Pedagogía de la Ternura: Educators’ Visions of Holistic and Dignified Learning with Tzotzil Children

• In Event: Reclaiming Possibility: Educators Building Learning Futures with Culture, Care, and Play

Abstract

This study centers the voices of educators in Puebla, Mexico, envisioning education rooted in dignity, tenderness, and community. In response to dominant narratives that erase Indigenous perspectives in educational research (Tuhiwai Smith, 2012), and drawing on critiques that Indigenous families’ lives are frequently studied through colonial frameworks (Getty, 2010), we partnered with Yo’on Ixim, a nonprofit supporting Tzotzil families with resources for economic and educational well-being. Our objectives were to explore how educators shape their education programs, and how the concept of Pedagogía de la Ternura informs their practices.
Over the course of a year, we prioritized authentic relationship-building and developed trust and shared decision-making with educators at Yo’on Ixim (Fletcher et al., 2022). We aimed to shift power from researchers making decisions on behalf of Tzotzil families to more equitable collaboration among researchers, educators, and families. Before visiting Puebla, we asked educators what they hoped for in terms of supporting migrant families, and what meaningful collaboration might look like.
We used qualitative methods to explore the following questions: (1) How do educators and leaders at Yo’on Ixim describe and make sense of the educational and life skills needs of the Tzotzil children and families they serve? (2) How does the concept of a pedagogy of tenderness—introduced by the educators themselves—shape their pedagogical practices and values over time?
The study is grounded in the Funds of Knowledge framework (Moll et al., 1992; Marshall & Toohey, 2010), which recognizes the cultural, historical, and communal knowledge embedded in families and communities as essential to learning. We also draw on Pedagogía de la Ternura (Cussiánovich Villarán, 2010), a concept shared by educators that frames education as political, emotional, and relational-care rooted in community well-being. These frameworks helped us see their practices not as instructional methods, but as ethical commitments to holistic child development.
We engaged educators and Tzotzil families in pláticas (Fierros & Bernal, 2016), informal, relational conversations fostering reflection and mutual learning. Through seven sessions (six via Zoom, one in-person), we spoke with four educators, including coordinators and escuelita facilitators. Conversations in Spanish were transcribed and thematically coded.
Three themes emerged: First, Pedagogía de la Ternura was seen not only as a socio-emotional approach but also as a political stance promoting care and strength in practices. Second, emotions were seen as foundational to learning—educators modeled and guided children in identifying, expressing, and tending to emotional experiences. Third, educators emphasized community and collective well-being, sharing experiences of cooperative and playful activities—for example, a 'choco-bana' market where children could sell together and use proceeds to buy food to enjoy as a group, not only to foster playful learning but also to promote shared responsibility, collaboration, and joy.
The study shows how community-introduced pedagogies can guide meaningful practices that are both contextually grounded and aspirational. In future work, we aim to explore everyday educational practices in Puebla—such as how children learn while selling on the street, and how mothers transmit knowledge to daughters through embroidery—expanding our understanding of where and how learning takes place.

Authors

• Karlena Diane Ochoa, California State University - Fullerton

• Susana Beltran-Grimm, Portland State University

• Gabrielle Elizabeth Bernal, California State University - Monterey Bay