Highest Aspirations

How are the challenges and experiences of English learners born in the US different than those who have recently arrived and why is so important for educators to understand them? In what ways does family members’ citizenship status and fear of deportation or separation affect these students? What kinds of social-emotional supports can educators leverage to help support these students in the classroom, and what policy changes can they advocate for at a local level? We discuss these questions and much more in a special two-part series with University of Albany professor and author Dr. Joanna Dreby and three of her former and current students who are also English learners born in the US. In this episode, Dr. Dreby shares her experience and expertise in working with students who have grown up as children of immigrants. As you'll hear in our conversation, the challenges they face stretch well beyond learning English. All too often, these students find themselves growing up far too quickly as a result of their pare