Just Like Us?

During a recent visit with a high school friend, I was sharing about my experiences as a college professor and my scholarly interests.  My friend recommended that I read the book, Just Like Us (Thorpe, 2009).  The book tells the story of four young Mexican women as they transition from their last year of high school through four years of college.  While the women all share the same heritage, only two of them were undocumented.  Their stories unfold amidst both state and national debate related to immigration policy.  Family transitions and a notable local shooting of a police officer by an undocumented immigrant also fuel the account.  While the story telling was a little bumpy at times, the book did provide some unique insights into a very complicated social, political, and economic issue.

The four young women featured in Just Like Us shared the quality of being very academically successful.  The undocumented status of two of the women significantly shaped the choices related to pursuing higher education.  They were highly capable, but unable to access funding structures that typically help students pay the steep costs of college.  Eventually, all four women found a college. Like most students, their college experience was not only a time for academic learning, but also a time for also learning about themselves within the wider world.  

The overarching theme of immigration is far too complicated and beyond the scope of this blog, but as I read Just Like Us, I was continually struck by the familiarity of the content.  Familiarity?  No, this is not a story that connects with my own life narrative.  Rather, the experiences shared about the four young women in the book could have been replaced by stories that I have heard first hand from students.  I can only recall one situation where students even broached the topic of their status, but through focus groups and 1:1 discussions, Latino/a students have shared their perceptions of being judged by both their professors and peers.  Like the characters in this story, several students have shared the challenges of making the transition from a high school that has a higher percentage of students of color to a campus that is predominately middle-class Caucasian.  The transition challenges come from not only racial and ethnic differences, but also differences of socioeconomic status.  These students are often negotiating a bi-cultural identity which sometimes forces them to restrict parts of themselves in order to serve that they see as the manifestation of the self that is desired by one outside group or another.

I am admittedly overwhelmed by the larger issues related to immigration.  The political and social layers of this question have not become any more clear since 2009.  In fact, the questions become more complicated as we hear about the rising number of unaccompanied children who are coming into the United States from Mexico and Central America.  We can only imagine the trauma that these children have faced in their home countries and the continuing struggle as they try to find a place to call home.  

One step that we can all take is to listen to larger narrative and then look for opportunities to know the individual stories so that we can develop a more critical understanding of the issues.  

Thorpe, H. (2009). Just Like Us: The True Story of Four Mexican Girls Coming of Age in America.

New York: Schribner.

The Bronzeville Children’s Museum: Reflecting a Cultural Perspective

I recently had the pleasure of visiting the Bronzeville Children’s Museum in Chicago.  This museum is “the first and only African American children's museum in the country” which was “named after Bronzeville, where African Americans settled in Chicago after coming from the South” (http://www.bronzevillechildrensmuseum.com). 

This museum was aptly described by Southtown Star reporter Howard Ludwig as “not typical”.  I have had the opportunity to visit several children’s museums as both a parent and researcher and concur with Ludwig’s assessment.  Like Ludwig, I agree that “not typical” does not imply a negative.  Typical indicates something that is representative or usual and therefore to be not typical suggests something that is different from the mainstream. 

Most children’s museums provide child and family-centered experiences that promote children’s learning through active engagement and exploration.  Children’s museums often reflect a highly constructivist orientation in which the child leads the learning with adult scaffolding which extends or enriches the child’s experience.   While these models are firmly based on a rich history of developmental philosophy and research, they have also been criticized by some for being too focused on a dominant perspective.  Gaskins (2008) argued, “that parents from certain cultural groups, based on their shared cultural beliefs about childhood, may not consider play as learning and may not consider it appropriate for adults to organize or participate in play” (p. 1-2).  The typical children’s museum may not appeal to some families based on their structure.

The Bronzeville Children’s Museum uniquely identifies itself as an African American children’s museum.  Rather than a variety of exhibit spaces that encourage free choice, exploration and play, children and their parents are guided through a four-part structured experience that is firmly based on a direct instruction model.  The goals of the lessons are clear.  The expectations for both adults and children are explicit.  The learning outcomes are discrete.  Children and their families are exposed to imagery of Chicago area African American leaders in industry, government, and service.  Most importantly, children are provided with messages about their capabilities and potentials.

