Teaching for Empowerment and Excellence: The Transformative Potential of Teacher Expectations in an Urban Latina/o Classroom

• In Event: Increasing College-Going Opportunities for Black and Latino Youth

Abstract

I. Objective
In this paper, interview and participant observation are used to describe one Chicano teacher’s disposition and enactment of positive expectations for his Latina/o students and their opportunities to learn. Specifically, this paper aims to address research questions that are related to the ways in which this teacher harnessed and practiced positive academic expectations from a social justice lens in a majority Latina/o classroom

II. Literature Review / Theoretical Framework
History has also shown Latinas/os to use their education to empower their own community, and generate social movements to transform society (Bernal, 1998; Munoz, 1989; Urrieta, 2004). Even though this aspirational narrative is the underlying value in many cultures and communities, the institutional access to a high quality education has not always been equally distributed to Latinas/os in the United States. Research suggests Latinas/os are often inaccurately depicted as a population that is disinterested in education (Valencia, 2010). The reality is, however, that many of these students attend schools that limit their academic opportunities (Yosso & Solorzano, 2006).

II. Methods
Findings for this study come from a larger project that employed an ethnographic case study approach (Yin 2008). The study took place over the period of two year and involved multiple sources of data, including weekly observations, semi-structured student interviews with a total of thirty-six eleventh- and twelfth-graders and a collection of school and community artifacts, and memo writing.


III. Preliminary Findings
Through inductive data analysis, findings revealed:
1. Teacher’s institutional memory such as an ethnic studies college education, as well as this teacher’s politicization as a Chicano male played a key role in his effectiveness as a teacher.
2. Key elements of the teacher’s expectations of students included academic rigor, a college-going curriculum, caring relationships, and social capital vis-a-vis community cultural wealth.
3. A theory of transformative expectations of students and learning conditions that are designed to promote empowerment and excellence.

IV. Significance of Research
This research is significant because too often the notion of academic expectations is conflated and confused with narratives surrounding standards and accountability (Lizotte, 2001). As standards are externally enforced through policy, an expectation, however, is the belief and attitude shared by educators that translate into the interpersonal relationships, learning environments, and the opportunity structure that assist students to meet these standards (Cooper & Tom, 1984; Lezotte, 2001). Rather, from an equity perspective, the ethics of expectations is more aligned with the practice of nurturing, such as teacher-caring and other student-centered practices that exhibit a strong belief in a person’s ability despite life and institutional circumstances and barriers. This paper has implication for teacher education because efforts to develop teachers’ cultural competencies are insufficient if race is discussed insufficiently, and if racial difference is all these teachers see without the ability to identify the intellectual capabilities of their students.

Authors

• Daniel D Liou, Arizona State University

• Leticia Rojas, Brandman University