Relational engagement it’s the extent to which students feel connected to their teachers, peers, and others at school. Successful adaptation among immigrant students appears to be linked to the quality of relationships they forge in their school settings. Indeed, social support at school has been implicated in the academic adaptation of all students, and immigrant students appear to be no exception. Social relations provide a variety of protective functions – a sense of belonging, emotional support, tangible assistance and information, guidance, role modeling, and positive feedback. Research suggests that relationships in school play a particularly crucial role in promoting socially competent behavior in the classroom and fostering academic engagement and achievement (Sadowski, 51).

I especially loved this quote from the “Adolescents from Immigrant Families” Chapter for highlighting the importance of social relationships post-immigration. Relationships are critical for maintaining feelings of acceptance, approval, and belonging. These elements are all very important to immigrants after being uprooted from their home and cultures. This reminds me of my experience this past year when I was living abroad in Madrid. I definitely felt as though I assimilated little by little into the Madrid lifestyle, however, there were always some moments where deep down I did feel the smallest sense of not belonging. I then began to think of the way things were at home and begin to miss the US. In order to minimize these feelings I would always look for support systems. Whether it was through friends or my school in Madrid, these support systems helped in the transition. They bridged the gap between “home” and school culture and directly connecting students like myself to the new norms. These are some feelings I experienced at 23 years old while living abroad for only one year. Although the culture shock aspect may be somewhat similar, I cannot even imagine how difficult it must be for a young adolescent to leave their home behind, come to a new country, and adjust to a new school life & culture. I think that although it’s a big change, a school is the best place for an adolescent to be and can provide the supports they need with the help of teachers and peers. Teachers should be sensitive to immigrants’ struggles but at the same time should encourage peer interaction in order to build social relations.