Bhutanese Refugees in Omaha Katie Davis

Intro to the Conflict Bhutan Ethnic groups: – Lhotshampa – Ngalong “Bhutanization” – One nation, One People 100,000 displaced

Timeline Late 19th – early 20th century: Organized settlement of south Bhutan for cultivation. Many ethnic Nepalese arrived as agricultural laborers Bhutan passed its first citizenship act 1960s-1970s- Southern Bhutan continues to grow in economic prominence 1980s- “One nation, one People” policies promote northern Bhutanese culture A new citizenship act passed- repressive actions refugees flow into Nepal 1990s-2006-all bilateral negotiations between Nepal and Bhutan fail the U.S., Australia, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Norway offer to resettle refugees third country resettlement begins. (57,000 refugees resettled in U.S. 2013) consolidation of the camps today: In Nepal, more than 69,000 of an original total of 108,000 refugees from Bhutan have been resettled. (

Bhutanese in Omaha ,000 Midtown/Benson Lutheran Family Services Omaha Together One Community (OTOC) Yates Community Center (32nd davenport) KVNOnews.com

Teaching Context Culturally: – Strong family ties/Patriarchal – Taught to respect authority – Education is very important Traumatic stressors: – Pre-arrival stressors: Lack of nationality or citizenship Having to flee their homes suddenly Lack of freedom of movement – Post-arrival stressors: Worries about family back home Language barriers Lack of choice Increased family conflict Poverty/employment issues Acculteration issues (Cochran et al, 2013) (Benson et al, 2011) Strategies: 1. Family involvement 2. SIOP language supports 3. Help from counselor/social worker (Haynes, 2013)

CRT Strategies Focus on helping learn school rules and procedures- explicitly explain to them and demonstrate! Usually will not volunteer in giving answers/sharing feelings/or debate. Give them time to adjust. Don’t single them out in front of the class. Conference with them one on one. Often look for direct instruction because that is the way most families communicate with their children. Don’t be passive with instructions. (Chiang, 2000)

Culture: Banki, Susan (2008) “Chapter 2 Resettlement of the Bhutanese from Nepal: The Durable Solution Discourse.” Protracted Displacement in Asia: No Place to Call Home. Ashgate Publishing. Benson et al (2011) “Religious coping and acculturation stress among Hindu Bhutanese.” International Social Work. 55(4) Carter, Leslie and Bhim Gurung (2011) Now We Will. Omaha Public Schools English as a Second Language Migrant and Refugee Education. Cochran et al (2013) “Suicide and Suicidal Ideation Among Bhutanese Refugees- United States, ” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. July Vol. 62, No. 26. Quigley, John (2004) “Bhutanese refugees in Nepal: What role nor for the European Union and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees?” Contemporary South Asia. 13(2) CRT Strategies: “Welcoming Refugee Students: Strategies for Classroom Teachers.” Bureau of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance (BRIA) New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. Chiang, Linda H.(2000) 'Teaching Asian American students', The Teacher Educator, 36: 1, 58 — TeachingAsianAmerStudents.pdf TeachingAsianAmerStudents.pdf Haynes, Judie. (2013) “SIOP: Making Content Comprehensible for ELLs.”