Mixsy TrinidadEHS 220--Building a Sustainable Community:

Education and Social WorkDr. Hannah FurrowOctober 15, 2009

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York

Puerto Rican background

Attended NYC public schools, was the first in her family to graduate from high school

Acquired Spanish at home, learned English in school

St. John’s University: B.S. Elementary Ed. (1965)

New York University: M.A. Spanish and Hispanic Literature (1966)

University of Massachusetts: Doctoral Degree in Curriculum Studies, Multicultural and Bilingual Education (1979)

http://www.people.umass.edu

Multicultural and Bilingual Education

Curriculum Reform

Teacher Education

Puerto Rican children’s literature

Education of Latinos, immigrants and other culturally and linguistically diverse student populations

Affirming Diversity: The Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural Education (1992)

The Light in their Eyes: Creating Multicultural Learning Communities (1999)

What Keeps Teachers Going? (2003)

Why We Teach (2005)

Human and Civil Rights Award – Massachusetts Teacher Association -1989

Teacher of the Year Award – Hispanic Educators Association of Massachusetts - 1996

Educator of the Year Award – National Association for Multicultural Education - 1997

Outstanding Educator – National Council of Teachers of English - 2005

Enrique T. Trueba Lifetime Achievement Award for Scholarship, Mentorship and Service - 2006

Could not identify with any of the characters she read about in the books she read as a young child

Her teachers asked her mother to only speak English to her at home

When she thought about becoming a lawyer, “A Puerto Rican girl thinking about being a Puerto Rican lawyer…Ridiculous” (Franquiz 2005, p.166)

From a very young age, Sonia recognized that there was something different, something missing, and some things that needed changing

She was able to be successful in school but only because she was allowed to hold on to her cultural roots

She knew from a young age that she wanted to be a teacher and that in order for students to be successful they had to be true to themselves

Sonia Nieto is a strong advocate of multicultural literacy for all teachers and students. (Franquiz 2005)

“It was at P.S. 25, for example, that I learned that one could be academically successful and bilingual, and that being bicultural was an asset rather than a deficiency.” (http://www.eslminiconf.net)

Has not really collaborated with any one person on this topic

Has used teachers and students in her books to illustrate improvement/biases in the education of non-native speakers of English

Her best inspiration has been her interaction with students and teachers in the field

Establishment of positive learning communities (Osborne, 2000)

Learning is influenced by cultural differences and the context in which it occurs (Osborne, 2000)

Heritage Language and Cultural Norms are integral to language and curriculum (Franquiz, 2005)

They are aware when the materials that are used are “too low”

They like being challenged

They want to be taught as if the curriculum were “in an all-White school” ( Nieto, 1994, p. 414) – expectations would be high for everybody

Avoid the “chalk and talk” method, where text books are the dominant teaching material (Nieto, 1994)

Lack of imagination, leads to boring classes (Nieto, 1994)

Enjoy working in groups, provides for collaborative effort, generate ideas and active participation (Nieto, 1994)

Do not just add ethnic tidbits to the curriculum (Franquiz, 2005)

A high quality education does not come from a curriculum with just one perspective (Franquiz, 2005)

Resist stereotypes so that it does not become “holidays and heroes for fun, food, and festivals” (Kitagawa, 2000, p.160).

Be conscious of stereotypes as they are discussed (Kitagawa, 2000)

Do not be afraid to discuss differences, if they are avoided stereotypes will be formed anyway (Kitagawa, 2000)

Must truly believe that these students are capable of high levels of achievement

Teachers need the opportunity to look deeply into themselves and their biases and values because they bring these to the student they teach (Frangquiz, 2005)

Help students think beyond official curriculum, about values, attitudes and beliefs that exist about and between one another (Franquiz, 2005)

Affirming diversity is a key to children’s learning (Kitagawa, 2000)

“We need to think of differences as adding to everyone’s education. It is really crucial to think about diversity as a benefit.” (Kitagawa, 2000 p. 158)

Really know your students, who they are and where they come from

Nieto (1994) says, “Students are able to reclaim the voice they need to continue their education successfully” (p. 417)

Students are free to be who they are, no longer are afraid of being different

Maintaining culture and language has a positive impact on academic success (Nieto, 1994)

All students, regardless of background, are able to learn from each other

They become educated people from learning that differences are good and are to be tolerated

Opens up new horizons for all involved

Enhances their relationship with their students

The need to create powerful learning environments for their students

Their own continued professional development will be an inspiration to their students

Students are aware that their teachers really do care to truly know them

Franquiz, M. (2005). Education as political work: An interview with Sonia Nieto. Language Arts, 83(2) 166-171.

Kitagawa, M. (2000). The light in her eyes: An interview with Sonia Nieto.Language Arts, 78(2) 158-163.

Nieto, S. (2006). Why we teach: How teachers broaden the vision of what

counts. School Talk, 11(3) 1-3.

Nieto, S. (1994). Lessons from students on creating a chance to dream.

Harvard Educational Review , 64(4) 392-426. Osborne, B. (2000). The light in their eyes. Anthropology and Education

Quarterly, 31(4) 207.