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Pedagogy of the Undocumented: humanist curricular models for early childhood educators

Thu, March 12, 4:45 to 6:15pm, Washington Hilton, Floor: Concourse Level, Cabinet

Abstract

Early childhood education (or ECE) is a priority area for development efforts across the globe. Investing in children’s learning early yields significant cognitive and socioeconomic benefits for individuals and polities in both developing and developed nations alike. This paper describes a popular education parental engagement model and a Freirian pedagogical tool designed with and for Latin American immigrant families to mitigate the growing inequality of opportunity in American education. The specific didactic models showcased are founded on a pedagogical philosophy leveraging cultural resources to forge minds-hearts guided by solidarity, tolerance and respect for nature. Our humanist educational praxis has its roots in Latin American lore and it can be replicated in various geographical contexts.
First, we offer a brief overview of the institutionalization of ECE in the global educational development agenda as part of the “Education for All” consensus and the concurrent and antithetical emergence of a politics of (Latin American) immigrant exclusion and persecution in the US. Second, we describe the theoretical and methodological foundation of the Pedagogy of the Undocumented. Lastly, we illustrate our praxis by highlighting a model to empower immigrant parents (Abriendo Puertas) and curricular materials promoting inclusiveness and equality (The Adventures of the Javios).
The humanist curricular model advanced in this presentation was designed and piloted in conjunction with immigrant higher education students conducting service learning projects in Los Angeles public schools and community based organizations from 2003 to 2012. The sites referenced in the presentation include: Harmony Elementary School, Thomas Jefferson Senior High School, Larchmont Charter School, Micheltorena Elementary School, Dr. Julian Nava Middle School, UCLA Community School, and UCLA Lab School.
The author and Dr. John D. McNeil (Contemporary Curriculum: In Thought and Action, 8th Edition, Wiley & Sons 2014) oversaw the alignment of thematic units to K-12 student developmental stages and institutional objectives. And Sandra Gutiérrez (“Beyond a Haircut, Lunch Pail and New Shoes,” Zero to Three, 2011) developed Abriendo Puertas immigrant parent empowerment program serving more that 70,000 families in 23 states.

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