The Need for More Teachers of Color

A thought-provoking piece by Stephanie Rivera, "Advocacy in the Age of Color-blindness" has been making the rounds on social media lately. Rivera talks about the need to reflect on the whiteness of the teaching profession and the need for more teachers of color. I absolutely agree with her, and offer this research to support her argument:

Of the 3.5 full-time million teachers in the United States, 75% of them are White, and only 7% are Latina/o (NCES, 2012).  While the national enrollment of white students in K-12 public schools decreased from 61 to 56 percent, Latino student enrollment has increased from 17 to 21 percent (NCES, 2010). In California, 52.7% of enrolled K-12 students are Latina/o (CA Dept of Ed, 2013), yet only 17.7% of the state’s teachers are Latinas/os. The increasing number of Latina/o students in the nation’s schools has led some experts to call for greater diversity within the teaching force.

Although Latina/o students may be served well by teachers of different ethnic groups, the benefits of exposing students of color to teachers of color have been well-documented. Research has shown that teachers of color serve as role models to students of color, boosting their sense of self-worth, motivating students to succeed, and decreasing feelings of alienation in schools (Villegas & Irvine, 2010). White students also benefit from exposure to ethnically diverse teachers, helping to dispel internalized stereotypes about members of different ethnic groups (Waters, 1989). The benefits of Latino students’ exposure to Latino teachers extends to higher test scores, high school exit exam scores, lower dropout rates, and higher graduation and college-going rates (Fraga, 1986; Meire, 1993; Clewell et al., 2005; Pitts, 2007). When working with Latino students, Latino teachers “understand linguistic and cultural student codes, and often share the hopes, dreams, and expectations of their families” (Nieto, 1999). Given the numerous benefits of a diverse teaching force and the increasing numbers of Latino students in the K-12 education system, it is troubling, then that Latinos are underrepresented in the teaching field.

Entry into the teaching profession generally requires a bachelor’s degree and teaching credential. Although alternative pathways to teaching exist, 89% of teaching candidates enroll in traditional teacher education programs (Department of Education, 2011). Only 11% of these teaching candidates identify as Latina/o, however, with 69% of teaching candidates identifying as White (Department of Education, 2011). The persistent lack of diversity within the teaching profession has led the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education to urge universities and policymakers to focus on “creating, elevating, and supporting initiatives to diversify the profession so that educators better reflect the demographics of the PK-12 student population” (AACTE, 2013).

In order to increase K-12 students’ access to teachers of color, the issues of Latino graduate students’ access to higher education and financial aid opportunities must be addressed. Latino students are a loan-averse population (Santiago, 2013) for whom “access to and perceptions about financial capital play a central role in college enrollment” (Nuñez & Kim, 2012). Approximately half of all Latino undergraduate students are the first in their family to enroll in college, and 25% of Latinos in college come from low-income households earning less than $40,000 annually (Santiago, 2013). Researchers have found low levels of awareness and understanding of college prices and financial aid among Latino students and parents (Immerwahr, 2003; Tomas Rivera Policy Institute, 2004). Understanding the financial aid decision-making processes of Latino teaching candidates may assist policymakers and institutions of higher education in their efforts to recruit and support a more diverse pool of teachers.

What a difference a year makes!

I'm only one year into my Ed.D. program at USC, but I have already met so many inspiring people and gained precious knowledge that fuels my work as a teacher.

I've revisited the work of Paulo Freire, and regained a passion for critical pedagogy.

I found a role model in Jeffrey Duncan-Andrade, whose work motivates and focuses me.

My confidence and sense of purpose grew after meeting Angela Valenzuela and Latino leaders within the San Francisco school district at a CALSA conclave at USC.

I reconnected with people from undergrad, and have profound respect for the empowering work that they do.

I've immersed myself in educational research, and am digesting literature like crazy!

I'm excited for a summer of learning, reflecting, and growing as an educator.

Reviewing my Syllabi using Wordle

Here's my old syllabus from last semester's Econ class.



Here's next semester's Government syllabus.



Notice any changes? I'm incorporating social media into my classroom more, integrating Twitter and Paper.li to help them follow current events. I also feel more positive this time around, less about what students "MUST" do, and more about encouraging them to grow.

