CHAPTER 8- UNDERSTANDING

HISPANIC AMERICAN CHILDREN

AND CULTURES
EDU 280- DIVERSITY CHAPTER PRESENTATION
BY: JOCELYN RUIZ AND REBECCA JONES
 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HISPANIC AND LATINO

• HISPANIC REFERS TO PEOPLE WHO DESCEND FROM SPANISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES.

• LATINO, REFERS TO ALL THE COUNTRIES IN LATIN AMERICA, INCLUDING BRAZIL AND HAITI,
ALSO TIES THESE PEOPLE TOGETHER THROUGH A HISTORY OF COLONIZATION.

• HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=KBDGWB50YBY

• “THOUGH EVERY LATINO IS A HISPANIC, NOT EVERY HISPANIC IS A LATINO. HISPANIC IS THE
MORE INCLUSIVE TERM.”
 STEREOTYPES

• EDUCATORS HAVE THE TENDENCY TO COMPARE HISPANIC STUDENTS TO OTHER STUDENTS OF

DIFFERENT ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS.
• AS A RESULT, HISPANIC STUDENTS MAY BEHAVE ACCORDING TO WHAT THE TEACHER
EXPECTED OF THE STUDENT.
• “MANY EDUCATORS, AND FRANKLY MANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, BELIEVE THAT
POOR KIDS, LATINO KIDS AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN KIDS JUST AREN’T CAPABLE OF LEARNING
AT THE SAME LEVELS OF OTHER KIDS. THIS IDEA THAT IS LOCKED IN PEOPLE’S HEADS, THAT NO
MATTER WHAT SCHOOLS DO, THESE KIDS WILL NEVER ACHIEVE AT REALLY HIGH LEVELS. THAT’S
ABSOLUTELY OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE.”
 GENDER
• MACHISMO- A TERM SIGNIFICANT TO THE HISPANIC
CULTURE MEANING A MALES MANHOOD, THE COURAGE TO
FIGHT, TO THE MANY TRAITS OF HONOR AND DIGNITY.
CLEAR CUT DISTINCTION BETWEEN MALES AND FEMALES.
• MALES RECEIVE RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES DENIED TO
FEMALES. MALES CONSIDERED “KINGS” FROM AN EARLY
AGE.
• GIRLS ARE MORE COOPERATIVE. CAREGIVERS AND ARE LESS
ASSERTIVE. THEY ARE TAUGHT FROM AN EARLY AGE THAT
BOYS ARE DOMINANT IN THE FAMILY.
 FAMILIES
• FAMILIES INCLUDE THE EXTENDED FAMILY, AND PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN EACH MEMBERS LIFE.
• “PLACING THE NEEDS OF THE FAMILY AHEAD OF INDIVIDUAL CONCERNS.”
• LEARN EARLY ON THE IMPORTANCE:
• A DEEP SENSE OF FAMILY RESPONSIBILITY
• RIGID DEFINITION OF SEX ROLES
• RESPECTFUL TREATMENT OF THE ELDERLY
• MALE’S POSITION OF RESPECT AND AUTHORITY IN THE FAMILY.

• COMPADRES- CO-PARENTS
• MADRINAS/ PADRINOS- GODMOTHER AND GODFATHER
 LANGUAGE
• MANY DIALECTS DEPENDS ON WHERE THEY ARE FROM &
TEND TO LIVE IN NEIGHBORHOODS ACCORDING TO THE
REGIONS THEY ARE FROM.
• 71% OF NEVADA POPULATION 5 YRS OLD AND OVER SPEAK
ONLY SPANISH AT HOME.
• ELL ENROLLMENT INCREASE 245% FROM 1992-2001. CCSD
ELL PROGRAM HAS 134 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES FROM 150
VARIOUS COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN.
• 25% OF CCSD STUDENTS WERE IN ELL PROGRAMS IN 2011.
90% OF ELL LEARNERS WERE BORN IN THE U.S.
• “LANGUAGE DIFFICULTIES THAT LEARNERS EXPERIENCE
MAY HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON SELF-ESTEEM AND
THE DEVELOPING IDENTITY.”
• STUDENTS TEND TO GET FRUSTRATED AND ACT OUT
MORE WHEN THEY ARE UNABLE TO GRASP THE
ENGLISH LANGUAGE COMPARED TO OTHER
STUDENTS.
 RELIGION
• MAJORITY OF HISPANIC INDIVIDUALS FOLLOW THE
CATHOLIC FAITH
• THERE HAS BEEN A DISTINCT DECLINE TO ATTACHMENT TO
THE CHURCH
• EVANGELICAL, PROTESTANT, OR HAVE NO RELIGIOUS
AFFILIATION
 SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS

• ACCORDING TO UNLV.EDU RESEARCH- 31%

LATINO/HISPANIC LIVE BELOW THE POVERTY
THRESHOLD, WHILE 27% OF CHILDREN IN IMMIGRANT
FAMILIES LIVE BELOW THRESHOLD.
• HISPANIC CHILDREN ARE MORE LIKELY TO LIVE IN VERY
POOR NEIGHBORHOODS.
• HISPANIC CHILDREN ARE TWICE AS LIKELY TO LIVE IN
POVERTY AND LESS LIKELY TO HAVE HEALTH
INSURANCE.
• AVERAGE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD IS $28,000
COMPARED TO $39,000 POPULATION AS A WHOLE.
• FREE OR REDUCED LUNCHES ARE HIGH IN HIGH
POVERTY SCHOOLS.
 EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES
• 61% OF ELLS MET THE 3RD GRADE MATH ACHIEVEMENT LEVEL IN
2011… 42% IN READING
• 28% OF ELLS MET 8TH GRADE MATH AND 10% MET READING
ACHIEVEMENT IN 2011

