Many times, when the question arises about what 21st century education looks like and sounds like in today's classrooms, we look at each other with that proverbial quizzical look that we embody in Spanish with the saying, "Con qué se come eso?" Basically asking, "What does that even mean?" The truth is that there are so many theories and methodologies about education floating around that it is sometimes hard to keep up with what works and what doesn't. I have a unique perspective on education in this century due to my over 13 years experience as a New York City public school teacher. During my tenure, I have had the opportunity to observe firsthand some of the issues with our current educational system as well as celebrate some of its victories. One particular victory being the recent consensus that has been reached regarding implementing a common core curriculum across the entire United States. It was a necessary step that had to be taken because there have always … [Read more...]
21st Century Education-Con Qué Se Come Eso? @Univision #EsElMomento #Latism
Improving Latino Graduation Rates Through Parental Involvement
As an educator, I cannot even begin to stress the importance of parental involvement to a child's academic success. This is especially true for Latino students who face a myriad of unique obstacles that are not faced by other students. At the forefront of some of these obstacles is the language barrier that some of them struggle with due to not having a command of the English language. They are often caught between speaking Spanish at home to their family and attempting to become fluent in a second language at school. Sometimes Latino parents are discouraged from taking part in their child's academic progress because language barriers and social class issues prevent them from having the confidence to be proactive in their education. Schools need to adopt more flexible academic programs that take into account the diversity of the communities that they are servicing. This will open many doors for those children who have parents that are not able to expose them to traditional … [Read more...]
