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    Nieto (2018) - Preface, Introduction, Chapter 1

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    Vili Contents 8 Affirmation Tolerance Solidarity, and Critique: Moving Beyond ‘Multicultural Education 9 Becoming Sociocultural Mediators: What All Educators Can ‘Leam From Bilingual and ESL Teachers PART IV Praxis, Hope, and the Future 10 Nice Is Not Enough: Defining Caring for Students of Color 11 Doing Their Part: Teachers as Leaders in Multicultural Education 12. Critical Hope ... in Spite of it All 163 181 195 197 202 215 Preface Fiftcen years have passed since the first edition of Laiguage, Ci ‘Teaching was published. They have been momentous years both nationally Events such 3s 9/11 and subsequent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; jgration and dt demographic changes in our nation and the world; the election of the frst Affican American president in our history the election of « man who. had for years claimed that st was not born in the United States and therefore w: ont: all these anc many other issues are significant scho« rot qualified to be pres jently prepared to mect the challenges of diversity. Current statistics indicate that children of color constitute the majority of one and two year in the nation, signaling an enormous change in U.S. school enrollinents the coming years. In fact, by 2019, children of color are in the nation. In addition, chil- dzen of color disproportionately live in poverty, complicating the isue of diversity even further (Children’s Defense Fund, 2014) Because of these changing demographics and dramatic cluding the massive relocation of populations due to war, fanine vage and culture have increasingly ‘become vital concems in classrooms across the United States. Yet few educators besides specialists in bilingual education, ESE, or urban and multicul feel adequately prepared through their coursework and other at arise ffom unequal and inequitable yr many teachers, their fist practicum or teaching it introduction to a broader diversity than they expetience represents x Preface have ever experienced before. ‘This is true for all teachers—not just White ceachen —becase our soci il characteized by communis dt te largely segregated by race, ethnicky, and socal dass. Consequently, most tare sccuomed (ling nea, working wth and len about people ‘who are most like us. ‘of these realities, many textbooks designed for current and future attention to issues of diference, and even les to critical perspectives in teaching, Many are litte more than dry and boring est practices” or thoughtles techniques teaches’ creativity and analysis on the side ok is to provide a differ motivation to teach students of diverse backgrounds "Throughout this book I have attempted to present examples of; ral-ife Gilemmas about diversity that you will fce in your own clastooms; ideas about how language, culture, and teaching, are linked; and ways to engage With these ideas through reflection and collaborative inguiry. There are no casy answers, no pre-packaged programs that can fix the wncertainties that teachers encounter every day. However, there are more thoughtfil ways to these problems than those currendy presented in many textbooks. © explore how language and culture are connected to teaching and learning in educational settings, 2] and sociopolitical contexts of culture to understand how these contexts may affec About the Third Edition r, and Teaching is a compilation of previously published snd book chapters, most of which I have written over the Language, journal art Preface xi past two decades. The goals and basic framework of this third edition remain the same as those of the first and second editions. However, more than half of the chapters are new or updated, that is, most were written in the past decade. Given the vast changes in our schools and nation in that time, the new chapters reffect my thinking about the profession and our society, especially about changes in the te both postive years. Overview The book is organized in five parts: an introduction and four sections. Each section begins with a brief description of the themes considered in that sec tion. Following the chapters are critical questions, ideas for classroom and community activities, and suggested resources for further reflection and study. Critical Questions are based on the ideas presented in the chapter and they ask you to build on the knowledge you have leamed by analyzing key concepts further. Activities for Your Classroom ate suggestions for applying what you have leamed by engaging in a deeper analysis of the concepts. oO suggested that you work with colleagues in developing curri~ culum oF other classroom-based projects. Community-Based Activities and Advocacy are projects outside of the clasroom setting, and they may take place in the school 0! ity Resources for chapter with a list and brief as you continue to reflect on sciopolitical Understanding.” ‘This chapter provides a foundational background for the text by describing my own experiences of how issues of language and culture brought me to an awareness of conditions both inside and outside of public education. It also suggests some Part I: Seting Groundwork cor sive definition of