The findings of the research conducted with the teachers and principals indicate that there is lack of follow-up support for the schools from the municipalities. Preschool Act no. These were boys who had been in school before. Methods of data collection included semi-structured interviews with the refugee parents, the head teachers and teachers in all the schools in the study. Banks, J. Translations of messages into Arabic and using digital tools to communicate did not help the parents who were illiterate. I went to the kindergarten with my other two kids. We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. (Eds.). One teacher felt sorry for a young refugee mother who she thought was very isolated at home: it must be a very strange life and of course Icelandic parents are very bored to stay alone at home with a young baby. The boys who came here two years ago who were in the seventh and tenth grade, they got a bus card and they went all over town. This is normally a few weeks after arrival (Icelandic Red Cross, n.d.). Corporate solution including all features. Her colleague discussed the differences between the adolescent boys and girls. While many refugees are well educated and have skills and professions that could contribute to their community, research in Iceland has indicated that their qualifications are rarely recognized (Aljamlastofnun Hskla slands [Institute of International Affairs], 2017). There are 96 total asylum cases under consideration, 25 of which include childrensome of whom have traveled alone, without any adult family members. Municipalities in Iceland are responsible for the operation of preschools and compulsory schools and schools must develop their own curricula based on the national curriculum guidelines (Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, 2016). statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account. Many of the teachers noted how different the conditions of the families were, some had, for example, experienced conflict while others had not.
The participating staff in the schools generally noted that they were very content with the preparation organized by the municipalities. Chart. There is no social life here, sometimes I ask my husband why it is like this There are for example, two kids the same age of my son but they live far away. As a Premium user you get access to background information and details about the release of this statistic. In addition, it has been revealed that they will be mainly sent back to Greece as their first asylum requests were submitted there. Get full access to all features within our Corporate Solutions. Themes drawn from the data and presented below are as follows: Reception of refugee families and first months in a new country; educational practices in preschools and compulsory schools; and educational partnerships between parents and schools. The theoretical framework of the study includes critical approaches to education, and multilingual education for social justice. We found that they care, and they understand us. Banks (2013) claims that educational systems need to critically address inequalities and ensure equality, social justice, empowerment, voice, and dialogue for their individual students and teachers. One of the parents noted. When they arrived, we knew nothing about them. They even got lost, but they found their way back home. (2011).
Although the staff of the schools are prepared for and have been trained for childrens traumas in the preparatory courses held in the municipal central offices, trauma does not seem to play a major role for the refugees in the study, while conditions in Iceland and a mismatch in expectations appears to be more important. The site is secure. She had previously worked for the Red Cross in the reception of refugees in Iceland. In the smallest of the municipalities, peoples views towards the refugees were very positive, according to the staff of the schools. Accessed July 22, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1284180/number-refugees-iceland/, UNHCR. 8600 Rockville Pike The latter explains that deporting asylum seekers to Greece would be damaging to their well-being as migrants have been living there without running water. The .gov means its official. Similar to different organisations, the Icelandic Red Cross has also expressed its concerns about sending asylum seekers back to Greece, Info Migrants notes. Countries covered: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, Resources for asylum-seekers in the United States, Tackling sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, Environment, Disasters and Climate Change, For legislation, case law and UNHCR policy relating to claims for international protection, visit. According to Richman (1998), this can lead to a loss of role, respect, and status that may result in depression or other ailments. Statista. In fact, their mother worries that they stay at home too much and have no friends. No teacher in the study spoke both languages and an Arabic teacher provided teaching outside the school only in one of the municipalities. Despite the high number of protests within the country, the Icelandic authorities are planning to deport 200 asylum seekers back to the countries where they first submitted their asylum requests. Following a medical examination, the children start school.
