Resisting & Transforming Policies, Practices & the Riddiculum: Creating a Pedagogy of Hope

Dr. Barbara Flores2013 OABE Annual Conference

McMinnville, OR

HOMENAJE A CESAR CHAVEZ

İSI SE PUEDE!

Just Some Statistics… “Demography is Destiny” Dr. Juan Andrade,

The Almanac of Latino Politics, 2008 80% of Latino population concentrated in 10

states Latinos and African Americans together are

the majority in 48 of the nation’s 100 largest cities

From 1970 to 2006 Latino Growth has been at 387% Rate

By 2050 Latinos will comprise ¼ of the nation’s population at 102 million people

The 2010 Census counted 50.5 million Hispanics in the United States, making up 16.3% of the total population. The nation’s Latino population, which was 35.3 million in 2000, grew 43% over the decade. The Hispanic population also accounted for most of the nation’s growth—56%—from 2000 to 2010.

The Economic Force of Latinos In 2008 Latinos had approximately $980 Billion buying

power in the United States In 2013 Latino buying power is in excess of over $1.5

Trillion Forty-seven percent of the nation´s purchasing power

and 50% of the Hispanic population are concentrated in California and Texas.

Small Businesses Growing at Record Rate CA, TX, FL, NY, IL, NJ, AZ, CO, NM and GA top 10 states

accounting for 81% of all Latino buying power In the Salem metro area, the report pegs the Hispanic

purchasing power at $955 million, or about 11% of the total for the area. That compares to a 5.7% rate overall for Hispanic purchasing power in Oregon in 2011.

Oregon Latino Demographics Ten of Oregon’s 213 school districts

enroll 50 percent of the state’s Latino students. Seven of these school districts are in the Portland metropolitan area, two are located in the mid-Willamette Valley, and one is located in Southern Oregon. These school districts are Salem-Keizer,

Beaverton, Portland, Hillsboro, Woodburn, Reynolds, Forest Grove, Tigard-Tualatin, Gresham-Barlow, and Medford.

By 2020 38% of the Oregon population will be Latino.

Based on current incarceration rates, about one in six Latino males— and one in three Black males— will be imprisoned at some point during their lifetimes.

In 2008, a majority of Latino children in Oregon lived in two-parent households according to estimates by the American Community Survey, U.S. Bureau of the Census.

In 2008 32 percent (44,280) of Latino children live in poor families in Oregon

OREGON COMMISSION ON HISPANIC AFFAIRS Report February 2010

The Economic Force of Latinos In 2008 Latinos had approximately $980 Billion buying

power in the United States In 2012 Latino buying power is in excess of over $1.2

Trillion Forty-seven percent of the nation´s purchasing power

and 50% of the Hispanic population are concentrated in California and Texas.

Small Businesses Growing at Record Rate CA, TX, FL, NY, IL, NJ, AZ, CO, NM and GA top 10 states

accounting for 81% of all Latino buying power In the Salem metro area, the report pegs the Hispanic

purchasing power at $955 million, or about 11% of the total for the area. That compares to a 5.7% rate overall for Hispanic purchasing power in Oregon in 2011.

Transforming Latino Education—

Its Historical Background

Its Deficit Ideology

Its Insidious Politics, Policies, Practices & Programs

Toward A Pedagogy of Hope

What is an IDEOLOGY? Ideologies map the political and social

worlds for us. (Freeden, 2003) Ideologies are used to deliberately

manipulate those under its control. (Mannheim)

Ideological hegemony is used by the dominant class to domesticate and subordinate the masses. (Gramsci)

Ideology is something that happens within us and to us.

