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Flippin’ the scripted curriculum: ethnic studies inquiry in elementary education

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This study examines the practical application of ethnic studies inquiry projects to supplement elementary scripted language arts curriculum. Drawing from decolonial theory, the study examines pedag…

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Learning Liberation: The Ethnic Studies Podcast is produced by the Coalition for Liberated Ethnic Studies (CLES). Learning Liberation episodes will feature Ethnic Studies practitioners across the U.S. to share reflections and best practices in the classroom and share lessons gained through their praxis, grassroots advocacy, and more. Working collectively with grassroots movements, CLES lifts up principles, policies, practices, and pedagogies that center-the knowledge, narratives, experiences, and wellness of-Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPoC) communities so that liberation of all peoples, and relations, are realized.

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Learning Liberation: The Ethnic Studies Podcast

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Listen to The National Coalition for Liberated Ethnic Studies's Learning Liberation: The Ethnic Studies Podcast podcast on Apple Podcasts.

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Culturally responsive education in the classroom aims to welcome and value the diverse backgrounds and experiences of all students. This Padlet contains tips and resources for future educators to implement in their k-12 classrooms.

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Culturally responsive education in the classroom aims to welcome and value the diverse backgrounds and experiences of all students. This Padlet contains tips and resources for future educators to implement in their k-12 classrooms.

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How Culturally Responsive Practices Help Students Connect to School

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Get to know your students: Understand your students' cultural backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences.

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Encourage students to share their cultural capital: Give students the opportunity to share their experiences and perspectives.

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Abstract

In direct contrast to Arizona's criminalization of Ethnic Studies in Arizona, the San Francisco Unified School District's Board of Education unanimously adopted a resolution to support Ethnic Studies in their schools. As schools across the country begin to place Ethnic Studies courses on their master schedules, the lack of preparation and education to support effective Ethnic Studies teaching has emerged as a problem. Therefore, the central questions addressed in this paper are: What is Ethnic Studies pedagogy? and What are its implications for hiring and preparing K- 12 teachers? This is a conceptual article that builds upon existing research studies to investigate the pedagogy of effective K-12 teachers of Ethnic Studies. From this literature, we identify several patterns in their pedagogy: culturally responsive pedagogy, community responsive pedagogy and teacher racial identity development. We then tease out these components, briefly reviewing the literature for each, leading to a synthesized definition of Ethnic Studies pedagogy. We conclude the paper by providing recommendations for practice and research in the interest of preparing and supporting effective Ethnic Studies teaching in K-12 classrooms.

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Authors and Affiliations

1. Department of Asian American Studies, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA

Allyson Tintiangco-Cubales

2. Education, Society and Culture, Graduate School of Education, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA

Rita Kohli

3. Graduate School of Education, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA

Jocyl Sacramento

4. Department of Secondary Education, California State University, Fullerton, College Park CP600-18, P.O. Box 6868, Fullerton, CA, 92834-6868, USA

Nick Henning

5. Department of Elementary Education, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA

Ruchi Agarwal-Rangnath

6. Professor Emerita, College of Professional Studies, California State University, Monterey Bay, Monterey, CA, USA

Christine Sleeter

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nick Henning.

Additional information

All authors contributed equally to the writing of this article.

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Tintiangco-Cubales, A., Kohli, R., Sacramento, J. et al. Toward an Ethnic Studies Pedagogy: Implications for K-12 Schools from the Research. Urban Rev 47, 104-125 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11256-014-0280-y
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Toward an Ethnic Studies Pedagogy: Implications for K-12 Schools from the Research - The Urban Review

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In direct contrast to Arizona's criminalization of Ethnic Studies in Arizona, the San Francisco Unified School District's Board of Education unanimously adopted a resolution to support Ethnic Studies in their schools. As schools across the country begin to place Ethnic Studies courses on their master schedules, the lack of preparation and education to support effective Ethnic Studies teaching has emerged as a problem.

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Create a supportive environment: Build relationships with students to create a safe space where they feel comfortable sharing their culture.

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Incorporate popular culture: Connect classroom content to media that students are interested in, such as movies, music, video games, sports, or fashion.

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Video by Ron Espiritu | TEDxAmherstCollege

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Why ethnic studies matters | Ron Espiritu | TEDxAmherstCollege

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Laminated World Map Poster Map of the World Chart yellow - Etsy in 2024 | World map poster, Map poster, Poster

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Nov 9, 2024 - This Digital Prints item is sold by PalaceLearning. Ships from Clearwater, FL. Listed on Nov 1, 2024

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Make learning contextual: Activate students' prior knowledge and make learning relevant.

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Engage families and community: Recognize families and community members as valuable resources that can enrich the educational experience.

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Gamify lessons: Use games to diversify content and appeal to different learning styles.

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Consider your classroom setup: Reconsider your classroom setup to accommodate the diverse needs of your students.

