Greek children in Sydney

Abstract

In many o f the inner city Sydney schools the often numerous Greek pupils are usually seen by their teachers as problems. They are said to be unpunctual and immature; their levels of achievement are low. Their parents ignore notes from the school and do not insist that homework is done. They shift house frequently, so that the children are forever changing schools. The children do not mix with Australian children any more than necessary in school, and they mix only with other Greek children out of school. These Greek pupils reach only low standards and, as they are usually older than the class average, leave school without having mastered basic skills. In this unusual book we find explanations for these characteristics. The children and their parents speak for themselves about what it is like to grow up in Australia w ith in a family that attempts, against serious odds, to preserve traditional Greek ways of life in spite of the influences of schools and the parents' jobs . Their voices are heard with little interruption, comment or interpretation - they are vivid, instructive and often movinq. Show more