How to use books to welcome refugee children into the classroom
Published on: 16 September 2024
Author and teacher Maryam Hassan shares her ideas on how to create welcoming classrooms for refugee children.
I've worked in three different countries teaching classes in both public and private schools over the last ten years, and one thing I always strive to do is make my classroom environment a place where children can be who they are.
There is a belief in Montessori that we are all Citizens of the World and I always celebrate all the different cultures, countries, and backgrounds the children come from. We regularly had students move from overseas who had never left their home country before, some who couldn't speak English, and that is a huge adjustment for someone so young.
Refugee children are not just coming from a different country to somewhere new; they have been uprooted from their homes, lives and families with no choice, often in traumatic situations.
It is even more essential that our classrooms are safe spaces for those children to help them settle and find comfort in their new surroundings.
Be prepared
An important step to helping to welcome refugee children into your classroom is to make sure you know about where they are coming from and are prepared.
When I worked at a public elementary school in Japan we had a family join us from Afghanistan. The teachers of the two classes they were in did special lessons teaching the students about Afghanistan. By empowering the existing students with more knowledge, we were able to help the new students quickly settle into an environment that was so different to where they were from.
We want children to feel safe and also find ways to connect with them by knowing about their culture or country beforehand. If we can say simple phrases in their language or make the extra effort to find ways to communicate, this does form bonds.
How books can support the transition
Books are a wonderful resource for refugee students because children all over the world love to read. Books are a connecting thread between us all and bring comfort to the classroom environment. Books about moving country, moving house, and starting a new school are all great resources giving children a source to relate to.
I'm a great believer in observing the children in your class; it's one of the core points in Montessori. I think once a child starts and you begin to observe them and learn their likes and interests, you can bring in books related to those areas too. Being able to find books with their favourite characters will provide a feeling of security even if those books are in a new language to them.
Picture books have such a power in that way, because the images can tell the story too; therefore anyone can find joy in them.
Treating children with care and sensitivity
One of the reasons I wrote Until You Find the Sun was because I'd seen first-hand how things like weather, temperature, and new environments can be difficult for a child to adjust to when they are moving country.
Some small things we don't consider, like the weather in winter, can be a very big challenge for someone small who has never experienced it before. This is even more so for refugee children who are moving due to situations that are traumatic in their home countries. I wanted to write a picture book that gave them warmth and comfort and helped them find home in the new countries they have moved to.
Ultimately, we need to use the same care and sensitivity we'd use for all new children entering our classrooms. By preparing with books, helping our other students to learn about the countries our refugee students are coming from, and by observing and adapting aspects to suit their interests and needs, we can make classroom environments that are a welcome safe space for refugee children.
Until You Find the Sun by Maryam Hassan and Anna Wilson is out now.
