Teachers’ Perceptions Regarding the Presence of Migrant Boys and Girls in Schools of Santiago: Challenges for Inclusion

Abstract

The arrival of a migrant population of school age in Chile has created a set of challenges for the State, the education system and especially for schools that receive foreign children, establishing a concern to achieve inclusion and respect for rights of all. In this regard, there are many factors that intervene in this process, however, the possibility of advancing towards inclusive education in schools with boys and girls of diverse origins is largely mediated by the appraisal teachers have of their students. Under this premise, the aim of the research that originated this article was to get to know the perception teachers have in two schools of the borough of Santiago, about inclusive education of the migrant students in their schools, and the possibilities for the construction of a culture of inclusion. Through a mixed methodology with surveys and semi structured interviews, it was possible to establish that these teachers have a restricted view of inclusion, and that they assume that migrants have a series of academic and behavioral shortcomings that hinder their inclusion and full participation in schools.