Naming, Interrogating & Transforming Deficit Ideology, Policies, Practices

and Programs Impacting Bilingual/EL Children & Students

The Deficit Legacy The Demographic Imperative The Cultural Divide between

Teachers and Students Racist & Class Policies that Deny

Education as a Civil Right Bankrupt & “Backlash” Pedagogy

Naming & Interrogating the Status Quo The Legacy of the Deficit View of Spanish

Speaking Children During 20th Century & Beginning of the 21st Century

Tracking by Ability, Use of Invalid Language Proficiency Tests, and High Stakes Testing

Unequal Access to Curriculum, textbooks, and Quality Teachers

The Dismantling of Public Education through No Child Left Behind

Over 50% Dropout Rate for Latinos Institutionalized Failure of Latino

Children

John F. Kennedy once said,“For the greatest enemy of the

truth is very often not the lie—deliberate, continued and dishonest—but the myth—persistent, pervasive, and unrealistic.” (Yale, 1962)

The Intellectual Presence of the Deficit View of Spanish Speaking Children in Schooling

During the 20th Century by Decade

Decade: 1920’s

Problem: Mental Retardation

Fallacies, “These children areMyths & mentally retardedHabitudes due to their language.”

Decade: 1930’sProblem: Bilingualism Myths, Fallacies & Habitudes “Spanish speaking children do not achieve

in school because they are bilingual.” “Learning English is difficult.” “Bilingualism and its effects upon the

reading aspects of language is a problem.”

Decade: 1940’sProblem: Change the Mexicans

through Education

Myths, Fallacies & Habitudes “The Mexican can be changed through

schooling.” “The bilingual child’s language is a problem;

therefore, it is the only problem that the schools have direct and complete control over.”

“Because the Mexican children have a language problem, they must be segregated.

Decade: 1950’sProblem: Dual Handicap & the

Language Barrier

Myths, Fallacies & Habitudes “The school must compensate for

the Mexican children’s deficiencies by providing a rich and satisfying program.”

“Bilingual children’s reading problems arise generally from their home situations.”

Decade: 1960’sProblem: Cultural & Linguistic

DeprivationMyths, Fallacies & Habitudes

“Home and Language are the primary causes of school failure.”

“The school must remedy the deprivation of the Mexican Americans.”

“Before the child with a language handicap can begin to read successfully, he must command a meaningful English vocabulary.”

Decade: 1970’sProblem: Equal Educational Opportunity

for the Culturally & Linguistically “Different” Child

Myths, Fallacies & Habitudes The “Limited English” (LEP) child must be

helped. English language achievement is the only

yardstick for educational success. Bilingual children must not mix their

languages. If they do, it means that they know neither well. They are said to be “alingual,” “nonlingual,” or “semilingual.”

Decade: 1980’sProblem: Semilingualism

Myths, Fallacies & Habitudes “If children don’t learn certain concepts in

their native language, they will be cognitively deficient when learning those concepts in a second language.”

“Semilingualism is determined by a score on a standardized test.”

Decade: 1990’sProblem: These Children are At Risk

Myths, Fallacies & Habitudes “These students come from dysfunctional

homes and need additional help.” “These children need to be reached early

so that they don’t fail.” “These children’s parents don’t care, can’t

read or write, and neglect their children.”

Decade: 2000-2012Problem: Lack of English

Myths, Fallacies & Habitudes “The inability to learn English prevents

‘these’ children from succeeding.” “English Language Learners have

difficulty learning English as evidenced on standardized test scores.”

“These children continue to fail in school because they have been in bilingual education and speak Spanish.”

Examining the Institutionalized Policies and Practices of Failure

Teacher perceptions and low expectations by class, race, ethnicity, and language

Tracking by ability, test scores, and proficiency levels

Labeling our children, e.g. LEPs, ELLs, CELDT I, II, III, IV, Far Below Basic, Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, and Advanced

The Insidiousness of High Stakes Testing, Exit Exams, Use of Invalid Language Proficiency Exams

Mandated, Scripted & Bankrupt Riddiculum, Reading First Remnants---“Banking Education”

Unexamined Domestication of Colonized Minds

No Child Left Behind DebacleCommon Core Promise or Peril

False promises, Under Funding Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing-Reading First Legislating the Dismantling of Public

Education Corporate Hijacking of precious Educational

Funds (Testing & Textbooks) Legislated Corruption, Lies & Fraud with

Impunity, e.g. Reading First Debacle Institutionalized Abuse of Children & the

Demise of Public Education Mandated Scripted Curriculum

(Riddiculum), “Teacher Proof” Textbooks, and Empty Assessments (Fluency, Dibels)

Mandated, Scripted & Bankrupt Riddiculum--- “Banking Education”

Decodable Books/Reading First REACH LANGUAGE! READ 180 High Point One Size Fits All Riddiculum Scripted Language Arts Textbooks, e.g.

