Pedagogy of the Puppet: Ensuring Equal Educational Opportunities for Latino Family Engagement

• In Event: 52.084 - Roundtable Session 20
  In Roundtable Session: 52.084-16 - Latino Parents and Funds of Knowledge

Abstract

LatCrit theory addresses deficit ways Latino families are positioned in marginalized ways regarding their engagement in schools (Solorzano &Delgado, 2001). Using ethnographic methods, we unpack the disconnect families experience in schools regarding barriers through the symbiosis of power relations between the puppeteer (school, administrators, teachers) related to language, culture, and perceptions they hold of Latino families. We engage in unmasking the discourse of invisibility of the puppet, the Latino families. Yosso (2005) defined familial capital as the social and personal human resources students have access to in their environments. We extend Yosso’s work through examples of 21st century familial engagement for Latino families to fostering respectful collaborative relationships between schools and families that ensure equal opportunities for parents in schools.

Authors

• Margairta Machado-casas, Wayne State University

• Katherine Espinoza, The University of Texas