mul kes into account both structural inequality and the significance education, Chapter 2 goes far beyond superficial approaches ys and heroes. Chapter 3 was originally written for 2 book commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the National Academy of Education (NAEd), describing the NAEd through its goals, accomplish- ments, and challenges. In my chapter, I provide an overview of public education in the twentieth century through three focal movements for social justice—desegregation, multicultural education, and _bilingu: education—and I discuss the future of these and other movements for equity in education. ‘Young people of all backgrounds struggle with issues of identity and belonging, and for those who ate culturally linguistically, and racially margin~ eater. Questions of identity are related to learning jugh their identities as competent learers that students can ally, Hence, matters of identity are central to an appreciation Belonging, in Tha Byes intodce ou etanding that fos P ied in the Hard Edna five yeas 269 Yet day, centers on the views of rovp of young people about and acces, Pat Sit Chapcr 6 tecenely published in'a book on the Latino cil rights Mfovement in edueston, The chapter exploies my own expesience a 2 Sugg for ethnic ssdies at Brooklyn ‘970s Move imporanty, it presents the exe for the studies a a intel pat of schoo’ easel, not become critical teachers. chapters * yk beyond the Chap: shallow foundly multicultural questions,” that is, questions that are at the very heart of social justice, access, and equity even though at first glance they may not seem to be about mul ma at all. Chapter 8 presents concrete examples of teachers who work with students of diverse backgrounds with colidarity, courage, and heart,” suggesting from them, Chapter 9 addr yw all teachers, regardless of their own cultural, linguistic, and racial backgrounds, can become sociocultural mediator, Because many teach with diversity, chey are of race, identity, and achievement. The final section of the te Praxis education in practice, Chapter 10, “Nice crete suggestions for "going beyond nicen: Chapter 11, originally published to commemorate vversaty of NAME, the National Association for Mt presents examples of teachers who embody whi cultural educators. Finally, Chapter 12 suggests that in spite of the have had litle personal or professional experience Preface tremendous challenges posed by the state of public education today, critical hhope is an essential ingredient in working for social justice and equity in education. The chapter also serves to recapitulate many of the points addressed throughout the book. Final Thoughts Educational inequality is repugnant in a society that has pledged to provide ion for al students regard onplace in schools all over our country. It far too many students ate shortchanged tional policies and practices favor students from backgrounds are privileged in social class, race, language, or other differences. At the same time, schools remain grosily unequal in terms of the resources they are is also undeniably true that students’ zip codes have mote to do mn they receive than most of us would cate guistc and cultural differences are oft sed or ignored by teachers who have been trained to be “color-bl and who refuse to see differences. The chapters in this book ask you only to se differences but also to critically affirm and us resources in your curriculum and pedagogy. ‘savage inequalities” in schools that Jonathan Kozol (1991 seadents are particularly vuinerable in a society that has deemed differences to be deficiencies and poverty to be a moral transgression. But change can begin at any level, and the chapters in this book are based on the assumption that teachers can and, infact, must make a diference inthe lives ofthe childzen they teach, Teachers alone cannot do it all, of course, because institutional barriers to student learning—including macro-level impediments such as lack of access to quality childcare and to higher education for parents and guardians, sub: standard housing, lack of appropriate health care, and inadequate employment opportunities—are enormous. Nevertheless, when teachers work together with other educators and concemed citizens, a great deal to change ir own practices but also hel and districts change their © become more equita ‘hen district-wide polici smote the learning of all students and arn to view students’ differences in a 3 result can be that more students wil soar to ‘one different from 1¢ tremendous cultural in our schools and the often negative any other in many ways, not the least of, and linguistic diversity evid reaction to this diversity in policy and practice, Yet the ways in whic teachers are prepared (0 fice these differences, and the books used ther, have not changed enough. New times deserve new textbooks the professionalism of teachers and other educators, honor the idents and their fimilies, and validate the n: dents of all backgrounds. That is the premise of Acknowledgments Finally, word of thanks to frends and colleagues who had a hand in ths book. acknowledged them in the original works. [also want has been enormously enziched by the wise counsel of the students, and young people I have worked with over the years. Finally, T