• 31% OF ELLS PASSED THE 11TH GRADE MATH AND 72% PASSED
THE READING PROFICIENCY EXAM REQUIRED TO GRADUATE
• GRADUATION RATES AMONG HISPANICS ARE LOW AT 54-60%.
AN AVERAGE OF 33% FAIL TO GRADUATE.
• ONLY 31% OF HISPANIC AMERICANS ARE ENROLLED IN
COLLEGE PREP CLASSES BY THEIR SENIOR YEAR.

• HIGHEST RATE OF TEEN PREGNANCY AT 38%

 REASONS FOR DROPPING OUT

• MANY ATTEND OVERCROWDED, INADEQUATELY STAFFED THAT DON’T MEET THEIR

EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND INSTRUCTIONALLY INFERIOR SCHOOLS.
• MANY LIVE IN THE MOST ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED AREAS.
• THEY EXPERIENCE DEBILITATING BIAS, STEREOTYPING AND PREJUDICE.
• THEY DON’T BELIEVE STAYING IN SCHOOL WILL IMPROVE THEIR LIFE
• ONLY 4% OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS ARE LATINOS
 HISPANIC AMERICANS TODAY

• FASTEST GROWING POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

• LARGEST MINORITY GROUP AMONG CHILDREN UNDER 18
• NEVADA HAS THE 2ND HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF ELL’S AT JUST OVER 16%
• AS OF 2010, 22% OF CLARK COUNTY RESIDENTS WERE FOREIGN BORN
• AS OF 2014, CCSD WAS 45% HISPANIC ENROLLMENT
 HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
• SEPTEMBER 15- OCTOBER 15
• SEPTEMBER 15TH IS THE ANNIVERSARY OF
INDEPENDENCE FROM SPAIN
• NICARAGUA, HONDURAS, COSTA RICA, EL
SALVADOR, AND GUATEMALA,
• MEXICO IS SEPTEMBER 16TH
• PANAMA INDEPENDENCE FROM SPAIN ON
NOVEMBER 3RD BUT ALSO THEY CELEBRATE THEIR
SEPARATION FROM COLOMBIA
SOME TRADITIONAL DRESS
 IMMIGRATION/DEPORTATION WORRIES

• DAPA-DEFERRED ACTION FOR PARENTS OF AMERICANS

• DACA-DEFERRED ACTION FOR PARENTS OF AMERICANS
• 26 STATES PETITIONED AGAINST THE REFORM AND BROUGHT IT TO THE SUPREME COURT.
• 4 MILLION UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS WOULD BE SAFE FROM DEPORTATION AND GAIN
WORK PERMITS.
HTTP://WWW.NBCNEWS.COM/VIDEO/LITTLE-GIRL-WHO-HUGGED-POPE-BEGS-SUPREME-
COURT-TO-PROTECT-IMMIGRANTS-668409923551
 CLOSING QUESTIONS

• THESE ARE JUST SOME THAT I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT, IF YOU HAVE BETTER QUESTIONS YOU
ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO REMOVE MINE AND ADD YOURS.
• HOW CAN WE AS TEACHERS HELP WITH REDUCING THE DROP OUT RATES WITH OUR
STUDENTS?
• HOW CAN WE HELP OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE HAVING PERSONAL ISSUES AT HOME?
 REFERENCES

HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=IKZNBHVPFWC
HTTP://WWW.CENSUS.GOV/QUICKFACTS/TABLE/AGE295214/32003,3240000
HTTP://WWW.UNLV.EDU/SITES/DEFAULT/FILES/24/LINCY-EDUCATIONSECTOR-
ANNENBERGINSTITUTE.PDF
MANNING, BARUTH- MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS, FIFTH
EDITION
THE ANNIE E. CASEY FOUNDATION, KIDS COUNT DATA CENTER,
DATACENTER.KIDSCOUNT.ORG
 REFERENCES
• HTTP://MIC.COM/ARTICLES/111648/9-THINGS-LATINOS-ARE-TIRED-OF-EXPLAINING-TO-
EVERYONE-ELSE#.W2Z00GDNK
• HTTP://HISPANICECONOMICS.COM/OVERVIEWOFUSHISPANICS/HISPANICLATINOLATIN.HTML
• HTTP://WWW.HUFFINGTONPOST.COM/2012/11/28/PANAMAS-INDEPENDENCE-DAY-
_N_2205696.HTML
• HTTP://LEGACY.12NEWS.COM/STORY/OPINION/INSIDE-12/2015/09/15/8-LATIN-
AMERICAN-COUNTRIES-CELEBRATE-INDEPENDENCE-DAY-SEPT/31738849/
• HTTP://WWW.HUFFINGTONPOST.COM/2013/01/14/STEREOTYPES-CHALLENGES-LATINO-
STUDENTS_N_2471862.HTML
• HTTP://WWW.PEWFORUM.ORG/2014/05/07/THE-SHIFTING-RELIGIOUS-IDENTITY-OF-
LATINOS-IN-THE-UNITED-STATES/