INCLUDING LATINOS:A MANUAL FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGES

MAY, 2005

Characteristics and Significance

Teaching Strategies

Community-Based ProgramsED EDRRRRRRRRRRRR EeDUCA

PCC Latino/Hispanic Office

Dropout Prevention

Model Outreach Programs

Carl D. Perkins Professional Development Grant

Brian Miller, Director of Institutional Effectiveness

Cecilia Moore-Cobb, Editor

Anita Smith, Assistant Editor

Jaime Espinosa, Director of Latino/Hispanic Education

EDUCATING

LATINOS

IN

NORTH

CAROLINA

GRANT COMMITTEE

Brian Miller, Director of Institutional EffectivenessPitt Community CollegePhone: (252) 493-7421Email: bmiller@email.pittcc.edu

Cecilia Moore-Cobb, Grant EditorInstructor, English and Humanities DepartmentPitt Community CollegePhone: (252) 321-4417Email: ccobb@email.pittcc.edu

Anita Smith, Assistant Grant EditorInstructor, English and Humanities DepartmentPitt Community CollegePhone: (252) 321-4272Email: asmith@email.pittcc.edu

Jaime Espinosa, Director of Latino/Hispanic DevelopmentPitt Community CollegePhone: (252) 493-7296Email: jespinos@email.pittcc.edu

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CONTENTS

Introduction……………………………………………………………………… 1 – 5

Significance of the Latino Population………………………………………….. 6 – 11

Characteristics of the Latino Population………………………………………. 12 – 18

Challenges for the Higher Education Classroom: Bias and Dropout Rates

A. Avoiding Bias in the Classroom…………………………………….. 19 – 21

B. Students Off Course: Dropouts……………………………………. 22 – 25

Teaching Strategies……………………………………………………………… 26 – 30

Campus-Wide Recommendations for Latino Student Success……………….. 31 – 39

Works Cited ……………………………………………………………………… 44 – 46

Appendix I: Community-Based Strategies and Programs: Pitt County and Pitt Community College

A. The Plaza Comunitaria or “Educational Transition Center”…………………………… 47 – 49

B. Pitt Community College Hispanic/Latino Office…………... 50 – 51

Appendix II: North Carolina Community College Hispanic/Latino InitiativeHelga Mattei, Director…………………………………………… 52 – 53

Appendix III: Two Practical Lessons for the Classroom

A. Don’t Call Me Julio………………………………………….. 54 – 60

B. “Exposing Oneself” in the Writing Classroom…………….. 61 – 64

Appendix IV: Model Outreach Programs for Latino Students………………. 65 – 70

Appendix V: ¿Qué pasa? Preparing Pitt Community College for the LatinoPopulation: A Professional Development workshop for Pitt Community College Faculty, Administrators, and Counselors……………… 71

iii

THE NAME OF THE PEOPLE: AN INTRODUCTION

Our manual begins with a brief anecdote from the preface of Earl Shorris’

Latinos: A Biography of the People, a seminal work which celebrates a diverse people

and illuminates their experience in America.

One summer afternoon in Los Angeles I [Shorris] asked

Margarita Avila, “If you were writing this book, what would you want

it to say?”

“Just tell them who we are and that we are not all alike,” she

said. . . . Before I could begin, there was a word to be chosen, a name

to be given to the pronoun represented by “we.” . . .

Later, over lunch, I asked Mrs. Avila, whose interest in

language leads her to keep four dictionaries in her house, what she had

meant by the pronoun “we.” . . . “Mejicanos,” she said. . . .

“Hispanic?” I asked.

“Mejicano,” she said. . . .

“Gently, but very firmly, with laughter, but without permitting

argument, she had made her point. No other word was acceptable, not

because there were no other nouns or adjectives available, but because

any less specific, more encompassing word was damaging. To

conflate cultures is to destroy them; to take away the name of a group,

as of an individual, is to make pale the existence of the group.

So this manual does not intend “to make pale the existence of the group”; it does seek to

clarify and improve the condition of this immigrant population in the North Carolina

Community College education system.

In 2004 Pitt Community College received funding from a Carl D. Perkins

Professional Development Grant with three specific goals in mind.

1. To broaden Pitt Community College’s knowledge of Latino

populations and their cultures in the classroom experience

2. To describe educational needs of Latino adult learners within the

North Carolina Community College system

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3. To present strategies that North Carolina Community Colleges can use

to educate this population more effectively

The end products of this grant are a manual disseminated through the NC-NET

website and a series of workshops that focused on cultural awareness and special

strategies for engaging Hispanic/Latino students in community colleges. We hope that

this work will enhance and compliment the work being done by Helga Mattei and the

staff of the Hispanic/Latino Initiative through the North Carolina Community College

System Office.

The first article describes the significance of the Latino population to the future

well being of North Carolina, followed by information on cultural awareness, on teaching

and retention strategies, and finally on programs and suggestions for community college

personnel to implement for Latino student success.

Appended to the manual is supplemental material that we hope community

college faculty, staff, and administrators will find helpful. For example, we include two

articles on teaching strategies from an earlier manual. We also write about the Plaza

Comunitaria concept, the Hispanic/Latino Initiative, and other model programs

throughout the nation. Finally, we provide our own workshop materials for other

community colleges to use.

According to one researcher, the “relationship between educational achievement

and economic attainment makes educational attainment a critical issue for the U.S. Latino

population in the years to come” (Torres 14). If North Carolina expects Latinos to be

good citizens and contributors, then North Carolina cannot turn its back on them for

education or services (Dayton 36).

Latino Henry Cisneros, President Clinton’s Secretary for HUD and a former

mayor of San Antonio, defines three strategies to move Hispanics to the middle class.

The first is to increase homeownership; the second, to increase minimum wage and

earned income credit to provide improved assets; the third, to improve access to higher

education. He emphasizes that Hispanics who are low income but high achieving attend

college at the same rate as the lowest achieving, high income non-Hispanic White

students. However, only 21 percent of the former will complete college compared with

62 percent of the latter, high income students. Further, according to Cisneros, graduate

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school statistics for those who do complete college are not encouraging. He reinforces

this statement by providing specific percentages to illustrate his point: 3.3% doctoral

candidates, 4.6% physicians, 2.8% science studies, 3.6% math and computer programs,

3.5% engineering candidates, 2.4% lawyers and judges, and 5.4% public school teachers

actually attain postsecondary degrees.

U.S. Census figures validate Cisneros’ claim and reveal a significant statistical

differential in educational attainment between non-Hispanic White and Hispanic students.

(Smith)

Yet, education has become increasingly important as an avenue to the middle

class. According to Patricia Gándara, “Hispanics are the least educated major population

group in the United States. They are the least likely to graduate from high school, enroll

in college, and receive a college degree (“Creating Cultures” 2). One problem, of course,

is a lack of cultural awareness in mainstream classrooms where middle-class, white,

Anglo-Saxon North European protestant cultural assumptions prevail (Spindler, What

23). Our society is stratified, and the classroom reflects that caste system, which has

repercussions for the Latino population – the last immigrant group to arrive. Quite often

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the last group “is subject to animosity, discrimination, and less than favorable attitudes” –

unless they are white, Anglo-Saxon, protestant in origin (García 209). The most recent

group is also historically in competition for jobs with the previous group to immigrate;

therefore, there is an additional source of conflict.

The major problem is how the ethnic minority student, particularly the lower-class

student, learns to “get along,” to learn, and to keep cultural identities intact (Spindler,

What 15). Community colleges are the “decisive link” in the educational achievement of

Latinos. America’s 1,076 public community colleges enroll over half of all minority

students in higher education; furthermore, 55 percent of all Hispanics enroll in

community colleges (Saenz 1). These students enroll not just for college transfer courses

but also for vocational ones, adult education, remedial education, and career

enhancement.

However, studies indicate that “Latinos’ attendance at community colleges may

adversely affect their chances of transferring, persistence, or completion of any type of

degree” (Martinez 52). In other words, they are more likely to drop out if their studies

begin at a two-year college. Other studies indicate that Latinos have an attrition rate as

high as 80 percent in the community college setting. After controlling for background,

ability, and aspirations, community college students are 10 to 18 percent more likely to

drop out of college within the first two years than those with similar backgrounds at four-

year colleges. There is also a lag in degree completion rates. Obviously, community

colleges need to examine why this is so (Martinez 53).

Literature on school failure suggests a “mismatch theory” or cultural reasons.

This idea states that “minorities were not so much deprived of important cultural

experiences as they were participants in a different set of experiences that while worthy

in themselves, did not meet the expectations of schools” (Gándara, “Creating Cultures”

3). There is a need for community colleges to develop a mechanism that allows Latino

students to take what they need from their own world, to take what they need from the

world of higher education, and then to create a third system that sustains them as they

progress into North Carolina’s middle class.

The 2003 Presidential Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for

Hispanic Americans issues this statement:

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Recommendation 5: Ensure full access for Hispanic American

students to enter college and demand greater accountability in

higher education for Hispanic graduation rates. Challenge the

nation’s postsecondary institutions to graduate 10 percent more

Hispanic American students from colleges and universities each

year, than are currently graduating, over the next decade. Urge

institutions to explore the increased development of retention

programs that would benefit Hispanic American students. (2)

Therefore, the heart of this manual is to promote Latino success in higher

education, thus ensuring greater prosperity for all North Carolina residents. As Cisneros

argued so forcefully in his keynote speech at the Hispanic Association of Colleges and

Universities’ 18th Annual Conference, “We have a reputation for working hard. Now

give us that chance.”

5

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE LATINO POPULATION

“I tell my students that these ‘illegal’ immigrants are foreign aid from Mexico.”(Sergio Elizondo)

The estimated Hispanic population of the United States as of July 1, 2003, was

39.9 million, making people of Hispanic origin the nation’s largest ethnic minority. To

put that number in perspective, Hispanics constitute 13.7 percent of the nation’s total

population (Fact Monster.com). Furthermore, recent census figures indicate that

Hispanics accounted for half of the country’s population growth in the two years after the

2000 Census, accelerating this demographic milestone once predicted for 2014

(American Council on Education). Approximately one in eight people in the United

States is of Hispanic origin, with 66.9 percent of Mexican origin.

The U.S. Census projects that 11 to 12 million immigrants will arrive in the

United States in the next decade, most from Spanish-speaking countries (Mattei).

According to Census projections, the Hispanic population of the United States as of July

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2050, will be a whopping 102.6 million, or 24 percent of the nation’s total population on

that date (Fact Monster.com). Furthermore, this minority will increase faster than other

populations. For example, from 1990 to 2030, analysts project a 25 percent increase in

Caucasians, a 67 percent increase in African Americans, and a 187 percent increase in the

Hispanic-American population (Wang 4). Public schools in urban areas are no longer

predominantly European American, and the demographic profile is shifting to such an

extent “that this ethnic group will no longer be the majority nationally” in the public

school systems (Spindler, “Introduction” xix).

We are also becoming a Spanish-speaking nation. The number of U. S. residents

age five and older who speak Spanish at home is 29 million, with Spanish speakers

constituting a ratio of more than 1-in-10 U.S. residents.

Furthermore, this population is young. Hispanics are more likely than non-

Hispanic Whites to be less than 18 years old – all 35.7 percent of them. Relatively few

Latinos were age 65 and older (5.3 percent) compared with non-Hispanic Whites (14.0

percent). Among Latinos, those of Mexican origin had the highest proportion of the

population less than 18 years of age (U.S. Census, Hispanic Population 2). The Latino

family household size is larger than that of non-Hispanic Whites with average number of

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births for Hispanic households at 3.1 percent in 2000 while the national U.S. average was

2.1 (Mattei). Also, 68 percent of Hispanic families include both father and mother, who

are married (Fact Monster.com).

This younger generation controls a greater share of its ethnic group’s total

purchasing power for several reasons. Hispanics 15 to 34 years of age earn 37 percent of

the total Hispanic income. In addition, the spending power of Hispanic teens totals $19

billion. This population is projected to grow 62 percent between 2001 and 2020 (Mattei).

Hispanics also accounted for nearly a third of the increase in the U.S. labor force

in the last 20 years. While Hispanics represented only 6.1 percent of the U.S. labor force

in 1982, their share increased to 12.4 percent by 2002. Most of the Hispanic employment

growth (six percentage points) has taken place since the start of the last recession in

March 2001 (Mattei). The net worth of U.S. Hispanic households increased by 41.4

percent between 1998 and 2000, so much so that the net worth of the U.S. Hispanic

population surpassed $534 billion (Mattei). However, this increase in net worth did not

propel Latino families out of poverty. Among U.S. Latinos, the economic attainment of

full-time, year-round workers with an annual salary of $35,000 or more is 23.3 percent of

the total population while that of non-Latino Whites is 49.3 percent. Of those U.S.

residents below the poverty level, Latinos comprise 22.8 percent of the total population

while non-Latino Whites represent only 7.7 percent – a significant differential indicating

continued economic struggle among Latinos in America (Torres 9).

Types of employment partially explain this difference. In 2000 Hispanics were

almost twice as likely to be employed as operators and laborers than non-Hispanic

Whites (22.0 percent and 11.6 percent, respectively). Conversely, only 14.0 percent of

Hispanics were in managerial or professional occupations, compared with 33.2 percent of

non-Hispanic Whites. Among Latino groups, Mexicans were least likely to work in

managerial or professional occupations – just 11.9 percent (U.S. Census, Hispanic

Population 5).

