“They Wanted to Study Us; They Didn’t Want to Help Us”: Socially Just and Participatory Research Methodologies for Demographically Changing Schools

Abstract

Educators and leaders across Canada must re-conceptualize their pedagogies and leadership approaches and reflect on their own worldviews to enhance the transitions of new immigrant, international and refugee students into their schools. This paper reports on ongoing case study research in New Brunswick, Canada. The researchers are investigating the impact and implications of immigration and demographic changes on school and community stakeholders. The authors discuss the social justice and participatory methodological framework they are employing in the first school of five in their investigation and report the mid-case thematic findings related to the changing demographic conditions in the province. The findings have been consistently shared with school leaders and teachers through active participation, open communication and co-construction of meanings. The authors are hopeful that the key findings from this research will inform educators and policy-makers as they respond to the educational and social needs of their students and community members.

Educators Responding to Rapid Demographic Change in New Brunswick: “It is not Inclusion if They Are Just Sitting in the Desk”

“…We posit that more work is needed in this area of scholarship in New Brunswick, particularly in rural communities where employment opportunities are increasingly abundant for new Canadians. This emerging reality in our province is primarily related to the food-processing and long-haul trucking industries (Hamm, et al, 2017) and is similar to what scholars found in Alberta (Broadway, 2013;Hamm, 2009). As such, "If teachers do not take professional and pedagogical action in their lives as students from diverse backgrounds increasingly enter their classrooms, those students will not be served equitably by their school system" (Hamm, 2009, p. 73).…”

“…Secondly, what are some effective responses that educators are providing for new Canadian students and their families, during and after their settlement and adjustment in New Brunswick? In our previous studies of New Brunswick, we found that educators experience various levels of stress and anxiety as they help new Canadian students adjust to their new schools and communities (Hamm, 2017;Hamm, Massfeller, Scott, & Cormier, 2017;Massfeller & Hamm, 2019). Still, the academic literature is limited on studies of immigration, demographic change, and diversity in New Brunswick.…”

“…We believe it is important for New Brunswick educators and school leaders to actively engage new Canadian parents in their communities (Preibisch, 2004). This will allow educators to reduce power in their relationships and enhance inclusion of more parents who do not speak the dominant language or understand the daily protocols of a Canadian school (Hamm et al, 2017). We suggest that educators and school leaders become increasingly mindful that new Canadian parents who have children in their school, may not be able to or have the opportunity to attend school meetings and functions.…”

Diversity, Growth, and Understanding: School Responses to Immigration in Rural New Brunswick

“…The voices of rurally situated educators are not well understood by policymakers (Hamm et al, 2017). Many educators experience doubt and anxiety when responding to rapid changes in their schools and communities brought on by demographic shifts.…”