The Role of Chinese LanguageHeritage Schools in the  Empowerment of Children & Youth of Immigrant Parents

Ricardo D. Stanton-Salazar, Ph.D. University of Southern California Los Angeles, California

Chinese Americans Today

Early Chinese Immigration

1860s: Building the Railroad

Guangdong Province

Chinese Exclusion Act: 1882

Stressors associated with Migration

lack of knowledge of host culture and language barriers challenges of learning new processes and customs separation from extended family isolation of elders in the home difficulty in establishing new family/ peer supports loss of social support from friendship network in home country economic uncertainties [for many] downward social mobility, barriers in accessing health services climatic and food changes discrimination and prejudice by mainstream population changing gender roles and marital conflict: Domestic violence exposure to violence, crime, and gangs in high-poverty neighborhood

When you are at home, you depend on family. When you are abroad, you depend on your friends.

Latino Students in the U.S.

Chinese Students in the U.S.

Pierre Bourdieu

Connec(ons

Definitions
Social Capital: resources and opportunities that come to us through connections or relationships with resource-ful individuals Institutional Agents: those individuals, well positioned in the schools and other institutions, who have the capacity and commitment to provide us with:
valued resources and opportunities, and

with connections to other key & resourceful individuals

Institutional Support

e.g., Funds of Knowledge

Social Capital II

.entails those integrative properties of certain communities institutions, and networks:

trust, [ethnic] solidarity, enforceable norms, and reciprocity

Chinese Language/Heritage Schools

As a 2004, 645 schools have been established across 47 states, enrolling approximately . 100,000 students

Ac#vi#es
Chinese-language classes Classic Chinese painting and calligraphy Handicraft, origami, Chorus, band, Dancing, Abacus, Martial arts, Pin pong, tennis, and basketball.

ACADEMICS
academic tutoring classes, such as math, English reading comprehension, English composition, and SAT subject test preparation.

Underlying Objectives of Schools

to reinforce ethnic culture, heritage, and Chinese identity, to help U.S.-born or U.S. raised children integrate into mainstream American society to provide a wide range of tangible supplementary (rather than competing) services to help children do well in regular schools and ultimately gain admission into prestigious colleges.

 nonfamily adult agents in the social development, school achievement, and social mobility of adolescents

 talented individuals embedded in interpersonal and informal networks, citizen associations, private businesses, government agencies, business associations, non-profit organizations, social service organizations, formal and informal athletic and recreational associations, and formal public institutions (e.g., schools, colleges, libraries, and parks).

Multiple Functions of Chinese Language/Heritage Schools

A. Relationships with institutional agents (teachers, school counselors, business leaders, community leaders, other professionals) B. Pro-academic peer network (friends) C. College Preparation D. Community Service E. Advocacy

Informal Functions of Chinese Language/Heritage Schools

1) child-care 2) Building new community 3) People of different social class & English proficiency mix 4)Social Capital 5) Opportunities for adults to serve as institutional agents for youth and other adults

We hang out here and participate in a variety of things that we organize for ourselves, including dancing, fitness exercise, seminars on the stock market, family financial management, and childrens college prep. I kind of look forward to going to the Chinese school on Saturdays because that is the only time we can socialize with our own people in our native language.

WHY ARE CHINESE IMMIGRANT ENCLAVES ABLE TO PROVIDE A SYSTEM OF SUPPORT THAT MANY OTHER IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES CAN NOT?

Human, cultural, and economic capital

1) [today in the U.S.] about 65% of the foreignborn Chinese between the ages of 25 and 34 hold a college degree 2) and 91% have a high school diploma.

Human, cultural, and economic capital

1) Chinese businesses (entrepreneurship) 2) Ethnic organizations 3) Chinese Language/Heritage Schools 4) Chinese-language media: television, radio, & newspapers

Entrepreneurship

Preserving Chinese Language in the US ?????

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