Right Where We Belong: How Refugee Teachers and Students Are Changing the Future of Education

Learning from refugee teachers and students can create better schooling and brighter futures for displaced children, as they experiment with flexible forms of learning and embrace unfamiliarity. Their stories inspire us to reimagine education broadly to better prepare children to thrive in a diverse and unpredictable world.

Format: Hardback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 29 April 2022
Publisher: Harvard University Press

The plight of refugee children is a pressing global concern, with half of the world's 26 million refugees being children. Their formal education is often disrupted, and their lives are often dominated by exclusion and uncertainty about the future. Even those who have the opportunity to attend school face enormous challenges, as they struggle to integrate into unfamiliar societies and educational environments. In Right Where We Belong, Sarah Dryden-Peterson explores the innovative approaches taken by refugee teachers and students to address this crisis.

Dryden-Peterson's book draws on more than 600 interviews in twenty-three countries to showcase the transformative power of education in the lives of refugee children. She introduces us to individuals like Jacques, a teacher who created a school for his fellow Congolese refugees in defiance of local laws, and Hassan, a Somali refugee navigating the social world of American teenagers. Through their stories, Dryden-Peterson demonstrates how teachers and students are experimenting with flexible forms of learning that embrace unfamiliarity, develop students' adaptability, and build supportive relationships across lines of difference.

One of the key insights from the book is that policymakers, activists, and educators have a lot to learn from displaced children and teachers. Their stories point the way to better futures for refugee students and inspire us to reimagine education broadly so that children everywhere are better prepared to thrive in a diverse and rapidly changing world.

Dryden-Peterson's book offers a powerful message of hope and resilience in the face of adversity. It reminds us that education is a powerful tool for social change and that children, regardless of their background, have the potential to achieve great things. By learning from the experiences of refugee teachers and students, we can create a more inclusive and equitable education system that prepares all children for success in the 21st century.

Weight: 428g
Dimension: 216 x 148 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780674267992