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Well I grew up on a beef farm in Aitkin, MN. During high school I was active in sports and pretty much every club the school had to offer, which wasn't much. In my free time I restore classic cars. I currently have a 1961 Comet and am in the progress of restoring a Torino. During my college days I played rugby and was planning on continuing the sport post graduation until a shoulder injury sidelined that idea. I graduated from BSU in 2009 with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Biology and Criminal Justice. I currently work at an Elementary school as a title 1 para and coach football. My wife and I moved into our first house this past fall and are now expecting our first child in October.
Russian Immigrants: The unnoticed minority?
What Midwest state has one of the highest populations of Russian or Eastern European Immigrants? You guessed it, Minnesota! As of 2004 there were approximately 12,500 immigrants in the state (Russians in Minnesota). So the question is what types of problems does this population face? Well first off, they are a group that is perceived to be just like the majority due to their skin color. They can get lost in the fact that they aren’t perceived as needing help since they are not a visual minority. They look like your stereotypical Americans. This can lead to a lack of services available to teach them English. This can be a major issue since approximately 46.8 percent of Russian immigrants have had a university education, and 57.6 percent have been employed in the Soviet Union as skilled workers (Russian Americans). It can be hard to get a high paying job that fits your skill set if you can’t speak the language used in the profession.
You now have an educated population of immigrants who come to America looking for work, but due to language issues end up working in jobs that are not related to their field of study. The kids who go to school have a high expectation of education, but it isn’t up to par in Math compared to Russia (Anders, 2010). They can get bored and cause behavior problems. They speak with an accent or in a different language and this is perceived as strange or different which leads to issues with peers. An increased English literacy program for Russian youth might help this problem (James and Martin, 2009). If they became fluent in English it might make it easier for them to relate with their peer group.
As English speaking people what can we do to help out non-English speaking people be successful in America?
Beal, C. (2001). To see yourself as others see you: Russian students make the case for our teaching character education. International Journal of Social Education, 16(1), 109-117. Retrieved April 2, 2011, from the Wilson Web database.
James, J. L., & Martin, B. N. (2009). A comparison of the parent-child interactions between Russian immigrant and non-immigrant families in a rural setting in Missouri. The Rural Educator, 30(2), 11-19. Retrieved April 2, 2011, from the Wilson Web database.
McGill, D. (n.d.). Russian immigrant builds a new life in America. The McGill Report -- Media for Global Minnesotans. Retrieved April 2, 2011, from http://www.mcgillreport.org/kulikov_profile.htm
To the guest: I hope I am not being offensive, but I would like to relate a comment made by an ELL teacher that may have some relevance. One of the main differences she sees in Russian Immigrants compared with like Somalians, is that many of the students don't care about learning English because they are planning on going back to Russia when they are old enough, so what is the sense. The teacher remarked that while many immigrants from Africa have escaped oppression, the same cannot be said about Russians. The parents and the teachers know why they are here - economic security, but the teacher claimed that the students did not really understand this.I would like your guest to comment on this so I can get his/her side of this issue. Is this what is really happening and to what extent? What do you feel about going back to Russia? Thanks for the response.
Josh, this ties in very closely to my issue. Many Russian infants were adopted, but from what I understand, there are older kids adopted too. If there is time, have the guest look at the newspaper clip and see what he thinks. It is a pretty sad story, and one that should not have happened. Personally, I think the adopting parents should have been arrested and put in jail.
If U.S. academics are behind where the students are when arriving from Russia - why aren't differentiated assignments given to them? Using their own language for assignments would help also. You didn't say where the majority of these immigrants are residing - are there cultural assistance groups available to assist with the language?
If the immigrants are living in a rural setting they may not receive quality ELL services. Some schools might not have an ELL teacher for the one or two students who struggle with English. I've seen this at the school I work at. As for where the majority of Russian reside according to Barbara Ronnigen http://www.demography.state.mn.us/documents/ImmigrationDiverse.pdf the primary locations are the Twin Cities, Rochester Area, and the Alexandria area. There is the Russian Education Center which is based out of the cities which is a great resource for this group. http://www.studyrussian.org/english/home_e.html. So there are services out there if you live in highly populated areas.
The ELL teachers at Blaine high school, being a typical suburban school, still cannot provide for its ELL population very well. Even in a low diversity school, there are too many different languages to account for,so the school cannot even come close to affording the teachers to cover everything. In fact, they lost all of their paras and two teachers.I can't imagine what it is like in the rural areas.
