What is your mental image of a refugee student? How will you know if it is true or not? Why not ask?

Did your student become a refugee because they were fleeing from war, or because of political reasons?

Were they born in their home country, a refugee camp, or in their new country?

Do their parents speak English? How much schooling have they had?

Are they happy to be in their new country?

All of us make assumptions based on our frame of reference. In the case of working with families who are relocated refugees, our assumptions can often be wrong. What better way to find out than to ask? Arrange for a translator, if necessary, and prepare to listen and learn from families and students.

As with any student, finding out more about their hopes, dreams, and experiences will make it easier to connect and teach them!