Pearson’s Reading Streets, Houghton Mifflin, Open Court

Pacing Guides Reading Excerpts of Books INSTEAD of Real

Books!!!!!

Nonesensebegetsconfusion Mom has a pot Mom has a hot

pot Mom has a spot Dad has a mop Dad mops the

spot

Open Court Decodable books, Level B, Set 1

What does she do with it?

Why would she have one?How did she get it?What is my Dad doing with a

mop?How can he mop a spot that

my Mom has?

Doesn’t make any sense???

Example of Decodable Text As Bankrupt Riddiculum

Characteristics of Decodable Text

“Decodable text is composed of words that use the sound-spelling correspond-ences that children have learned to that point…” (Grossen, 1997)

The /ă/ sound [cat and sat] “…decodable

text’ has two key features that distinguish it from other types of reading text: a) it is composed of words that are considered phonetically regular

The /ă/ sound [cat and sat]

…and b) those words are constructed from phonic elements that have been previously taught.”

(Allington, 2002, p. 200)

REACH Example

We fill pots with clams.We fit lids on the pots.We can get the pots hot.That is how we fix a clam dish.

Invalid Use of Tests Dibels Aims Web Fluency Nonesense Words Word Accuracy Focus on Decoding Only Phonemic Awareness in Isolation High Stakes Tests/ CCSS/ PARC/SMARTER BALANCE

Legislated Corruption-- Lies & Fraud with ImpunityReading First Debacle & the Fallacy of Decodable Books

& Dibels/EDL

Decodable Texts are not supported by ANY Research CLAIM: “…Research strongly asserts

that children benefit greatly from direct, systematic decoding instruction and that instruction should follow with practice in decodable stories” [Texas Reading Initiative, p. 8…citing Adams, 1990; Anderson el al., 1985; Beck & Juel, 1992; Juel, 1994, and others]

Teachers in K-3 Use “Reading Programs & Materials”

that are “Research” Based The OIG also found that several people

integral to Reading First’s development of violating federal law by subverting state decision-making when states approved local reading programs deemed out of favor with the department.

“Based on its research findings, the NRP did not recommend any commercial reading program—NONE.” (Garan, 2004, p.89)

Research Cited Does Not Support Recommendations

“No research studies were identified that systematically manipulated the proportion of words in texts considered “decodable” to assess the efficacy of texts compromised of ‘some,’ ‘many,’ ‘mostly’ or ‘exclusively’ words that could be pronounced based on the lessons previously taught.” (pp. 200-201) (Richard Allington, Editor, Big Brother & the National Reading Curriculum: How Ideology Trumped Evidence, 2002)

Research Analysis and Findings on the Use of Decodable Texts in the

Teaching of Beginning Reading

“We have carefully traced the research citations noted in advocacy and policy documents [e.g, Texas and California State Departments of Education] to their original research sources and we’re unable to locate any ‘reliable, replicable research’ concerning the use of ‘decodable text’ upon which these policy decisions are based on.” (Allington, 2002, p. 212)

Conflicts of Interests The Office of the Inspector General is

investigating the “conflicts of interests” associated with Reading First Grants whereby states have been told to adhere to certain products e.g. Dibels, or they would not be awarded federal monies.

Update: OIG found gross misdeeds, conflicts of interests, and violations of federal policies.

HOWEVER The OIG September 22, 2006 Report “An inspection of the U.S. Department

of Education’s oversight of the grant-application process for RF finds that officials may have stacked panels of grant reviewers with advocates of a specific teaching method and that federal officials may have overstepped their authority in advising states on the types of materials and assessments they could use as part of the $1 billion-a-year initiative.”

Report #5on February 22, 2007

“The OIG found that the U.S. Department of Education failed to restrict federal employees’ and representatives’ direction or influence over curriculum and assessment decisions as prohibited by law.” (Education Week)

Education Week 2/23/07By Kathleen Kennedy Manzo

RMC Corporation oversaw the National Reading First Technical Assistance Center and its regional centers at Florida State University, the University of Oregon, and the U of T, Austin.

