holidays, and food are provided. In addition, a list of prominent Mexican-Americans is included. The guide concludes with a bibliography on Mexico and Mexican-Americans. (APM)…
(1974). Toward Improved U.S. Immigration and International Education Programs. Preliminary Draft.
Against the policy purposes of the U.S. immigration and international education programs, this report examines several problem areas selected on the basis of their significant relevance to: (1) U.S. foreign policy, (2) congressional interest or concern, recommendations advanced. Problem areas include: (1) foreign and exchange students, (2) brain drains and overflows, (3) illegal aliens and legitimate refugees, and (4) special Mexico/U.S.A. considerations. The paper is designed primarily as a stimulator and reference guide for policy makers and practitioners, and for those who influence them. (Author/PC)… [PDF]
(1971). A Documentary History of the Mexican Americans.
A documentary history of the Mexican Americans from 1536 to 1970 is presented in this book consisting of 65 documents arranged chronologically and divided into 5 main chapters that deal with the periods of (1) the Spanish rule, (2) Mexico's rule over the Southwest, (3) the Anglo American take-over of the Southwest and its integration into the society and economy of the United States, (4) the Mexican immigration to the United States during 1911-1939, and (5) the reawakening of La Raza from 1940 to 1970. (NQ)…
(1996). Fresno in Transition: Urban Impacts of Rural Migration. Working Paper No. 26.
This paper examines the social and economic impacts of Mexican immigration on Fresno (California). Since the early 1980s, immigration to California has been dominated by illegal immigrants from rural Mexico seeking agricultural jobs in rural California. This rural migration impacts urban centers in agricultural regions; these impacts lag the dramatic and obvious effects on rural communities and are primarily the result of movement of second-generation immigrants to urban areas. Data for Fresno and Fresno County are presented on population growth and trends, ethnic composition, employment, unemployment, income, poverty rates, ethnic groups in the school population, limited English proficiency among students, and welfare recipients. Intensive family interviews with farmworkers who had received legalized status during 1986 immigration reforms found that few had moved into nonagricultural jobs, pursued formal education or other training, or acquired fluency in English. Their children,… [PDF]
(2006). Making It in America: Social Mobility in the Immigrant Population. Future of Children, v16 n2 p55-71 Fall
In his survey of research on social mobility and U.S. immigration, George Borjas underscores two insights. First, most immigrants are at a sizable earnings disadvantage, relative to nativeborn workers. Second, the earnings of different groups of immigrants vary widely. The children of immigrants "catch up" to native-born workers slowly. The jump in relative wages between the first and second generations is somewhere between 5 and 10 percentage points. Of particular concern is that the age-adjusted relative wage of both immigrants and secondgeneration workers has been falling–a trend with bleak implications for the children of immigrants. The wide ethnic variation in the earnings of immigrants has equally important implications. National origin groups from advanced economies, such as Canada, do much better in the U.S. labor market than those from poorer countries, such as Mexico. And the initial ethnic differences tend to persist. In rough terms, about half of the… [PDF]
(2006). Dismantling the Imperialist Discourse Shadowing Mexican Immigrant Children. International Journal of Educational Policy, Research, and Practice: Reconceptualizing Childhood Studies, v7 n1 p35-48
This article unravels the political, public, and private discourse shadowing Mexican immigrants in the Southwestern U.S. The author illustrates how the dominant discourse with regard to immigration in the U.S. has led to the dehumanization of migrant people significantly impacting what occurs in their daily lives and directly influencing the perceptions of both policymakers and educators. Negative connotations are ascribed to the movement of people of color the moment they cross the border. The most rapidly increasing segment of the United States child population is immigrant children. Due to increased policy measures, economic downturn in Mexico, and the militarization of the border, many of these children are entering the U.S. undocumented. They must then attempt to integrate in a very similar manner to a refugee into a society where they are denied citizenship, where their culture and language have no value, and where their history is erased through a very colonizing educational… [PDF] [Direct]
(1997). Transnational or Immigrant Learners: Re-drawing the Boundaries of Socio-cultural Context in Understanding Adult Learning.
