Modeling Democratic Praxis For Future Latine Bilingual Teachers

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Sunday 7:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Strengthening Latine Bilingual Teaching Pathways Through Inter-Institutional Partnerships: Lessons From a Federally Funded HSI Grant

Abstract

Objectives: This paper documents how future Latine bilingual teachers (FLBT) in the Cali-Baja region learn about and develop culturally responsive pedagogical practices through the GP as rooted in critical pedagogy that centers humanizing methods. Specifically, the study investigates how dialogic, humanizing approaches informed by Freirean thought and implemented by the GP leaders influenced the FLBTs’ evolving understandings of classroom equity, personal identity, and pedagogical responsibility through a series of monthly professional development sessions.

Theoretical Frameworks: Theoretical foundations of this qualitative study draw on critical pedagogy as defined through the work of Paulo Freire (1970, 2018). Freire advances the notion of democratic classrooms wherein, contrary to widely implemented and currently accepted neoliberal standards in the U.S. education system, education is positioned as a site of transformation and liberation. Tara Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth model (2005) was also applied to explore connections between how FLBT more fully embraced their own linguistic capital as an asset as well as a strategy of hegemonic resistance.

Methodology & Data Sources: This study employed a multimethod approach, combining critical self-reflection, testimonio (Pérez Huber, 2009), and qualitative analysis. After each learning session, FLBT completed open-ended self-reflections that yielded testimonios wherein their emerging understandings surrounding asset- and deficit-based perspectives related to linguistic identity and approaches to education through the lens of both learners and educators were illuminated. Self-reflections gathered over the life of the multi-year grant served as the data sources for this paper.

Findings & Scholarly Significance: FLBT engaged in monthly learning experiences that intentionally modeled and explored dialogic and reflective teaching methods, i.e. centering student voice and experiences, questioning dominant narratives, and encouraging ongoing internal and external ideological critique. Dialogue and deep self-reflection became key to understanding and developing culturally responsive classroom methods. Findings demonstrate that modeling humanizing pedagogy was central to FLBTs’ professional and personal growth. Many FLBT identified how they began to view themselves not just as future teachers, but as having the potential, desire, and skills to be transformative educators. A central theme was the realization that FLBT bilingualism and cultural identities had been devalued in prior educational experiences, and/or that education systems outside of the U.S. place more of an additive value on multilingualism. For many FLBT, this galvanized a commitment to counter-hegemonic practices in their own classrooms. FLBT articulated increased levels of agency, self-confidence to disrupt deficit teaching practices, and a vision of teaching rooted in a commitment to partnering with and providing a quality experience for all of their future students. The paper documents how democratic classrooms and praxis aimed at disrupting a dominant status quo steeped in neoliberal ideology begins with mentorship and educational experiences that prioritize humanizing pedagogies rooted in community-building and egalitarianism (Braa & Callero, 2006) that extends to and includes all students. The paper ultimately argues that praxis-oriented modeling rooted in humanizing methods helps to repair harm from firsthand experiences, prepares FLBT for the classroom, and it most importantly equips them to transform it.

Author

• Monique Escobedo, San Diego State University