We need to understand that people with an accent still have the capability to be highly intelligent. We cannot underestimate the intelligence of our students.
This is so true. I work at a fitness center in the evenings at a college and some of the Asian foreign students have to repeat their name and number to me several times because I can't understand them. I feel so bad and by the end we are both frustrated.
Isn't that the truth. I can't tell you how many times Iwhile 've lived out of state that people have knocked Minnesotans because of our accent. It somehow deems us as stupid.
That movie has been a swear word in my book. I was interested tho, with the stats that Minnesota has the most Russian and Eastern European immigrants. Same as the growing Muslim population. I had no idea how welcoming of a state we were! REally! I'm just very surprised that these people have made there way up to the cold country. They aren't in outlining states down South or out West, but here in good ole' Minnesota. I know this sounds ignorant, but I don't mean it to be ignorant. If we in Minnesota, more specifically rural MN, do not have the ELL resources for these immigrants, why are we accepting more? Why are these children not going where they can receive differentiated teaching and make their lives better?
I think you do "Fargo" a disservice. My mom grew up in Minnesota, and I had aunts, uncles, and cousins galore who lived there. I love Minnesota accents, they remind me of some of the happiest times of my childhood. And I adored Sheriff Marge and the little White Bear Lake hooker girls. They may not be typical Minnesotans, but they sure looked (and sounded) like the kind of people I'd like to live next door to.
There must be a huge number of Russians and Ukrainians in the Anoka area. I hear them at Border's all of the time and there are several Russian/Ukrainian stores in the area. My wife even has doctors in her group from Romania, and the Czech Republic.
Well, I understand why kids would act up if they are not being challenged - any student, no matter where they come from would be frustrated and bored.
Are we really that far behind in math from Russia? That is what baffles me the most....
Anyhow, I agree w/ Beth when she states that differentiation should be applied here.
As far as the bullying because of accents - you should play the video Fargo to your fellow MN students and tell them how the rest of the World now views MN people based on those horrible accents portrayed. But to many, we do have accents - when I moved to Chicago - that is the first thing people commented on!!!!!
It is all about acceptance and learning about each other. Somewhere in the schools, we need to continue to find ways to implement learning opportunities to respect HUMANS! Just cultures, but HUMANS - we all have feelings and we all bleed the same color.
I find this statement most interesting: "It can be hard to get a high paying job that fits your skill set if you can’t speak the language used in the profession." I wan to say that with all our great technology that I'm surprised that there are more tools and services available for translation. I think this statement can also be a metaphor for our inability to utilize talent that doesn't fit a label. We demand high levels of sophistication in work practices and disciplines, and yet require brute force simplicity and rigidity in associated work processes. Should schools form second languages around their populations? Maybe the Russian students could teach the English students and vice versa.
I've noticed that the Russian students at our school really stick together. If they are not together than they are alone. It's important for us as teachers to try help build relationships inside the classroom among our students. As a Social Studies teacher I would try to incorporate a lot of cooperative lessons so there are plenty of opportunities for them to work on their socializing skills and for them to find success with others. On the flip side, it's important to get other students accustomed to working in diverse groups.
I have a friend that was a Russian major, and when I was doing a festival of Chekhov plays (Chekhov is a Russian playwright) he invited his friends from the Russian community. He told me that they are a tight knit group. Perhaps part of sticking together has to do with relationship values as well as learning to socialize more comfortably.
My dad is now on the school board in my hometown and said the district recently added Rosetta Stone for ELL and this can be used by their families free of charge in the evenings. I've had limited interaction with ELL classrooms (only as a sub) but are there really teachers or paras that know any of the languages of their students? There was one Somolian liason that worked at both the middle school and high school in the district in which I subbed, but she had limited time with the students.
At the school I attended they didn't allow anyone to skip a grade or a class even if they already had mastered the material. Not sure if this is the case across the board though.
Thought I would just add a funny story about a couple of really good Russian friends I was collaborating with in Chicago. We had gone to a conference in Washington DC and were out sightseeing at the capitol building. The Senate was in session, so we thought it would be neat to check it out. I went to get tickets to get in to the gallery and they said I would have to go to my senators office and do this and that, and so on - a real pain. When my friend started speaking the lady at the ticket desk caught the accent and told us that any foreign visitor could get in with a special pass that she could disperse right there. The pass would allow him to take a guest in - me! He never let me live that one down.
I do not have any personal experience with this population so I read your research with great interest. The rationale of returning to the old country related to motivation was an important point.
I am sorry we did not see a guest... it would have been informative.
