#1
“Building
La Familia: Organizing and
Empowerment with Latino Families in a Public School”
by Pablo Jasis,
Ph.D./UCLA
Associate
Director, Art, Research and Curriculum Associates (ARC)
_____________________________________________________________
On Culture &
Empowerment in Education:
*) Culture as ever-changing currents,
cummulative, transformative, reflective lived experiences and knowledge(s).
*) Culture not “as is” , but
rather as “is being”.
*) Empowerment challenges the basic
power relationships in our society.
It begins when people change their ideas about the causes of their
powerlessness, when they recognize the systemic forces that oppress them and
act to change the conditions of their lives.
*) Culture &
Empowerment as consciousness, knowledge, action, involving transition from
powerlessness to full citizenship, from subjection to subjectivity (Freire,
1970, 1992; Cruickshank, 1999; Jasis, 2000).
#2
“Building
La Familia: Organizing and
Empowerment with Latino Families in a Public School”
by Pablo Jasis,
Ph.D./UCLA
Associate
Director, Art, Research and Curriculum Associates (ARC)
_____________________________________________________________
On Parents &
Schools:
*)
Children whose families
are involved in school activities through the 12th grade tend to fare better
socially and academically (U.S. Department of Education, 1993).
*) Benefits
of school-family partnership policies have generally not been extended to
communities of color such as African Americans and Latinos (Epstein,
1995).
*) Working class
parents are more likely to be disregarded and not taken seriously by school
officials (Noguera, 2001; Kozol, 1990; Comer, 1992; Laureau, 1988).
*)
Attendance is low
among families of color at school-sponsored parent activities. Report cards and school newsletters are
often not understood by these parents (Laureau,
1988, 1994).
*) PTA /PTO
members and school leadership roles are usually not representative of the
school's populations, and school staff is usually not trained to interact with
minority parents (Epstein, 1995).
*) Assumption among many
teachers: minority parents lack
the necessary skills to help their children with schoolwork (Moore &
Cuellar, 1972; Laureau, 1994). Other
contributions by working class or minority parents go unnoticed or unrecognized
(Laureau, 1994). Upper and middle
class White parents and families are in better position to perform according to
the teachers' expectations on "parent involvement" (Laureau, 1989,
1994).
#3
*) If left unquestioned, traditional tools of parent involvement in schools, such as PTA and PTO, can legitimize rather than change, unequal relations of power and alienation between parents of students of color and schools (Laureau, 1988; Jasis, 2000).
*) “School failure” among
students of color as directly linked to way minority students and families are
viewed and treated by educational system, related to unequal relations of power
in society (Rist, 1973; Rosenfeld, 1976; Giroux and Apple, 1983; Giroux and
McLaren, 1985; Reyes, 1992, Jasis, 2000).
*) By capitalizing on household and
community resources, classroom instruction can be organized and its quality
improved when serving diverse students (Moll & Greenberg, 1990; Moll &
Díaz, 1987).
*) Families/Households as
“containing ample cultural and cognitive resources with great potential
utility for classroom instruction” (Moll & Greenberg, 1990).
*) On parents of color
“lack of interest in education”: History of Latino and African American schooling
as been marked by ongoing struggle for educational equality, as well as by a
community effort to resist and to end persistent discriminatory practices
affecting their children in public schools (Sánchez, 1943; Moore,
Cuéllar & Guzmán, 1974; Muñoz, 1989; Norris, 1992;
García, 1997; San Miguel, 1997; Donato, 1997).
#4
“Building
La Familia: Organizing and
Empowerment with Latino Families in a Public School”
by Pablo Jasis,
Ph.D./UCLA
Associate
Director, Art, Research and Curriculum Associates (ARC)
_____________________________________________________________
North Side Middle School
Student Population
African American 36.2%
White 33.6%
Latino 16.2%
Asian 9%
Other (Native American, Filipino, etc.) 5%
Student
Achievement
Compared
to National Average Scoring
(Seventh Graders, 1998)
Reading Lang. Arts Math
White 92% 80% 83%
Latino 42% 48.5% 46%
____________________________________________
(Data from East Town's Assessment
Office, made available January, 1999).