This paper examines the intersection where migration and adult learning converge, exploring how a transnational social context of living relates to adults' formal and informal learning experiences. In-depth life-history interviews were conducted with 29 adults participating in two social networks that link the central coast region of California with several areas in Mexico and an urban area in Honduras. Interviewees ranged in age from early 20s to early 80s and included immigrants to California, adult children of immigrants, and individuals in Mexico whose lives have been touched deeply by the migration of close family members and numerous community members. Interview excerpts form the basis of discussion about adult learning experiences in Mexico, decisions and preparations to migrate, the role of social networks and informal learning in the actual move north, formal education (language and citizenship classes) and informal socially based learning in California, and the formation… [PDF]
(1985). Hispanic-Americans and Business in the United States: Linking Up for a Stronger Future. Report of the Aspen Institute Conference "Hispanic-Americans and the Business Community" (Santa Barbara, CA, August 7-10, 1985).
In this report from the final session of a conference on Hispanic Americans and the business community, some general conclusions are presented. Participants, it is said, believed that the advancement of Hispanic-Americans in business depends on growing ties of mutual benefit between Hispanics and the general community. Despite the great attention paid to bilingual education, the most important educational concern of Hispanics is their high drop-out rate. Parents and businesses must work together to create educational environments that promote learning and keep students in school. Businesses, in particular, are encouraged to spend more time and capital on lobbying for public investment in education. Regarding the issue of immigration policy, the participants noted that, although Hispanic immigrants work at pay levels that no one else would accept, they often support marginal businesses that would otherwise fail. The immigration authorities must work to control illegal immigration….
(1987). Chicanos: A Checklist of Current Materials. Nos. 1-2, January-December, 1987.
This bibliography of 369 new titles in the Coleccion Tloque Nahuaque contains materials for and about Hispanic Americans, particularly Mexican Americans. The largest subject divisions are literature with 70 titles, history with 61, economics with 44, and education with 27. Other subject areas include animal husbandry, anthropology, art, arts and crafts, bibliographies, border studies, citizenship, communications, cookery, emigration and immigration, folklore, genealogy, guides and directories, health care, Mexican history, international law, language, law, literary history, Mexican literature, mental health, military science, music, political parties, political science, psychology, recreation, religion, science, sociology, theater, theology, U.S.-Mexico relations, and women. (SV)…
(1971). Chicanos: Mexicans in the United States. A Stepping-Stone Book.
Written for second and third grade children, the book gives an account of Chicanos in the United States. Beginning with the Mayas, Toltecs, and Aztecs, it explains the history of Mexico, the Spanish conquest, and the northward movement of the \Mestizos\. Subsequent chapters detail the immigration movement across the Rio Grande in search of work. Most of the immigrants at that time became migrant farm workers. A description of a migrant labor camp is given, and an explanation of urban \barrios\. Chicano culture, the advantages of bilingualism, cultural discrimination, famous Chicanos today, and important contributions to American culture are also covered. (KM)…
(2002). Schooling in Mexico: A Brief Guide for U.S. Educators. ERIC Digest.
Teachers in U.S. schools affected by Mexican immigration need to understand immigrants' prior school experiences when planning lessons and delivering instruction. Mexico requires education through grade 9 and has nearly reached its goal of providing facilities for all school-age children. There are vast differences between rural and urban educational experiences, and grade repetition and dropout rates are high. Rural communities, especially those of Indigenous people where Spanish is a second language, have high rates of poverty, and children often drop out to work. The grading scale in Mexico is commonly 1-10, and examinations are given 5 times a year, with a national examination at the end of the school year. Tests must cover the national curriculum. Practical notes for teachers in the United States cover Mexican schools' lack of ability grouping, greater focus on art, shorter school days, and more informal classroom life. Three resources are given for connecting Mexican and… [PDF]
(1997). Immigration and the Family: Research and Policy on U.S. Immigrants.
In 1994, the U.S. population included an estimated 22.6 million immigrants, over one fourth of whom were from Mexico. Family networks play a crucial role in immigration. Based on a national symposium, this book includes 15 chapters that examine the role of the family in international immigration and the impact of migration on families and children. Initial chapters address broad trends in the origins and types of immigrants to the United States; the diverse family patterns of immigrants; and implications for human, social, and political capital. Part 2 looks at the experiences of immigrant children and families and the impact of migration on child and adolescent development and on family structure and processes. The final chapters focus on U.S. immigration and immigrant policies, as well as potential effects of proposed changes in welfare policies. Chapters are: (1) "Ties That Bind: Immigration and Immigrant Families in the United States" (Ruben G. Rumbaut); (2)…