“The Education Department did not put in safeguards against the contractor’s potential bias or conflicts of interests, the inspector general found. Some of the experts employed by RMC…were connected to specific programs and assessments, and may have served as advisors or reviewers for states that included those products in their applications.”

Sin Verguenza Secretary Spellings dismissed the wrong

doing as “mistakes.” No one has been charged with criminal

action like fraud, corruption or conflicts of interest.

Lies, Fraud and Corruption with Impunity appear to just be an everyday happen stance

Congress never took punitive action.

READING FOR PROFIT In 1995 the National Business Round Table issued

its Education Initiative where they made a 10 year commitment to “reform the entire system of public education.”

“The Corporate Coup” of Public Education by the High Jacking of the People’s Federal $$$

thru draconian legislation that increases profit margins for Textbook and Testing Corporations such as McGraw-Hill is obscene.

The Arrogance of Power Breeds Corruption Sanctions Lying Uses Bullying Rules by F.E.A.R.

(FlaseEvidenceAppearingReal) Manipulates the Rules Violates the Law Bankrupts Morality & Ethics

After Interrogating these Insidious Policies, Practices & Programs…

Then What? Replace Deficit Ideologies with the Truth-- “La

mentira dura hasta que la verdad llega.” Boycott and/or Replace High Stakes Testing Advocate for Authentic/Multiple Assessments Demand Respect by Claiming It with Our

Collective Voices and Actions Reclaim Our Democratic and Civil Rights thru

Our Collective Actions to use our Public $$ for our Children’s High Quality Education and Make Educational Equity a FACT of Everyday Schooling

Go to the Streets, Descend on the Legislatures & Congress in MASS! As in Wisconsin

HOW WILL WE TRANFORM & CREATE OUR WORLD?

By Restoring Public Education As a Human & Civil Right in our Democracy

By Teaching for Equity, Social Justice & Civic Rights

By Transforming Deficit Ideology & Resisting the Riddiculum & Migas

By Valuing All Children By Teaching to the Potential By Taking Back Public Education & Our Power

to Allocate Our $$$$ By Embracing the Demographic Imperative

and the Shift in Power

Instead of Giving Power to… The Devaluing of Teachers’ and Administrators’ Social and

Cultural Capital, Let’s Use It to Inform Our Teaching and Leadership;

The Dismantling of Public Education thru NCLB, Let’s Dismantle and Replace the Debilitating Policies;

Divisiveness; Let’s Close the Cultural and Linguistic Divide with United Voices & Actions;

“Blaming the Victim,” Let’s Take Responsibility for Unmasking Racism, Classism, and Our Own Domestication of our Colonized Minds

Waiting & Seeing, Let’s Collectively Engage in the People’s Power to Act and Transform

Watching Our Kids “Fail,” Let’s Boycott NCLB, High Stakes Testing, Mandated Riddiculum, the “short fall of state Budgets,” and the RIFing of Teachers & Administrators!

Replace Debilitating Policies & Practices Instead of Organizing Teaching/Learning to the

perceived developmental levels, TEACH to the Potential

Instead of the Riddiculum, Provide Access to Rich Curriculum, Materials & Resources

Instead of Discrepant Quality of Teachers, Hire Teachers Who Really CARE & Are DEDICATED Professionals

Instead of Managers, Become Sustained & Pedagogically Sound Curricular Leaders

Instead of a Lack of Huevos, Stand up for Our Rights and Our Children’s Rights

THE PEDAGOGY OF HOPE Walking the 4 Paths of the Warrior, the

Healer, the Teacher and the Visionary; Engaging the “daughters of HOPE”—

CORAJE Y VALENTIA; Leading with the HEART; Planting the seeds of HOPE To Reinvent

Our World for Social Justice, Humanity and Civil Rights through a Public Education

Walking the Four Paths of the Warrior, the Healer, the Teacher, & the

Visionary Angeles ArrienThe Path of the Warrior

“Showing Up and Choosing to be Present” is a principle that guides the warrior inside all of us. (Angeles Arrien, 1993)

According to indigenous societies the developed warrior shows honor and respect for all things including ourselves.