Embrace diversity: Welcome cultural strengths from all students and move from monocultural to multicultural

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Asian American K-12 Ethnic Studies movement

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Asian American K-12 Ethnic Studies movement

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Where Are we Now and How Do we Move Forward?: Voices of Asian American and Migrant Teachers on the K-12 Ethnic Studies Movement

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Situating NYC’s Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) history curriculum initiative as part of the nationwide movement for K-12 ethnic studies, this article aims to explore perspectives and ex…

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The Problem

Our current education system breeds compliance which results in dependent thinking and an atmosphere of low expectations - particularly for marginalized students. Without an awareness of how systems of inequity and learner identity connect to teacher expectations, implementing innovative practices will not sufficiently empower all students.

The Solution

The CRSP Framework brings powerful teaching to students who have been marginalized by systemic inequity, restoring and elevating their natural confidence and competence.

Our Theory of Change
If we:

Build awareness of how systemic inequity translates into our schools;

Learn about our students' cultures, identities, and interests as we develop a sense of trust and belonging; and

Nurture cultures of thinking by developing "Academic Mindsets are four key beliefs which deeply influence our behaviors as learners, and which enable learning success. These mindsets affect our motivation, strategies, and perseverance. They are: academic mindsets
* I belong in this learning community.
* I can change my abilities through effort (a growth mindset).
* I can succeed.
* This work has value and purpose for me."
- Mindset Works More

Then:

Students' cognitive skills, mastery, competence, and engagement will improve;

Students' self-efficacy and confidence will increase; and

Students will feel empowered to use their skills in meaningful ways.

Our Why

We work to ensure students become self-directed learners and empowered leaders who will transform their lives, their communities, and society.

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Click the image above to access an overview of the CRSP Framework The Culturally Responsive & Sustaining Pedagogy (CRSP) Framework provides the foundation for all work at Highlander Institute. The framework is grounded in research, neuroscience, and the rationale of Geneva Gay, Zaretta Hammond, Gloria Ladson-Billings, Sami Alim, and Django Paris.

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Teaching "hard history" in k-5 classrooms

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Teaching "hard history" in k-5 classrooms

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In October 2021, Governor Newsom California's ethnic studies mandate for high schools into law. While many school districts are still deciding on the specific curricula contents for their high school ethnic studies courses, a group of teacher activists have been busy introducing the paradigm in lower grades. On June 10, 2022, the Liberated Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum Consortium (LESMCC) hosted an online training program for elementary school educators.

The program featured Dr. Orieal Maria Siu, a self-described "anti-racist" children's book , with her two new books titled Christopher the Ogre Cologre, It's Over!: The Real History of Christopher Columbus and Rebeldita the Fearless in Ogreland. The former is as "a must for every classroom, library and home" that "teaches the truth about Christopher Columbus, white settler colonialism and history of the Americas from the perspective of indigenous and black resistances." The latter is about a girl born out of "long-enduring Black and Indigenous resistances in the Americas" who "knows her history and uses it to change her present in Ogreland."

Using colorful cartoon drawings, playful language and bilingual translations, these books are an effective weapon of thought indoctrination into one-sided accounts of American history and activism-oriented lessons for kids ages 5 to 10. Describing Christopher Columbus as a "ruthless and heartless" Ogre sent by greedy king and queen of "EuroLandia" to steal treasures and land in utopia AbyaYala, Christopher the Ogre Cologre paints a picture of racist conquistadors brutalizing the Indigenous people and imported slaves. In addition to plundering AbyaYala, the ogre Christopher also suppressed the teaching of true history of an ancient land full of life, history and technological advancements.

Out of the systemic oppression imposed by the ogres, a heroine - the abuelita emerged to lead the resistance movement of which children were the main foot soldiers. Deriving her power from stereotypically eating beans, the abuelita singlehandedly commanded the "RESISTANCE" to preserve AbyaYala's unique cultural traditions. Under her watch, the children meticulously documented its authentic history in a book called The Forbidden History of AbyaYala that the Ogre, Christopher Cologre, Does Not Want Anywhere Told! When the new generation amassed enough knowledge and organization, the abuelita then passed on the torch to one of her young proteges named Rebeldita, a fearless girl who could talk to trees and committed herself to truth-telling as the way to liberate AbyaYalans from the cologres.

If you think this is only a fairy-land story to inspire children's imagination and humanity, you are wrong. According to the author, Christopher the Ogre Cologre, It's Over! was written to "counter systemic negation, denial, omissions and lies taught in the K-12 pertaining to the history of the Americas/ white settler colonialism." In other words, "teaching the truth" amounts to overcompensating historical revisionism through which confounding institutional changes as a result of colonialism are replaced by a dichotomy of the evildoing of one-dimensional ogres vis-v-vis the heroic resistances of the indigenous and black populations.