One reason for the startling discrepancy in net worth and profession or occupation

is the result of low educational attainment among Latinos. Over the past 25 years,

earnings differences have grown among workers with different levels of educational

attainment; these differences by educational attainment compound over a lifetime. More

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precisely, over a work-life, individuals who have a bachelor’s degree would earn on

average $2.1 million – about one-third more than workers who did not finish college and

nearly twice as much as workers with only a high school diploma (U. S. Census, Big

Payoff 4).

These statistics play out in the lives of Latino workers, for more than two in five

Latinos have not graduated from high school. The Hispanic population age 25 and older

was less likely to have at least graduated from high school than non-Hispanic Whites

(57.0 percent and 88.4 percent, respectively). In addition, more than one-quarter of

Hispanics had less than a ninth-grade education (27.3 percent) compared with only 4.2

percent of non-Hispanic Whites. The proportion with a bachelor’s degree or more was

much lower for Hispanics than for non-Hispanic Whites (U. S. Census, Big Payoff 4).

Why do so many Latinos, both legal and undocumented, immigrate to the United

States? The two magnets are jobs and family connections. More than 60 percent of the

immigrants are from Mexico. Although the typical Mexican worker earns one-tenth his

American counterpart, that difference is enormous when compared to earning potential in

the country of origin. The United States economy is highly dependent on both legal and

illegal immigrants. Specifically, the state of North Carolina experienced the highest rate

of Hispanic migration during the 1990s, an increase of 450 percent, and the economic

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influence is substantial. For example, the economic impact to the economy of North

Carolina from the state military bases is 18 billion dollars, which is seven percent of the

total economy of the state (Mazzolini 2); in comparison, the direct and indirect impact on

the economy by this Latino population in North Carolina is 13 billion dollars, or five

percent of the North Carolina economy.

Simply put, the Latino population is important to the state of North Carolina. As

more and more Latino children come of age, will the state community colleges be

prepared to serve them well? In 2000, 36 percent of Hispanic high school graduates ages

18 to 24 enrolled in colleges and universities, yet their enrollment rate remains lower than

that of non-Hispanic Whites, certainly given their dominance in the general population.

And while the number of Hispanic bachelor’s degree recipients increased faster than any

other racial/ethnic group since 1980-81, they represent just six percent of all

baccalaureate recipients (Facts in Brief 1).

Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Status and Trends in the Education of Hispanics, 2003. http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2003/hispanics.

Of Latino youth ages 16 to 19, 47 percent are neither in school nor in a GED

program (Flores). Of 100 non-Hispanic White children who enter kindergarten, 91

graduate from high school, 62 attend college, and 30 of them obtain at least a BA degree.

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In contrast, of every 100 Latino students who enter kindergarten, 62 students will

complete high school, 29 will attend college, and only 6 will obtain at least a BA degree.

In other words, Latinos at present are getting lost in the education pipeline in significant

numbers, and these numbers represent a disaster for the economic and social fabric of our

country. Indeed, Latinos with college degrees pay twice as much taxes as those with only

a high school diploma (Gándara, “Nurturing”). A study of the Dallas (Texas)

Community College District further states that for every dollar invested in educating a

potential dropout, the state could realize a return of $9 per student, a savings of $17

billion in lost revenue (Bewley 1-5).

One study determined that more Hispanic high school students (93 percent) than

European American students (75 percent) strongly agree that they want a college degree

as the way to have a better life (Lindholm-Leary 2). The motivation is there. The

willingness to work is there. The potential is there. The responsibility is here, in the

community college system.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LATINO POPULATION“ ‘Primero Dios, Segundo los padres, y tercero los maestros’.”

(Patricia Gándara)

“American,” “Hispanic,” “Latino” are terms we frequently hear. Anyone who is a

native of North, Central, and South America can be called an “American.” “Hispanic” is

an English word meaning “pertaining to ancient Spain” and applies to Spanish-speaking

Latin Americans (Central and South America and the Caribbean) as well as to natives of

Spain. Those whose origin is Latin America are currently referred to as “Latinos,” which

is the term that we use more than any other in this manual. According to Earl Shorris,

“Latino has gender, which is Spanish, as opposed to Hispanic, which follows English

rules” (xvii). We use “Anglo” to specify someone who is neither Latino nor black. Some

Latinos have African origins, so we choose the term “Black” rather than “African-

American.” Whether we say “American,” “Hispanic,” or “Latino,” we are describing a

people who can share language, customs, ancestors, yet they are not alike, and none of

the terms apply to a particular race. Generally, our North Carolina population is “Latino”

since relatively few are Spaniards. For the most part, Latinos prefer being called by their

nationality, such as “Mexican” or “Guatemalan.” Their commonality is the “legacy of

Spanish colonization” and a shared Spanish language that dominates local or indigenous

languages (Torres 5). Nor do all Latinos look alike! There is extensive diversity of

physical traits among Latinos just as there are among Anglos or Blacks.

Latinos have individual cultural identities that are tied to the history of their

countries in Latin America and to their indigenous peoples. Often, Latino students will

even have ties to two or more of these cultures (UNC Center For Teaching and Learning).

Some Latinos do not even claim Spanish as their first language, but rather speak

indigenous languages such as Náhuatl in Mexico or Quiché in Guatemala. This

characteristic is chronicled in the autobiographical I, Rigoberta Menchú in which the

Nobel prize-winning Guatemalan author learns to speak Spanish in addition to her

indigenous language due to dramatic political and personal needs ( Menchú 19).

Family commitment and loyalty are paramount for Latinos. Historically, there is

a strong sense of belonging to family, community, and ethnic group. The traditional

Latino family follows rural patterns, in that each person is responsible for the group.

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Also, children are considered an asset and among siblings there is a hierarchical order

with older siblings caring for younger ones. If a Latino faces a choice between familia

and education, family comes first. “To choose otherwise would be unmanly, ungrateful,

inhuman, sinful” (Shorris 218). Latino parents’ handling of children in public may

appear permissive. For instance, children may be seen running around the altar in church

and sitting there during the service. When chiding is deemed necessary, the parent might

call the child, “usted,” which means “you” (formal). Adjustment to urban ways is

frequently very difficult. Though the idea of a mother scrubbing floors to earn extra

money for children’s education is an accepted, urban idea, for the traditional Latino

familia, the rural tradition would have the child helping the mother by scrubbing floors

(Shorris 218).

Latino adolescents are more inclined than Anglo adolescents to adopt their

parents’ commitments to religious and political beliefs, occupational preferences, and

lifestyles. Also, Latino male adolescents display more and earlier independence than

Anglos (Griggs 1). This is no doubt due to the male Latinos’ added responsibilities with

their siblings and the families’ financial needs. Male Latinos must often work outside the

home to supplement the family income. Needy “parents, hungry siblings, broken homes,

mortgages, one economic crisis or another challenges every poor or working-class Latino

child” (Shorris 218).

Stereotyped sex roles tend to exist among many Latinos (Baron 1991; Griggs 1).

Rather than exhibiting the stereotypical “machismo” attitude, in Latino cultures the term

“machismo” refers to a concept of chivalry “that encompasses gallantry, courtesy,

charity, and courage” (Griggs 1). The father is the “figurehead” of the family while the

female is perceived as nurturing and self-sacrificing. Most Mexican American students

feel that their mother exerted the greatest influence over their lives, even in everyday

decisions (Gándara, Choosing Higher Education 20).

Another characteristic, especially of Latinos who are high achievers, is a family

“myth” that tends to play a role in social mobility among immigrants. The migratory

experience includes stories of family wealth and prestige one or two generations

removed. One or the other parent tells of a “golden past” or “lost glory,” which the

family is determined to recover. This myth telling is an often recounted phenomenon

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which has beneficial effects on the family’s esteem and motivation (Gándara Choosing

Higher Education 36).

Configuration of Latino names invariably causes confusion for non-Latinos.

Generally, each Latino has a first and middle name, a pattern that is not difficult for

Anglos to understand. However, most Catholic children receive a saint’s name when

they are confirmed into the Church. Then, there is the matter of surnames: each Latino/a

normally has two official last names. The first is the father’s surname, used in everyday

situations. The second surname is the individual’s mother’s maiden name that is used in

more formal situations. For instance, for María Castillo Guzmán, “Castillo” is her

father’s surname and “Guzmán” is her mother’s maiden name. In everyday situations,

she is known as María Castillo since the father’s surname is given more importance.

When the Latina marries, she attaches her husband’s surname to hers after the word,

“de.” For example, if María Castillo Guzmán marries Tomás Gutiérrez Durán, she

becomes María Castillo Guzmán de Gutiérrez. Their children will have the surnames of

Gutiérrez. At this stage, she is commonly known as María Gutiérrez. Their children will

have the surnames of Gutiérrez Castillo, respectively. This perpetuates the practice of the

father’s surname followed by the mother’s maiden name. In their case, they will be

commonly be known as the Gutiérrez children.

Most Latinos come from a rigid society where rules of behavior have been

prescribed for centuries. There is a large working class and a small elite class – a classic

example of the “haves” and the “have nots.” For the larger group, hard work is a way of

life. For Mexicans, especially, if something is free, it is not valued. Personal

characteristics of persistence and hard work are valued. In some parts of Latin America,

there is an emerging middle class, providing overwhelming benefits in balancing the

financial equation. A distinction between rural and urban Latinos is prevalent also.

However, once Latinos become students in the United States, the primary cultural

difference between lower-income and middle-income students is their speech style

(Gándara, Choosing Higher Education 36).

There is a strong belief in the dignity of each individual. For instance, in order to

avoid hurting someone, Latinos will answer questions in a way that implies the answer

without really saying it. No one expects direct responses to questions and may assume

14

that the person is saying something slightly different. This cultural characteristic, by the

way, should be considered during parent-teacher meetings (DeBord and Ferrer, par. 5).

The group’s needs are valued over the individual’s needs. Cooperative efforts –

whether through family or community – are used to attain goals. It is assumed the leader

will speak for the group, and he is not questioned. Generally, one must learn by being

silent; therefore, speaking up is deemed inappropriate. This value system is in direct

contrast to the United States where individual achievement and competition are stressed,

especially in the classroom. In an American classroom, group efforts to arrive at answers

could be misconstrued as cheating.

Historically, Latino parents have great trust for schools and for the role of teacher.

In fact, teacher, doctor, and priest are held in the same high esteem ( Zárate). In an

educational setting, children are anxious to please their teacher, yet the Latino teacher is

not blatantly demonstrative when giving praise: “The teacher shows approval by a nod,

slight smile, and/or a quietly spoken word of praise” (Pajewski and Enriquez, “Hispanic

Culture” 1). Due to the respect afforded the teacher, the Latino parent and student are

less likely to question or comment on the teacher’s recommendations because the source

is accepted as an expert or authority figure. This adherence to authority can have

deleterious effects on academic success when students withdraw from class or school –

with parental approval – rather than become assertive and challenge the authority figure

(Plata 2).

In Central and South American countries, the educational system varies per

country, but generally there are three levels of study prior to the university level.

Kindergarten through the sixth grade is called “Primaria”; seventh through ninth grades

are “Secundaria”; and tenth through twelfth grades are “Preparatoria” or “Colegio.”

Most classrooms are bare with no exceptional services available; therefore, some new

immigrants are overwhelmed by the size and equipment provided in American

classrooms. In Mexico, for example, the class sizes are quite large, with 30 to 50

students who remain in the entire room all day while the teachers rotate. Seventh grade is

the average length of schooling (Pachino). Acceptance into the university (la

universidad) is very limited. The student must take an intensive, multi-part test, passing

all parts. By and large, the national government pays for a student’s education, which

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explains the difficult entrance requirements. Universities rarely have dormitories, and

students tend to stay with extended family members living nearby. There are few college

sports teams, which is certainly a marked contrast to American counterparts.

In the area of communication, certain behaviors exist among Latinos. For

instance, greetings usually include inquiries about the family. Respect, which is highly

valued, is displayed by using formal titles with one another. Additionally, Latinos show

affection through touching. When conversing, Latinos stand about 18 inches apart while

Americans’ preference is a distance of approximately 36 inches. The conversation tends

toward small talk, taking care not to interrupt the speaker. Latinos often do not interject

someone’s name as frequently as Anglos do when speaking with one another. When

speaking to an authority figure, eye contact is unacceptable. Avoidance of direct eye

contact is an important gesture meant to convey respect.

Distinctions also exist between Latinos’ perceived relationship to their universe

and the “locus of control.” People do not control their lives, effecting change for better

or worse; their destiny has been predetermined. Thus, fatalism is the dominant belief.

Life is destroyed to be reborn. Life and Death exist as a duality and cannot be

controlled. For many, the manner of death is the determinant of afterlife. Historically,

among the indigenous populations of Central and South America, the concept of sin and

hell was alien. Also, the indigenous people celebrated death, thereby transcending the

eternal cycle of life (Pajewski and Enriquez, “Hispanic Culture” 1). After the Spanish

conquest, the Catholic holiday of All Saints’ Day combined with the indigenous belief to

create El Día de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) that is celebrated on November 2.

Mexican Americans are the primary celebrants in the United States. Octavio Paz, the

Mexican Nobel Prize for Literature recipient wrote, “The word death is not pronounced

in New York, in Paris, in London because it burns the lips. The Mexican, in contrast, is

familiar with death, jokes with it, caresses it; it is one of his favorite toys and most

steadfast love” (Paz 4).

Moreover, the metaphysical has a role in health care. Not just a physician can

treat a patient. Pharmacists in Latin America are also trained to give injections and

prescribe medication. However, the cure is deemed more complete with a little “white

magic” – healing herbs – from the “curadora” who is the healing woman.

