Formas de Vivir: Latina Mothers as Co-Constructors of Knowledge

• In Event: Trenzando Chicana Latina Feminist Perspectives into Mathematics Education

Abstract

Contemporary understandings of early childhood development are largely shaped by research conducted with Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) populations (Henrich et al., 2010). As a result, learning processes and caregiving practices from non-WEIRD communities—particularly immigrant and linguistically diverse families—remain underexamined or misrepresented in dominant research paradigms. Latine children made up 25% of the K-12 students in the U.S. in 2016 and are projected to comprise nearly one-third of all children by 2050. Given the increased growth of Latine children in the U.S., it is essential to consider and recognize the diverse ways in which Latine families engage in their children’s education. To move toward a more inclusive and equitable science of child development, it is essential to critically interrogate whose knowledge is centered and whose experiences are overlooked (Adair & Colegrove, 2021). This shift requires expanding our focus beyond WEIRD samples to include the cultural, linguistic, and relational practices that shape the development and learning of Latine children (Author 1; Gutiérrez & Rogoff, 2003). In this paper, I explore how child development research can center Latina mothers as contributors to knowledge production, pedagogical practice, and educational innovation. Building on Fierros and Delgado Bernal (2016) and Oliva and Alemán (2019), I frame Latina mothers’ epistemologies as relational, positioning them as knowledge holders, co-designers, and co-constructors of meaning. Drawing on participatory action research and human-centered design (Author 1), I present findings from a design-based study focused on informal math practices. Guided by Fierros and Delgado Bernal’s (2016) work on critical Chicana feminist methodologies, I engaged Latina mothers in pláticas—informal, conversational dialogues rooted in confianza, relationality, and shared reflection—as a central method. These pláticas served as spaces for reflection, resistance to deficit narratives, and the co-construction of culturally responsive math learning. Central to this work are the epistemologies of testimonio and convivir. Testimonio refers to narrative expressions rooted in lived experience that foreground marginalized ways of knowing, while convivir—learning through relational, everyday interactions—emphasizes knowledge built in community. For example, one mother shared, “At school, they give her papers with stars and shapes, but she learned more when we played lotería and she had to count the beans on her card.” Recalling her upbringing, she added, “My mom would say, ‘Get me five tomatoes,’ or ‘Measure one cup of rice.’ That’s how we learned numbers.” These reflections demonstrate how math emerges through shared routines, memory, and care, revealing a form of learning that is embodied, intergenerational, and deeply rooted in family life. Through these practices, Latina mothers actively create and transmit knowledge not only during the research process but also to support their young children’s education (Author 1). Latina mothers actively design and guide their own math learning experiences, positioning themselves as experts and allowing for the co-creation of meaningful math learning experiences with their children. Centering these often overlooked cultural assets invites a shift from extractive research toward convivencia, co-construction, and mutual transformation.

Author

• Susana Beltran-Grimm, Portland State University