The highly structured model of the Bronzeville Children’s Museum may not appeal to families who frequent the typical children’s museum, but it is an important institution which beautifully represents a culturally responsive model of educating children and their families.  Children’s museums are institutions which reflect the philosophies and practices of their communities.  It was a delight to learn more about this unique community establishment.

Gaskins, S. (Winter 2008). The Cultural Meaning of Play and Learning in Children’s Museums. Hand to Hand, 22(4), 1-2, 8-11.

Ludwig, H. (April 18, 2013). Stay-at-home dad: Bronzeville Chidren’s Museum not typical. Southtown Star. Retrieved from: http://southtownstar.suntimes.com/lifestyles/ludwig/19523752-452/stay-at-home-dad-bronzeville-childrens-museum-not-typical.html

Believe in the Children

All children in the United States have a right to an “equal educational opportunity no matter what their race, ethnic background, religion, or sex, or whether they are rich or poor, citizen or non-citizen” (ACLU, https://www.aclu.org/racial-justice_womens-rights/your-right-equality-education). The reality, however, is that our educational system does not provide for equal opportunities.  Students have very different educational experiences based on their geography, race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, etc.

This past month included celebrations that remember the life and mission of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King’s legacy reminds us that it is important for all of us to consider the question of equality in education.  Education has long been promised as the “great equalizer”—an essential part of the American dream that proposed that effort and persistence will pay off.  Unfortunately, our educational system does not live up to this promise.

In a provocative book entitled, Multiplication is for White People, Lisa Delpit (2012) challenges the education system to recognize its limitations. Delpit sites numerous examples of policies and practices that function to oppress minority students rather than facilitate their grown and development.  She goes on to asset that “Black males are more likely than any other group to be suspended and expelled from schools” (p. 15).  She also claims there are a disproportionate number of black males to be labeled as having special needs.  Society has stigmatized and marginalized a group of students who now function under a stereotype threat.  Social psychologists have demonstrated that when people see themselves as less than due to a stereotype threat, they will typically perform at levels that meet the perceived expectations.

Delpit’s book is a challenging read.  It’s difficult to openly examine the inequalities that exist in our educational system. It was difficult for me as a reader to confront my own privilege and recognize my part in a system that is lacking.  But, there is something to done. Delpit claims that the first step is to “Believe in the Children”.  Believe that each child had unique capabilities and skills.  Create opportunities for learning and expect children to perform to their capabilities.   Additionally Delpit pushes educators to be courageous, learn humility, and look and listen for who is missing.  We can all be empowered to foster change and continue the important work started by so many great leaders such as Dr. King.

Delpit, L. (2012). “Multiplication is for White People”: Raising Expectations for Other People’s Children. New York, NY: The New Press.

http://www.amazon.com/Multiplication-White-People-Expectations-People%C2%92s/dp/1595588981/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1391364018&sr=1-1&keywords=multiplication+is+for+white+people

Self-Actualization, Self-Determination, and Self-Reliance: Building the Self within a Community

Yesterday I was delighted to attend a symposium that was hosted by the Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School (PACHS) in Chicago, IL.  The theme of the symposium was “Realizing the Power of Movements through Multicultural Education”.  The full day event featured speakers from across the United States that highlighted the minoritization of Latino youth and the need to strengthen youth through engagement in the community.  

Dr. Antonia Darder, Loyola Marymount University, provided an inspiring keynote address.  She presented the social and economic trends that impact Latino youth.  While our country has a growing population of Latino youth, school systems often engage in practices that limit development.  Too many youth feel disconnected and unengaged.  

The next session that I attended was Dr. Jason Irizarry, University of Connecticut.  He shared about some amazing research that he completed with Latino youth.  He empowered them to challenge the status quo by interrogating the world around them.  I am sure everyone in the audience felt a pang when Irizarry told a story about a teen who told him that “Latinos aren’t smart”.  That young woman took on a belief that had been supported by a system.  Through engaging the youth in a participatory action research project, Irizarry fostered a shifting belief system of empowerment.  The project resulted in a book that was written in collaboration with the youth.  

The final session that I attended was Dr. Laura Ruth Johnson, Northern Illinois University and Dr. Enid Rosario, University of Michigan.  Their session focused on research that they are doing at PACHS in which they are exploring how youth can be empowered through meaningful engagement in the community.  They described how youth at the high school are involved in community projects that are based on critical, authentic needs.  The projects are aligned with the mission and vision of the school and engage the youth in collaboration with members of the community from different generations in projects that can be sustained over time.  