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Differences are evident in the way Latinos and Anglos view time; they are, in

fact, poles apart. Cultural anthropologists refer to these divergent views as monochronic

and polychronic concepts of time (Uncommon Journeys 17). Anglos value time because

time is viewed in just one (mono) way. In contrast, Latinos, who are polychronic, do not

rush time. “Mañana” is the norm; it exists as an expression of “whenever.” Thus

appointments and social gatherings do not start “on time.” Taking time to greet people,

to talk with them, to help them is considered more important than rushing to a meeting or

event. Efficient use of time is just not as important as in more industrialized cultures

(Uncommon Journeys 83). Even the Spanish and English languages reveal these

individual viewpoints. In English one says that a clock “runs.” In Spanish one says, “El

reloj anda” or “The clock walks.”

A look into Latin America’s past clarifies the strong influence that the church,

specifically Catholicism, has on its society and politics. The Spanish conquistadors

imposed Christianity upon the indigenous people with dire consequences for non-

compliance. Nowadays, a mixture of the indigenous religion and Catholicism is common

in various holidays and celebrations. In addition to El Día de los Muertos, a Latino not

only celebrates his birthday but his Saint’s Day too. During the Quinceañera,

commemorating the fifteen year-old Latina’s passage into womanhood, a church blessing

is bestowed upon the female. The Quinceañera celebration rivals most wedding parties

with elaborate clothing, decorations, food, and general fanfare. Due to the influx of

Latinos, the Catholic Church in the United States is making adjustments for this new

cultural-religious event.

Food choices and meal times vary from those in the United States. Breakfast in

Latin America rarely includes eggs or meat. Lunch, the largest Latin American meal, is

eaten in the mid-afternoon between two and four o’clock. American tourists in Latin

America find that stores and banks are closed during the lunch time and reopen from four

to seven in the evening. At that time, dinner, a lighter meal than lunch, is eaten from

eight to ten o’clock. Generally, food choices are subject to availability and the local

climate, although guinea pig and other “surprises” occur on some menus.

Ultimately, making generalizations about the diverse Latino population is unfair.

Though they are united by customs, language, religion, and values, extreme diversity

17

exists. However, attempting to understand another culture causes us to reevaluate our

own. The journey towards mutual understanding and respect should be the ultimate goal.

“It is a beautiful and sometimes frightening journey. There are no outposts, no lamps in

the dark. But if you choose to venture out, the rewards are rich: a fuller understanding of

yourself, your country, and your world” (Uncommon Journeys 1).

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CHALLENGES FOR THE HIGHER EDUCATION CLASSROOM:BIAS AND DROPOUT RATES

A. AVOIDING BIAS IN THE CLASSROOM

“Until I came here with my Spanish, I didn’t know what it meant to be a woman of color.”

(Dr. Liliana Rossi, Argentine psychologist)

Because we are teachers, we have a responsibility to create a positive learning

environment for our students, no matter what the ethnicity or race may be. We influence

students’ retention rates; therefore, negative faculty attitudes, whether overt or not, ensure

that Latino students will receive inappropriate instruction (Plata 2). However, we carry

with us into the classroom our personal cultural backgrounds. There are few

“consciously racist teachers” but there are many of us, maybe all, who do have strong

biases “that are quite unmovable because they are integrated with a sense of identity and

self” (Spindler, What 23). Most of us in the North Carolina Community College System

are “white, monolingual, and come from middle class backgrounds” (Gándara, Choosing

21); thus, our cultural experiences and expectations differ from Latino (or any other)

students not sharing these same cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. Inevitably we

perceive students with prejudice and preconceptions.

Students also carry into the classroom personal cultural backgrounds with

preconceptions of us, other students, the school. Specifically, Latino students’ quite

different cultural backgrounds may influence us to presuppose negative traits and

abilities. To begin with, Latino students “are less likely than African American or

Caucasian students to have had early childhood education, including pre-school or Head

Start. They are more likely to be enrolled below grade level and be retained one or more

times, be enrolled in remedial classes that do not prepare them for college, and have the

highest drop out rate” (Science Education 1). In other words, many Latino students enter

school already behind, and this condition can remain a consistent aspect of their

educational experience. This limitation often leads to labels and stereotypes, which in

19

turn adversely determine the degree of success Latino students experience in the

academic setting.

Latinos may not have had access to “high quality, college preparatory curricula”

in their countries of origin, so they have inferior preparation for the North American

educational experience (Gándara, Creating Cultures 3). They often feel a hesitation to

share their family and community lives outside the school environment, where little

English is spoken and other cultural differences exist between themselves and their

American classmates (Schram 86). Students are more inclined “to leave the outward

markers” of ethnicity behind, especially if they move into high-track classrooms. They

attempt not to stand out, not to raise their hands (Davidson 155).

Our strategy – both that of faculty and of administration – is often to attempt “to

Americanize” children who are either foreign-born or born to parents who have newly

immigrated to the United States. Indeed, Latinos’ fellow students, as well as their school

systems, exhibit pressure for conformity. “In a society where ethnicity and physical

appearance explicitly or implicitly determine the status or even the worth of

individuals . . . , a student who does not look like the mainstream students will have an

additional aspect of ‘fitting in’ to deal with, on top of pursuing studies in an already

complex environment” (Mushi 11). Many of us who are Anglos are unable to recognize

diversity among Latino students, so we do not realize that there is no “definitive Hispanic

perspective” and no “monolithic interpretation” of a definitive Hispanic perspective

(Teaching for Inclusion 1). For example, many accept the myth that all Latino students

are fluent in Spanish, which is not accurate. And while some do have Spanish speaking

skills, they are unable to read or write in that language.

Instructors may make statements with hidden, subconscious negative connotations

such as “I am enjoying my class this semester; even my Mexican students are doing

well.” So these minority students suffer from comparison in language ability if they are

not fluent in the language of instruction, especially if they are identified by that

characteristic. We may describe a Latino student as “the young woman with the Spanish

accent” rather than “the young woman from Colombia.” Further complications may arise

when the physical appearance of both Anglo and Latino students are similar. Anglo

students, without realizing different cultural backgrounds, subject Latino students to

20

insensitive jokes about Latinos. In addition, there are patterns of racial exclusion and

other forms of discrimination against Latino college students that exist in other, more

insidious, ways. Consequently, if we want to promote success among our Latino

populations, we must analyze these problems to help improve understanding of issues

related to social justice and racial inequality in the academic setting (Villalpando 42).

Compounding the issue of patterns of bias, both overt and hidden, is the fact that

Hispanics are not an officially recognized minority population, an omission that results in

inadequate resources and support services (Teaching for Inclusion 2). Yet we find that

students who reject their ethnicity will have “a harder time psychologically as they

encounter the stresses of racial cultural identity developed within the American context”

(García 214). We cannot hope to understand the different cultures of each student, but “it

is necessary to assume differences, and be open for clues that might indicate whether the

differences are enhancing or limiting learning” (Mushi 13).

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B. STUDENTS OFF COURSE: DROPOUTS

“With my first payday I got these L.A. Gear and a gold chain for my mother. Ahorita I’m saving up for a car.”

(Shorris 219)

According to the President’s Advisory Committee on Educational Excellence for

Hispanic Americans, one out of every three Latino students fails to complete high school.

A 1998 study indicates that 30 percent of all Latinos were dropouts, whereas the dropout

rate was 14 percent for African Americans and eight percent for whites. Among

Hispanic immigrants there is a 44 percent dropout rate compared with 21 percent of

Latinos born in the United States. In North Carolina, 47 percent of Latino teenagers are

not enrolled in high school and do not have a high school diploma according to Susan

Zárate, speaker at the Hispanic Achievement Conference, North Carolina Society

Association of Hispanic Professionals. Moreover, a study of ninth graders finds that

even the highest performing top achieving Latinos are still behind the majority of Anglo

students. Educators need to be aware that risk factors for high achieving Latinos do not

disappear, despite their school success (Gándara, Choosing 2). If the community college

expects to serve Latino students, the cycle of dropouts must end.

There are numerous reasons for the Latino dropout rate. Unfortunately, many

students come to believe that being Hispanic is a major liability in the American school

system (Scarlera par. 12). There are feelings of isolation and estrangement from school.

For the most part, minorities who feel no connection to school because their language and

culture are not valued have a high dropout rate. Additionally, several studies indicate that

the school systems where the Latino enters tend to be some of this nation’s most

segregated and poorly financed with teachers who have little experience in their fields

(Schmidt 4). Frequently, low expectations from the educational system and low self-

esteem plague the Latino student. Furthermore, parents were the most influential factor

in their child’s decision to attend college followed by high school counselors and high

school teachers (Plata 2). If these three essential factors are not supportive, then Latino

students will respect the authorities.

22

Many fall victim to American advertising. According to Earl Shorris, “No one in

America, particularly no young person, can live a poor but dignified life, for the wizards

of marketing have taught children that what they have determines their value as human

beings” (218). No longer can dropouts earn a fair living in a union shop. They succumb

to minimum wage jobs to “get the things they come to believe are necessary to be whole”

(Shorris 219). They realize that they have made a bad bargain when their earnings will

not support car payments and apartments. Economically deceived, they live between

regret and despair. Alcohol helps. They buy for themselves and also for the family.

“The pull of familia is not merely a rationalization; dreams and responsibilities . . .

militate against staying in school” (Shorris 219).

These students lead complicated lives. They lack resources that for the most part

have an impact on the male who must work to help support his family. However,

Hispanic females are also challenged due to entrenched gender roles in the family unit

(Saenz 3). Maximino Plata, professor of special education at East Texas University,

indicates that to survive until their senior year of high school, Hispanic students have

overcome the odds. Unfortunately, only a few go on to higher education. Once a Latino

student does enter college, some of the problems revolve around the curriculum. Latinos

are less likely than their white peers, for example, to have taken “rigorous college-

preparatory courses such as Algebra II and chemistry according to a report issued by the

Education Trust, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization based in Washington,

D.C” (Schmidt 5).

Furthermore, Latino students lack models of opportunity: They may be the first

in their families to further their education and may be unaware of what careers are

available. One expert, Susan Zárate, indicates that the seed for the possibility of college

is planted in Pre-Kindergarten. Also, it could be that the students may never have been

asked, “Will you go to college?” Generally, the decision to attend college comes slowly,

but suddenly they may decide “yes.” However, there has been no systematic thought

applied to the decision. As a result, without any clear goals they choose community

colleges, but chances of completing this education are essentially less than four-year

college students (Gándara, Choosing 3).

23

Fortunately, Hispanic enrollment in colleges tripled from 1980-2003, bringing the

number to 1.5 million, outpacing the rate of Hispanic population growth which

more than doubled to about 38.8 million. In that same period, the number of bachelor’s

degrees awarded rose from 2.3 percent to about 6.2 percent. Though those 2003 numbers

appear promising, Latinos represented about 18 percent of the college-age population, but

accounted for just 9.5 percent of all students at the nation’s higher-education institutions

(Schmidt 2).

Another unique factor in school success depends on the circumstances that

brought the Latino to the United States. Eduardo J. Padrón, president of Miami Dade

College, indicates that some students who come here [Miami Dade College] due to

political circumstances are better prepared than native students. President Padrón adds

that if the immigration circumstances are economic, “most of these people come with a

lack of knowledge of the culture and language. Even in their own language, they are not

well prepared” (Schmidt 7).

Solutions already enacted by the Albuquerque Public School system are the

creation of smaller schools and growth in charter schools that focus on reclaiming

dropouts (Ortiz y Pino 16). The ENLACE Program (Engaging the Latino Community for

Education) in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has “Knock-and-Talk” drives that strive to

convince dropouts to return to school. A recent campaign, chronicled by David Garcia

Alire in the Albuquerque Journal, convinced forty students to continue their education.

Meanwhile, North Carolina is at the beginning of the Latino stream of students

entering its school system. The North Carolina Public School System is involved in the

dropout crisis. Locally, the North Carolina Public School system has created some new

courses aimed at Latinos. Fran Hoch, Second Chief for the NC Department of Public

Instruction, explains that the Spanish for Native Speaker course for levels I and II was

designed using funds from a federal grant. It is open to both immigrant and second

generation Latinos. Currently, 30-35 schools in North Carolina are using the course.

Enrollment in and successful completion of the courses meet the North Carolina high

school graduation requirements for students following the college preparatory course of

study, as well as minimum course requirements for admission to the UNC system.

24

A video entitled “Native Language Support” is available at mpatters@dpi.state.nc.us.

Therefore, the creation of this course is another step toward decreasing the number of

dropouts, thus providing avenues of success.

Cultural understanding of Latinos is at issue so that college becomes a viable

option. If Pitt Community College wants to serve Latino students, it must support the

Latino community as well. Methods to serve this growing community and to get

dropouts back on course are discussed in Appendix IV: “Model Outreach Programs for

Latinos.”

25

TEACHING STRATEGIES“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

(Juana Dainis)

So what modifications to classroom attitudes and instruction can faculty members

make to alleviate these problems and to enable Latino students to realize their potential in

the community college environment? First of all, we can work toward avoiding bias and

increasing retention by recognizing that we may be perpetrating cultural preconceptions

quite unintentionally. We as instructors must look introspectively at our own cultural

backgrounds, realizing the effects of our enculturation as we interact with Latino

students. Specifically, we can consider these suggested modifications.