want to expres my gratitude and profound respect for Naomi Silverman, publisher at Routledge and ftiend of many years, When we first met, Naomi helped me think differently and creatively about textbooks for teachers, and I feel blessed to Ihave worked with her on this and other projects before she retired References Children’s Defense Fund (2014). The state of America’s children. Washingron, (1991). Savage inegualii York: Crown. Acknowledgments Lam gratefil to the following publishers and organizations for permitting pre= viously published journal articles and book chapters to be reprinted in this book. Introduction Nieto, Sonia (2013). Language, literacy, and culture: Aha! Moments in personal and sociopolitical undetstanding. This chapter appeared originally in che Journal of Language and Literacy Education, Vol. 9, No. 1, 2013, Chapter 1 Sonia Nieto, “What is the Purpose of Schools? Reflections on Educ: an Age of Functionalism.” From Language, Culture, and Teaching: Cr Perspectives, 2nd ed., 2010. Used by permission of Taylor & Francis, Chapter 2 Nieto, Sonia; Bode, Patty, firming Diversity: The Socipolitial Context of Multicultural Chapter 3 ‘This chapter was first published in a volume commemorating the 50th atni~ versary of the National Academy of Education. Michael J. Feuer, Amy Berman, and Richard C. Atkinson (Eds) (2015). Past as Prologue: The Na Acadenty of Education at 50. Members Refect, Washington, DC: National ‘Academy of Education. Reprinted by permission of the publisher. Chapter 4 Reprinted by permission of the Publisher. From Sonia Nieto (2010). The Light in Their Byes: Creating Multicultural Learning Communities, Introduction Language, Literacy, and Culture: Aha! Moments in Personal and Sociopolitical Understanding ‘This chapter focuses on the intersections among language, literacy, and culture, and what these intersections have meant for me personally, and what they can mean for students who have been: marginalized, neglected, or made invisible by traditional understandings of the role of education. Although not always linked conceptually in the past, the ‘more recent tendency to connect language, literacy, and culture gives us a richer picture of leaming, expecially becaus in many ton is that more education programs are reflecting and promoting a sociocultural perspective Rican second-generation immigrant—also called recently, Diasporiaan—in the United States, although the implications for teaching and leaning go beyond my own limited experience, Lam aware that multiple and conflicting ideas exist about these theoretical perspectives, socal patie 2s defined by the New London Group (1996); y, hybridity, and even the very word literacy Ganks, 2010). Today, these terms have become commonplace, but if we were to do a review of the literature of some thirty years ago or so, we would probably be hard pressed to find them, at leat as cuerently used. What does this mean? How has our awareness and intemalization of these terms and everything they imply changed how we look at teaching and learning? Les look at some of the assumptions underlying literacy itself I's ge accepted that cerain family and home conditions promote literacy, including an abundant supply of books and other reading material, detailed conversa- read, and other in many ‘my husband, and I made certain to provide them for our own children, 2s well as for our grandchildren. I hope we've made thei lives easier and fuller asa result. ‘But what about the children for whom these conditions are not present? Should they be doomed to educational failure because their parents didn’t live in the right neighborhood, weren’t privileged enough to be formally educated, or didn’ take their children to museums or attend plays? Should they be disqualified from learning because they didn’t have books at home? Unfortunately, the answer to these questions is too often Yes.” Sociocultural Theory and Autobiography | begin with my own story, not because I believe that autobiography ‘way to Jeam about language, literacy, and culture. My ‘unigue, and my purpose is not to single myself out as an “exception, way that Richard Rodriguez did, intentionally or not, in his painful auto- biography Hunger of Memory Rodrigue2’s perpective about being a Spanish-speaking immigrant is, rectly counter to mine: while he concluded that abandoning Spanish was the price he had to pay for success in the United States, my conclusion is that there is no need to erase part of| fone's identity in order to be successful. On the contrary, I believe that having more than one language has enriched me both personally and pro- fessionally, Being bilingual and biliterate isa legacy that I cherish every day. use my story simply to underscore the fact that young people of all back- grounds can lear regardless of the language they come to school with, and that they need not be compelled, as Rodrigue felt he had to, to abandon their family and home language for the benefits of an education and a higher stats in society. I was like the millions of young pe the nation who amtive at school eager Unfortunately, too many of these childr English, end up as the poster children fo le in classrooms and schools around 10 make fiiends, and to se they do not yet speak Introduction 3 bring to