Hope, Praxis, and Dialogue: Three Latino High Achievers’ Perceptions of American Education

• In Event: Roundtable Session 15
  In Roundtable Session: Voices of the Latina/o Community

Abstract

Framed within critical pedagogy, this multicase study sought to identify additional ways of improving Latinos’ academic achievement by answering: What elements constitute the perceptions of three Latino high achievers on their educational experience in America? Following Ollman’s (2008) dialectical method, I collected data online through blogs, emails, semi-structured Skype interviews, artifacts, and my reflective e-journal. The findings showed these Latino students perceived American education as oppressive. However, they were able to resist prejudice, culture, and identity barriers through conscientization, critical literacy, praxis, dialogue, empowerment, hope, and political clarity, which allowed them to succeed academically. Concordantly, I offer suggestions for emancipatory education of Latinos in the hope of moving one step closer to educational equity in America.

Author

• Elizabeth Visedo, St. Petersburg College