This reductive view of American history disregards many consequential factors explaining colonialism and post-colonial developments, such as different types of colonial institutions, regime types of the home governments, and the political structures of the pre-colonial societies. Was the evil king and queen of "EuroLandia" better or worse than the Mayan or Aztec emperors who practiced human sacrifice and exploited their own people? How should students view those indigenous leaders who entered alliances with the conquistadors, including Xicotencatl the Elder and Maxixcatzin?The intentional over-simplification damages learning and blunts formation of well-rounded worldviews, while these highly controversial materials are propagated in a cartoon format with the expressive goal of driving up social activism among young kids.

The bicameral lens of racist European settlers versus innocent indigenas is reflective of two interlocking trends. At the national level, "teaching truth" or "teaching hard history" has become synonymous with hard-left propaganda spewed by organized groups like Learning for Justice (LFJ) and the Zinn Education Project . For LFJ, teaching hard history "an original framework for teaching about slavery and white supremacy." The framework contains six guiding principles:

1. Teach that slavery is foundational.

2. Acknowledge that slavery existed in the North and the South.

3. Talk explicitly about racism and white supremacy.

4. Rely on responsive pedagogy that is well suited to the topic.

5. Center the black experience.

6. Connect to the present.

In no uncertain terms, foundations of "teaching hard history" are identical with the 1619 Project and major tenets of critical race theory (CRT) that treats white racism as a permanent feature of America. As for the Zinn Education Project, it launched a project called "Pledge to Teach the Truth" last year in defiance of growing state-level legislative bans on K-12 teaching of CRT.The project has collected 8,322 signatures from teachers across the country, pledging to defy legislation banning teaching that "identifies people or groups of people, entities, or institutions in the United States as inherently, immutably, or systemically sexist, racist, anti-LGBT, bigoted, biased, privileged, or oppressed." For the signers, educating American students requires that they hyper-focus on the teaching of "racism, sexism, heterosexism, and oppression throughout U.S. history." Interestingly, the Zinn Education Project also runs a campaign to Columbus Day because "when the school curriculum celebrates Columbus, children are taught that it's OK for white people to rule over peoples of color and that militarily powerful nations can bully weaker nations."

At the state level, infusing social justice, a resistance pedagogy, and anti-racism into elementary school teaching demonstrates the deep inroads into public education made by the liberated ethnic studies movement. Although the California Department of Education approved a state model curriculum last March, proponents of the liberated camp are pushing for a more radical paradigm after protesting the state version as a compromise for "white supremacist, right wing, conservatives." Dedicated to ethnic studies as "a form of liberation" and a pedagogy of "transformational resistance," the liberated curriculum is almost identical with the state-rejected first field draft, which, according to both Governor Newsom and the State Legislature, "never see the light of day." Yet, the institution created to market liberated ethnic studies is now hosting professional development webinars targeting K-5 teachers.

So, parents, watch out. If your kid is asked to read Christopher the Ogre Cologre, you should know that a coordinated campaign of anti-American, ideological capture is taking place backstage.

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Liberated Ethnic Studies Comes to K-5 Classrooms

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In October 2021, Governor Newsom California's ethnic studies mandate for high schools into law. While many school districts are still deciding on the specific curricula contents for their high school ethnic studies courses, a group of teacher activists have been busy introducing the paradigm in lower grades.

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If she had known about ethnic studies in her K-12 studies she wouldnt have been so surprised to have such a class in college.

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PHOENIX - In 2006, Tucson Unified School District's Mexican American studies curriculum was relatively unknown. The program - a series of middle and high school classes highlighting Mexican American contributions to U.S. history and culture - had shown promise in lifting Latino students out of lower test score brackets and boosting graduation rates. Only a handful of detractors had shown up at school board meetings to grouse about the curriculum's race-focused teachings.

Then, Jonathan Paton, a Republican lawmaker representing Tucson at the time, got ahold of a recording of labor organizer and Chicano rights icon Dolores Huerta telling an auditorium of Tucson High School students, "Republicans hate Latinos." Suddenly, GOP lawmakers in Phoenix were decrying "Raza Studies," as the program was known, as a plot to indoctrinate children with ideas about white people as racists and people of color as their victims. ("Raza" is Spanish for "race," though the teachers who adopted the name said the intended translation was more akin to "the people.")

A legislative panel ordered school administrators to defend the program at the state capitol in Phoenix, with one lawmaker accusing the district of running a "sweatshop for liberalism." By 2008, lawmakers were setting their sights on banning TUSD's Mexican American studies program altogether with a bill to prohibit classes from teaching beliefs that "denigrate American values."

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What Arizona's 2010 Ban on Ethnic Studies Could Mean for the Fight Over Critical Race Theory

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As states across the country impose new rules on the teaching of history and race in schools, a messy, drawn-out battle over a Mexican American studies program in Tucson could offer a preview of what's to come.