their education. Because they come to school with a language— although ic is not Englsh—rather than being “linguistically deprived” or “limited Engish proficient,” these children are instead, in the words of Barlete and Ofelia Garcia, “emergent bilinguals” (Barett & Garcia, Given my background and early life experiences, it seems improbable that 1 would be an academic discussing literacy and leaming. Conventional ‘educational research would assame that my home and fimily situation could rot have prepared me adequately for academic success. My parents came to the United States as immigrants from Puerto Rico, fleeing the unique poverty of colonialisin, and they quietly took their place in the lower paid and lower status of society. I spent my first ten years in a fih-floor tene- three years in another equally depressing neighborhood in Brooklyn, both of which were entry points for immigrants from around the world, including my parents, Federico Cortés and Esther Mercado. My mother did not graduate from high school, and my father never made it past fourth grade. In my family, we never had bedtime stories, much less books, but while my father never really mastered English, he read The Daily News (in English) religiously every day. At home, we didn’t have a permanent place to study, nor did we have a desk “with sufficient light and adequate ventilation,” as ‘our teachers suggested. We didn't have many toys, and I never got the plano lessons that 1 so desperately wanted fiom the age of five. We never ‘went to summer camp, and we didn’t have gymnastics, balet, or tennis lessons. We never learned how to ride a bike, nor did we take part in any Kind of sports. As a family, we didn’t go to museums ot other places that would give us the cultural capital described by Bourdieu (1986), thought to succeed in school. We spoke only Spanish at home, even though teachers pleaded with my parents to stop doing so. And when we leamed English, my sister and I spoke a nonstandard, urban Black and Puerto Rican English, In a word, because of our social clas, ethnicity, native language, and discourse practices, we wete the epitome of what are described in the United States as “children at risk,” “disadvantaged,” and “culturally deprived.” Nevertheless, Iwas fortunate that I had a family who stressed the virtues of education, even if they themselves had not had the privilege of an education—or more likely, because of that fact. But they kept night on speaking Spanish, they still didn’t buy books for our home, and they never read us bedtime stories, Yet my parents valued education and literacy: they told us fanny stories about greenhom Puerto Ricans jibres) just atriving from the island, as well as the riddles and tongue-twisters they had leaned a children back on the island. ‘My father worked in a delicatessen on Delancey Street in lower Manhattan, 4 historically immigrant community, for 20 years and when it closed, he bought 2 bodege, a small Caribbean grocery store in Brooklyn, with his colunin of numbers wings. Although he could barely write, he could add a col in his head with dizzying speed. My mother worked in the bodega as well, lents, such as the embroidery and handwork that petencies, Schooling and the First Aha! Moments { aended 2 run-down ghetto school in Brooklya just few blocks fom my apartment. My schoolmates were Afiean Amencns, aw ffom Puerto Rico, other Ce tmnong oder European counties, One day in panel fe language leaing. arved a school 2 fluent Spanish speaker but speaking T gues wrote shout thi (Nieto, 2011) in a book sled Wore Wore All We Had: Buoning (Again the Oils, edited by Mata de is Laz Reyes, This book entered schol knowing et speak Engl, [had jst started school and hee in New York tying tte my ce my teacher Know that [needed help. 1 ood thee, gesting and ths ng ok her to de my hat. helpless Bi chronicles the many obsta remember feeling mute made no sense t9 her, 2 1g about the tremendous vulnerability I felt at not being able to make mys 1d, the sheer panic of ni English. Akhough I spoke Spanish, itwas not the officially sanction of school. By the end of that year, besides Jeaming enough Engl of reading, I learned other valuabl nit: | learned that reading would open up leaming was exciting, and that education was the best nother words I leamed that iteracy was impovtant ‘was a handicap ge of value and “culture.” I leamed that although Spanish was the language of family and love and nurturing, it was also a language of low status. I leamed that school was where you leamed things that were worthwhile and important, sme was where you leamed things that you never tle about in hoo Most fal 1 eam bebe you rust speak, read, and write only English. The result was a tremendous wal earls home snd ol. ros oly er became sicher myel at began to question why this should be so Brooklyn. In tha neighbothood, | was able to attend an excellent jnior high sad hhigh school. 