User:MKassmeier

About Me
I am currently an undergraduate student at Drake University, but I will graduate from Drake in May 2013 with a a Bachelor of Arts degree in music and a business minor. I am enrolled in the course Education Program:Drake University/Global Youth Studies (Spring 2013) this semester at Drake University. Over the course of the Spring 2013 semester, every student in this class will conduct academic research on a well-defined topic that is not currently on Wikipedia.

Research Project
For my research project in Spring semester 2013, I improved Mental health of refugee children article on Wikipedia. The article addresses the pre-migration and post-migation stressors refugee children are exposed to that increase their likelihood of developing mental deficiencies. The article also discusses refugee children’s access to health care and education in the United States and Canada. Although the article was a previous assignment at a university, it does not represent a worldwide view of the topic and does not resemble an encyclopedic description of the subject.

I plan to improve the "Issues Faced"and "Developments" sections found underneath the "Access to Education" portion of this article. Both sections provide research and examples only from schools in Canada, which does not present a global perspective on the education of refugee children. Therefore, I will include research gathered from the United States, Europe, and Australian school systems in order to create a well-rounded representation of Western refugee education. I will also provide information from the United Nations Refugee Agency about refugee education in developing countries across the world. Many of the issues faced and important strategies found in refugee education in developing countries may also be applied within the context of Western education systems in order to improve the educational experiences of refugee children. Also, a large emphasis is currently placed upon childhood trauma and its implications for refugee education throughout the article. Trauma is a valid issue, however, it is not the only issue facing children refugees so I would like to elaborate upon other factors existing within refugee education.

The "Issues Faced" section currently addresses the structure of the educational system, refugee residence, language barriers and ethnicity, and other obstacles. Each topic contains valuable information, but desperately needs expansion, elaboration, and reorganization in order to present a global perspective. I believe the first paragraph found within the "Structure of the Educational System" should be moved into the "Developments" section. Within the "Structure of the Educational System" subsection I would like to discuss the lack of current support systems in place to assist schools, refugee families, and students in the process of successfully adapting refugees into Western schools. The issue of social exclusion and inclusion within Western school systems and its effects on educational policy should be addressed within this subsection. Also, the cultural values and traditions of refugee families often clash with the current ideals shaping Western educational institutions. For example, the formal processes and hierarchies in place often force a disconnect between schools and refugee families. I will include the issue of educational attainment and quality of refugee schools in developing countries.

Right now the "Developments" section briefly discusses the role of teachers and ways to support the academic adjustment of refugee children. I would like to emphasize the need for Western educators to learn about the differences among refugees in order to create better educational policies and experiences for refugee children. For example, children refugees from Iraq are not the same as refugees from Tanzania, but the Western education system often treats these children refugees in an identical manner. In Western and developing countries there is also a desperate need for systematic professional development and extensive conversations about refugee children in relationship to educational structure and programs. Also, a greater advocacy for family involvement and bilingualism would benefit refugee children enrolled in Western educational systems. Multiple factors (such as parent and community support, adequate resources and curricula, and prepared teachers) that influence Western schools also influence and shape refugee schools in developing countries. Therefore, I add information discussing these factors in relation to developing countries in this section.

My Sandbox
Find the article draft at User:MKassmeier/sandbox