1. Be aware of minority students and create an accepting classroom climate for them

by helping them perceive themselves from a multi-cultural perspective.

2. Do not be negatively influenced by first impressions or by the initial performance

of Latino students.

3. Recognize and understand the cultural differences among students from diverse

backgrounds, treating these differences with respect.

4. Immediately intervene if a fellow student disparages a Latino student’s culture or

language.

5. Avoid segregating students by cultural groups and do not allow students to

segregate themselves.

6. Demand the same level of excellence from all students, based on their abilities.

7. Do not base students’ capabilities on their proficiency with the cultural

mainstream.

8. Base students’ performances on current situations and circumstances, not on

previous mistakes.

9. Understand that congruencies exist between ANY student’s learning style and the

instructor’s teaching style, especially in situations of cultural conflict or when

minorities are unaware of expected cultural or communicative norms (Science

Education 2-3).

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We also need to remind ourselves that the United States now has an unofficial

second language – Spanish. But Latino students who speak Spanish as their first

language might come into the classroom with an attitude of low self-worth which can

manifest itself as apathy towards education. Here, then, are suggestions to eliminate

language barriers in the classroom.

1. Do not criticize the language of a student’s culture.

2. Do not measure students’ academic success by their mastery of the English

language.

3. Encourage Latino students to talk about topics that are familiar to them.

4. Have patience with Latino students when waiting for them to respond.

5. Do not interrupt students when they are talking.

6. Clearly communicate, both by writing and by speaking, realistic expectations for

the students at the beginning and throughout the year.

7. Develop glossaries for difficult chapters and provide tasks that will allow students

to incorporate the new vocabulary (Science Education 4-5).

8. Use cognitive coaching to integrate language and critical thinking skills by asking

students who have correctly answered a problem, “How did you get that? Why?”

9. Invite students in class to introduce themselves and share their experiences, when

applicable, in order to educate others (Science Education 2).

10. Separate “form (language) from content (concepts).” For example, consider

allowing students to draw a picture, act out an answer, or allow translation or

explanation from another student in the same culture (Mushi 23-24).

At the heart of Latino students’ academic success is the college’s collective

understanding of the role of culture in acquiring knowledge. An effective learning

environment must be constructed in which the Latino students are able to internalize

mainstream cultural values embedded in the community college classrooms “through

meaningful and culturally appropriate relationships” (Truebo 282). Although same

ethnicity instructors are not necessarily more effective with students, Latino instructors

are less likely to refer Latino students to remedial education while non-Latino teachers

have more difficulty identifying gifted Latino students than they have identifying other

races and ethnicities, including blacks (Gándara, What). An important question we must

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ask is how students from different cultures perceive teacher and student roles, for “. . . it

is the professors’ responsibility to understand their students’ process of acculturation to

the academic community” (Wang 6).

Instructors, and their institutions as well, need to take inventory and understand

that students’ cultural beliefs “must be integrated into program curricula, teaching

strategies, and educational resources” (Martinez 60). First of all, we must learn (as much

as is practical) the history and experiences of our Latino students. They realize when we

have done our homework; therefore, we build our credibility when we know about the

history of our different groups. For example, understanding historical impact on current

conditions explains how immigration patterns are affecting our particular Latino students.

Each country has specific conditions “that caused migration of its people, while political,

economic, and legal circumstances in the United States provided opportunities” to

encourage this migration pattern (Ortiz 90). Whenever possible, make use of this

information and modify course syllabi to include Hispanic-American contributions,

culture, and history to correlate topics being taught. Suggestions follow that can assist

students’ adaptation into the mainstream college experience by helping them make the

best of both worlds – Latino and Anglo. Doing so thus enables students to integrate both

of these worlds – their past and present experiences – into a third system that nurtures

academic success (García 215).

1. Start classes on time. For example, research indicates that Mexican-American

students require a higher degree of structure than do other groups (Griggs 2).

2. Allow enough time for students to complete a task. Then, provide time to discuss

what students think they understand.

3. Remember that Latino students are accustomed to accommodating time to their

needs rather than letting time control them; therefore, do not place great emphasis

on “fast-moving and closely timed activities.” Doing so creates tense learning

environments for those who live in a more relaxed home atmosphere where time

is not a critical factor (Pajewski and Enriquez, “Hispanic Culture” 1).

4. Use visual aids.

5. Offer “hands-on” experience. Use interactive technology to help Latino students

learn. Latinos’ “strongest perceptual strength is kinesthetic” (Griggs 2).

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6. Give direct eye contact which is sincere and encouraging.

7. Have a culturally diverse seating arrangement for the class, keeping those students

who are not native speakers of the English language closer to the instructor.

8. Carefully balance academic content with instructional process.

9. Use a variety of methods to insure that all students’ learning styles are being met:

Provide students with a list of materials they can use individually to

supplement their course work.

Incorporate team work into the classroom structure. For example, peer-

oriented learning provides the most effective social pattern for Mexican-

American students (Griggs 2).

Use lecture outlines, boards, and overheads.

10. Connect lessons and theory with examples from the “real world.” Use practical,

real life examples, building on what students already know (Mushi 23-24).

11. Screen textbooks and materials for relevance and accuracy. (e.g. Are the

textbooks only representative of blonde-haired, blue-eyed Anglo-Saxons?)

12. When complementing Latino students, use “a smile and a quietly spoken word of

praise.” Latino students consider teachers as absolute authorities, so speaking out

in class is a terrifying prospect. Respect students’ shyness and praise them

privately (Pajewski and Enriquez, “How the Students’ Culture” 1)

13. Although this element is often not within instructors’ control, be aware of a

difference in environmental learning style. Studies indicate that cool temperature

and formal classroom design are more satisfactory for Mexican-American

students (Griggs 2).

14. While the “parrot” teaching style – repetition or drills in unison – is now

considered traditional and old fashioned, this more traditional style does allow

more recent Latino immigrants, in particular, to express themselves as a group.

15. Be aware that Mexican-American students’ peak energy levels are late morning

and afternoon (Griggs 3).

In concluding this discussion of teaching strategies, we stress the significance of

Latino values, their manifestations in students’ behavior, and how Anglo culture may

perceive these behaviors in the classroom. For example, Latino families consider

29

encouragement of their children to excel over siblings or peers bad manners. Therefore,

Latino students do not want to show how much they know because they do not want to

embarrass those who do not know as much.

In addition, the needs of the group overshadow needs of the individual. Latino

students do not expect all in a group to do their equal share. Unlike the Anglo experience

in collaborative learning, team members who do not work are not considered offensive.

Latino students see no harm in sharing objects and information by helping other students

during a test – an activity which American educational values consider cheating. In

addition, ability is not considered paramount for success; rather destiny, fate, and other

religious expressions control achievement (Pajewski and Enriquez, “Hispanic Culture” 1).

Finally, the essence of an effective learning environment for Latinos is to

remember that a cooperative environment is more conducive for academic success than a

competitive one. The success of the group means more than that of the individual. In

other words, instructors of Latino students would do well to remember that “The good of

the whole is often more important than the individual’s goals” – a concept foreign to the

Anglo learning experience (Pajewski and Enriquez, “Hispanic Culture” 1)

30

CAMPUS-WIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LATINO STUDENT SUCCESS

“I am chicana y Católica and I have been to Yale.”María Elena Fernández

Personal factors that relate to the success of Latino students who are “living in

low socio-economic environments are called ‘resiliency factors’ ” (Science Education 6).

These resiliency factors define an ability “to thrive, mature, and increase competence in

the face of adverse circumstances or obstacles” (Science Education 6). These students, if

they are resilient, must employ all resources: biological, psychological, and

environmental. Schools can provide a valuable environmental resource which in turn

influences the psychological resource. Therefore, schools can promote the effectiveness

of resiliency factors in four ways: (1) increase the student’s self-esteem; (2) stop the

negative chain of events; (3) provide an alternate route to success; and (4) remove the

stressor (Science Education 6).

Even for students whose postsecondary experience is not hindered by a low socio-

economic environment, barriers to academic achievement still exist. Lack of academic

preparation and unfamiliarity with the costs and benefits of the higher educational system

obviously provide barriers to Latino students. Also, many struggle with an unwillingness

to leave home, even by venturing into a neighboring postsecondary environment. Lack

of family involvement in the educational process and the necessity of student

employment to help the family survive all affect Latinos’ effectiveness in the academic

setting. Low concept and a failure to understand the implications of the different career

options build barriers as well (Martinez 54).

In addition, there are institutional barriers which include, but are not limited to,

resistance to advising Latino students as a variable rather than a constant in the

demographic equation. Faculty members may also have lower expectations for academic

achievement in the Latino population. The institution may have ineffective strategies to

ease academic and social integration. The prevailing assumption on campus may be

commitment to monoculturalism rather than to multiculturalism. Studies reveal the

31

majority of faculty, staff, and administrators favor a monocultural approach to education

(Martinez 55). Yet it is a multicultural approach that tends to empower students to

cultivate critical skills “ ‘not just to inform but to transform’ ” their lives (Martinez 56).

Obviously, schools need a long-term mission to be effective. The most significant

question the college should ask is, “What are the assumptions on which campus

programming is based?” (Torres 14-15) Studying successful programs from schools

around the country reveals certain patterns in defining and carrying out such long-term

missions. There exists an urgent need for two-year institutions to connect culture,

knowledge, and power; to legitimize cultural identity and students’ sense of self is

essential. Indeed, “Nowhere perhaps are these issues more relevant than in the context of

the community college where more and more diverse students are seeking educational

opportunity and social mobility” (Martinez 56). Providing “in-class and out-of-class

learning environments that validate the academic abilities . . . of diverse students” is the

responsibility of faculty, counselors, and administrators (Martinez 56). Since there is no

one “Latino mold,” the college should provide opportunities in the campus programs for

all countries of origin to share their cultures.

One such academic environment is the Learning Community concept, which

colleges nationwide are using to improve academic success of Hispanics and other

underrepresented students. Learning Communities are designed for first-time students to

ease their transition to college. This paradigm shifts the focus from teacher-centered to

student-centered learning and emphasizes collaborative learning, problem-solving, and

other teaching strategies that are relevant to the learning styles of Latino students. This

method of instruction emphasizes the importance of developing a sense of belonging

among all participants in the learning process and dovetails beautifully with teaching

strategies best suited for Latino learners. Learning Communities involve the students in

the planning and programming aspects of the educational process, an activity which

effectively promotes resiliency factors (Ortiz 96).

The academic community could also determine the countries represented by the

campus Latino population. What are the migration patterns of these countries, the

economic levels of those who have migrated, and the parents’ educational levels? All of

these questions relate to the Latino community college students’ success. Also, what is

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the generational status of the Latino students? If they are first generation, the college will

need additional recruitment and academic support. For example, it is very beneficial for

first-generation and low-income Latino students to be a part of “experiential learning

opportunities, such as internships, professional conferences, or site visits, to explore their

career choices” (Gross 75).

Research of Hispanic students at 145 community colleges in Arizona, Texas,

California, and New Mexico indicates that certain conditions must exist for Latinos to

succeed in the academic setting. Student participation in ESL and Hispanic studies

classes is extremely beneficial to the Latino student. In addition, career counselors need

an increased awareness to place the students into appropriate programs (Avalos 1).

Studies indicate that counselors tend to place Latino students in vocational technology

classes in spite of high academic achievement. These students then have to fight to get

into college transfer programs, where they want to be. Such experiences often lead to

problems of self-concept (Gándara, Choosing 22-24). Therefore, counselors and student

services personnel who work with first year Latino students should be aware of this

potential problem as well as of the individuals, services, and organizations on campus

that will better serve Latino students (Ortiz 93).

Action is necessary at the institutional level to take an aggressive role in creating

a relationship-centered institution – one that enters into “relationships with entities

concerned with the common work of educating diverse students and strengthening their

communities” – that focuses on collaboration “among all stakeholders.” External

collaboration strives to preserve access and opportunity for the Latino student, to help

minimize K-12 barriers, and to prepare students for baccalaureate degrees (Martinez 57).

Community colleges interested in creating relationship-centered institutions can

incorporate the following recommendations.

1. Relationship-centered models that engage two-year colleges with feeder K-12

schools should be created in order to design institutional outreach strategies such

as early intervention, summer bridge programs, and mentoring programs which

target students in the early grades (Gándara, “Nurturing”). These models should

focus on eradication of access barriers, instilling in the students the idea that

college is a viable option and ensuring that they fulfill certain requirements in

33

order to attend college. Such models might incorporate Latino community

college students as mentors to high school students. Sponsoring College and

Career Days at local high schools illustrates options other than gangs, especially

for Latino males. Tutoring elementary students whose parents attend adult

education courses to improve English-speaking skills increases visibility

throughout the school systems (Mina 84).

2. Relationship-centered models that involve community colleges learning more

about the educational needs of their diverse student clientele should be developed

and sustained in order to design instructional programs for students when and

where they need them.

3. Community colleges should work with local schools and business and industry to

design models (school-to-work, youth apprenticeship, tech prep, career

academies, and cooperative education) that prepare Latino students to enter the

workforce.

4. Community colleges should enter into collaborative partnerships with four-year

institutions to facilitate the transfer process, establish articulation agreements,

initiate Transfer Year Experience Programs at the four-year institutions, and

ensure that students are able to attain bachelor’s degrees and are then poised to

enroll in graduate and professional schools (Martinez 57).

Latino students also offer suggestions to enable other students like themselves to

taste success in an academic setting. One such student shares her initial college

experience as a vivid reminder of many students’ experiences.

