Alone and in between Cultural and Academic Worlds: Voices of Samoan Students

Abstract

In a collaborative research study with a Samoan community leader and a high school student, the authors explored the academic and cultural identities of 10 Samoan high school students. In-depth qualitative interviews revealed the students' struggles with negotiating cultural and academic identities in the ecological contexts of home, peer, teacher, school, and commxmity. Using grounded theory, the authors described the reciprocal, contradicting, and ahenating nature of Samoan and academic identities in the face of negative stereotypes, competing relational obhgations, and low expectations. Findings and implications also focused on cultural strengths and values such as unity, giving back to the community, and respect.

Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of an Equitable Futures Program for Urban Public Schools

“…School-based programs that highlight social connection and support may foster ethnic minority students' cultural adjustment (Yeh, 2003;Yeh, et al 2003;Yeh et al 2005) social skills, self-concept, flexibility, and academic competence (Demaray & Malecki;. Social connections may also buffer the impact of perceived discrimination and individual, cultural, and institutional levels of racism in schools (Borrero, Yeh, Tito, & Luavasa, 2010). Social support may be especially critical during the college application process which has the potential to categorize youth who may come from marginalized communities.…”

Family and Cultural Predictors of Depression Among Samoan American Middle and High School Students

“…For Samoan American families, conflict occurs when the children assimilate to the cultural norms of U.S. society at a faster rate than they assimilate to the more traditional norms of their parents (Borrero et al, 2010). Because schools generally represent White, middle‐class values and expectations, ethnic minority youth might believe that they must shift their ethnic behaviors and expectations to succeed and belong, and they feel the pressure to “act White” (Fordham & Ogbu, 1986, p. 177).…”

“…The emerging research on Samoan American students' experiences in schools has found that, like many other ethnic minority groups, these students are often caught between incongruous academic and ethnic identities (Tyler et al, 2008); that is, their perceptions of themselves as students are in opposition to their perceptions of themselves as Samoans (Borrero et al, 2010). Borrero et al (2010) also found that Samoan students reported feeling alienated and discriminated against.…”

“…The emerging research on Samoan American students' experiences in schools has found that, like many other ethnic minority groups, these students are often caught between incongruous academic and ethnic identities (Tyler et al, 2008); that is, their perceptions of themselves as students are in opposition to their perceptions of themselves as Samoans (Borrero et al, 2010). Borrero et al (2010) also found that Samoan students reported feeling alienated and discriminated against. In fact, Borrero et al's work highlighted how Samoan high school students feel “othered” in schools, reflecting previous theory (Kumashiro, 2000) and research with youth of color who feel they must choose between an academic identity and an ethnic identity (Nasir & Saxe, 2003).…”

“…In fact, Borrero et al's work highlighted how Samoan high school students feel “othered” in schools, reflecting previous theory (Kumashiro, 2000) and research with youth of color who feel they must choose between an academic identity and an ethnic identity (Nasir & Saxe, 2003). Samoan students also reported feeling stereotyped in school as “dumb,”“lazy,”“dangerous,”“gang members,” and “troublemakers” (Borrero et al, 2010, p. 51). Such stereotypes contribute to negative feelings about their cultural group, also referred to as collective self‐esteem.…”