1. Research your topic. 5 refs-2 hard copy 25 points
2. Synthesize 200-400 words 25 points
3. Respond to peers. 25 points
4. Introductory statement from guest. Attend 5 points
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Comments (23)
Dan Morrison said
at 4:04 pm on Apr 2, 2011
To the guest: I hope I am not being offensive, but I would like to relate a comment made by an ELL teacher that may have some relevance. One of the main differences she sees in Russian Immigrants compared with like Somalians, is that many of the students don't care about learning English because they are planning on going back to Russia when they are old enough, so what is the sense. The teacher remarked that while many immigrants from Africa have escaped oppression, the same cannot be said about Russians. The parents and the teachers know why they are here - economic security, but the teacher claimed that the students did not really understand this.I would like your guest to comment on this so I can get his/her side of this issue. Is this what is really happening and to what extent? What do you feel about going back to Russia? Thanks for the response.
Josh, this ties in very closely to my issue. Many Russian infants were adopted, but from what I understand, there are older kids adopted too. If there is time, have the guest look at the newspaper clip and see what he thinks. It is a pretty sad story, and one that should not have happened. Personally, I think the adopting parents should have been arrested and put in jail.
Elizabeth Murray said
at 1:39 pm on Apr 3, 2011
If U.S. academics are behind where the students are when arriving from Russia - why aren't differentiated assignments given to them? Using their own language for assignments would help also. You didn't say where the majority of these immigrants are residing - are there cultural assistance groups available to assist with the language?
Elizabeth Murray said
at 1:39 pm on Apr 3, 2011
This question is for Josh, not Dan -- sorry -- can't get used to posting in PBWorks I guess.
Joshua Voller said
at 4:58 pm on Apr 3, 2011
If the immigrants are living in a rural setting they may not receive quality ELL services. Some schools might not have an ELL teacher for the one or two students who struggle with English. I've seen this at the school I work at. As for where the majority of Russian reside according to Barbara Ronnigen http://www.demography.state.mn.us/documents/ImmigrationDiverse.pdf the primary locations are the Twin Cities, Rochester Area, and the Alexandria area. There is the Russian Education Center which is based out of the cities which is a great resource for this group. http://www.studyrussian.org/english/home_e.html. So there are services out there if you live in highly populated areas.
Dan Morrison said
at 9:01 pm on Apr 3, 2011
The ELL teachers at Blaine high school, being a typical suburban school, still cannot provide for its ELL population very well. Even in a low diversity school, there are too many different languages to account for,so the school cannot even come close to affording the teachers to cover everything. In fact, they lost all of their paras and two teachers.I can't imagine what it is like in the rural areas.
Josh Alessio said
at 6:32 pm on Apr 3, 2011
We need to understand that people with an accent still have the capability to be highly intelligent. We cannot underestimate the intelligence of our students.
Darla Stevens said
at 11:48 am on Apr 5, 2011
This is so true. I work at a fitness center in the evenings at a college and some of the Asian foreign students have to repeat their name and number to me several times because I can't understand them. I feel so bad and by the end we are both frustrated.
denise.larson@... said
at 9:43 pm on Apr 4, 2011
Isn't that the truth. I can't tell you how many times Iwhile 've lived out of state that people have knocked Minnesotans because of our accent. It somehow deems us as stupid.
Darla Stevens said
at 8:52 am on Apr 6, 2011
The movie Fargo and other movies that make fun of Minnesota accents
denise.larson@... said
at 7:32 pm on Apr 6, 2011
That movie has been a swear word in my book. I was interested tho, with the stats that Minnesota has the most Russian and Eastern European immigrants. Same as the growing Muslim population. I had no idea how welcoming of a state we were! REally! I'm just very surprised that these people have made there way up to the cold country. They aren't in outlining states down South or out West, but here in good ole' Minnesota. I know this sounds ignorant, but I don't mean it to be ignorant. If we in Minnesota, more specifically rural MN, do not have the ELL resources for these immigrants, why are we accepting more? Why are these children not going where they can receive differentiated teaching and make their lives better?
Jaime Goulet said
at 2:00 pm on Apr 7, 2011
Russians are probably very much at home here since our climate is a "tad" better than theirs! :)
Hayley Lonnquist said
at 10:03 pm on Apr 7, 2011
Maybe they can't afford living in the urban areas? Or maybe that's where they can find more hands on work in rural areas?