My saving grace came when my financial aid was canceled due to

a clerical error. I went to the financial aid office, and after

standing in line for what seemed like hours, I started to cry. One

of the staff members saw me, grabbed my forms, and to my

surprise, pronounced my name correctly. Between sobs, in

Spanish I told him about all the hardships and loneliness I felt.

Within a few minutes, he not only took care of my problem but

also advised me to take courses with the few Latino professors and

34

other faculty of color on campus. Meeting these faculty members

made it so much easier for me to integrate into campus life.

I was soon baby-sitting for many of them, attending potlucks,

stopping by their offices for chats, and meeting other students from

similar backgrounds. Once again, I became part of a community

that understood what I was experiencing and helped to make my

transition to college more positive and successful. I became . . .

involved in many activities designed to increase the presence and

visibility of Latinos on campus. For instance, in cooperation with

other support service programs, I was involved in the development

of a number of academic, leadership, and cultural enrichment

retreats for Latino students (Mina 86).

To eliminate episodes of this or of a similar nature, both faculty and student

services professionals can facilitate success of the Latino population by understanding the

values of the Latino community and involving individual students in campus life. Thus,

the student whose narrative we have just read, along with three of her colleagues,

recommends the following initiatives:

1. Provide admissions and other information, especially signs, in English and

Spanish.

2. Portray Latino students and their families in recruitment brochures and other

institutional publications, including Web sites.

3. Involve Latino parents, Latino community leaders, and Latino community

organizations in institutional recruitment efforts.

4. Increase Latino visibility in student staffing, especially in orientation programs,

academic departments, and administrative offices. Faculty and staff should reflect

campus demographics, as much as is practical, and serve as the campus

conscience on issues of political and cultural sensitivity; therefore, it is important

to have Latino professionals to demonstrate an “ethic of caring” (Dayton 35).

5. Create leadership training and leadership positions specifically for Latino students

in Latino and campus wide organizations. Student leadership organizations

35

provide students with a sense of family and of support “socially, academically,

and professionally” (Gross 73).

6. Identify, mentor, and prepare current Latino students for professional positions in

student affairs.

7. Learn about the diverse cultures and cultural practices by bringing in speakers

from Latin America, Central America, the Caribbean, and different parts of the

United States (Mina 87-88).

8. Create a climate of belonging. For example, is Latino music ever a part of the

campus culture? (Gándara, “Nurturing”)

9. Provide access to the most rigorous courses and inform students about highly

selective colleges and resources to help pay for these educational experiences.

(Gándara, “Nurturing”)

In addition, there are other strategies that can improve performance and retention

of under-represented students. Many of these activities perpetuate the realization that

college education should be accompanied by community commitment.

1. Supportive peer or study groups at the higher education level make a “significant

impact” on Latino students’ academic achievement (Gándara, Creating Cultures

3; Gross 73).

2. Schools can provide someone to monitor and guide the student over an extended

time, arranging community service activities with other Latino students.

Sometimes Latino students receive criticism from within the Latino community,

for they are seen as “sellouts.” The students then often question whether or not

they are betraying their culture in favor of career success. Working within the

community can eradicate that stigma (Gross 71). Latino students historically have

low expectations of themselves academically, so positive role models working

within the community can ameliorate that attitude (Gándara, “Nurturing”).

3. Financial assistance is imperative. Target resources that are minority specific.

Support legislation that assists undocumented students, such as Texas House Bill

1403, the Noriega Bill, which states that undocumented students can go to public

Texas school with in-state tuition. They must be in Texas for four years and then

sign a document showing plans to declare residency and citizenship.

36

4. For Latino students with identity-related problems, “group counseling with peers

who are experiencing similar conflicts” can be helpful. This counseling might

also include referrals for “pastoral counseling” for Roman Catholic youths

because they trust and respect their priests (Griggs 3). Pay attention to what is

happening to the Latino male student; throughout the country, retention programs

are not reaching Latino males (Gándara, “Nurturing”).

5. Professional development internships not only strengthen academics but also

promote standards of professionalism and provide financial support through

stipends. These internships look good on resumés (Gándara, Creating Cultures 3).

A caveat in establishing the internship program is to question whether or not the

organization requesting the intern is doing so because of the student’s minority

status. In other words, “ ‘Everybody wants the new thing, and the new thing is

Latinos’ ” (Gross 70). Partnerships with engineering and science-related

industries create potential for scholarship funding, certainly, but they also provide

practical experience for the student and pave the way for smooth transition to the

workforce (Dayton 37).

6. Determine a source of funding that will allow student attendance at national

Hispanic leadership conferences. For example, the National Hispanic Business

Association is a student-run organization founded by students at the University of

Texas at Austin. This conference, and other similar ones, provide students with

contacts and, most important, with networking among their peers. According to

one participant, “ ‘It was the amount of people there, dressing up in a suit and

trying to be professional, and having a resumé’ ” that was such a catalyst for

achievement to this Latino student (Gross 72-73).

7. Promote community and collegiality within the Latino student population and

create a sense of family, integral to Latino culture. With the students’ help,

college faculty and support services can prepare care packages for other students

and low-income families (Gross 74). Bilingual parent receptions at the homes of

current students’ parents educate future college parents and build stronger

connections (Mina 80). Annual activities such as El Día de los Muertos and Misa

de la Virgen de Guadalupe explore cultural heritage and promote a sense of

37

collective positive self-concept (Mina 81). Latino students can work with

disabled children at the local church on Sundays or volunteer at homeless shelters

and food banks where outreach among the low-income Latino population may be

vital. This involvement should dispel misperceptions and prejudices against

Latinos and college students in general (Mina 84).

8. When needed, employ bilingual Latino students as translators for administration,

faculty, and staff throughout the campus (Mina 84).

9. Use community colleges to increase the diversity of the teaching force through

their Pre-education programs. Nearly half of all U.S. undergraduates who enter

postsecondary institutions begin their studies at community colleges; therefore,

community colleges have emerged as one solution to the critical problem of

teacher shortages. While 30 percent of the nation’s K-12 population is an ethnic

minority, only 13 percent of the teaching force is comprised of ethnic minorities.

However, 55 percent of all Hispanic students in higher education are enrolled at a

community college. The mission of the National Association of Community

College Teacher Education Programs (NACCTEP) is to promote the community

college role in the recruitment, preparation, retention, and renewal of diverse

PreK-12 teachers – a goal which should earn the support of North Carolina

community colleges (St. Arnauld).

Finally, although previous recommendations mentioned the relationship-centered

institution as one which facilitated movement between the two-year and four-year

colleges, we stress the importance of institutional commitment to the college transfer

function, which in programs studied was seen as a critical point to Latino students in

postsecondary education (Saenz 4). These studies suggest that Latino students do not

successfully transfer because “they have not received the socialization, encouragement,

and mentoring to be able to take advantage of higher education” (Martinez 53). They

negotiate unfamiliar territory while feeling tension between either returning home after

completion of the two-year degree or seeking additional opportunities that might take

them further from home (Gonzalez 26).

In conclusion, one of the keys to Latino community college student success is to

construct solid campus-family-community partnerships. By showing a special interest in

38

this student demographic, campus professionals can help Latinos succeed in college so

that they can return to their communities to “reach out and support others in attaining

higher education” (Mina 8).

39

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46

APPENDIX I

COMMUNITY-BASED STRATEGIES AND PROGRAMS:PITT COUNTY AND PITT COMMUNITY COLLEGE

A. The Plaza Comunitaria or “Educational Transition Center”

The Plaza Comunitaria is a literacy program created by the Mexican government

to address gaps in adult education. This program provides literacy skills, primary and

secondary education for adults. The curriculum is exemplary. The Mexican government

provides the pedagogy, books, and online services free of charge to participants. Adult

learners can acquire their primary and secondary education in their native language by

using these resources.

The rationale is research shows that acquiring a second language is faster and

easier if students are literate in their native language. Once students are successful at this

level, Pitt Community College can focus on teaching them English as a second language.

These students would then be able to take the GED and to take advantage of the academic

programs that PCC offers.

The Plaza Comunitaria will have an impact on the following areas:

Hispanic student enrollment at PCC . Hispanic student enrollment has remained

the same for the last five years (1%) while Hispanic/Latino growth in Pitt County

registered a 450% rate from 1995 to 1999 (East Carolina University's Regional

Development Institute's Hispanic Economic Impact Study of Jan. 1999).

Regional economic impact . An educated Hispanic workforce will have a

tremendous economic impact, particularly in areas of industry and services.

Increased secondary school student retention . As adults become educated, they

encourage youth to stay in school, thus decreasing student drop out rates.

This project has been successful in states such as Texas, California, and Florida.

North Carolina’s Brunswick Community College provides an example for the success of

this project and its impact within the community. The Pitt County program will be

developed in partnership with the Consulate of Mexico in Raleigh, Pitt Community

47

College, Pitt County Schools Migrant Program, East Carolina University, AMEXCAN

(Organization of Mexicans Living Abroad), and HealthAssist.

This effort will have the ability to reach over 7,000 Hispanics living in Pitt County.

The Plaza Comunitaria concept has the potential to assist in closing the achievement gap

that exists with underserved populations in general and all Hispanics in particular. The

Hispanic community in Pitt County continues to increase. Part of a community college’s

mission is to take measures to educate and to better serve this community. By

establishing a Transition Center, the Plaza can provide much needed services to the

Hispanic community and Non-English native speakers.

The following list contains some of the free services provided in the Transition

Center.

Spanish language literacy skills for adults (i.e. Plaza Comunitaria)

Tutoring for Hispanic youth (while parents are at the Plaza or ESL classes)

ESL Classes

General information about Government agencies, businesses, job opportunities,

and legal services

Leadership workshops

Cultural awareness information

Parenting skills

Short Term Outcomes

Increase participation of the community in educational programs

Provide an accessible Information Center

Improve grades and basic skills of school age students

Long term Outcomes

Increase the number of Hispanics fluent in the English Language

Decrease social and legal problems caused by cultural differences

Increase the number of students entering Pitt Community College and East

Carolina University

Benefits

This Center will provide a secure environment for student volunteers to provide

tutoring services to the community.

48

It will provide a venue for service learning.

The Center will serve as a gateway for faculty experts interested in partnering

with the Hispanic community to conduct research.

It presents a unique environment where students can improve their Spanish

language skills.

The Center will foster cultural exchange between students and the community.

Organizational Structure

Each partner institution will send a representative to an Advisory Board.

PCC will provide an administrator (i.e. program manager) to schedule activities

and programs (20 hours weekly).

There will be one administrative assistant (40 hours weekly).

All partners will participate in the recruitment of volunteers.

All partners will participate in advertising services.

Partner institutions will provide professional services.

ESL: PCC

Plaza: PCC and ECU

Leadership: PCC and ECU

Parenting Skills: DPI (Department of Public Instruction)

Cultural Awareness: DPI, PCC, and ECU

Youth Tutoring: ECU and PCC

General Information: DPI and PCC

49

B. Pitt Community College Hispanic/Latino Office

Pitt Community College has been providing services and support specifically for

the Hispanic and Latino population for many years. In 1999, Pitt Community College

hired a Director of Latino/Hispanic Education and Economic Development. This office

offers counseling for enrollment in curriculum and non-curriculum programs and partner

with local and statewide organizations to help Latinos. These organizations include the

Governors Office for Hispanic Latino Affairs, the North Carolina Community College

Hispanic/Latino Initiative, the North Carolina Society of Hispanic Professionals, the Pitt

County School system, the Pitt County Migrant Program, Social Ministries, the

Greenville Chamber of Commerce, and the local Spanish radio station. In addition, we

have developed new programs to serve the Latino community in such areas as business,

welding, electricity, and computers. These programs are taught in a bilingual setting.

We also help to promote other Pitt Community College programs such as:

Office of Latino Affairs –referrals to other areas or campus and agencies

ESL Club

GED Test In Spanish

TOEFL Preparation

The Multicultural Students Association

Cultural Club-for all ESL Students

Blackboard Instructor training course in Spanish (on-line)

Introduction to Computers CIS 111 in Spanish (on-line)

Introduction to Computers CIS 111 in Spanish

Basic Welding in Spanish level 1, 2 and 3. 120 Hrs each

Basic Electricity in Spanish, 85 Hrs

Basic Residential Wiring, 85 Hrs

Management for Small Business, 65 Hrs

Control Equipment in Spanish, 114 Hrs

Programmable Logic Controllers in Spanish, 60 Hrs

Industrial Manufacturing Certificate in Spanish, 100 Hrs

Traffic violations class

50

Pitt Community College has different activities during the year, such as the

Spring and Fall festivals, which always have Hispanic representation. The Pitt County

Migrant Program often tours our campus with Hispanic high school students from grades

10 through 12. These tours include visits to both facilities and academic programs. The

JobLink Center at Pitt Community College provides assistance for employment. JobLink

materials and pamphlets have been translated into the Spanish Language. In order to

improve services and outreach for the Hispanic community, some Pitt Community

College divisions offer brochures in Spanish. PCC is also translating its website to

Spanish and creating a Latino website. Other improvements include flyers in Spanish,

registration forms in Spanish and English, and bilingual recruiters who speak Spanish.

51

APPENDIX II

North Carolina Community College Hispanic/Latino InitiativeHelga Mattei, Director

“Community Colleges in the United States are preparing America’s Workforce in the 21st. Century” (American Association of Community Colleges)

Based on the premise that North Carolina maintains a strong and growing

economy by maximizing the education and skills of all its residents, the North Carolina

Community College Foundation received a $200,000 two-year grant from the Z. Smith

Reynolds Foundation.

