Where Do I Go from Here?: Meeting the Unique Educational Needs of Migrant Students

“Where Do I Go From Here?” by Karen Vocke is a practical and well written book that will appeal to teachers, administrators, and other community members where migrant workers live and these workers' children go to school. The book contains valuable resources, including lesson plans and other materials that could be used by teachers of other ESL children, as well as by teachers whose students are not learners of English. The book helps the reader become aware that educational opportunity and equality do not exist as static entities, but rather are created by whole communities, especially those who choose to make the invisible more visible.

  - Prolepsis

 In our current society, teachers are faced with students who move frequently from place to place, speak a language other than English, and represent diverse cultures. This book shares many strategies and ideas that will help a teacher, experienced or novice, to meet the needs of these “new” students found in U.S. classrooms.

 

• the history, culture, and families of migrant students so that we better understand - and respect - the foundation on which their lives are built
• essential language considerations, with an emphasis on what we can do now to help struggling English learners become more proficient
• culturally responsive materials and lessons, with guidelines on how to evaluate books, along with a complete lesson plan for promoting cultural sensitivity
• the need for an inclusive community of readers and writers, based on the principles of cooperative learning and supported by a lesson plan on student heritage and tradition as well as other activities that create a culture of sharing
• ways to foster both literacy and cultural understanding through technology, especially the many benefits of digital storytelling, with easy-to-follow guidelines
• the importance of involving migrant families and communities, with suggestions on overcoming language and cultural barriers as well as specific steps you and your school can take.