Parents and children who had some education in Syria realized that the differences between the school systems in Syria and in Iceland presented challenges for them as well as their teachers. These include illiteracy, having missed out on education for some years, and starting to learn a new language in adolescence. Less is being done for them and so on. According to media reports, among asylum seekers that will be deported is also one person with a physical disability. However, some of the teachers talk about highs and lows appearing in the parents feelings, the initial gratitude followed by later disillusionment. Supporting schools to create an inclusive environment for refugee students, Bilingual childrens mother tongue: Why is it important for education. In this research, establishing respectful relationships according to culturally responsive methodologies (Berryman et al., 2013) with participants from the beginning was prioritized. Emphasizing the strengths and resilience of children with refugee background is also important. Excerpts from the interviews in the findings chapter which were in Icelandic and Arabic were translated into English. They are so diligent, and they want so much to learn they have waited for so long. Ragnarsdttir, H., & Schmidt, C. Are you interested in testing our corporate solutions? The lack of hope and future prospects also seems to play a part. The children would benefit from multilingual approaches as well as inclusive practices that build on their prior knowledge (Cummins, 2001). In Banks J. This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. We see a great difference. This is particularly evident among the highly educated parents in the study. In spite of these privileged circumstances, many challenges appear in the process of resettling. They had expected more financial and social support and better educational support for their children. The teaching of first languages is not stipulated in the acts, but this has been applied in schools where possible. 90/2008. (Eds.). Such a thing has raised concerns as well as has caused protests from several organisations to be held in the country, as according to them if asylum seekers get sent back, they face inhuman and poor living standards. An informed consent form was developed in Arabic and presented to the parents and an informed consent form in Icelandic was presented to the school staff. I think the shock is coming to them now. The interviews with the refugee parents took place in the participants homes. January 13, 2022. However, they experience challenges related to differences in expectations and school culture. (2013). Bethesda, MD 20894, Web Policies Referring to boys who arrived a year earlier in another group of quota refugees and comparing these boys with the girls she said. Many researchers have documented initiatives in schools at different levels where inclusive learning spaces and leisure time environment are developed for diverse groups of students, including refugees (Ferfolja & Vickers, 2010; Glover & Hemingway, 2005; Keddie, 2012; Ragnarsdttir & Kulbrandstad, 2018; Ragnarsdttir & Schmidt, 2014). Now I feel they are rather bitter and they (say that they) do not get as much as the other family. I have not experienced anything like this before. They said this was also a strategy for empowering the children, developing trust and security. A preschool teacher noted how different it was to receive children with refugee background from receiving immigrant children, particularly in building trust. The aim of this study was to critically explore the experiences, opportunities and challenges of these refugee children, their parents, their teachers and principals in the municipalities of their resettlement since their arrival in Iceland. Accessibility Semi-structured interviews were chosen to collect data as they are considered one way of establishing respectful relationships with participants in close proximity to them and obtaining in-depth data (Kvale, 2007). Working Hours: To summarize, although parents and teachers experiences of the first months of schooling were in many ways positive, both parents and teachers talked about numerous challenges related to the childrens schooling. She said. The interviews with the school staff took place in the six preschools and four compulsory schools and were in Icelandic. Refugee families, who have been invited to Iceland, resettle under organized circumstances, where municipalities and schools are expected to adhere to the guidelines for the reception of quota refugees (Stjrnarr slands [Government of Iceland], 2013). EURODAC facilitates the application of the Dublin Regulation, which determines which Member State is responsible for the assessment of an asylum claim presented in the European Union and the Associated Dublin States (Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein). Under this system, participating states must take and record the fingerprints of any asylum seeker over the age of 14. Writings on challenges and initiatives in educational settings (Block et al., 2014; Ferfolja & Vickers, 2010; Glover & Hemingway, 2005; Keddie, 2012; Ragnarsdttir & Kulbrandstad, 2018; Ragnarsdttir & Schmidt, 2014) and writings on the well-being of children with refugee background are also consulted (Alsayed & Wildes, 2018; Khamis, 2019; Rousseau et al., 2012; Ziaian et al., 2012).
(2014). will also be available for a limited time.
The participating staff in the schools generally noted that they were very content with the preparation organized by the municipalities. Chart. There is no social life here, sometimes I ask my husband why it is like this There are for example, two kids the same age of my son but they live far away. As a Premium user you get access to background information and details about the release of this statistic. In addition, it has been revealed that they will be mainly sent back to Greece as their first asylum requests were submitted there. Get full access to all features within our Corporate Solutions. Themes drawn from the data and presented below are as follows: Reception of refugee families and first months in a new country; educational practices in preschools and compulsory schools; and educational partnerships between parents and schools. The theoretical framework of the study includes critical approaches to education, and multilingual education for social justice. We found that they care, and they understand us. Banks (2013) claims that educational systems need to critically address inequalities and ensure equality, social justice, empowerment, voice, and dialogue for their individual students and teachers. One of the parents noted. When they arrived, we knew nothing about them. They even got lost, but they found their way back home. (2011).
