Emigrant Expectations Versus Immigrant Realities

This research study examines how Haitian students §adjust and achieve in a public high school setting. §Most often, the students are products of an§educational system that, according to historical§accounts, has not systematically educated children. §Research reveals that some Haitian students have not§had stable, developmental educational experiences. §As these learners enroll in American schools,§particularly at the secondary level, several§obstacles await students and educators alike. For§Haitian learners, issues related to ethnic identity,§and sociocultural and linguistic differences,§oftentimes threaten learning and achievement. §Familial expectations that were formulated before the§migratory process are diminished by the challenges of§acclimatization and the inability of school systems§to accommodate their learning needs. Utilizing§interviews, observations, and the interpretation of§previous and current school records as primary data§sources, a case study of Haitian students §experiences was constructed. Based on the findings,§implications for educational leadership, policy§development, teacher training, and programmatic§initiatives are offered.