Comunidad y Currículo

How home visits influence culturally relevant curriculum creation

ALLISON HAWKS

Contexto de mi clase y escuela

O I am in my second year teaching in the U.S. system of education – 5th GRADE

O Just east of downtown AlbuquerqueO Title I; K-5O Dual language model 50/50O Single strand O 100% Mexican-AmericanO Almost 100% are the first generation

to attend school in the United States

Essential Question:

O How do I assure that my students to “see” themselves in the

curriculum, commit to engaging them, and inspire

them to think critically?

WHY?O literature: Giroux; Dewey; Valdez; Freire; Darling-Hammond; Heath; Cowhey -------------------------------------------------------------------------O Unequal schooling

O culturally irrelevant curriculum --including the hidden curriculum--O Schools reproduce and maintain the social order “norms”—encouraging

assimilation and obedience

O lack of dominant cultural capital (class, culture, color minorities)

O low expectations (deficit theory) in low income, Title 1 schoolsO standardization/corporatization of curriculum

(teaching to test)= disconnect/disengagementO low graduation & poor performance statistics for “Latino/Hispanic” students

O Teaching is a political act

Discovering my student Diversity via Home Visits

O Disqualifying Demographics: 100% Mexican-American students –

O How do I assure that I “see” each student as a unique individual with individual needs?

O HOME VISITS only for Pre-K?? NO!O All students; All teachers; Rethinking

Schools article

Letter homeO Desde mi perspectiva podemos lograr mucho cuando trabajemos juntos—los

padres y yo—para que avance su hij@ este año escolar. Hice visitas con todas las familias el año pasado con buenos resultados.

O Haz me el favor de apuntar el tiempo y días de la semana que estarán disponibles para una visita. También les pido su número celular y dirección para que yo pueda hallar la ubicación de su casa o apartamento. La visita no es nada formal, mi intención es platicar con Uds. sobre su hijo/a, la escuela, sus esperanzas para él/ella, y presentarme.

O Espero que estén de acuerdo con mi propósito, O Srta. Allison HawksO Por cualquier cosa me pueden llamar también: 336-480-5524

O Su nombre: __________________________ Nombre de su hijo/a: _____________________O Día de la semana preferida para una visita: ________________________ O Hora del día que estarán disponibles: _______________________ O Número del celular: ______________________O Dirección: ________________________ Número del apartamento: _________

What do home visits look like?O Preguntas para los Padres de Familia

O 1. ¿Qué le gusta hacer su hij@ en la casa?

O 2. ¿Cómo le va su hij@ en la escuela? (motivación, habilidad, desafíos principales, maestra quien más ha ayudado a su hij@)

O 3. ¿Ud. Entiende la tarea que su hijo/a trae a la casa para poderle ayudar? ¿Requiere mucho apoyo? AGENDA

O 4. ¿Cómo le puedo ayudar este año escolar para que su hijo/avance y esté preparado/a para la escuela secundaria?

O 5. ¿Cuáles son las esperanzas que tiene para su hij@ en relación a su educación? ¿Cómo comparará su educación con la de su hij@?

O 6. ¿Estará disponible para ayudarme en la escuela? ¿ Paseos educativos…o cómo?

Cultural Capital and Deficit Theory

O The term cultural capital refers to non-financial social assets that promote social mobility beyond economic means. (Bourdieu & Passerson, 1973)

O Includes the accumulated cultural knowledge that confers POWER and STATUS and CONTROL.

O Deficit Theory: In an attempt to explain the widespread underachievement among students of color and students from lower socioeconomic strata in schools, many locate the problem within the students, their families and communities. This perspective overlooks the root causes of oppression by localizing the issue within individuals and/or their communities.

Rethinking the Deficit TheoryAND “cultural capital”

O Students appreciate the right to an education: Receive the message from home, “Mij@, tienes que seguir adelante y mejorarse para que no trabajes tan duro como nosotros. Por eso nos mudamos a los EEUU--para que tengas un futuro mejor.”

O Parents are incredibly concerned and supportive of their child’s education

O Strong work ethicO RespectfulO Respond to culturally relevant curriculum

O THERE IS POWER and RICHNESS IN THIS CULTURE

Units of studyOHow do the student diversity discoveries

gleaned from home visits inform my teaching?

O Adapt the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) to the engaging, culturally relevant material.

OGreat teachers actively adapt standards (CCSS and state Social Studies/Science standards) to the content they are passionate about teaching.

OWe combine, cross-over, and make connections across curricular areas as well.

Capitalizing on Historical Events in the Calendar Year to teach: human rights, perspective, injustice, and culture

O Non-fiction, Informational

Texts

Sept. 2 O LABOR DAY (May 1, 1886 – Chicago)O 8 to work; 8 to rest; 8 to do what we

needO 6 died; May 4 - 38 died, 1 police;O blamed strikers; 6 found guilty and hungO Celebrated in honor of the martyrs in

Chicago

Sept. 16O MEXICAN INDEPENCE DAY

O Sept. 16, 1810 –

O Colonialism/maps/protest/ inequality/martyr/independence

O Hidalgo – Grito de Dolores

October 14O COLUMBUS DAY

O 1492O “discovery” simulation; “indian”;

historical texts are not neutral; community paragraph; debateO “indian” and stereotypes

O Essential Question: ??

Oct. 31 / Nov. 1O HALLOWEEN / DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS

—ALL SAINTS DAY

ONov. 28O THANKSGIVING

Recommended ResourcesO Planning to Change the World: A

Plan Book for Social Justice Teachers (education for liberation network)

O Rethinking Schools: www.rethinkingschools.org

O Teaching Tolerance: www.tolerance.org

O Zinn Education Project: www.zinnedproject.org

O Dual Language NM: www.dlenm.org

Latin America and Iberian Institute @ UNM:

http://laii.unm.edu/outreach/

Professional Development Workshops; Curriculum;

Vamos a Leer Blog and Bookclub; LADB-Free News Articles;

Culture Boxes; Teacher Dialogue;

Classroom Opportunities