#5
“Building
La Familia: Organizing and
Empowerment with Latino Families in a Public School”
by Pablo Jasis,
Ph.D./UCLA
Associate
Director, Art, Research and Curriculum Associates (ARC)
_____________________________________________________________
The School Prior to
Inception of
La Familia Initiative
The Principal’s View
...we
know these parents care deeply about the ducation
of their children, but because of the language
barrier and other reasons, we didn't seem to find
the right way to engage them effectively.
They really
are the main support we need to work successfully
with these students...
Stephen Jones, Principal
---------------------
I have had the sense that
both, the Latino community and
the African American community were not succeeding
in the school as much as White and Asian students
were ... I recognized that getting more parents
involved would probably have an effect in the students
performance ... we tried a few
things here, some
had some success ... unfortunately, there was a tradition in this
school to push weaker teachers into the
bilingual or ESL (English as a Second Language) programs, as a
result, the students without a good <>mastery
of English would end up with low quality instruction
...
Principal
Jones
#6
“Building La Familia: Organizing and Empowerment with Latino
Families in a Public School”
_____________________________________________________________
The School Prior
to Inception of La Familia
Initiative
The
Parent’s View
...
siempre había excusas: que el niño es flojo e irresponsable, que
los papás nunca vienen a la escuela .. no les interesaba que el
niño muchas veces acababa de llegar y estaba tratando de sobrevivir en
este nuevo medio ... mira, los padres a veces no podían ayudarse a
sí mismos por la barrera del lenguaje, y la escuela no los ayudaba mucho
tampoco... el hecho es que había una enorme necesidad de información
y de que no había nadie que diera esa información y que
tradujera, con el resultado de que los niños se atrasaran ...
aquí encontrar ayuda de los maestros es muy raro, sólo tienen
tiempo de enseñar y no importa la situación de cada niño,
parece que nunca hay tiempo para conocer más al niño, se quejan
de que los padres no participan, pero no van más a fondo para saber
qué está pasando con la vida de los niños o de sus
familias...
... there were always excuses:
that the child is lazy and irresponsible, that the parents never come to the
school ... they wouldn't care that the
child many times had just arrived and is trying to survive in this new
environment ... look, the parents sometimes could not help themselves because
of the language barrier, and the school didn't help much either ... the fact is
that there was a huge need for information and that there wasn't anyone who would provide that
information and who would translate it, with the result that the children would
fall behind ... here is very difficult to find help from the teachers, they
only have time to teach and the situation of each child doesn't matter, it
seems that there isn't any time to get to know the child better, they would
complain about the parents not participating, but they wouldn't do more to know
what was happening in the life of the children or with their families ...
Susana Durán
#7
“Building La Familia: Organizing and Empowerment with Latino
Families in a Public School”
_____________________________________________________________
The School Prior
to Inception of
La Familia
Initiative
The
Parent’s View (#1)
... recuerdo que la maestra me decía 'no se
preocupe, su hijo va bien, va bien', pero nunca me decía bien en
qué, y yo me sentía intimidada y no podía preguntar ...
... I remember that the teacher would say to me 'don't
worry, your son is doing well, he is doing well', but she wouldn't tell me well in what, and I would feel
intimidated and couldn't ask her ...
Marta
Gutiérrez
----------------------
Muchos de nosotros nomás no nos aparecemos
porque no sabemos las cosas que podemos hacer en la escuela... no estamos
acostumbrados y a muchos, pues nomás les dá pena
Many of us just don't show up because we don't know
the things we can do at the school ... we are not used to it (going to the
school) and many just feel embarrassed ...
Ida
Ramos
--------------------------
Cuando pensaba an aparecerme por la escuela, me
decía a mí misma: pues yo no hablo inglés,
¿quién me va a entender ahí?
When I thought about showing up at the school, I would
tell myself: I don't speak English, who is going to understand me there?
