Nepantleras Building Bridges to College: Latinx Teachers Fostering a College Culture

• In Event: Navigating and Interrupting Racialized Deficit Schooling: Teachers Fostering Third Spaces to Support Students of Color

Abstract

Objectives
This presentation challenges deficit ideologies traditionally present in the schooling experiences of Latinx students who attend under-resourced schools within a race-poverty nexus (Howard & Rodriguez-Scheel, 2016). This presentation highlights that educators integrate college-going practices within their classrooms, despite being situated in a high school that has limited resources.

Theoretical Framework
This paper integrates the theoretical frameworks of nepantleras with community-oriented Teachers of Color. Anzaldúa defines nepantleras as individuals who: “move within and among multiple, often conflicting, worlds and refuse to align themselves exclusively with any single individual, group, or belief system” (1999, pg. 20). Nepantleras aim to build bridges between worlds and “try to facilitate passage” (Anzaldúa, 2002, p. 567). Community-oriented Teachers of Color are defined “as those who feel a relationality and relational accountability to their communities” (Kohli & Pizarro, 2016, p. 75). Thus, this paper integrates the frameworks to envision the Latinx teacher participants as individuals who are deeply invested in their students’ futures and aim to bridge students with college-going pathways within an under-resourced high school contexts.

Methods and Data
Data derived from an ethnographic case study at an under-resourced high school in California. Methods included semi-structured interviews with five Latinx educators, two oral history interviews with 47 Latinx students, and observations during one school year. Data was analyzed using inductive and deductive coding with process and causation coding (Saldaña, 2015). Data was triangulated and I conducted member checking as part of the analysis process

Results
The first theme included teachers integrating high expectations. Ms. Muñoz explained her course preparation process, “I geared the college kit to what the standards were supposed to cover.” All teacher participants integrated course assignments with activities that aimed to increase college knowledge. Nevertheless, teachers acknowledged the personal connection to developing a bridge to college. As Ms. Ochoa noted: “Because we are Latino, I talk up college and the importance of going to college.”

The second theme entailed participants navigating deficit educators. Mr. Rivas explained:
One of our kids came in with the counselor and the counselor was like, “I heard that this kid is trying to apply to college? I don’t know what’s going on, what are you telling the students?”—In front of the whole class.

Therefore, although teachers aimed to bridge student pathways with college, other deficit-oriented educators challenged the efforts.
The third theme included teachers influencing college-going pathways. For instance, students recalled:
Ms. Muñoz made a big difference, she made us do a college portfolio…she opened up my mind a little bit more about college and where to apply.
Similarly, all student participants noted that it was often their teachers who created bridges to college-going pathways.

Scholarly Significance
While previous studies highlight that Latinx students schooling experiences consist of teachers who do prioritize college preparation (Jarsky, et al, 2009; Oakes et al., 2006; Pérez & McDonough, 2008; Yamamura, Martinez, & Saenz, 2010), this study highlights that critical educators can create college-going bridges within an under-resourced high school that enrolls over 80% Latinx students.

Author

• Nancy Acevedo-Gil, California State University - San Bernardino