Asian-American Learners

Learners from the Asian American culture are very bright.  They score higher than any other race on proficiency tests.  They are stereotyped as the “model minority”, and many people think that they all excel at math and science just because of their race.  Because of this, these students are not being adequately served by the nation’s public schools.  Families who struggle with finances often urge their children to drop out of school and get a job instead.  Also, many students also arrive in the United States after they have experienced the trauma of war or violence.  This puts these students at a disadvantage, and they also often have academic and psychological needs. 

There are a few teaching strategies that can help you help your student reach their highest achievement level.  First, you can show students you care by getting to know their individual needs and strengths and sharing their concerns, hopes, and dreams.  Students are more willing to listen and learn to their teacher if they are caring and nurturing.  Another strategy that you can use is to understand students' home cultures to better comprehend their behavior in and out of the classroom.  In this way, you can understand how your student’s parents view education.  Each parent is going to have a different view of how the education of their child should happen.  This will also affect the way their child acts and behaves in school.