29465: Pichard: Announcement (dissertation published) -- Haitian listserve (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: mercedes pichard <mercedespichard@earthlink.net>

Greetings Corbett List Members,


I have been remiss in not telling you sooner, that my dissertation research in 
Haitian Studies was published a few months ago by the University of Central 
Florida.  In the UMI Dissertation Services database, it is number 3210376. 
This is copyright work from its Spring 2006 publication.

Here on the Corbett list-serve, I will share the short version of the abstract, 
and some brief conclusions/recommendations.  This should be of interest to 
those of you working in education-related fields.  If you wish to discuss my 
research work with me, or to receive a full copy of the dissertation, I do 
share well, so please e-mail me at:  mercedespichard@earthlink.net


Thanks,


Mercedes Pichard, Ed.D.



The title of my work is:


                               "A Focus Group of Adolescent Haitian Immigrants: 
Factors Affecting Their Perceptions of Academic Success in a Florida Public 
High School"


         The goal of this qualitative ethnographic research was to examine the 
perceptions of academic success of adolescent Haitian immigrant students who 
have arrived in the United States within the last five years and attend a 
public high school in Florida. The Haitian students were asked to explain the 
tensions they perceive between Haitian societal and educational norms and 
beliefs and American ones, and explain their perceptions and concerns regarding 
success. The importance of their perceptions as influences on their behavior 
was related to Bandura's Social Cognitive Learning Theory. The relevance of 
certain questions concerning academic success for Haitian students was 
investigated through group interviews and focus group interviews textual data. 
The resulting qualitative exploratory study is meant to further our 
understandings of the Haitian students' perceived and real successes, as well 
as to further additive bicultural educational practice in public high school 
settings where Haitian students are found.

            The literature review and results of this study found that there 
were many factors, student characteristics and student perceptions that could 
be used to explain Haitian immigrant adolescent student achievement in Florida 
public high school course work.  Thirteen themes of concern to the students 
were developed in the data analysis.

I.  Theme 1: "Success"

              1A: Success and its meanings

              1B: Success and its appearance

              1C:  Success and expectations

II.  Theme 2: "Good grades"

       2A:  Good grades and their importance

       2B:  Good grades versus really learning

III.               Theme 3: "Reading Comprehension / Literacy"

       3A:  Reading comprehension and its link to 'success'

       3B:  Reading comprehension and its link to students' futures

       3C:  Reading comprehension and success in English-language literacy

IV.              Theme 4:  "Types of thinking done in schools in Haiti and 
Florida"

V.                 Theme 5:  "What Haitian students have to do/learn when they 
first arrive"

VI.              Theme 6:  "Languages and Expectations of Understanding"

VII.            Theme 7:  "Cheating"

VIII.         Theme 8:  "Face-Saving"

IX.              Theme 9:  "Availability in School of the Conditions Needed for 
Success"

                      9A:  What is Present in school

                      9B:  What is Lacking in School

X.   Theme 10:  "Parents' Beliefs about Education"

XI.               Theme 11:  "Racism"

XII.            Theme 12:  "Memories and Thoughts of Haiti"

XIII.         Theme 13:  "Choosing Not to Learn"

         The Haitian adolescent immigrant students are able to speak 
purposefully, cogently, powerfully and coherently (English-language skills 
permitting) on numerous questions surrounding their thoughts and perceptions 
about their own success, academically or in their future careers. We can see 
that these students are able to define and discuss issues, make plans and 
recommendations for their own success, and state what is available/helpful and 
what is lacking for them in their high school.  Suggested uses for the study 
included making some suggestions for the reorganization and implementation of 
certain educational resources for these Haitian adolescent students, and also 
making recommendations for future research, including but not limited to a 
study examining, implementing and assessing a pilot program which increases the 
career-counseling and vocational-planning resources available for these older 
secondary Limited English Proficient students.



Recommendations for the re-organization and implementation of certain 
educational resources in a Florida public K-12 school district:





I.  A Newcomer Center / Welcome Center / International Students Center  (or 
school-within-a-school or academy model, even short-term) would help with these 
five factors:



      A.  intensive English-language immersion

      B.  time for extensive diagnostics of literacy levels in the native L1 
(particularly reading comprehension skills)

      C.  organize and implement effective communication with parents

      D.  informed recommendations and counseling for further placement of 
students (zone high schools, vocational-technical centers, college-bound, etc.)

      E.  good bilingual paraprofessionals essential





II.  Establish an After-School Tutoring (homework help, catch-up skills) and 
ESOL program at the public middle and high schools, make sure paraprofessionals 
speaking Haitian-Creole are funded, and make sure bus transportation is 
available to get the students home late.





III.   Special Career Counselor needed  (post-secondary advisement for English 
Language Learner students, vocational planning, financial aid and college 
applications help, additional time & effort needed) --- need multilingual 
counselor ---- can be time-shared among several high schools' LEP populations





IV.  Increase Haitian parental involvement and participation through Haitian 
community outreach  (work with local not-for-profit organizations, Haitian 
churches and Haitian radio stations operating in native languages to get 
parents to attend meetings)  for the following issues:

      A. understanding of U.S. school systems and procedures;

      B. how to read report cards and grading / GPA;

      C. public school discipline procedures;

      D. what is tested on the Reading FCAT (Florida standardized exams for 
secondary diploma) and how you can help your child;

      E. workforce training;

      F. adult literacy and ESOL classes;

      G. computer classes.



(Haitian immigrants can be a very vulnerable, fearful and voiceless population 
in some cases.  They lack effective advocacy skills or advocates in many 
locations and settings.)





V.  Teacher education about Haiti and Haitian students through stand-alone 
class or inservice training offered through staff /professional development 
services