Latina Educators and School Discourse: Dealing with Tension on the Path to Success. CIERA Report

This study analyzed the cultural conflicts of Latina educators as they emerged from descriptions of their literacy acquisition at home and school and of their teacher education experiences. These tensions were examined in terms of conflicts between authoritative discourses, describing various proces...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors Aguilar, Jill A, MacGillivray, Laurie, Walker, Nancy T
Format Report
LanguageEnglish
Published 01.02.2002
Subjects
Diversity (Faculty)
Elementary Education
Elementary School Teachers
Higher Education
Hispanic American Teachers
Hispanic Americans
Literacy Education
Preservice Teacher Education
Women Faculty
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Summary:This study analyzed the cultural conflicts of Latina educators as they emerged from descriptions of their literacy acquisition at home and school and of their teacher education experiences. These tensions were examined in terms of conflicts between authoritative discourses, describing various processes of negotiation that these educators engaged in as each constructed their own discourse as a Latina teacher. Participants were five teachers at two schools that were part of a larger project involving teachers and paraprofessionals at two large, urban California elementary schools which examined how Latina teachers' school experiences related to their instructional practices in their own classrooms. The schools had predominantly Latino, low-income students. Data collection involved focus group discussions and individual interviews that examined teachers' experiences in the classroom. Results indicated that teachers experienced significant conflict between expectations of school success and expectations at home. Teachers tended to receive rather than question the authoritative discourse expectations from both home and school. Resistance was usually individual, not collaborative. There was a common idea that education was a positive goal, yet, there were regarding how education would occur and who would receive it, as well as where, when, and for how long it would continue. (Contains 29 references.) (SM)