Rigor & Love: Finding the balance

We had a Senior Bash for the last day of advisory today. The juniors brought food and we celebrated the accomplishments of the seniors in our advisory. I bought "GRAD" glasses for each of the twelfth graders to wear (the letters R and A went around their eyes), dedicated a few words to each one, and thanked them for a great year. They then decided to take turns saying something back to me, sweet and funny words that reminded me that what they appreciate most are not the academic lessons I taught them, but the emotional support I provided.

The students reminisced about the days when I was their World History teacher, and two of them commented, "I thought you hated me back then."

I was struck by these statements, and asked whether there was something in my words or actions that made them feel this way. Although they could not think of specific examples, I made a mental note to reflect on my demeanor and the way I make students feel. I'm still trying to find a balance between having high expectations and creating a classroom environment in which students feel comfortable. During my first years of teaching, my students definitely felt loved, but I'm not sure that I taught them much or kept them accountable. Over the years I've become a lot more strict and better at facilitating meaningful learning, but worry that I might be seen as unapproachable by my more timid students. I need to work on finding the right balance, and will make this one of my goals for next year. I will maintain high expectations, but will make more of an effort to encourage and inspire students from a place of love rather than frustration.

I appreciate my students' honesty and am grateful for the opportunity to reflect and become a better teacher. We grow with honest and encouraging feedback, and I need to remember to provide more of this for my students. I will be better about accepting that my students are works in progress, and will be warmer and more positive as I help them improve their academic skills and personal development.

Reform the LA Way: Televised Interview

My principal, Esther Soliman and I were interviewed by LAUSD School Board President Monica Garcia about pilot schools, small public schools with autonomy over budget, staffing, curriculum, governance, professional development, and scheduling. Some people confuse us with charter schools, but unlike some charters, we have no application process, admissions criteria, or extra requirements for maintaining enrollment status. I've met people who work at charters that kick students out if they don't maintain a C-average, or if their parents don't fulfill a minimum number of service hours. We can't implement these types of policies, and work through students personal and academic struggles to produce the most successful outcomes that we can.

Watch the video if you'd like to know more about what we do!

My piece in UCLA Center XChange

My work was recently included in UCLA's Center XChange online journal. I responded to the question: If someone came into your classroom, what would you offer as evidence of the quality of your professional practice and why?

If you'd like to read it, click on the link!

An Educator's Perspective on Quality Teacher Practice

Students inspiring students

What a week! We've had some very successful and inspiring showcases of student work recently.

1) Now that AP Testing is over, my seniors developed and presented College Knowledge assemblies for the underclassmen at our school. They reminded students about college admissions requirements, spoke about the colleges they would be attending this fall, as well as the incredible financial aid packages they had been awarded. The underclassmen were amazed and supportive of all that the seniors had accomplished, and have since begun to see them as sources of valuable advice, approaching them with questions about college. Developing a college-going culture is an ongoing process, and this was a step in the right direction!!

2) Our seniors presented their Service Learning Projects to the rest of the school today, and man, were they amazing. I watched as they became experts on issues related to poverty, and spoke eloquently and passionately about homelessness, personal debt, substance abuse, and education, among other issues. One group of students put on an art show, in which they displayed and sold their artwork and donated the proceeds to a women's shelter. Another group of students created a CD of original music about economic inequality and personal debt, which they then sold in order to donate money to a local organization serving low-income individuals. They spoke with great pride about the service they provided to the community, expressing how much they grew and learned from the process.To watch my students speak with so much confidence and authority reminded me of exactly how amazing they can be.

3) The freshmen were equally remarkable and inspiring, presenting theater pieces, artwork, and writing that openly spoke about their realities and the challenges in their personal lives and surrounding communities. Rather than leave viewers feeling depressed or hopeless, they managed to convey messages of hope, self-determination, and collective empowerment.

As I drove home, I thought about educational experiences of my students and compared it to my own schooling. Much of my learning took place within the walls of a classroom and the pages of books. Although I was encouraged to "give back to the community," it was rare to be assigned a task that required me apply my skills and knowledge to actually help my community. Our students are learning that they are part of a community, that they are responsible for one another. They have a level of social awareness and sense of collective responsibility that I didn't develop till college. I'm so proud of my school for the awesome work that it does!