The Controversy of Teaching Immigration

Though immigration is such a touchy subject, I feel children should be aware of what is going on in the news.  Some of the children may have relatives that were immigrants or they may even be immigrants themselves.  I feel it is important to get them the facts.  They need to know what immigration is and hear both sides of the argument.  I plan to establish a close, culturally accepting community in my future classroom, and thought this may not be an issue to begin with; I feel that it is one that needs to be brought up.  My hopes are that this will teach tolerance and create a realization of the struggles these people are going through.  I also hope to get them to understand that both sides have valid points and that it is alright to have your own opinion about something, as long as you are not stating it in a biased manner or hurting feelings.  The United States is known for freedom and opportunity.  It is also nicknamed the “Melting Pot” because of all the diverse ethnicity and cultures.  I want my future students to know that America is a great place to live because it gives opportunity to everyone, there are equal rights, and our diversities are what make America so great.  My hopes are that if they know this, then when they grow-up and come to a point where they can make a difference, they will know what is good and right and act accordingly.


Teaching topics such as this can be controversial and many teachers steer clear of teaching them all together.  I do not feel it should be so taboo to talk about these topics.  Children do not need gaps in their learning and it is good for them to experience different viewpoints.  There are just some topics that need to be well thought-out before discussing.

Teachable Moment is a site that talks about handling things like this...
http://www.teachablemoment.org/ideas/teachingcontroversy.html