A Critically Compassionate Pedagogy for Latino Youth
By: Julio Cammarota and Augustine Romero

In “A Critically Compassionate Pedagogy for Latino Youth,” Cammarota and Romero argue that true learning only happens in classrooms that are build upon trust, respect, and an understanding of one another. Without these vital components, academic development does not exist, especially in the lives of the Latino youth. In this article, Angela Valenzuela explains “that a lack of care and respect in teacher/student relationships may be a key factor behind the failure of Latino youth” (309). This is a very powerful statement and seems like something that is highly attainable. Valenzula is not indicating the need for huge investments in curriculum that would be costly to the school department, she is simply indicating there is a need for better relationships between teachers and students that would foster a more effective learning environment. I often wonder about all the money that goes into particular curriculums and materials needed to support those curriculums, when really more teacher training on how to build a community of respect and trust in the classroom would speak volumes. However, in the case of Tucson Arizona, I feel like both the ethnic studies curriculum and supportive teachers are a definite need.

The two types of teaching methods that Valenzula speaks about really struck me as an “ah ha” moment. She talks about the difference between authentic caring and aesthetic caring. Authentic caring is when “the teacher establishes an emotional, human connection with his or her students and demonstrates a real interest in the students’ overall well being.” Whereas aesthetic caring is “...treating students like objects, seeing them only as blank slates that need to be inscribed with academic skills, rather than as complete people with real life problems” (309).

Authentic teachers are those who take interest in their students and their culture, they understand how their students process language or body language, they care about learning about their students as people and adjusting their teaching so that students can learn best. The teachers highlighted in the Precious Knowledge film would definitely fall under the “authentic caring” category. Those classrooms were filled with a sense of community and respect, and because of that, teachers and students could have meaningful conversations about controversial topics. I try to think of myself as an authentic teacher who gets to know my students first before trying to teach them. In particular, one of my students in 1st grade is really struggling to read, however other circumstances in her life get in the way of reading. I learned through time that before I can teach her to read, I need to be able to read her! In other words, I have to understand her, before I help her understand how to read.

In contrast, the aesthetic teachers are the ones that are there to just “deal” with the students and earn a paycheck. These teachers stand up and lecture about content in a textbook and teach to the test because to the aesthetic teacher those test scores are more important than actually making lasting connections with students that prepare them for the world. The article talks about how the Latino youth are surrounded by curriculum that “prepares them solely for standardized tests” (309). Aesthetic teachers remind me of Anglo-Americans who treated the Native Americans like “objects, seeing them only as blank slates.” Likewise, the Anglo-American teachers stripped the Native Americans of anything they did know and forced them to learn their way through torture and abuse. In this case, I don’t think those teachers even deserve to be called aesthetic teachers, they were much worse. Similar to how the Native Americans were treated with verbal disrespect, many Latino students mentioned their teachers telling them they are “incapable” and should just drop out.

Building on Strength con Educacion, Respeto, y Confianza (with Education, Respect, and Trust)
By: Ana Celia Zentella

In the article “Building on Strength con Educacion, Respeto, y Confianza (with Education, Respect, and Trust)” the author Ana Selia Zentella discusses how in the Latino culture, the family takes pride in education and believes that their child’s teacher is a second mother. Bridging this sense of community and union between the student and family allows for an even deeper understanding of one another and creates a space for highly effective learning. Zentella also talks about making sure all voices are heard. Language is such a big part of culture and in the Latino community, there are an abundance of languages that should not be over generalized. I love the quote, “The Latino banner is a patchwork quilt made up of many voices” (177). What a beautiful image that oftens gets diminished when people group all sorts of dialects into speaking “Spanish.” Language and literacy also go hand in hand. So often I hear families talk about how their child is struggling in reading because mom only knows Spanish. I try desperately to explain how speaking and reading to your child in Spanish is a beautiful gift that will actually help your child to be a better reader in English too. I was so sad to read that some children “even try to stop their parents from talking Spanish to them in public” (181). How do we help these children embrace their culture and feel valued when the “superior” language in America is English?

Overall, both of these articles speak to “family cohesion supports school success” and educators that combine “critical pedagogy, authentic caring, and social justice content into one educational approach…” All of these messages in turn create students/human beings who show respect, embrace their culture, desire to learn, and are able to make changes for the better.

This TED talk is one of my favorites because it talks about the importance of teachers “connecting with their students on a real, human, personal level.”

AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIPS


Film: Precious Knowledge
Filmmakers: Ari Palos, Eren Isabel McGinnis

The film Precious Knowledge illustrates how Latino students from Tucson Arizona effortlessly fight for ethnic studies to remain a part of the curriculum at their school. The stories of each of these students are truly inspiring and real. The teachers involved in these ethnic studies use a model of teaching called “authentic caring.” I was drawn to the way the teachers build a strong relationship with their students so that tough conversations can take place in a safe environment. The building of relationships reminded me of the community building activities that we do in our class so that we all feel a sense of respect and honor each other's opinions or ideas. The poem that the students had to recite each class was really powerful and set the tone for the class. The poem was also spoken in both Spanish and English. The impact these teachers had on students encouraged them and allowed them to have a voice in their community. The students were taught to speak their minds, but to be sure to speak in a respectful way. I think this notion of speaking your mind but doing it in a peaceful or respectful way (positive action) gets away from the violence that often goes along with protests.

The students of Tucson Arizona had an important message and helped empower each other to go out and share with the public what you believe. It is a bit of relief that these students actually had the opportunity to express themselves through peaceful rallies, wheres as the Native American children were ripped from their families and silenced by an unknown language and tortured because their culture was different than those in power. Why would people in power want to take something away like the ethnic studies program, when it was actually increasing the number of students graduating and going to college? How can the “precious knowledge of who you are as a human being,” be something that gets taken away? Again this reminds me of how people in poverty get opportunities taken away and how the culture of the Native Americans got taken away as well.