Asians have a great record of assimilation and the belief in a better life through education. And testing for technical expertise in one's native language makes sense. It eliminates the errors associated with language/translation in the process. And as long as private investment is driving the process, it is all good. And with bilingual Vietnamese cosmetology instructors, students can't help but learn a little English along the way. Ethnic groups digging into their own pockets to find the American dream. It once was the norm.

When my mother taught math as an "ESL" teacher (she speaks no languages other than English, but didn't need to, of course), it was always the kids of recent immigrants who were most "into" learning--whether they were from Asia or Latin America.

She thought she wanted to teach kids who were more "affluent," so after years at The Urban Junior High she transferred to one in the San Fernando Valley, in hopes of teaching calculus.

Rather than finding it fulfilling, she was discouraged beyond belief by how spoiled all the suburban kids were; she took an early retirement at 55, and has never looked back.

In teaching it is all about attitude, I have taught "spoiled" kids and the "under privileged" and both will challenge one to find a way to engage and motivate. The reason why recent immigrants seem more receptive to learning has to do with their cultural background. And as usual I take exception to what Darrell has to say, Assimilation is neither about education nor about a better life. Assimilation is about giving up certain cultural norms that are so deeply imbedded that one is not even aware. I can only share my own experience of assimilation and my own community. Some folks do not assimilate and they come very highly educated backgrounds and are driven to success. Then there are others who maybe totally uneducated but assimilate easily in the new culture.