The vision of the Hispanic/Latino Initiative is that North Carolina will maintain a

strong and growing economy by maximizing the education and skills of all its residents;

its mission is that North Carolina will develop a plan of effective services for the growing

Hispanic population – the primary aim of the Hispanic/Latino initiative.

In addition, the NCCCS, through its community colleges, will enhance its

capacity by providing more meaningful programs to these individuals. The expected

outcome is to increase the number of Hispanics participating in employment training and

academic programs in North Carolina community colleges.

Goals and objectives are:

To establish an Hispanic/Latino Initiative within the NCCCS to develop

policies and strategies to enhance the NCCCS ability to serve the needs of the

North Carolina future workforce.

To establish links which provide benefits to the Hispanic community beyond

the community college

To assess needs of the Hispanic population and barriers to participating in

college training and education

To develop interview guides

To identify and document best practices and existing gaps

52

To increase the number of employment programs available to the Hispanic

community.

To conduct on-site interviews at community colleges with innovative

programs

To review existing training and outreach models

To develop and implement specific tools – mentoring, job shadowing, tutoring

in Spanish – to ensure student success

To propose the adjustment of curricula as it pertains to specific programs such

as teacher assistants, public service (law enforcement, fire, social work)

To implement systemic and programmatic recommendations

To establish links which provide benefits to the Hispanic community beyond

the community college.

To conduct on-site interviews of the Hispanic community/faith-based

organizations

To disseminate findings in yearly final reports and presentations at

conferences and professional gatherings

CONTACT INFORMATION

Helga Mattei, Directormatteih@ncccs.cc.nc.us919 807-7101

Tasha Fritz-Williams, AssistantFritzwilliamst@ncccs.cc.nc.us919 807-7102

North Carolina Community College System200 W. Jones StreetRaleigh, NC 27603www.ncccs.cc.nc.us

53

APPENDIX III

TWO PRACTICAL LESSONS FOR THE CLASSROOM

A. Don’t Call Me Julioby Ramon Serrano

As a Mexican migrant worker’s son who has been educated in North Carolina and

who now teaches Mexican immigrant adults, I would like to make some suggestions for

teachers of Latino students. Naturally, there is no simple answer or guide to

understanding these students. Their ethnicity, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds should

serve as a challenge to be met rather than a barrier that keeps them from becoming a part

of our community. Just as we have learned to provide ramps to aid access for students

with special physical needs, so can we learn how to aid other diverse populations.

The Latino student that the community college will embrace comes to our

classrooms with a wide range of possibilities and experiences. He or she may come to an

Adult Basic Education class or enter directly into our curriculum programs. The most

typical scenario is that a non-English speaking student will start as an English as a

Second Language student. The ESL students often have very different goals. Some only

want to learn enough English to survive and function in everyday life or to improve their

literacy and communication skills. Others will come to pick up a trade or as a step

toward attending a university.

For both educators who come in contact with students at the ESL stage and for

those who work with students at the regular curriculum stage, my best advice for you is

to ask yourself, “Whom exactly do I teach?” If your answer is anything other than the

simple word “student,” then it is your challenge and responsibility to make that student a

successful part of your class. That responsibility includes becoming culturally aware of

your students and understanding how their culture diverges from your own.

My background and educational experience as both a Latino student and teacher

in North Carolina schools for the past twenty years has made me particularly conscious of

54

cultural differences. According to G.D. Spindler’s article, Pathways to Cultural

Awareness: Cultural Therapy with Teachers and Students:

There are very few consciously racist teachers, but there are many teachers, perhaps even all teachers, who have very strong biases that are quite immovable, because they are integrated with their own sense of identity and self.

In other words, we have biases of which we are not aware, and these biases do influence

how we teach our students.

I strongly suggest that you get to know more about your Latino students.

Background information such as culture, language, and educational experiences is

important because it can provide you with an important insight. Some information can be

obtained from registration and data sheets or school records. However, talking to the

student might tell you more. Some Hispanic students will not open up, so don’t take it

personally. It’s apt to be cultural. In Latino cultures, personal information is deemed

private and not to be shared with just anybody. Please do not push the student for it.

Some information is very sensitive, even for those regular curriculum students who seem

to be acculturated. Their experiences in K-12 public schools may have contributed to

negative personal feelings regarding identity and how they see themselves. As a result,

questions regarding language use or nationality are touchy subjects.

There are other sources of information that can be tapped such as talking to their

families and to their other teachers. The family is probably a very good source of

information for students who live at home. It is important to know that it is common for

Latino students to make life decisions with their family in mind. There is usually a

spokesperson that speaks for the family, and it may be the head of the household or the

person that speaks the best English. Those decisions include what the family considers

appropriate for others to know about them.

Communication with the family will provide you with a window into their

educational values and goals. For educators who are providing guidance to a regular

curriculum student and for ESL teachers who are encouraging their students to look into

further education, please keep the family in mind. Important decisions are not made

individually. The family priorities will directly or indirectly influence the student even if

55

he or she seems to have made a decision on his or her own. Family roles are key to

understanding how decisions and interactions take place.

In the classroom, I suggest that from day one you make an effort to learn to

pronounce the student’s name correctly. Aim to pronounce it well and avoid

“anglicizing” the name. Don’t resort to an alternate nickname just because it is easier for

you. For Latinos, one’s name is one’s identity. When someone says, “Hey, Julio” or

“Hey, Maria,” even after the person’s name has been given several times, a strong

negative message is sent. This is very offensive to most Latinos. It is far better to ask the

person to repeat the name again.

Although you teach at a community college, keep in mind that your classroom

may be the Latino student’s first exposure to an American school. Educational

background may have been sporadic, and literacy skills may be weak. On the other hand,

your student may have a technical or professional degree from another country. No

matter what the level of education may be, it may be useful to incorporate some aspect of

how the community college functions. Especially in ESL classes, it’s important to give a

general rundown of the educational system.

At the beginning of each course, I suggest you let your students know how you

expect them to interact with you, the teacher. In some Latino cultures it is considered

rude to ask the teacher uninvited questions. Tell them when questions can be asked, how

they can be asked, and what feedback you will provide. Always try to provide everyone

with an opportunity to participate. I strongly suggest that you call on everyone, and

encourage the students who may not be able to respond on their own to try with your

help. Student may refuse initially, but they will see and appreciate the effort you are

making to include them in your class. Besides, if you involve everyone, you limit the

chance of “singling out” students.

With Latino students, don’t be surprised if you are met with a wall of silence

when you ask, “Does anyone have any questions?” Pose questions of your own to assess

comprehension. It is also important to continuously remind your Latino students that you

welcome their questions and don’t mind clarifying or repeating what you have said. Take

into consideration the fact that English learners need more time and try to be flexible.

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For example, in an ESL class, if “why” and “how” questions are too demanding, switch

to simple answers or provide students with choices.

Essentially, Hispanic students are no different than any others. It is my

experience that hands-on instruction is probably more appropriate than a lecture-oriented

class. Touching, seeing, manipulating, and experiencing helps these students learn more.

Making the class dynamic, especially for students in evening classes who come after

work, helps to keep them stimulated and interested in the class.

Naturally, instruction that is relevant to the students should always be a goal in

the class. For ESL students, I have found that lessons on money and baking are

particularly of value. I make an effort to assess what material is pertinent to my students.

Some lesson plans are changed on the spot because some aspects may not be applicable

to that particular group of students. I try to seize every teachable moment. (A sample

lesson is attached.)

The challenges or barriers that exist because of language and culture are daunting,

and they are compounded by the attitudes that we as educators bring to the classroom. If

you start by seeing your students first on a human level and then by evaluating your

course material depending on their backgrounds and life experiences, you will have a

much greater chance of success.

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A Lesson on Money

Target audience: Beginner/Intermediate ESL studentsDuration: Several class periods, this could stand alone or be part of other thematic units (Shopping)Materials needed:Play money (The Dollar Store sells realistic large size bills)Coins (pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters real or play)Monopoly money can be usedCredit cards/check cards/checksOxford Picture Dictionary, p. 20, “Money” Bilingual version (English/Spanish)Worksheets

Objectives: Learn money vocabularyCount moneyMake changeUsing different forms of payment (cash/credit card/debit card (check card)/check)

Vocabulary: Money penny dollarCoin nickel half dollarCent dime silver dollarBill quarterCurrency

Grammar: To have Do/doesMaking plurals

Cultural: What currency do you use in your country?What is it called?What do you call your money?

Prior Knowledge: numbers, pronouns (review if needed)

Procedure:Using page 20 from The Oxford Picture Dictionary, introduce the vocabulary and then recite and repeat the section titled money (1-12).

Using regalia show each denomination and have students identify it. What is this? This is a ten-dollar bill. What is this? This is a dime.

(Five, ten, twenty, fifty, hundred) (Nickel, dime, quarter, half dollar)

Ask what the currency in their native countries is called.Write names on the board as students give them to you.

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Model pluralsI have one (penny, nickel, dime, quarter, and dollar).I have two (pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and dollars).

Pass out play money. Students pair up. Give them a list of amounts to count out. One person asks the other, “How much (money) do you have?” “I have …”

You may also hand out slips of paper with money amounts that you give to various students in class, then ask the class how much each person has. Alternate pronouns: “How much does he have?” How much does she have?” “How much do they have?” He has …, She has …, They have …, etc.

Provide a worksheet with different items with price tags; give them different dollar amounts they are using to pay for the items. Have the students make change.

Work on different money combinations. Provide guided practice and independent practice through worksheets after oral lessons have been covered. Go over each worksheet when the students have completed them.

Add currency exchange, for beginners you may introduce and show how it is done. For the intermediate/advanced students, have them work out problems. You may want to give the beginners the same opportunity since many of your students may be sending money home.

Using The Oxford Picture Dictionary, p. 20, “Money” Bilingual version (English/Spanish), cover the remaining vocabulary terms. Recite and repeat.

Demonstrate each item and ask, What is this? This is a (cash/credit card/debit card (check card)/check).

Ask students how each item is used. Explain via question and answer.

Ask the following questions to have a discussion with your students about the usage of bank accounts and credit cards:

Do you have a bank account? What type? Savings? Checking?Do you have credit cards? Do you use them often?Is credit card usage common in your country?Is check usage common in your country?Do you bank anywhere? (This is the question I like to use to show students that even if they don’t have a bank account, they still make use of the bank system every time they cash their paycheck).

Work on being able to cash a check. Role-play. Either you or a student can be the teller, then have students cash their checks. Provide play checks that they practice cashing; include signing it correctly. Model the key questions a teller work ask: Do you have an

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account with us? May I see a picture ID? How would you like it (small bills or large bills)? Provide practice on being able to greet the teller and being able to express they want to cash their check. This may be done with a dialogue prompt.

Extending the lesson: Writing checksThis activity should be tackled if it is practical for your students. If very few have checking accounts, then it may not be of benefit to the entire group.

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APPENDIX III (cont.)

B. “Exposing Oneself” in the Writing Classroom

by Kevin Courtney

Although the Spanish and English languages have much in common, the

similarities sometimes cause confusion. Words like embarrassed and embarazada look

like each other, but the Spanish cognate means “pregnant”. A Spanish-first-language

student might write that a boy was “molesting” his mother, and only mean to say that he

was “pestering” her. Similarly, exponerse means to “explain oneself” in Spanish, so it

would not be unusual to read a Spanish-speaking student’s essay about “exposing

himself.” If writing teachers are aware of some of these areas of confusion, they will be

better able to help their Latino students who are learning to do academic writing in a

second language.

As someone who has taught writing to Latino students both before and after

learning Spanish, I now realize how often I was unaware of many of the simple language

difficulties my students were having. I don’t mean to suggest that all teachers of Latino

students need to learn Spanish, but there are some points of confusion that might be

helpful for you to recognize. Spanish has different rules for capitalization, word order,

and double negatives, among others. The following information contains some language

differences that might be helpful to you.

I. Capitalization RulesA. Words capitalized in English but not in Spanish

1. Nationalities and languages That Russian speaks French. Ese ruso habla francés.

2. Days of the week and months Today is Monday, May 15. Hoy es lunes, 15 de mayo.

3. Religions and races That Indian is Catholic. Ese indio es católico.

B. Words capitalized in both languages1. Names of people, cities, countries, and continents

My friend Juan is from Cuzco, Peru. Mi amigo Juan es de Cusco, Perú.Peru is in South America. El Perú está en la América del Sur.

2. Proper namesThe Red Cross helps the United Nations. La Cruz Roja ayuda a las Naciones Unidas.

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II. False Cognates v Denotes that a secondary definition may not be a false cognate.* Denotes word pairs that may no longer be false cognates for some Spanish speakers because of English influence.

