Is Their Room for Chicana/o Studies Theresa Montao in the SAN - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Is Their Room 
 for 
 Chicana/o Studies 
 in the 
 Common Core?

Theresa Montaño

SAN FRANCISCO, CA MARCH 7, 2015

What is Chicana/o Studies?

Legitimate Academic Discipline Multidisciplinary Study Of Chicana/Os,

Mexican- American And Latino/As

Born Of Struggle Critical Theory And Pedagogy Contextualized Chicana/O Studies Is For Everyone

Ethnic studies programs are always engaged in defending their existence.

Christine Sleeter

What do we know about Common Core ?

Applicable to Math and English/

Language Arts

Next Generation Science Standards References to Critical Thinking and

Higher Order Thinking Skills

Hopeful End to Scripted Curriculum NO Common Core in Social Studies

and History

The present History and Social

Studies Standards Are Void of Chicano/a Studies

Districts are Passing Ethnic Studies

Requirement

Common Core

A major critique of curriculum

mandates pre-CCSS argues that the teaching of poetry, literature, drama, and were vastly reduced (Bartolomew, 2012).

The attacks on Chicano/a Studies have

been well-documented.

There is a dearth of Chicano/a

Children’s literature (Valenzuela, 2014).

Bartholomew argues that the CCCS may

allow for the adoption of curriculum and texts that promote “creativity, insight, adaptability, and the capacity for expansive thinking (1)”.

Chicana/o Children’s Literature

Furumoto emphasizes that Chicano/a

children’s literature is “born of struggle”.

Chicano children’s literature connects to

the lives of poor and working class families.

Creates opportunities for dialogue and

social justice activism.

Analyzes the past and present

sociopolitical realities.

Chicano Literature is the springboard by

• ur teachers to critically analyze the

policies that may (mis)inform practice.

Chicano/a Literature K-6

Bilingual Texts Written By And For Chicanos/As Illustrated By And For Chicanos/As Developmentally Appropriate Context And Content Message

Literature Examples

Dear Primo America’s Story Pepita Speaks Twice Esmeralda Rising Cool Salsa Friends From the Other Side Antonio’s Card/Tarjeta

Is Their Room 
 for 
 Chicana/o Studies 
 in the 
 Common Core?

Yes, but…

Rethinking Schools (2014)

▪ Fight The Implementation Timelines ▪ Resist The Stakes and Priority Attached to

the Tests

▪ Expose The Truth About the Commercial

and Political Interests Shaping This False Panacea.

Culturally and Linguistically Deprived

• Unmotivated and

Uninterested

• At-risk and Remedial
• Troubled
• Othering, Blaming
• Untapped Cultural and

Linguistic Knowledge

• Unrecognized Talents,

Potential for Growth

• Resilient, Creative and

Persistent

• Resister, Bicultural Negotiator


 Community Engagement, Becoming an Ally

Two Very Different Views Deficit Asset

Cultural, Linguistic 
 and Familial Knowledge

Familial/Household Rules (Dating,

Discipline, Familial Hierarchy)

Music, Art and Culture Family Gatherings (Birthdays, Meal time,

Foods, Customs)

Family/Cultural stories (Ancestors, Role

Models, Sayings, Legends)

Language (Terms, Social Language,

Knowledge of Ancestral or Tribal Language)

Lessons learned (Practical and Intellectual

Lessons)

Challenging Deficit Views

Critically Compassionate Pedagogy

• Authentic Caring- treating students as full

and complete human beings.

• Critical Pedagogy- elevating students to the

status of subjects in the creation of knowledge.

• Social justice content-teaching content that

directly counters racism and racist stereotypes through epistemological contextualization of the students social, economic and cultural relations.

Ideology

Process

Reflection, Dialogue, Action Problem Posing Development of Voice Politicizing the Everyday Critical Literacy Pedagogical Practices

Chicano/a Studies

• History
• Language
• Art
• Music
• Social Sciences
• Health and Human Service
• Community and Service

Learning

• Experiential Knowledge

Culturally& Historically Responsive Familismo: Community of learners Social Justice Centered Critical Consciousness Community Service Respect and Understanding Indigenous epistemology Alignment with State Standards Social & Educational Transformation

Authentic Education

You can’t test that…

Ethnic Studies on the Move

Struggle to Defend Ethnic

Studies

Struggle to Adopt Ethnic

Studies

Infuse or Stand Alone?

• Elective or Mandate?
• Who Defines Subject Matter?
• What Makes One Qualified?

Contexts

• Push for the development and publication/

adoption of texts that meet the definition.

• Demand that Chicano/a literature be identified

and that teachers be given time to develop curriculum.

• Thematic Teaching
• Negotiate the text
• Authorship
• Local Control is key to moving Chicano/a Studies

in K-12.

• Move beyond Chicano/a literature and demand the

full inclusion of Chicano/a Studies.

• Don’t debate stand alone or infusion, required both.
• Improve teacher readiness and knowledge of

Chicano/a Studies.

• Tap the cultural and linguistic knowledge in our

communities, document the sociopolitical realities and engage students and families in writing their own stories.