Schooling Experiences as Spaces for Socialization and Bonding of Venezuelan Students in Schools of Guayaquil and Daule, Ecuador

Abstract

This study describes socialization and bonding experiences in the schooling process of immigrant Venezuelan students with their local peers and teachers, in schools of Guayaquil, Ecuador (2022-2023). It employs three sensitizing concepts: schooling experiences, socialization and bonding. When integrated to the study’s goals, these concepts allowed researchers to observe experiences, impressions and affections during the schooling process of a student. This mixed, quali-quantitative research design employed interviews and a questionnaire, both tools focusing on schooling experiences as moments and spaces for the encounters between students with their local peers and teachers. Participants were 12 Venezuelan students from General Basic Education to Baccalaureate and 64 teachers of Venezuelan students.

Findings highlight the relational dimension of students with peers and teachers during ordinary experiences. This has a special relevance due to the students’ condition of being immigrants. The spaces for socialization and bonding begin, according to students, during the first interactions with their peers and teachers. The bonding process is framed on students’ and peers’ developmental stage traits, and teachers’ spontaneity to share personal experiences with students. Displays of trust of local students to their Venezuelan peers, and participation of Venezuelan students in school activities provide opportunities for socialization. During all the experiences, a general conclusion is to reflect on the quality of school life, which is a network of interactions and affections between students and teachers that are present during the schooling process. This motivates us to examine the warmth when educating, where affections pass between the actors in the school scene.