False Cognate Meaning Meaninglecture – lectura lectura = reading selection conferencia = lectureconference – conferencia congreso, consulta = conferencefabric – fábrica fábrica = factory tela = fabricsalvage – salvaje salvaje = wild, savage salvar = salvagecarpet – carpeta carpeta = desk, portfolio alfombra = carpetsensible – sensible sensible = sensitive sensato = sensiblegracious – gracioso gracioso = amusing, funny amable = graciousmolest – molestar molestar = tease, bother manosear = molestexpose oneself – exponerse exponerse = explain oneself Vintroduce – introducir introducir = insert presentar = introducesympathetic – simpático simpático = nice, pleasant compasivo = sympatheticembarrassed – embarazada embarazada = pregnant avergonzado = embarrassedconstipated – constipado constipado = congested (nose) estreñido = constipatedresort – resorte resorte = spring (mattress) centro de turismo = resortviolate – violar violar = rape infringir = violate*topic – tópico tópico = topical, local tema = topicDeception – decepción decepción = disappointment engaño = deceptionillusion – illusion Ilusión = dream, joy, hope Vpretend – pretender pretender = seek, try for fingir = pretendparents – parientes parientes = relatives (family) padres = parents*comfortable – confortable confortable = furniture cómodo – comfortablesupport – soportar soportar = bear, endure apoyar = supportgain – ganar ganar = win, earn alcanzar = gainassist – asistir asistir = attend ayudar = assistattend – atender atender = tend, attend to asistir = attendadvise – avisar avisar = warn aconsejar – advise*library – librería librería = bookstore biblioteca = librarydivert – divertirse divertirse = have a good time desviar = divert confident – confidente confidente = confidant confiado = confidentcourage – coraje coraje = anger (Mexico) valor = courage

III. (Possible) Rhetorical DifferencesSpanish prose is not characterized by the linear organizational structure embodied in the prescribed English paragraph (topic sentence; supporting ideas, etc.); organization of Spanish prose may allow for digression. (But I’m a little wary of making this kind of generalization!)

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IV. Grammar HeadachesThese are just a few of the many contrasts that cause problems for Spanish-speaking learners of English – and for English-speaking learners of Spanish! * Denotes grammatically unacceptable in Standard English.

A. Explicit subjects are not required in Spanish sentences.He is my brother. Es mi hermano. *Is my brother.It rains a lot here. Llueve mucho aquí. *Rains a lot here.

B. Double negatives are required in Spanish; not permitted in standard English.I don’t know anybody. Yo no conozco a nadie. *I don’t know nobody.I don’t have anything. Yo no tengo nada. *I don’t have nothing.

C. There are variations in word order.I like apples very much. Me gustan mucho las manzanas. *I like very much apples.

D. Expressions with to be in English and with tener (to have) in SpanishI am 20-years-old Yo tengo 20 años. *I have 20 years.I am hot. Yo tengo calor. *I have hot.

E. English uses infinitives (sometimes without “to”) in many constructions; Spanish doesn’t allow them. Also, English uses gerunds in many constructions where infinitives are required in Spanish.I want you to come. Yo quiero que vengas. *I want that you come.I should leave. Yo debo de irme. *I should to leave.I enjoy being with you. Yo disfruto de estar contigo. *I enjoy to be with you.

F. Spanish doesn’t have phrasal verbs; English has lots!I blew out the candles. Apagué las velas *I blew up the candles.

I blew the balloon up. Inflé el globo. *I blew up the balloon.

G. In Spanish, en means both in and on.The book is on the table. El libro está en la mesa. *The book is in the table.

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H. English requires the empty auxiliary do/does/did for many negative and interrogative forms.Ann does not work. Ann no trabaja. *Ann no work.

*Ann not works. *Ann don’t work.

We ate the cake. Nosotros comimos la torta.We did not eat the cake. Nosotros no comimos la torta. *We did not

ate the cake. Did the kids play cards? Jugaron los niños a las cartas? *Did the kids

played cards?

I. English speakers often contract he + is he’s; Spanish speakers tend to omit the contraction.He’s sleeping. El está durmiendo/él duerme. *He sleeping.

J. English they’re and there sound alike; this is confusing for Spanish speakers.There are three books. Hay tres libros *They are three books.

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APPENDIX IV

MODEL OUTREACH PROGRAMS FOR LATINO STUDENTS

“¿A quién le importa lo que yo haga? ¿A quién le importa lo que yo diga?

Yo soy así y así seguiré Nunca cambiaré”

(“¿A quién le importa?” by Thalía)

The above lyrics by Latina singer, Thalía, express feelings of abandonment and

hopelessness. These are common traits among Latino students, many of whom feel that

things will never get any better. Fortunately, throughout the country there are many

programs that are designed to alleviate some of these problems. Here are highlights of

the programs.

The most all-encompassing program is ENLACE, Engaging the Latino

Community for Education. Thirteen projects at selected Hispanic Serving Institutions

(HSIs) in seven states have received part of the $28 million initiative funds. The

initiative is a multi-year W.K. Kellogg Foundation project aimed at “increasing

educational opportunities for Latino students to prepare for, pursue, and succeed in

postsecondary education by strengthening the educational pipeline” (ENLACE 1).

Common ENLACE Programs are the following: Student Academic and Social Support

Programs; Parent and Family Programs; Community Outreach Programs and Services;

and Institutional Practices and Policy Programs (ENLACE 4). Generally, existing

programs of ENLACE state that victories are often the result of “the evangelical few.”

The program must then engage many people at multiple levels (ENLACE 13).

Another successful program, ACE, is located in Arizona. It operates in a 2+2+2

system, which means that the student is assisted for two years of high school, then

community college, and finally two years in a university, specifically Arizona State

University. A Bridge Program during the third and fourth summers involves enrollment

in a university course, a seminar with orientation, one week stay in a residence hall, and

orientation for parents (Ortiz 5).

At the 18th annual HACU (Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities)

convention, Andrés Armijo, Coordinator of Living and Learning Communities, presented

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“Bridges for Students.” At his college, the University of New Mexico at Albuquerque,

900 out of a total 3,000 freshmen participate in the FIG (Freshmen Interest Group)

concept. A survey at freshmen orientation helps determine who might qualify for the FIG

program. In this program, classes such as music and psychology are designed with a

smaller teacher/student ratio, basically 10:1. The advisor/mentor/instructor gives

students weekly feedback from all their professors. The Living and Learning Community

places Latinos together in on-campus housing. Meanwhile, instructors are paid an

additional $1,600 per semester, which is paid through Student Affairs and the university.

Generally, the university has seen an increase in the retention rate of 74.7%, up from 70%

in 2000. There has also been a noticeable increase in overall GPAs. Student

evaluations prove the effectiveness of program (Armijo 1-3).

Another impressive program in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is at the

Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute (TVI), a two year school that has a Multi-

Cultural Student Union Organization. Its director, Richard Landavazo, explains that they

serve a combination of Native Americans and Chicanos. The Organization helps with

voter registration, brings in guest speakers, publishes a newsletter and e-letter, supplies

tutors, Spanish conversational and study groups, and peer mentoring. There is a Title V

emphasis: (1) to increase Hispanic and low-income student retention and transfer to four-

year institutions; and (2) to foster an academic student support continuum from school to

school. Student, faculty, and community focus – plus student outcome tracking – create a

“Multiple Intervention.” Additionally, the TVI Passport provides students access to

information about each class; there is no paper syllabus. Retention figures surpass the

rest of the college (Landavazo, 1-3).

The Dallas Community College District explained its excellent program during

the Fall 2004 HACU convention. Their DCCD Rising Star Program is used for high

school to college transition; this program addresses study skills and career development.

A student can earn a one-year certificate or a two-year associate degree. Its Foundation

provides qualified Dallas County high school graduating seniors with two years of

college tuition and books if there is financial need. Additionally, they have a “Día de la

familia” event that is well choreographed; equally impressive was the Middle School

Family Event. The district office provides a Spanish line to answer questions for callers.

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Added information is available on a compact disc. The county also has a downtown “El

Centro College” that sees much ethnic diversity. It even has a Middle College High

School on campus as a choice for students who have high potential and who might not be

successful in a large, traditional high school setting. In addition, their Institute for

Economic Development offers six months or less of intensive vocational training that can

give the students new job skills that employers want and need (Bewley 1-5).

At Malcolm X College in Chicago, a five-year federal grant under Title V of the

Higher Education Act has allowed for the expansion of educational opportunities for

Latinos. This new initiative is institutionalizing Learning Communities and transforming

entry-level curriculum so that at-risk students can develop the basic skills they need to

succeed in college-level programs. Specifically, the college has a Summer Bridge

Program for GED/ESL Adult Education students to encourage successful transition of

students into college degree or certificate programs. Malcolm X College also has piloted

a Freshman Learning Community (Tracks I and II), supported by modifications in the

Developmental and General Education curriculum, to reflect Learning Community

principles and alternative teaching strategies that address a diversity of learning styles

and needs through the use of technology (Malcolm X College).

Providing a family atmosphere is a key role for Evergreen Community College

with 10,000 students (30 percent Latino) in San José, California. ENLACE (Engaging

the Latino Community for Education) is at the center of its program as is the case with

colleges previously mentioned. Governing bodies such as campus faculty are involved

along with student groups, counseling, mentoring, instructional, and support staffs.

Evergreen Community College decided to emphasize math skills first, then science. The

program’s principles are the following: (1) Latino students can succeed; (2) a culture-

specific teaching/counseling approach benefits the students; (3) ENLACE staff and

mentors must be committed to Latinos’ educational success and the ENLACE model; (4)

continuing program evaluation and problem solving lead to program improvements; and

(5) growth is secondary to program effectiveness. They use peer learning, provide

academic and career counseling, and promote campus and community participation. It is

interesting to note that they did not start off with a grant but entirely with volunteer staff

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and faculty. Also, to save on costs, students share a lending library for textbooks

(“Enlace: A Community Investment” 1-3).

Another noteworthy program in California is the Puente Project, a 20-year

collaborative partnership between the California community colleges and the University

of California. Increasing transfers from two-year to four-year institutions and increasing

earned degrees are the goals of the Puente Project. Hispanic community participation,

counseling services, early intervention, and intensive writing instruction have brought

success to the project’s participants (Ortiz 5).

With a goal of retaining its Hispanic students, Lehman College of the City

University of New York system operates a program that keeps freshmen together in

groups of 25-30 to provide one another with support. The College has about a 47 percent

Hispanic enrollment. Its unique approach is integration of the curriculum so that students

in an English composition class can be working on assignments that they can turn in to

their sociology professor. Although this requires paying faculty for additional hours of

meeting with each other and with students, it still “keeps students from dropping out

during their crucial first year,” according to Ricardo R. Fernandez, president of Lehman

College (Schmidt 6).

Learning from past experience is always a valuable tool. Such is the case at St.

Phillip’s College, a public two-year institution in San Antonio, Texas, where in the past

support services were developed for its black population. These services include

“tutoring programs; instructional laboratories focused on reading, writing, and

mathematics; and an approach to student advising that disperse counselors into academic

divisions and departments to ensure adequate guidance” (Schmidt 6-7). Currently, the

college has an enrollment that is about one-fifth black and one-half Hispanic. While

serving the Hispanic population, the college finds night classes and training for specific

jobs very successful (Schmidt 7).

As seen in previous demographics, Hispanics are rapidly moving into states where

relatively few had lived just a few decades ago. In North Carolina, where the numbers

more than quadrupled in the 1990s, the concept of a strong support system is seen in

GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs).

Targeted for 7th -12th grade minority student and their families, GEAR UP plans college

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visits, cultural experiences, advising, and mentoring. The program is established in

twenty of the state’s 100 counties and served more than 5,600 students in 2003. One of

the significant signs of its success is that 75 percent of the students claim that

participation in GEAR UP has favorably changed their plans about attending college

(GEAR UP 1-6). Also, North Carolina State University has partnered with the Hispanic

Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU). Our own Pitt Community College is a

member of the North Carolina Society of Hispanic Professionals. Such membership and

support will certainly reap favorable educational rewards.

Other states are also just beginning to experience larger numbers of Hispanic

students (Schmidt 9). For instance, the president of Georgia State University says that

the university has established an Hispanic student services office and is working to

increase Hispanic enrollment, now at about three percent, to eight percent. “We have

found that the way you get these students is from word of mouth,” he says (Schmidt 9).

In another similar situation in Minnesota, Minneapolis Community and Technical

College is responding to an emerging Hispanic presence. The college has joined with

U.S. Bancorps in a startup program, which trains Hispanic bank employees. The benefit

to the students is that they are training for existing jobs and not speculating on an

unknown future job market (Schmidt 9-10).

In conclusion, the integration of alternative teaching strategies, collaboration with

the Latino community, and support services will provide the nexus for educating the

Latino student. Colleges must show creativity and flexibility as they adjust to a changing

student population. As seen by the numerous examples of effective outreach programs,

student retention, academic proficiency, and transfer to graduate programs can be

achieved. Overall, the concerted efforts of these outreach programs can overcome the

feelings of despair and isolation of the Latino student.

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Works Cited

Armijo, Andrés. “Bridges for Students.” University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. 18th Annual Conference. 16-

18 Oct. 2004.

Bewley, Molly, et al. “Narrowing the Gap: Successful Outreach Programs.” Dallas

Community College District. Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities

18th Annual Conference. 16-18 Oct. 2004.

“Enlace: A Community Investment in Education: Model for Chicano Success at

Evergreen Valley Community College.” Hispanic Association of Colleges and

Universities 18th Annual Conference. 16-18 Oct. 2004.

“The ENLACE Experience: Lessons in Programming for Hispanic Academic

Achievement.” Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities 18th Annual

Conference. 16-18 Oct. 2004.

“GEAR UP North Carolina.” College Foundation of North Carolina, 2005. Online.

Internet. <http://secure.ncmentor.org/Gear_Up/about/default.asp>.

Landavazo, Richard. “La comunidad: Student Success Center.” TVI: Albuquerque

Technical Vocational Institute. Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities

18th Annual Conference. 16-18 Oct. 2004.

Malcolm X College. Title V: Hispanic Serving Institutions Developing Program.

