Ethnic Studies in the Elementary School

• In Event: 45.077 - Ethnic Studies as Freirian Pedagogy: Praxes Filipina/o/x American Studies

Abstract

Objectives
The educational experiences of Filipina/o students, particularly at the elementary school level, has been understudied and undertheorized. This paper will discuss the impact of providing Ethnic Studies-based Filipina/o American Studies to elementary school Filipina/o students. The basis of Filipina/o American Studies, Ethnic Studies and Asian American Studies, has been typically taught in secondary and postsecondary educational spaces. By providing the pedagogy and curriculum appropriate for the elementary school level, we can further challenge the privileges of keeping Filipina/o American Studies within upper level academia. Through culturally responsive pedagogy, Filipina/o American Studies becomes a discipline that not only builds upon students’ understanding of their history and community, but also acknowledges that there are multiple ways of experiencing being Filipina/o (Villegas & Lucas, 2002). While pedagogy and curriculum must be able to recognize students’ ability and identities, Filipina/o American Studies within the elementary school level must also strive to expand student’s capacity to combat social toxins and promote their overall well-being.

Theory
Studies have displayed how pedagogy that acknowledges students’ culture, community, and interests have shown to improve student learning in the classroom, especially students of color. Culturally responsive pedagogy (Gay, 2002; Villegas & Lucas 2002) is characterized by elements involving teachers and educators affirming students’ multiple identities and backgrounds, and using their knowledge about students’ lives to design instruction that builds on what students already know while exposing students to unfamiliar topics.Community responsive pedagogy (Tintiangco-Cubales, 2013) includes the following elements: developing critical consciousness, engaging direct community experience, growing transformative leaders.


Methods/Data Sources
The methods involved utilize a triangulation that includes qualitative and quantitative instruments. This consist of ethnographic observations, surveys, and interviews. Methods featured in the first featured research include observation of groups (kindergarten to fifth grade) in the Pin@y Educational Partnerships (PEP) elementary after school program, a collection of work for examination by kindergarten to fifth grade student including assignments and artwork, and interview sessions with 21 third, fourth, and fifth grade students in the PEP program.

Results and Significance
Filipina/o American Studies that is culturally relevant and community responsive provides opportunities for Filipino/a American elementary students the opportunity to experience education that shifts the current paradigm of multicultural education. It creates a positive impact on student’s relationship to their individual and community well-being. As a result, Critical Cultural Wellness framework emerged from this research as a tool to engage students to be vulnerable and courageous by teaching material that not only is responsive and relevant to the lives of students, but also to the teachers. When teachers share their personal narrative in the classroom, students are able to build stronger relationships with themselves and each other. Through the Critical Cultural Wellness framework, students are able to apply the concepts and experiences they learned through PEP to navigate and respond to challenges they face interpersonally, institutionally, and internally.

Authors

• Angelica Faustino, Pin@y Educational Partnerships

• Maria Abigail Santos, Pin@y Educational Partnerships (PEP)