Bridging Different Worlds
Stanton-Salazar (1997, 2001) claims that in order to acquire social capital, low-income students of Mexican descent must develop a healthy bi-cultural orientation which allows them to transition between the worlds of home and school, reasoning that these two settings often require students to use vastly different language and behavior. Through a two-year longitudinal study, Phelan, Davidson, and Yu (1993) developed a theory that uses the concepts of “boundaries” and “borders” to describe how children experience the transitions between different parts of their lives. “Boundaries” are real or perceived lines between worlds that require different social norms but are seen as equal in terms of value or worth. “Borders,” in contrast, exist between worlds in which the social norms in one world are privileged above another. The authors assert that moving across “borders” can cause especially high levels of stress for children. Whether crossing neutral boundaries or the more value-laden borders, students struggle when the expected norms, values, and behaviors of each world are not clear.
Both Salazar (1997, 2001) and Lewis-Charp et al. (2004) found that students who were able to navigate between the white, middle-class culture of school and their own ethnic cultures had the best academic results. A study of English Language Learners (ELL) in three Los Angeles middle schools found that students viewed their multiple language abilities and multicultural backgrounds as an asset, and this acquisition of multiple identities helped them to succeed in the ELL classroom (Ajayi, 2006). Cooper, Cooper, Azmitia, Chavira, and Guallatt (2002) predict that students who learn to coordinate both the resources and challenges that exist in the multiple worlds of home, school, peers, and outreach programs, will have higher grades and thus be more likely to be eligible for college. Valenzuela (1999) has also advanced the theory of “additive” schooling, whereby educators can promote academic success by acknowledging, welcoming, and building upon the bicultural experiences that minority students bring with them.
School and college access program staff can help build bridges between students’ worlds by developing a better understanding of the difficulties students encounter while trying to make transitions. They can work to communicate to students that their competing worlds have equal value by helping students strengthen their connection to their community and cultural heritage. At the same time, to make healthy transitions, students need institutions to make clear the norms and teach the skills needed to fully participate in school. This support can come in many forms such as through participation in enrichment programs, through peers, or through the formation of relationships with key adults like counselors and teachers who have access to information about how to succeed in the world of school (Salazar, 1997, 2001).