Chicago: The College. Online. Internet. 15 Sept. 2004.

http://malcolmx.ccc.edu/titleV/default.asp

Ortiz, Anna M. Addressing the Unique Needs of Latino American Students. San

Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2004.

Ortiz y Pino, Jerry. “Shotgun Wedding Work Out: Charter schools and APS

find common ground” Weekly Alibi. 13-19 May 2004, V. 13 No. 20.

Schmidt, Peter. “Academe’s Hispanic Future.” The Chronicle of Higher Education. 28

Nov. 2003. http://chronicle.com/free/v50/i14a00801.htm?cct.

Thalía. “¿A quién le importa?” Composers: G. Berlang and I. Canut.

EMI International. Feb. 2003. http://thalia.letras.terra.com.br/letras/63573/.

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APPENDIX V

¿Qué Pasa? Preparing Pitt Community College for the Latino PopulationA Professional Development Workshop for Pitt Community College

Faculty, Administrators, and Counselors

Goals:1. To broaden Pitt Community College’s knowledge of Latino populations and

their cultures in the classroom experience2. To describe educational needs of Latino adult learners within the North

Carolina Community College system3. To present strategies that North Carolina Community Colleges can utilize to

educate this population more effectively.

ScheduleDay Date Time Location Module

Wednesday March 2 2:30pm-4:30pm Reddrick 226 1.Significance of the Latino Population2. Characteristics of the Latino Learner

Thursday March 10 2:30pm-4:30pm Reddrick 226 3.Teaching Strategies4. Suggested Programs

for Community College Latino student success

Note: Participants are encouraged to attend both workshops as the content of one workshop leads to the content of the other.

Module Descriptions1. Significance of the Latino Population in North Carolina – Dr. Helga Mattei, Director

of NCCCS Hispanic/Latino Initiative, will present demographics of the Latino population’s impact on North Carolina’s work force, education, and economy.

2. Characteristics of the Latino Learner – To help faculty, administrators, and counselors understand Latino students and their community. Presented by Anita Smith

3. Teaching Strategies – To provide instructional modifications for teaching strategies geared toward the emerging Latino student population in the community college system. Presented by Cecilia Moore-Cobb

4. Suggested Programs for Community College Latino Student Success – What makes a Latino program successful? This last module will provide suggestions for

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implementing an ideal college community to nourish Latino learners. Presented by Anita Smith and Cecilia Moore-Cobb

Preparing Pitt Community College

For the Latino Population

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Dr. Brian Miller, Director of Institutional EffectivenessCecilia Moore-Cobb, Instructor and Grant Editor

Anita Smith, Instructor and Grant Assistant EditorJaime Espinosa, Director of Latino/Hispanic Center

Elizabeth de Jesus Toderick, Instructor

Pitt Community CollegeGreenville, North Carolina

Spring 2005

Workshops funded by a Carl D. Perkins Professional Development Grant

¿ Qu é Pasa ? Preparing Pitt Community College for the Latino Population

A Professional Development Workshop for Pitt Community College Faculty, Administrators, and Counselors

Workshop I:2 March 2005

Program Introduction: Jaime EspinosaIntroductory exercise: Elizabeth Toderick Introduction for Dr. Helga Mattei: Jaime EspinosaPresentation “Hispanics in North Carolina”: Dr. Helga Mattei BreakActivity “Characteristics of the Latino Population: Cierto O Falso”Presentation “Characteristics of the Latino Population”: Anita Smith

Workshop II10 March 2005

Welcome: Jaime EspinosaActivity “Cultural Characteristics – Comparison and Contrast”Presentation “Teaching Strategies”: Cecilia Moore-CobbActivity “Avoiding Bias – Classroom Modifications”Activity “Elimination of Language Barriers in the Classroom”BreakActivity “Magic Square”Presentation “Suggested Programs for Latino Student Success”: Anita Smith and

Cecilia Moore-CobbActivity “Relationship-Centered Institutions”Activity “Reality of One Latina’s Experience”Outcome Activity: “I wonder…, I think…, I feel…, I learned…, I was surprised…”EvaluationsCertificates

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LATINO POPULATION

CIERTO O FALSO?

Decide if the following statements are true (cierto) or false (falso).

Cierto Falso 1. “Hispanic” only includes people from Latin America.

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Cierto Falso 2. Pharmacists in Latin America can give injections.

Cierto Falso 3. “Latino” does not refer to a race of people.

Cierto Falso 4. Latinos prefer to attain goals through individual rather than through cooperative means.

Cierto Falso 5. A strong support system exists among the Latino’s family members.

Cierto Falso 6. Latino male adolescents mature more quickly than the male adolescents of the general U.S. population.

Cierto Falso 7. A Mexican greatly fears death.

Cierto Falso 8. There is little class distinction in Latin America and Spain.

Cierto Falso 9. Latino students want to please the teacher.

Cierto Falso 10. Eye contact is avoided when talking to authority figures.

Cierto Falso 11. Punctuality for Latinos is not important because they like taking many siestas.

Cierto Falso 12. Of the two surnames that a Latino male has, the commonly used surname is the first one.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LATINO LEARNER

Power Point Presentationby Anita Smith

“Characteristics of the Latino Learner” helps faculty, administrators, and counselors understand Latino students and their community by comparing and contrasting

Latino and Anglo cultures.

26 slides

Available at: http://www.nc-net.info/resourcexchange/LatinoCharacteristics.ppt

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CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS:COMPARISON AND CONTRAST

LATINO POPULATION ANGLO POPULATION

FAMILY

EDUCATION

COMMUNICATION

CONCEPTOF TIME

CONCEPTOF DEATH

RELIGION

VALUE SYSTEM

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TEACHING STRATEGIES

Power Point Presentationby Cecilia Moore-Cobb

“Teaching Strategies” provides instructional modifications for teaching strategies geared toward the emerging Latino student population in the community college

system.

18 slides

Available at: http://www.nc-net.info/resourcexchange/IncludingLatinos_TeachingStrategies.ppt

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AVOIDING BIAS: CLASSROOM MODIFICATIONS

Suggested modifications to avoid bias in the classroom are listed below. In your team, read through this list and rate the effectiveness of these modifications. Reach consensus by determining what your team decides are the FIVE most effective modifications.

Ranking Modifications

1. Be aware of minority students and create an accepting classroom climate for them by helping them perceive themselves from a multi-cultural perspective.

2. Do not be negatively influenced by first impressions or by the initial performance of Latino students.

3. Recognize and understand the cultural differences among students from diverse backgrounds, treating these differences with respect.

4. Immediately intervene if a fellow student disparages a Latino student’s culture or language.

5. Avoid segregating students by cultural groups, not allowing students to segregate themselves.

6. Demand the same level of excellence from all students.

7. Do not base students’ capabilities on their proficiency with the cultural mainstream.

8. Base students’ performances on current situations and circumstances, not on previous mistakes.

9.Understand that incongruities exist between ANY student’s learning style and the instructor’s teaching style.

ELIMINATION OF LANGUAGE BARRIERS IN THE CLASSROOM

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There are 7 true statements in the list below. As a team, select the ones you think are most likely to be true statements. The team should agree on the answers.

True

False

1. Develop glossaries for difficult chapters and provide tasks that will allow the students to incorporate the new vocabulary.

True

False

2. Measure students’ academic success by their mastery of the English language.

True

False

3. Invite students in class to introduce themselves and share their experiences, when appropriate, in order to inform others.

True

False

4. Do not interrupt students when they are talking.

True

False

5. Clearly communicate orally – but not in writing – realistic expectations for the students at the beginning and throughout the year.

True

False

6. Discourage Latino students from talking about topics that are familiar to them or they will not become Americanized.

True

False

7. Do not criticize the language of a student’s culture.

True

False

8. Use cognitive coaching to integrate language and critical thinking skills by asking students who have correctly answered a problem, “How did you get that? Why?”

True

False

9. Encourage Latino students to talk about topics that are familiar to them.

True

False

10. Separate form (language) from content (concepts). For example, allow the students to draw a picture, act out an answer, or allow translation or explanation from another student in the same culture.

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“MAGIC SQUARE”LATINO CHARACTERISTICS AND TEACHING STRATEGIES

Instructions: Select from the RIGHT numerical column the best match from the LEFT column of answers. Put the NUMBER of the correct answer in the correct ALPHABETICAL box below. If your answers (numbers) are correct, they will form a “magic square” because each row of numbers – both vertical and horizontal – will add up to the same “magic number.” (¡Ojo! Beware! There are two extra items in the right column!)

A. The paramount cultural value 1. Latino

B. A personal holiday celebrated similar to a birthday 2. Family Commitment

C. Students without U.S. citizenship 3. Fatalism

D. The single most influential element in the classroom 4. Death

E. Lunch is the largest meal of the Latino’s day, eaten between 5. Time2 and 4 pm.

6. ReligionF. The Latino culture is polychromic.

7. Saint’s DayG. Early childhood education is very unlikely.

8. MealsH. Cool temperatures and formal classroom design

9. Latino SurnamesI. They must be integrated into program curricula, teaching

strategies, and educational resources. 10. University Acceptance

J. “The good of the whole is often more important than the 11. Pre-School and Head Startindividual’s goal.”

12. The TeacherK. The church, predominantly Catholic, has strong influence

in society and politics. 13. Students’ Cultural Beliefs

L. Life and Death exist as a duality and cannot be controlled. 14. Kinesthetic Learning

M. Most prevalent approach among faculty, staff, and administrators 15. Environmental Learning Style

N. Very limited in Latino countries, requiring extensive tests 16. Monocultural Attitude

O. It is celebrated, not feared. El Dia de los Muertos 17. Group-Centered Learning

P. They begin with the father’s surname followed by the 18. Undocumented Studentsmother’s maiden name.

A B C D

E F G H

I J K L

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THE MAGIC SQUARE NUMBER IS

.

M N O P

SUGGESTED PROGRAMS FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE LATINO STUDENT SUCCESS

Power Point Presentationby Cecilia Moore-Cobb

“Suggested Programs for Community College Latino Student Success” answers the question, “What makes a Latino program successful?” This presentation offers

suggestions and recommendations for implementing an ideal college community to nourish Latino learners.

34 slides

Available at: http://www.nc-net.info/resourcexchange/IncludingLatinos_QuePasa.ppt

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RELATIONSHIP-CENTERED INSTITUTIONS~ those that enter into “relationships with entities concerned with the common work of educating diverse students and strengthening their

communities” ~

Relationship-centered institutions focus on both internal and external collaborations to preserve access and opportunity for the Latino students, to help minimize K-12 barriers, and to prepare students for baccalaureate degrees.

1. Relationship-centered models that engage two-year colleges with feeder K-12 schools should be created in order to design institutional outreach strategies – for example, early intervention, summer bridge programs, and mentoring programs (Gándara, “Creating Cultures” 1) – that target students in the early grades. These models should focus on eradicating access barriers, instilling the idea that college is a viable option and ensuring that certain requirements are fulfilled in order to attend college. Such models might incorporate Latino community college students as mentors to high school students. Sponsoring College and Career Days at local high schools illustrate options other than gangs, especially for Latino males. Tutoring elementary students whose parents attend adult education courses to improve English-speaking skills increases visibility throughout the school systems (Mina 84).

2. Relationship-centered models that involve community colleges learning more about the educational needs of their diverse student clientele should be developed and sustained in order to design instructional programs for students when and where they need them.

3. Community colleges should work with local schools and business and industry to design models (school-to-work, youth apprenticeship, tech prep, career academies, and cooperative education) that prepare Latino students to enter the workforce.

4. Community colleges should enter into collaborative partnerships with four-year institutions to facilitate the transfer process, establish articulation agreements, initiate Transfer Year Experience Programs at the four-year institutions, and ensure that students are able to attain bachelor’s degrees and be poised to enroll in graduate and professional schools (Martinez 57).

Activity

Depending upon your area of expertise at the college, what is a specific strategy that you can incorporate into your area to encourage a relationship-centered academic setting?

Implications/Suggestions

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REALITY OF ONE LATINA’S EXPERIENCE

A Latina student shares her initial college experience as a vivid reminder of barriers many Latino students experience.

My saving grace came when my financial aid was canceled due to a clerical error. I went to the financial aid office, and after standing in line for what seemed like hours, I started to cry. One of the staff members saw me, grabbed my forms, and to my surprise, pronounced my name correctly. Between sobs, in Spanish I told him about all the hardships and loneliness I felt. Within a few minutes, he not only took care of my problem but also advised me to take courses with the few Latino professors and other faculty of color on campus. Meeting these faculty members made it so much easier for me to integrate into campus life.

I was soon baby-sitting for many of them, attending potlucks, stopping by their offices for chats, and meeting other students from similar backgrounds. Once again, I became part of a community that understood what I was experiencing and helped to make my transition to college more positive and successful. I became . . . involved in many activities designed to increase the presence and visibility of Latinos on campus. For instance, in cooperation with other support service programs, I was involved in the development of a number of academic, leadership, and cultural enrichment retreats for Latino students. (Mina 86)

Activity

Thinking back to prior learning in this workshop, brainstorm on specific programs and strategies that this college could develop to eliminate this Latina student’s frustration shared.

Implications/Suggestions

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“OUTCOME” ACTIVITY

Please complete the “outcome” statements, reacting to information presented in today’s workshop.

“I wonder_____________________________________________.”

“I think_______________________________________________.”

“I feel________________________________________________.”

“I learned____________________________________________.”

“I was surprised _______________________________________.”

84