Parent
Ida Ramos
#8
“Building La Familia: Organizing and Empowerment with Latino
Families in a Public School”
_____________________________________________________________
The School Prior
to Inception of La Familia Initiative
The
Parent’s View
...
sé que hay muchas barreras, la más importante es que todavía
no hablo bien inglés ....
... I know there are many barriers, the most important
is that I still don't speak English well ...
Marta
Gutiérrez
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
... en mi propia experiencia, yo recuerdo estar
ansiosa por participar en la escuela de mis niños recién llegados
de México y, como no sabía el idioma ni lo que pasaba en las
escuelas aquí te sientes, te hacen sentir como un estúpido que no
sabe nada, uno está presente pero pasa por ignorado, como que no
existes!
... in my own experience, I remember being anxious
about participating in my children's schooling, when we were all recent
arrivals from México, but since I didn't know the language, nor what
happens in schools here, you feel, they make you feel, like an idiot who
doesn't know anything,
one is present, but you are ignored, as if you didn't exist!
Susana
Durán
#9
“Building La Familia: Organizing and Empowerment with Latino
Families in a Public School”
_____________________________________________________________
La Familia Initiative
Creating a
Partnership Between Parents and School
The Workings of Trust
... mira nosotros tenemos la suerte de contar con el
apoyo del director Jones en todo lo que hacemos, yo sé que en otras
escuelas los directores realmente no se interesan en nuestros muchachos, si les
va bien, pues que bueno, sino, también, y aquí lo ves platicando con nosotras, comiendo en
nuestras comidas, no es que no se equivoque nunca, pero por lo menos viene a
nuestras juntas y nos escucha ...
...
we are lucky about counting with the support of Principal Jones in
all we do, I know that in other schools the principals
are not interested in our kids, if they do well, fine and if they don't
it's fine anyway, and here you see him (Mr. Jones)
chatting with us, eating at our events, it's not that he never
makes mistakes, but al least he comes to our meetings sometimes, and he
listens to us ...
Cristina
Barragán
... when Susana said well, here is Principal Stephen
Jones, the first mom stood up and said such positive things about me, she felt
that her child was doing so well ... that I was deeply moved, you don't hear
that very often, what you get most of the time is 'here's my complaint, here's
my complaint', and it was so nice to hear that ... it was very affirming for
me....
Stephen
Jones, Principal
#10
“Building La Familia: Organizing and Empowerment with Latino
Families in a Public School”
_____________________________________________________________
La Familia Initiative
Creating a
Partnership Between Parents and School
Resistance and Accomodation
I think the project you want (La Familia Initiative)
is just too ambitious... I brought many, many programs and activities for
Latino parents, I had dinners, talks about gangs, workshops ... I tried everything and didn't get but a
few parents, always the same parents ... so, well ... (with a smile) good luck
...
Teacher
Candida Biden
... quite frankly, when the project started I felt
that there was an attitude of fault-finding, rather than let's see what the
problems are and see what we can do about them ... once she spent more time
here she realized all the strenghts of the school, not that we don't have
problems, but that the problems weren't so great, that we were making an effort
although the connection wasn't happening, but it wasn't that the school wanted
to ignore anyone ... maybe we didn't have it right, but we wanted it to work!
S.
Jones, interview
I think that the dialogue about Math and Science initiated by La Familia helped the school hear directly from the parents... some of it was frustration and some of it was miscommunication, but it made us more aware of these students' needs ...
S.
Jones, interview
#11
“Building La Familia: Organizing and Empowerment with Latino
Families in a Public School”
_____________________________________________________________
La Familia Initiative: Creating a Partnership
Between Parents and School
Basis for Partnership
*)
Administrator and teachers’ commitment to improving academic
performance among minority students,
*) La
Familia Initiative's focus on student achievement,
*)
Creation of Junta Directiva/Steering Committee: Institutionalization and alternance of
leadership,
*) Joint
process of discovery among all stakeholders in the school community,
*)
Inclusive, respectful search for common ground and strategies,
*)
Commitment to open up school symbolic spaces to emerging communities
(classrooms, PTA, Bilingual Council, district-wide events, etc.)