Although the staff of the schools are prepared for and have been trained for childrens traumas in the preparatory courses held in the municipal central offices, trauma does not seem to play a major role for the refugees in the study, while conditions in Iceland and a mismatch in expectations appears to be more important. The site is secure. She had previously worked for the Red Cross in the reception of refugees in Iceland. In the smallest of the municipalities, peoples views towards the refugees were very positive, according to the staff of the schools. Accessed July 22, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1284180/number-refugees-iceland/, UNHCR. 8600 Rockville Pike The latter explains that deporting asylum seekers to Greece would be damaging to their well-being as migrants have been living there without running water. The .gov means its official. Similar to different organisations, the Icelandic Red Cross has also expressed its concerns about sending asylum seekers back to Greece, Info Migrants notes. Countries covered: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, Resources for asylum-seekers in the United States, Tackling sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, Environment, Disasters and Climate Change, For legislation, case law and UNHCR policy relating to claims for international protection, visit. According to Richman (1998), this can lead to a loss of role, respect, and status that may result in depression or other ailments. Statista. In fact, their mother worries that they stay at home too much and have no friends. No teacher in the study spoke both languages and an Arabic teacher provided teaching outside the school only in one of the municipalities. Despite the high number of protests within the country, the Icelandic authorities are planning to deport 200 asylum seekers back to the countries where they first submitted their asylum requests. Following a medical examination, the children start school. Parents and children who had some education in Syria realized that the differences between the school systems in Syria and in Iceland presented challenges for them as well as their teachers. These include illiteracy, having missed out on education for some years, and starting to learn a new language in adolescence. Less is being done for them and so on. According to media reports, among asylum seekers that will be deported is also one person with a physical disability. However, some of the teachers talk about highs and lows appearing in the parents feelings, the initial gratitude followed by later disillusionment. Supporting schools to create an inclusive environment for refugee students, Bilingual childrens mother tongue: Why is it important for education. In this research, establishing respectful relationships according to culturally responsive methodologies (Berryman et al., 2013) with participants from the beginning was prioritized. Emphasizing the strengths and resilience of children with refugee background is also important. Excerpts from the interviews in the findings chapter which were in Icelandic and Arabic were translated into English. They are so diligent, and they want so much to learn they have waited for so long. Ragnarsdttir, H., & Schmidt, C. Are you interested in testing our corporate solutions? The lack of hope and future prospects also seems to play a part. The children would benefit from multilingual approaches as well as inclusive practices that build on their prior knowledge (Cummins, 2001). In Banks J. This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. We see a great difference. This is particularly evident among the highly educated parents in the study. In spite of these privileged circumstances, many challenges appear in the process of resettling. They had expected more financial and social support and better educational support for their children. The teaching of first languages is not stipulated in the acts, but this has been applied in schools where possible. 90/2008. (Eds.). Such a thing has raised concerns as well as has caused protests from several organisations to be held in the country, as according to them if asylum seekers get sent back, they face inhuman and poor living standards. An informed consent form was developed in Arabic and presented to the parents and an informed consent form in Icelandic was presented to the school staff. I think the shock is coming to them now. The interviews with the refugee parents took place in the participants homes. January 13, 2022. However, they experience challenges related to differences in expectations and school culture. (2013). Bethesda, MD 20894, Web Policies Referring to boys who arrived a year earlier in another group of quota refugees and comparing these boys with the girls she said. Many researchers have documented initiatives in schools at different levels where inclusive learning spaces and leisure time environment are developed for diverse groups of students, including refugees (Ferfolja & Vickers, 2010; Glover & Hemingway, 2005; Keddie, 2012; Ragnarsdttir & Kulbrandstad, 2018; Ragnarsdttir & Schmidt, 2014). Now I feel they are rather bitter and they (say that they) do not get as much as the other family. I have not experienced anything like this before. They said this was also a strategy for empowering the children, developing trust and security. A preschool teacher noted how different it was to receive children with refugee background from receiving immigrant children, particularly in building trust. The aim of this study was to critically explore the experiences, opportunities and challenges of these refugee children, their parents, their teachers and principals in the municipalities of their resettlement since their arrival in Iceland. Accessibility Semi-structured interviews were chosen to collect data as they are considered one way of establishing respectful relationships with participants in close proximity to them and obtaining in-depth data (Kvale, 2007). Working Hours: To summarize, although parents and teachers experiences of the first months of schooling were in many ways positive, both parents and teachers talked about numerous challenges related to the childrens schooling. She said. The interviews with the school staff took place in the six preschools and four compulsory schools and were in Icelandic. Refugee families, who have been invited to Iceland, resettle under organized circumstances, where municipalities and schools are expected to adhere to the guidelines for the reception of quota refugees (Stjrnarr slands [Government of Iceland], 2013). EURODAC facilitates the application of the Dublin Regulation, which determines which Member State is responsible for the assessment of an asylum claim presented in the European Union and the Associated Dublin States (Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein). Under this system, participating states must take and record the fingerprints of any asylum seeker over the age of 14. Writings on challenges and initiatives in educational settings (Block et al., 2014; Ferfolja & Vickers, 2010; Glover & Hemingway, 2005; Keddie, 2012; Ragnarsdttir & Kulbrandstad, 2018; Ragnarsdttir & Schmidt, 2014) and writings on the well-being of children with refugee background are also consulted (Alsayed & Wildes, 2018; Khamis, 2019; Rousseau et al., 2012; Ziaian et al., 2012).
(2014). will also be available for a limited time.