Richard S. Russell said
at 1:53 am on Apr 17, 2011
I think you do "Fargo" a disservice. My mom grew up in Minnesota, and I had aunts, uncles, and cousins galore who lived there. I love Minnesota accents, they remind me of some of the happiest times of my childhood. And I adored Sheriff Marge and the little White Bear Lake hooker girls. They may not be typical Minnesotans, but they sure looked (and sounded) like the kind of people I'd like to live next door to.
Dan Morrison said
at 10:14 pm on Apr 17, 2011
There must be a huge number of Russians and Ukrainians in the Anoka area. I hear them at Border's all of the time and there are several Russian/Ukrainian stores in the area. My wife even has doctors in her group from Romania, and the Czech Republic.
Jaime Goulet said
at 2:04 pm on Apr 7, 2011
Well, I understand why kids would act up if they are not being challenged - any student, no matter where they come from would be frustrated and bored.
Are we really that far behind in math from Russia? That is what baffles me the most....
Anyhow, I agree w/ Beth when she states that differentiation should be applied here.
As far as the bullying because of accents - you should play the video Fargo to your fellow MN students and tell them how the rest of the World now views MN people based on those horrible accents portrayed. But to many, we do have accents - when I moved to Chicago - that is the first thing people commented on!!!!!
It is all about acceptance and learning about each other. Somewhere in the schools, we need to continue to find ways to implement learning opportunities to respect HUMANS! Just cultures, but HUMANS - we all have feelings and we all bleed the same color.
David L Zuck said
at 8:58 pm on Apr 7, 2011
I find this statement most interesting: "It can be hard to get a high paying job that fits your skill set if you can’t speak the language used in the profession." I wan to say that with all our great technology that I'm surprised that there are more tools and services available for translation. I think this statement can also be a metaphor for our inability to utilize talent that doesn't fit a label. We demand high levels of sophistication in work practices and disciplines, and yet require brute force simplicity and rigidity in associated work processes. Should schools form second languages around their populations? Maybe the Russian students could teach the English students and vice versa.
Hayley Lonnquist said
at 9:57 pm on Apr 7, 2011
I've noticed that the Russian students at our school really stick together. If they are not together than they are alone. It's important for us as teachers to try help build relationships inside the classroom among our students. As a Social Studies teacher I would try to incorporate a lot of cooperative lessons so there are plenty of opportunities for them to work on their socializing skills and for them to find success with others. On the flip side, it's important to get other students accustomed to working in diverse groups.
Genevieve.Bennett@st.bemidjistate.edu said
at 10:46 pm on Apr 7, 2011
I have a friend that was a Russian major, and when I was doing a festival of Chekhov plays (Chekhov is a Russian playwright) he invited his friends from the Russian community. He told me that they are a tight knit group. Perhaps part of sticking together has to do with relationship values as well as learning to socialize more comfortably.
Katherine Buhr said
at 2:56 pm on Apr 11, 2011
My dad is now on the school board in my hometown and said the district recently added Rosetta Stone for ELL and this can be used by their families free of charge in the evenings. I've had limited interaction with ELL classrooms (only as a sub) but are there really teachers or paras that know any of the languages of their students? There was one Somolian liason that worked at both the middle school and high school in the district in which I subbed, but she had limited time with the students.
Brenda Mattei said
at 7:21 pm on Apr 12, 2011
Are these Russian students able to skip a grade level in math to a level that is more challenging?
Joshua Voller said
at 5:53 pm on Apr 13, 2011
At the school I attended they didn't allow anyone to skip a grade or a class even if they already had mastered the material. Not sure if this is the case across the board though.
Dan Morrison said
at 10:21 pm on Apr 17, 2011
Thought I would just add a funny story about a couple of really good Russian friends I was collaborating with in Chicago. We had gone to a conference in Washington DC and were out sightseeing at the capitol building. The Senate was in session, so we thought it would be neat to check it out. I went to get tickets to get in to the gallery and they said I would have to go to my senators office and do this and that, and so on - a real pain. When my friend started speaking the lady at the ticket desk caught the accent and told us that any foreign visitor could get in with a special pass that she could disperse right there. The pass would allow him to take a guest in - me! He never let me live that one down.
Barbara Bridges said
at 6:58 pm on Apr 28, 2011
I do not have any personal experience with this population so I read your research with great interest. The rationale of returning to the old country related to motivation was an important point.
I am sorry we did not see a guest... it would have been informative.
1. Research your topic. 5 refs-2 hard copy 25 points
2. Synthesize 200-400 words 25 points
3. Respond to peers. 25 points
4. Introductory statement from guest. Attend 5 points
You don't have permission to comment on this page.