Dos estudios de caso sobre la experiencia escolar de alumnas inmigradas. Un deseo de aprender que se abre

Abstract

This research is set out as a qualitative study focusing on two immigrant female students who are studying Secondary Education (hereinafter ESO, as it is known in Spain). These students have a positive relationship with school and school knowledge, and have shown their desire to continue studying in post-compulsory stages. The overall purpose of this study is to understand the very nature of the desire for knowledge and the nature of positive attitudes towards school materialized in school success, and to find out what lies beneath the unique experience of migration. This is achieved by looking into how these immigrant girls construct their subjectivities as students. The research objectives set forth by the analysis of school success stories focus on the following actions:  Studying the meaning of school success in relation to students’ particular experiences.  Understanding the processes that lead students to establish a positive relationship to learning, paying especial attention to the teacher role.  Learning about the migration process and its influence on the construction of subjectivities in students.  Exploring school success stories taking into account the female difference.  Examining how students show their positive relationship to learning and their expectations of continuity in post-compulsory stages. This research relies on the interpretive paradigm and a qualitative methodology to highlight its educational nature. What makes this research educational in this case is simply the very fact of looking into the school history of immigrant female students, based on their own experiences and subjectivities. Finally, in chapter entitled “In-conclusions”, serves as a final conclusion to the thesis, although the intended aim is to open the way for other researchers. The chapter is presented as an invitation to open dialogue, with regards to what can be derived from the reading, analysis and reflection of the research process. Therefore, I tackle all those issues that have been identified and highlighted throughout the study of successful school experiences of immigrant female students, in light of what emerges from the case reports. Furthermore, I relate this information to pedagogical literature, in order to show the main findings (although these are not the only ones). Therefore, the main findings of the research are as follows: • School Success as a Biographical Construct: What I mean by this is a meaning of success linked to each school experience. • It is very important what Teachers think of School Success • Female Students: A Relationship with the School Culture and Knowledge that is Always a Plus. • Some Educational Elements that Influence the Achievement of Success:  The family concern for their education and their achievement in school.  significant or relevant experience in school.  Having gone through personal-family problems.  The importance of having a good relationship with teachers.  High, sustained and realistic expectations by teachers.