Through the Lens of a Latino Jewish Teacher: Uncovering Funds of Identity in Teaching and Advocating for Newcomer Immigrant Children

ABSTRACT

Educating immigrant children requires teachers who are responsive to their complex and unique needs and who advocate for their education and well-being. Yet, few studies have examined teachers who teach immigrant children and their teaching practices, particularly in the field of early childhood education. Framed by the construct of funds of identity, this study focuses on a Latino Jewish immigrant teacher and how his identities, accumulated through lived experiences and knowledge, can be understood in the context of his teaching practices for immigrant children in early childhood education. Relying on his inextricably intertwined thick descriptions of seeing his immigrant students constructed through his own lens, I explore his reasons for teaching immigrant children and highlight his specific ways of advocating and caring for them. Implications for practice and teacher education are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• immigrant teachers
• immigrant children
• early childhood education
• teacher education
• funds of identity

Acknowledgments

The author would like to acknowledge the teacher in this study, Al, for sharing his time and stories. Many thanks also to Dr. Susan L. Recchia for her insightful feedback.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

¹ In this paper, I use the term, immigrant children for both foreign-born children as well as children of immigrant parents who themselves are foreign-born.

² All names of persons and places used throughout this paper are pseudonyms.