1 didn’t particularly like either, especially the high school ‘was too big and impersonal, and as one of on the quality education beyond the wilde: attended a junior of my parents, Before then, we had for our academic rate of Puerto Ricans at the time (and st now), we would have been lucky to even have graduated from high sch This led to another Ahal Moment: My new address made a profound differ. the education that I was able to g that I would receive an excellent education. school that I attended, " and the “mines.” For a number of years, I also tried to hide the Fact that I spoke Spanish, Teaching and More Aha! Moments Although I didn’t have many social relationships in high scho received a couple of scholarships. Accepted into a local throughout college and commuted daly by subway. At St. John’s University, I followed my dream to become a teacher, something Ubad thought about since I had been a child. In 1966, with a degree in slementary education, a student teaching experience in a mostly White middle-class neighborhood, and teaching certification from the New York City Public Schools, I began my teaching career in an intermediate school in an impoverished community in Brooklyn. Even though I had chought I ‘would be the perfect teacher who would inspire my students and impress ry colleagues, it became clear to me right away that I was facing greater challenges than I had expected. The school was a sad place, with angry and disenchanted tited and bumed-out teachers, some of whom were racist and the students. Many administrators seemed to have given up, and some were just waiting for the day when they could retire. The students, all of whom ‘were Affican American and Puerto Rican, lived in poverty, with few ‘opportunities either in school or in the community. Classes were over- were was a palpable sense of despair in the labeled as “estoy dep lazy, or incapable of learning, but because | taught the so-called “non-English (NE) 10 was labeled as the “NE” Teacher, even though I was perfectly €uent in English, chat I loved my students and that many of them were snd smart, I beeame discouraged. Although I believe that 1 became (cher in the two years 1 was there, learning some useful nting racism, and other limiting 1¢ unjust policies and practices in schools, had more to do with my seudents’ learning than what I did in the casroom. Given this situation, 1 began vo wonder how much I could accomplish as a classroom teacher. itself a call went out spite of the fact chat atthe time there were already over 1,000,000 Puerto Ricans in New York City, in the two years chat I had been in the system 9f the 55,000 public school teachers as either Latina or fluent 2 at PS. 25, the princi thiry of us as bilingual teachers, about half of whom were Hispanic, and the others were Whites and Affican ‘Americans who were uen ‘As a child, my teachers mad problem, and As a preserve outside my clisstoom door. { had been taught that culvare was peripheral to teaching and learning, and that it had nothing to do with intelligence or My ideas began te change as soon as I started teaching at P.S. 25. 1 ‘began to believe that language, culture, race, and ethnicity, both instructors’ and scudents’ are inextricably tied to teaching, whether we admie i oF not. ‘Ar the Bilingual School, language and culture were cherished and affirmed, and they had eq ith English and mainstream American colture ¥y previous school had been a sad place, P.S. 25 was an affirming here we could all—seudents, staff, and fimilies—feel proud of speaking Spanish, something company of my family. It was a place where nobody made excuses about being Puerto Rican or Cuban or Dominican, and where teachers used seudenc histories and realities as important sources for the curriculum. At learned that when teachers bring theie emtire selves ding their identities, they are being both true to themselves their students, Bilingual School brought another Ala! Moment: it was there cle of parent involvement in the education had stayed Introduction 7 away from our school and the fact that neither spoken (even though my eluent in Engl like an alien and unwelcome place doubt because of their own limited parents: not only did the students” parent the classroom, but also they took part in do so with rated like an pphone calls and letters 28, mbers to my classroom performances. These activities made a difference both in students’ atitudes and in families’ acceptance and respect. Doctoral Studies and Teacher Education: A Deepening Consciousness After four years at the Bilingual School, fist as a fourth-grade teacher and later as a Curriculum Specialist, I secured a position as an instructor in the Puerto Rican nent at Brooklyn Coll teacher education program. I was in fact, that I decided that this was to be my lifelong profession. At Brooklyn College, | leamed about the importance of agency and the possibility that it could lead to social change. It was a heady time for et studies, and political education was part of our daily experience. We had protests and take overs every week, and it was during those tha eamed to te and also at the large demonstrations in the Quad. Although the administration i departinent—which was seen as unruly and not quite ready its own affairs—we demanded self determination five-day occupation of the Regis “BC 44." Asa ‘wanted our take cate of department. After a Office, T was arrested as one of the politics of the 1960s and 1970s, “Power concedes nothing never will” (Douglas, 1857). ‘my decision to pursue teacher education as a profession, I applied to and was accepted as a doctoral student atthe School of Education