Crane Research Forum recap: Our Stories: Voices of Jamaican American Immigrant Parents

Crane Center’s March 2020 research forum hosted Dr. Ruth McKoy Lowery, associate chair of the Department of Teaching and Learning and professor of children’s literature and literacy at Ohio State. Dr. Lowery’s study examined the experiences of Jamaican immigrant parents as they adjusted to the education system in the United States. For many Jamaicans, eroding salaries and declining living standards provoked a mass exodus (of all social classes) in search of a better life in the United States. Many Jamaicans, like other immigrant groups, settled in major urban cities in the United States (New York, Atlanta, Florida, etc.), and many still financially support their families living back in their homeland. At times, Jamaican families move to the U.S. before their children in order to save up and gather necessary documentation to bring them to the United States.

Dr. Lowery’s research examines two questions:

1. How do Jamaican immigrant parents adapt from Jamaican school systems to United States school systems, and
2. How do they negotiate this change for their children?

The study used formal and informal focus groups with 4 different Jamaican parents to capture these experiences. The findings of the study show that there are many frustrations and barriers that Jamaican parents experience. A common barrier is that Jamaican children were often placed into a lower grade level (one that they already completed in Jamaica) because of their Jamaican accent and heritage. Jamaican parents also felt that they were falsely accused of not being involved in their child’s schooling. A focus group participant reflected, “Misunderstandings occur because they don’t know us. They see parents working two and three jobs and they immediately think we’re greedy. They don’t realize that many of us are supporting more than one household… some of us have to take care of our parents and other children back home.”

Dr. Lowery left the audience with the advice that ensuring that all parents’ voices are heard will strengthen the educational development of their children, and that schools, homes, and communities must join forces as one entity in educating all students for a brighter tomorrow.

Watch the presentation here.

Dr. Lowery’s research is published in the book, Immigrant Experiences: Expanding the School-Home-Community dialogue.

Crane Research Forums are held monthly throughout the university-calendar year and feature researchers from across the university and Ohio who share their research and its impact on children and families. To learn more about upcoming Crane Research Forums and all events, visit our event calendar here.