Generating Culturally Sustaining Pedagogical Strategies through Cross-disciplinary Platicas

• In Event: Rooted in Culture: Teaching Practices Leveraging Black History and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies in Art, Music, and Dance

Abstract

This study examines how cross-disciplinary platicas create culturally sustaining pedagogical strategies that integrate embodied and textual ways of knowing. Grounded in Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (Paris & Alim, 2017) and Tara Yosso's Community Cultural Wealth framework, this research challenges deficit-based approaches by positioning students' cultural assets as foundational to learning. Two university professors—a Black female dance educator and Latinx male writing instructor—conducted six platicas sessions over four months, employing this Chicana/Latina conversational methodology to develop pedagogical strategies. Data collection included transcribed platicas sessions, course syllabi, lesson plans integrating embodied and textual approaches, student work samples, and reflective journals. Findings reveal three key strategies: worldview analysis frameworks, narrative-centered approaches integrating storytelling with academic analysis, and social lens frameworks encouraging critical consciousness.

Authors

• Juan Andrés Ouviña, Montclair State University

• Zakiya Atkinson, California State University - Long Beach