atthe University of Massachusetts, an institution that was also undergoing pro- found changes in curticultm and pedagogy. My doctoral suidies were sformative. Not only did I take courses with professors from the School cof Education who were doing groundbreaking work in mulkiculural 8h education and social justice, but I was also able to take courses outside the ‘School of Education that had a profound effect on me. For example, I took a ‘dass with Sam Bowles and Herb Gintis, jast as their groundbreaking book ica (1976) was being published. In thei clas, Jeamed inequality made it almost impossible for students of jents living in poverty to get a fair shake in education, Thad seen firsthand but that was never spoken about in ‘poli ls. Their research demonstated that without a shadow of a doubt, privilege begets privilege, and conventional myth to the contsary, climbing up the ladder of succes: is no easy matter in an unequal society. Theit research showed, also, that its a father’s income that makes the most diference ‘get a good education and future opportunities. The learned, were largely myths theories of other scholars such as Martin , Joel Spring, Maxine Greene, James Banks, and disabused me of the pie-in-the-sky myzhs about education being the great equalizer, but they also affirmed the significance of culture, Tnngeage, aad ce in encing and lesing. Yeas hte, Glose Anza Latina theoriss I encountered, and it was riveting for ime to sead her words about the power of language and culture. She helped me understand why, as a Spanish speaker in a rigidly English-dominant ind in spite of my many years of education and professional ments, ‘So, if you teally want to hurt entity is ewin skin to lingui language, T cannot epee vn ceeoni ngage pte are note to fing pie or shame bout cat's Leauge, Hepamony goss mach deeper than posomldisyases. op pabse to poston of saberience and fowedeanes, oF deve ried poston of pvlege and power, Doing mY grate Tvs preset ese on com oe seer Yar I ed ca dicover note A! that whatever pedagngy or pre abou ove Hclogy. Inthe words of Free, Mice snes on the eer ae i 985, p43) in nee word, even hoe ‘ude the books and cursi- ch students, our perspectives set up our classroom, the which languages t0 use, or how to teach reading—all these are political decisions. Given my experience as a teacher ar theories were powerful and made a great L was one of the so-call “success stories” that people like to point to, 1 knew that I'was in a tiny minority among my Puerto Rican peers. I was luckier than most, and although I wish that I could say that education made all the difference, I cannot. I had the benefit of parents and others who loved me, opportunities that made a difference, and the good fortune to go to good schools as an adolescent. [ have never given up on education, but have leamed that it has serious limitations In spite of the limits of public schooling, I continue to believe that what teachers do, although partial, is aso significant. I have learned also that literacy is not just about teaching the mechanics of reading or imparting information to students; rather it is always either advocacy for or against the students whom we teach, Agiin, the words of Paulo Freire describe this point powerfally: "We are political militants,” he wrote, “because we are teachers” (Freire, 1998, p. 58) Lessons from Aha! Moments: Preparing Teachers with Critique and Hope I conclude this chapter with a few of the lesions I've leamed from my Aha! ‘Moments. Beyond my personal experience, I recognize that as educators we have to live with the contradictions of our work, while at the same time we need to prepare teachers with both critique and hope. A friend of mine has ‘a sweatshirt that says, "Old age is not for sissies,” and in the same way, I say that teaching is not for sissies. Instead, teaching is for those with courage and a critical mind, and that’s why artigue is important. We also need hope because without it, we can become disenchanted, disillusioned, and bumed out Without both critique and hope, teachers are too offen swallowed up by 3 system that is inequitable and hegemonic, that replicates power and privilege, and that rewards students according to their identities and postal codes. In what follows, I use the words of some of the teachers and students with whom I’ve had the privilege to work to illustrate these lessons. Relationships Are at the Heart of Teaching When I was a Visiting Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand in Jobannesburg, South Affica in 2012, T asked a group of students in an ‘education class to tell me about teachers who had made a difference in their ives. The class was very diverse, and I found it intriguing that students of all ethnic backgrounds had more or less the same mesage: One affer another, they talked about teachers who were patient, understanding, supportive, and who believed in them. Yet they rarely mentioned what the teachers, taught, or even how they taught it, While content and pedagogy are important, these young people reaffirmed what we already know, that is, that relationships must be the bedrock of any learning. When asked about memorable teachers, ople, like the students I asked in South Aftica, will most likely remember the