National Center for Farmworker Health
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Guidebook: In-Camp Education for Migrant Farmworkers

Author: Lynch, Robert
Date Published: 1977


For many years, migrant farmworkers have silently traveled this nation's back roads to harvest its crops. This migrations-interstate and intrastate-has been a major factor depriving them of the continuity of services critical to success in education and vocational pursuits. A major breakthrough occurred with the passage of the Migrant Amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1966. For the first time, federal funds became earmarked for educational services to migrant children. As a college with a strong thrust in teacher education, the State University of New York College at Geneseo became one of the first units in the country to provide training for teachers of migrant children in 1966. Children were transported from area migrant labor camps to enable the teachers to observe and practice effective teaching techniques. As close relationships developed with the families, the desperate needs of the older youth and adults for educational services became evident. Thus, a variety of programs designed to help bridge educational and other gaps suffered by the families were initiated. This guidebook for the development of an in-camp learning program for migrant farmworkers is presented to motivate those who seek effective means for reaching this mobile population. The suggestions contained herein are based upon the Geneseo Migrant Center's experiences with Algonquin Indian, Black, Caucasian, Mexican American and Puerto Rican migrant workers.

Price: free
Number of Pages: 177