I recently switched gears on my dissertation proposal, which was part terrifying and part relieving. It has been a difficult, tear-filled, sleepless, gut wrenching year and after spinning my wheels on a few different but very related topics, I stumbled upon an article about the banning of the Mexican American Studies course in Arizona. As the daughter of a Mexican migrant worker, who has tackled my own identity crisis, I resonated deeply with the article. It led to several more readings about the struggle of Latino students in the United States, something which has lit a fire in me. It has also made me reflect on my teaching practice. If someone would have asked me if my classroom was culturally responsive ten years ago, I would have said yes without hesitating. Now I have to think too long. Am I more culturally responsive than most? I would guess yes. Am I where I should or want to be? Absolutely not. This is particularly evident when I look at the content I use in my classroom. I used to spend extra time searching for supplemental resources to go with the classic, Euro-centric curriculum that I was expected to teach. Now, it feels like I'm just getting by, and reach for the tried and trued rather than taking the time to search for the culturally relevant material that my students should have access to. I am ashamed. I really and truly am. But I plan on fixing that very soon.
On tap first? I am going to dig into The Mendez Segregation case. It is fascinating, and I never learned about it in high school. After a quick survey of some juniors and seniors, it sounds like they haven't either. A children's book was recently written, NPR aired a special about a year ago, and there are some great resources online for teachers to use. I think it will be a great segment in my rhetoric unit and am thinking it's also an opportunity to talk Cesar Chavez and what it means to Viva la Causa. The wheels are spinning, and nothing gets me more excited than tackling a new topic.
I'm also looking into novels that more adequately meet the diverse needs, experiences, and voices of all my students. Ones that are rigorous and authentic and most likely don't appear anywhere on the Indiana reading list. In case you haven't seen it lately, it's dominated by White males.
One of the most beautiful aspects of America is its diversity. We should be able to celebrate our uniqueness without being accused of being "UnAmerican". We should be able to walk into a classroom and feel safe, validated, welcome, and valued. It is up to teachers to make sure that happens. We must be willing to recognize our own bias, the bias in the curriculum we teach, and the society we live in.
We must be willing to rectify the exclusion of the people and experiences that have and continue to shape this country.
Resources for teaching Mendez:
Separate is Never Equal (voted Best Children's Book in 2014) http://www.amazon.com/Separate-Never-Equal-Duncan-Tonatiuh/dp/1629238562
http://zinnedproject.org/materials/sylvia-mendez-separate-is-never-equal/
Mendez vs. Westminister https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQVblGpHBdU
http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2014/05/16/312555636/before-brown-v-board-mendez-fought-californias-segregated-schools
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