attinndes, dispositions, and behaviors of teachers, who made a difference, rather than the subject matter they taught. That's th students inevitably become socio- ca ‘hey lam about tit studens, they elp them t0 negotiate academic spaces, and they affirm students’ identities while helping then o explore the wodd beyond thee limited sealies 199, Sociocultural mediation is important because literacy about leaming to decode; rather, social practice that cannot be separated en she was a graduate student in my she kept for my class about what .. She challenged the notion that sociocultural mediation being “nice” was enoug! Every child needs to feel welcome, to feel comfortable. School is a foreign land eo most kids (where ese in the wodld would you spend time circling answers and filing inthe blanks), but the moze distant a ctil’s colture and language are fom the culeure and language of the school, the more at rik that child is. A warm ffiendly, helpfal teacher is hice, bur it isn’t enough. We have plenty of warm friendly teacher: ‘who tell the kids nicely to forget their Spanish and ask mommy and daddy to speak co them in English at home; who give them easier tasks to they won't feel badly when the work becomes dificult; who never Team. about what life is like at home or what they eat or what music ke or what stories they have been told or why (Ginley, 2010, p. 114) This isue of who shey are and where they want 19 go is a deeply political question because i acknowledges that literacy and teaching are about athoe sking these questions is what sociocultural mediation is abour, only when teachers became sociocultural mediators that they can forge strong relationships with their students Teach Students to Question and to Be Curious 1portant to teach students the skills and competencies they need ‘world successully, teachers also need to teach students to nnecesary, es, to teach them to not only read ‘but as Paulo Freire suid, to “read the world.” ‘This means teaching, Introduction 11 students to probe, to be cutious, and to question, What does this look like in practice? A good example comes from Ron Mortis, an African American student we interviewed over 20 years ago for a case study. Ron talked about the first class in which he had ever been interested, a class on Black history in eighth grade, Until that time, he had never learned anything about Affican American history in school, surely a terrible indictment of education in a nation with more than 40 million AGican Americans Except for that class, Ron had been known as a troublemaker, a child who was alienated both in and out of school. He had never connected to school, until school connected to him. This.is what he said about that clas {twas basicaly about Black people, but it showed you all people instead of, Just Black people. It showed us Latinos. It showed us Caucasian showed us the Jews and everything how we all played a part (in) society in any country is like today. Pit [in that clas} and just be ike, {as just so relaxed. I just et ike the realest person on earth (Nieto, 1996, p. 270) ‘What will it take until every young person fees like “the realest person on earth”? For one, it will take creating learning opportunities that ae relevant to question everything, including their own assumptions, values, and even. identities. Understand that Teaching Is Advocacy for Socal and Political Change Unless teachers understand that teaching is advocacy for social and political change, inequities will continue to exist. This necesitates asking what T have that at first blush may not seem to bi end, are about ensuring that all students have access to qual education. It means asking questions, such as “Whe the kind of course that is offen a gatekeeper to college access; or “Where is the bilingual (or ESL or special education] program? Is it “What are our children worth?” That is, why is more money spent on educating some children—generlly the most privileged—while the most underserved continue to languish ls that are under-resourced? (see Nieto, 2003 for a more in-depth treatment of this issue). Teaching Students of Diverse Backgrounds: Culturally Responsive and Socially Just Pracices in U.S. Sdhools (Nieto, 2013). Having been teaching for 11. years, Hyung became involved with teachers from the organization Rethinking Schools (RS) almost from the beginning. He said he was amazed when he 12. Introduction them, because he had never before met 2 group of activist teachers. ing that he probably would have given up as a teacher if he hadn't found the group, Hyung said, “I think I feel inspired and really empowered and honored to be in a role where sa the ‘world and expand their horizons and to see the possibilty that 0, 2013, fon very Conclusion to0 full of| a utopian It would be easy to throw up our hands and say that educatior ‘contradictions, reaches what it cannot deliver, that ings may be true. Yet of all these things through she contradictions, altough not esy, iam enental obligation of both teachers and teacher educators. My Alia! Moments have helped me understand not just my own realty, but also the realities and lives of others. This believe that it’s our responsibility as educators, and particularly as teacher educators, teachers in serious introspection and