Educating the culturally at-risk student: Hispanics and the school experience

This study examines the school experience of the Hispanic student in a case study of two elementary-school students. The research outlines four factors influencing their experience: family importance, poverty, language facility and self-esteem. Observations of the two students and the gathering of data took place during the fall of 1992, culminating in this effort to interpret questions regarding if and how the needs of these students are being met. The conclusions drawn based on my observations are both positive and negative, closely correlating with research cited in my review of prior literature on the education of Hispanics. I found that teachers generally expect less of their Hispanic students in class and the Hispanics, in turn, expect less of themselves. It is therefore crucial to emphasize challenging all students, regardless of language, culture or race