Crisis in Mong Education: Urgent Needs for Professional Development.
Author(s):
Thao, Paoze
Format:
Report
Publisher:
1994.
Language:
English
Abstract:
Information on the Hmong (Mong) people living in Wisconsin, their educational background, the reasons they came to the United States, and the problems they are facing is provided. The Hmong are a closely knit ethnic group from Laos who migrated there from China in the 18th century. The Hmong began arriving in the United States in the late 1970s as a result of the Vietnam War. Since 1975, an estimated 80,000 Hmong have been admitted to the United States, and since then, the Hmong population has increased to about 130,000 nationwide. The education of Hmong children had been totally disrupted in Vietnam, and many of those who came to the United States had experienced little formal education. In the 1995-96 school year, there were nearly 16,000 limited-English-proficient students in the Wisconsin schools, of whom 9,310 were Hmong. Sixty-three percent of the Hmong families in the United States were still living below the poverty line, and most of them had little education. The participation of Hmong parents in their children's education has been limited by their own low educational attainment and by cultural characteristics that cause them to leave education to professional educators. The Hmong students who have made it to college have found themselves disadvantaged because of their language problems, family responsibilities, and lack of skills. The most pressing problem for Hmong students is the potential for gang involvement. Suggestions for improving the educational experience of Hmong students in Wisconsin include asking for Title VII funding to provide additional educational services and trying to hire more Hmong bicultural and bilingual staff in the schools. Professional development for Hmong bilingual teachers and cultural awareness programs to promote educational equity are also needed. Education is the key to the successful adjustment of Hmong students to the United States. (Contains 16 references.) (SLD)