#401: From Complex to Humane Systems: Helping Educators to Engage with the Emergent Complexity of Immigration

This paper presents initial findings of a case study of a five-day professional development workshop designed to help K-12 teachers engage with the emergent complexity of immigration in a more humanizing manner. Focusing on the experiences of two teachers, initial results show that even when teachers had ideological and political clarity, they felt disempowered by their lack of understanding the lived experiences of immigrant students and families. The inclusion of personal narratives in the workshop was a design commitment that helped teachers understand the emergent complexity of immigration and engage the full humanity of their students. Guest speakers, books, short stories, movies, art projects, and other narratives made the experiences of both immigrants and people seeking to support immigrants more tangible and also helped teachers make connections with their own lives. Teachers reported feeling more confident they could effectively support their students while being more strategic in their advocacy.