During the luncheon, one of the students from PACHS read two original poems as odes to Oscar Lopez Rivera and the high school. This powerful young woman read her poetry as she was surrounded by peers and staff from the high school.  It was such a striking example of the support that a loving community can provide.  The pieces spoke to sense of history and community, but also a strong sense of individual identity that emerges when youth are strengthened by their community. 

I first encountered the Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School two summers ago when I took a course in community-based ethnography.  This is a special school surrounded by a special community of people.  The people continue to examine and question their own beliefs.  They integrate research into practice and redefine the practice with a focus on self-actualization, self-determination, and self-reliance.  The strength of the community is truly reflected in its youth.  Thank you to all of the youth, staff and community members for sharing your story. 

What does it mean to be a good parent?

I spent the last two days at the Mid-Western Educational Research Association Conference in Evanston, IL.  Over the course of the conference, I attended different sessions with papers associated with themes of parenting, culture, and education.  Listening to each speaker brought up the question, “what does it mean to be a good parent?” 

The first session I attended focused on a study that was completed at high achieving schools that are primarily populated by families from higher socioeconomic statuses.  This presentation focused on Baumrind’s model of parenting styles and the benefits of authoritative parenting.  Authoritative parenting styles promote high levels of support, warmth, and structure.  The parent-child communication tends to be bi-directional.  The speaker described how they support parents at his school and they try to coach them away from being over-bearing parents that are sometimes referred to as “helicopter parents” or “Tiger Moms”. 

The second session related to parenting was a cross-cultural comparison of parent involvement in the United States and Taiwan.  The U.S. school was an urban school that receives Title 1 funds; this is a school with families from lower socioeconomic statuses.  In both places, the researchers found that parent involvement was not always obvious.  While parents might not be as present in the school or have as much communication with teachers, parents were often involved in more “behind the scenes” ways.  The presenters also remarked on cultural beliefs such as the Taiwanese parent’s expectations that teachers are the experts on curriculum and school discipline.

The last session that I attended related to parenting highlighted a Chicago area school that supports young moms by providing access to child care, parenting support, and mentoring programs.  The presentation included two young moms who talked about their love for their children and their intense motivation to transform their lives to best provide for their children.  The young women spoke candidly about the judgment that they face from others; some people telling them that they had “ruined their lives”.  These young moms were dynamic, motivated women who are leaders in their community who spoke with great confidence about their ability to be a good parent to their children.

So, what does it mean to be a good parent?  Is there one answer to that question?  If you look at some research, there is a suggestion that there is one best way.  This becomes a challenge to educators who work to engage parents in schools.  I remember being on many special education teams where we had to carefully negotiate relationships with parents.  I have also been on teams where there is a strong sense of judgment directed towards the parent that does not fit the expectations.  

There was one more session that added some further information to this discourse.  The keynote speaker at the conference was a very famous educational research who focuses his work on statistics and measurement.  He teaches at a major research institute and was appointed to a federal board that examines education.  During a question/ answer session after his speech, this speaker told a story that highlighted the importance of understanding evidence through the lens of local wisdom.  He described an incident where scientists from England had comes up with a new strain of barley that they felt would be much more productive.  All of their research demonstrated great results, but Irish farmers would not use the new barley.  The English researchers thought the Irish farmers were just stubborn and uninformed until they went to Ireland and tried out the barley in the Irish fields.  In that process they learned that Irish farmers used different practices for working the land that were not effective for the barley and therefore the barley did not grow well in Ireland.  I am not sure if this story is factual or just a great anecdote, but I think it offers great insights into the importance of understanding local context.

Understanding local context is important when we look at questions related to parenting too.  To understand what it means to be a good parent, we need to understand the context of the parent rather than trying to fit parents into some pre-existing idea that may or may not fit their context.  This is essential for educators as we try to foster parent engagement.  An attendee at the cross-cultural session shared that she was a principal at an urban school and they have a practice of doing home visits to help understand the family’s context and the best possible way to engage with the family.  Bravo to this school that makes such a tremendous effort to connect with their families.  Bravo to all of the researchers to continue to work on this complex question.  Bravo to all of the parents around the world who work hard every day to be the best parent for their child.