Page 71 - PSPS: A Training guide

Unit 7 Migrant Children & Cultural Diversity

‘Look, my skin is brown and you have freckles [comparing arms with researcher], see?
And I have braids and you don’t, see? And yes, yes, yes I am beautiful and you are
beautiful too’
(Amira, 5)

Introduction

Aistear, the Irish Curriculum Framework (2009) explains that ‘Children have a
fundamental need to be with other people. They learn and develop through loving and
nurturing relationships with adults and other children, and the quality of these
interactions impacts on their learning and development. The development of these
relationships happens spontaneously when children from similar cultural, ethical,
linguistic or geographical background are together for some time – from nursery,
kindergarten and preschool all the way to primary school. However, it doesn’t come so
easily when migrant children find themselves in a completely different environment
from the one they have grown in. To foster the development of new relationships
alongside facilitating transition from any early years setting to primary school requires
a lot of dedication, planning and constructive guidance.

In the process of ensuring a successful, meaningful and fun-based transition to
primary school, the main stakeholders include the child and the most important adults
around them.

Children are the key stakeholders in the transition process. Every child needs to feel
welcome, to be loved and accepted, valued and appreciated. Children have different
coping mechanisms when faced with changes, some are curious and see change as an
adventure, some become shy and insecure. Some easily connect to other children and
adults, some feel comfortable only with those they know well. Some have been brought
up to say what they feel and think, some are brought up to listen and obey. Therefore,
it is important to include a child, listen to his/her comments, fears and expectations
and take them into account when planning their journey from preschool to primary
school. Parents, or the closest adult to the child, are another key party to any planning
of the transition of the child to primary school. When parent(s) are present (if the
whole family has migrated or came to a new country), they are the main source of
information about the child’s temperament, character, what the child knows and what
potential difficulties (s)he may have. Parents are the first and most important
educators of their child. They know their child best, how independent and adaptable to
change they are and how best to approach them. On the other hand, coming from a
different cultural background, parents also bring different ways of communication
with teachers and authorities.