reflection, the kind of refi demands an honest and rigorous undentanding of their own pos sworld, and of what it has to do with the profession they've chosen. they do these things, they will be better prepared to connect in authentic and casing ways with their students, because they will understand that socio~ cultural and sociopolitical understandings of the world are not just personal ‘Aba! Moments, but rather moments of transcendence and transformation, References ‘Height, Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press Bovrdieu, P. (1986). The forms of capital. In J. G. Richardson (Ed), Handbook of theory and researc forthe sclogy ofedwation (pp. 241-258). New York: Greenwood Pres Introduci 13 society and cute, Bours, Ps & Pston J. (977). Repti a London: Sage. PEP Reps “ Bowen Sy Gin con of Diz, B,FoweB, Coun, yA Soo Hoo, © (982, Taher a ica ‘elton Pape jee th anol ABCA stg Sn Pas, CA, Ap Doug, F (1857, 0985, The spience of emanation in he We nd Spesch, Canandaigua, New York, August 1857; colle in pampiet by ator In The Hee Ds Pag, St Oe Spey, Das, nd os Pog 1855-43 20, Ede) W. Dougie ew Hines Choe Unteniy Fees Ato avaible one a wor bcipsan/B57edenk doco Sherer propen Fovcrl, (98), Trt ant power, nC. Gordon (Ed), Poe Seed iment ad tering, 1972-1977 op. 108-139) Bane UR Htoa ren Fee,” 985), Th pe oes. nd hon. South ay, MA: Bergin & Garvey. . Fas.) Tne ah! ue: Lee fot de ech, oe, (2007). Daring 10 dream: Toward « pedagogy ofthe unfinished. Boulder, CO: Ameria: Economie fom the istics and terces: deloies in decoune, tl, PA Being nice is not enough. In S. Nieto (Ed), The light i ther ees 5 Faming communities (Bp. 114). New York: Teachers College Gramsci, A. (2012). Selections fom aulwal writings. Edited by D. Forgas 8 G. Nowell. ‘Smith, Chicago, IL: Haymarket Books Janks, H. (2010). Literacy and power. New York: Routledge. ‘New London Group (1996). A pedagogy of multiiteracie: Designing social farues, (@p. 15-28). New Yor Nieto, S. 2013). Finding joy in teaching stud responsive and socially just pracices in U.S. schol. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, Reyes, M. de la L. Ed) Wonds were all we had: Becoming biltorate agains the aids. New York: Teachers College Pres Redrigues, R. 1989). Higer of mena: The eatin of Rid Rodis, New ‘York: Bantam, Snow, C. E., Bame Unfilled expecta University Pres. ‘Teaching for Change Teaching Tolerance (1 of diverse background: Culturally Goodman, IF, & Hemphill, (1991). nflenes om titra. Cambridge, MA: Harvard 6), Home page. worw-teachingforchange on Home page. www.tolerance.org/ | Questions jour ten? Wha: were thy? ve you tad sy Aha! Manis eosceing your ety BE ot Se) Cone abot and wa you fered fo chem: How igh ‘your insights help you teach yout 2 ‘Sore how mp yo ales Inge dey ent What eps phos ee or me’ paint? pene mater toy nt deny. ee oe he Fetters what can jou dowindaly and ah lege, working to mini th pate pt Activities for Your Classroom 1 Rate han hein your eau agg os” he sor sea sel ow myo ye et nc he ds? De» Snore inp, ote ht arming Tink sou ho crc et pe a sy mente h edevor is TRpie nce wena fay ny with heir chen: erwin aly mnenbe Gents gases, an ete) abou tir iagaton ss of ting ae heady Hecy prot Us yor maga! 2 Giete tanto how people f fen tckrounds hve exon “Coming of gn the Unie Sate and lew, Lote tori y aus oF Sete takai for te pa level youth You a onal he eae Texhngorang, Taooccarg (ee reference abO¥), YO any elo Seachen or amp Community-Based Activities and Advocacy 1g he ator gprs, aching tavoccy for soc and pl hangs ink stout iw yu an Deanne even Your parr comma, wheter he de oom, school, community, town/city, sate, oF national level, Here ate some ex 1 of een home lingiaget nthe poi in your shoo concening the we of : an ae lowes, prohibited, encouraged, or discouraged nae doing so? fo and you bre he poy me piven en eo hone lgige i chos,whst ct You do abou 1? Can ou ros cgi our sien You cap send sch sting in your town of city, Inform yourself about the Arend cho! boat meting a Sno el bate low cn your aden nvled? on that advo 1Fjon ate nor aed) 2 membe, jin «profesional orgenizaton ch fle eins NABER on Ringo Baio). NOTE (asim Counel of Teacen of Bg), INANE (Netonl Asoention Mulch Pdveton, and oes 5 wel 8 Sher sae an loc fie Introduction 18 Supplementary Resources for Further Reflection and Study Gindata, P., & Hopkins, M. (2010). Forbidden language: English lamers and restive language polices. New York: Teachers College Pres ‘This book takes a serious look at the deleterious effects of language policies that native language in school, focusing on three states — California, Arizona, and Massichusetis—that have enacted such policies, 1982). Aiming divemity: The soopoial contest of multialural eduction New York: Longman, ‘The fit edition of this book was selected by the Museum of Education as one of the 100 books to help define the field of education in the twentieth century. Ie wes fone of the fst co explore multicultural education through sociopolitical and socio. cultual contens. Paty Bode became co-author beginning with the fourth editions the seventh edition ‘ forthcoming in 2018 (New York: Pearson), Chapter 1, “Understanding the Sociopolitieal Context of School rides 2 wide-ranging

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