What accounts for Latino kids strong social skills?
In general, Latino kids grow up in very warm and supportive households. The vast majority of Latino homes, especially immigrant households, is headed by two parents and there are often grandparents around [who] help raise young children. Kids are taught to respect other family members and there is a very strong sense of cooperation to advance the interest of the family, which gives young kids strong cooperative skills in terms of how they play with siblings and how they contribute to housework. These are all useful social skills that translate to doing well in classrooms and being able to work with fellow kindergarteners. What causes these good qualities in Latino children to erode? It seems to be a combination of negative peer pressure and teachers who have low expectations on kids of color. For those Latino families who cannot afford to leave poor neighborhoods, there are negative peer influences as soon as middle school, such as young gangs emerging and friends whose parents do not
