Project Voices, Individuals, and
Pictures: Engaging Hmong Parents, Schools, and CBOs to Support Student Learning
and Academic Achievement
Kalyani Rai* and Laty Keodouangsy**
*Assistant Professor, UW—Milwaukee School of Continuing Education
**Advisor, Dept. of Curriculum & Instruction, UW—Milwaukee
Wisconsin, USA
Abstract:
Prevailing attempts to address the lack of parental involvement in children's
schools are based on "middle class Anglo-American value systems" on traditional
parental roles in the schools. This approach to address the lack of parental
involvement in children's schools is essential but not adequate for many
Southeast Asian parents who are considered limited English proficient and
particularly, Hmong refugee parents. It fails to recognize culturally specific
parental involvement strategies in the SEA community and therefore presents a
challenge for educators and schools alike to understand and communicate
meaningfully with these parents concerning their children's education.
This paper documents Participatory Action Research with a group of Hmong refugee
parents, community-based organizations, teachers, and School administrators who
share concerns about their children's education with a focus on the strategies
these parents use to guide and help their children despite linguistic and
cultural barriers.
The presentation is divided into five sections: Introduction, PAR methodology,
Findings, Implications, and Conclusions. The introduction section gives an
outline of the most prevailing approaches to address parental involvement in
schools. The second section provides an overview of a participatory action
research strategy. The findings section explains the major themes that have
emerged from the discussion and concludes with a set of implications for
educators concerned about involving SEA parents in their children's education.
The conclusion examines how the recent No Child Left Behind act and the issues
concerning student academic achievement and increased parental involvement in
schools are critical issues that are being addressed in mainstream and
culturally-appropriate ways. Through dialogue, action, and reflection employed
through the duration of the project, we gather information about how Hmong
parents and students navigate the American school system and practice naturally
occurring strategies to help students learn in schools.