Chapter 6

For me the most interesting thing about this chapter was that the majority of immigrant families felt that they would lose their morals or innocence if they allowed their children to live the way that "American children" live.  The students also seemed to think that white children disrespected their parents and family names by the way that they behaved.

• American teenager girls "'are so open' and... 'so free'"(124).  Although I was aware that women in other cultures have less freedoms than those in the United States, it was amazing to learn that this included simply talking about their own problems or concerns. America is viewed as seductive, provocative, and dangerous from a  Newcomer's perspective; America is a place that they must protect their children from.
• For many immigrant girls, it is necessary for them to work and support the family so their brothers can continue with their educations and provide a better future for the family.
• One of the most significant passages that I read in the chapter was when a father spoke about his daughter, Leticia.  He said that "[she wants to be like them, but she doesn't see that those girls have lost their values.  They dress like they want the boys, and they don't go home to their families...She tells me this is not Mexico and doesn't want to listen to me. I am afraid what will happen to her here" (130).  It was shocking to see that immigrant parents were so afraid of what will happen to their kids here.  My parents are afraid if I leave the country because they fear the violence.  Immigrant families are afraid for their children here because they fear a loss of values.  I think that this is an extremely significant indicator of how different other countries' cultures are in comparison to the United States.  This is something that, as future teachers we must be aware of.   So many immigrant children are being sent back to their homelands because of this overwhelming fear of becoming "too American.

From this chapter, I am mostly curious about how this family fear of Americanization coincides or conflicts with the adolescents' views on becoming American, fitting in, and growing up in a second country.  How does this sort of familial conflict impact their behavior in the classroom?  If girls are only allowed socialization in school, could that account for why they talk more or are not as attentive in class as immigrant boys, whose main responsibility seems to be to create a better future for their families.