*)
Committed organizing work, with feasible, visible results,
*) Sensitivity and openness to other communities.
#12
“Building
La Familia: Organizing and
Empowerment with Latino Families in a Public School”
_____________________________________________________________
La Familia Initiative: Creating a
Partnership Between Parents and School
A Reading of La Familia
Activities
*) an
opening of the collective forum to allow for a sharing of new experiences and
expectations,
*)
transitioning through a problem-posing interaction to allow for the
communal appropriation of experiences,
*)
developing of an ethics of caring, (Liston & Zeichner,
1987)
which allows for collective empathy and inquiry,
*)
engaging in a joint exploration of the issues affecting the community of
participants, including an assessment of the balances of power at the school,
and an assessment of the implications of their participation,
*) the
articulation of a joint plan of action regarding the issues at stake, involving
a practical approach to collective inquiry,
*)
redefinition of the realm of parent involvement and appropriation of new
spaces of expertise.
#13
“Building
La Familia: Organizing and
Empowerment with Latino Families in a Public School”
_____________________________________________________________
La Familia Initiative: Creating a
Partnership Between Parents and School
La Familia Plan of Action
1999-2000
I. Mejorar la tutoría porque
consideramos que está insuficiente
y no es efectiva,
II. Incluir la participación de los
padres en los programas de tutoría,
III.
Apoyo terapéutico/Consejería para los padres de familia de
cómo comunicarse con sus hijos adolescentes (una por mes),
IV. Mejorar la alimentación en la
escuela, con servicio más rápido
y efectivo,
V.
Informar a los padres sobre las credenciales de los maestros
substitutos,
VI. Reunión de padres de familia con
los maestros y tutores,
VII. Proyectar mejor las actividades de la
escuela hacia la comunidad,
VIII. Aumentar la vigilancia en la escuela,
IX. Ofrecer deportes con la
participación de padres,
X. Línea telefónica de
información en Español.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I.
Improve tutoring service because we think it is insufficient and
ineffective,
II. Include the participation of parents in
tutorings,
III. Psychological support/Counseling for
parents on how tocommunicate
better with their adolescent children (once a month),
IV. Improve nutrition at the school, with
faster and more effective
service,
V. Inform parents about the qualifications
of substitute teachers,
VI. Meetings between parents, teachers and
tutors,
VII.
Improve projection of school activities towards the community,
VIII. Increase the school's monitoring of
safety,
IX. Offer sports activities with the
participation of parents.
X. Offer telephone line with information
in Spanish.
#14
La Familia Initiative Today
...
Con el proyecto aprendí también a entender las frustraciones de
los maestros,
y sobre la importancia de apoyar juntos a los niños ...
M.
Gutiérrez.
...
Through the project I also learned to understand the frustrations ofthe
teachers, and about the importance of supporting the childrentogether
...
M.
Gutiérrez (Interview 6/10/99).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
...porque
he visto que a veces nuestros propios niños no los tratan con mucho
respeto, entonces, cuando los maestros reaccionan, los niños vienen
y nos dicen que no los tratan bien.
Pero hay que estar en la escuela
para ver esas cosas, y en eso La Familia realmente me ayudó.
Ida
Ramos.
Through
the project I learned to have more communication with the teachers,
because I have seen that sometimes our own children don't treat
them with a lot of respect, then, when the teachers react, the children
come and tell us that they were not treated right. But we have to
be in the school to see those things, and in that La Familia really helped
me.
Ida
Ramos
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
...
Latino kids by en large have been doing better, I believe .... the fact is that
all these activities have added status to these children in their classrooms,
and it shows!
Principal
Jones
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
...
todo esto que hacemos hace sentir a los muchachos orgullosos ... y nos
dá una idea de todo lo que podemos lograr juntos! ... nomás imagínese!
...
all this we that do makes our kids feel proud ... and gives us an idea of
all we can achieve together! ... just imagine!
Griselda
Montaño, at the Cinco de Mayo Celebration