Also, the warrior communicates effectively, sets limits and boundaries, is responsible and disciplined, and demonstrates right use of power.

Walking the Path of the Warrior A true Warrior/Leader is someone

who knows how to extend honor and respect; set limits and boundaries; aligns words with actions; and extend responsibility into structure and function in an empowering way.

Courage is present in Everyone‘s Heart, Mind, Spirit, Will & Body.

The Right Use of Power The Native Peoples of the Americas

believe that everyone has the “power” to empower the self & others.

When we use our power, no one can tell us what can’t be done.

When we believe in ourselves, we are less likely to accept other’s negative perceptions and ideologies of who we really are and can be.

“Dare to Dream the Impossible.” The Need to Dream the Impossible Dream

from Alice in Wonderland: “I can’t believe that,” said Alice. “Can’t

you?” the queen said in a pitying tone. “Try again, draw a long breath, and shut your eyes.”

Alice laughed. “There’s no use trying, she said. “One can’t believe impossible things.”

The Imagination is more powerful than just having knowledge.”— Einstein.

“I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the queen. “When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

The 3 Universal Powers The Power of Presence—choosing to be

present, showing up.

The Power of Communication—courage to speak up with integrity by meaning what you say.

The Power of Position —the willingness to take a stand about beliefs, self, events, situations, feelings.

The Principle of Reciprocity “Es mejor dar que

recibir.”Walking the Path of the Healer

Healing involves the principle of reciprocity, the ability to equally “give and receive” and the ability to connect

In order to maintain health and well being, we need to maintain the balance between giving and receiving. We need to do both.

Giving is a gift; Receiving is a Treasure to Appreciate.

The Heart is Very Important

Many native cultures believe that the heart is the bridge between Father Sky and Mother Earth.

Daily Heart check includes the following: “Am I full-hearted, open-hearted, clear-hearted, and strong-hearted?”

Strong-hearted means to have courage. The French word for “courage” is “coeur.” It means the ability to stand by one’s heart.

The PATH of the TEACHER

The way of the TEACHER is through education whether through an established school system or an apprenticeship, teaching/learning is universal.

The principle that guides the teacher is to be open to outcome, not attached to outcome.

Teaching is a calling, a joy, a love.

“The wisest mind has something yet to learn.”—George Santayana

The Teacher has wisdom, teaches trust, and understands the need for detachment.

Wisdom is at work when we are open to all options.

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The GREAT teacher inspires.”--Wm Arthur Ward

The PATH of the VISIONARY When we follow the path of the Visionary,

we are able to make the truth visible. The principle that GUIDES the Visionary

is “telling the truth without blame or judgment.”

Taking Responsibility for Our Actions is the path away from blaming Others

Creative Purpose & Life Dream

Many Native Peoples hold the belief that each individual is original medicine, nowhere duplicated on the planet.

Therefore, it is important to bring one’s creative spirit, life dream, or purpose to earth.

May our collective Life Dream be Using the Four Paths to design, work, and succeed in the educational success of our Latino Kids.

“My life is my message.” Gandhi

As We Walk the 4 Paths: Let’s Remember These Truths

Many traditional indigenous cultures believe that the Warrior’s way is to know the right use of power with valentía;

The Healer’s way is to extend love; The Visionary’s way is to express creativity

and vision; and The Teacher’s way is to model wisdom and

act. May We All Walk the Paths of the Warrior,

the Healer, the Visionary, and the Teacher.

Taking Back Our Power

How do we expose lies? With the Truth-La Mentira Dura Hasta Que La Verdad Llega.

How do we reclaim our professionalism? With Dignity, Courage, Integrity, Honesty, and Self

Respect How do we revamp NCLB? By taking action at

the local, state, and federal levels How do we resist? Everyday in Defense of Our

Children’s Welfare & Our Sanity

The Courage to Act in the Face of Adversity, in the Face of Corruption, in the Face of

Deception, in the Eyes of Our Kids

We must expose the corruption, fraud, and the lies behind NCLB;

We must resist and transform the Riddiculum behind Closed Doors while Challenging the mistruths about “scientifically based” dictums and mandates;

We must litigate, change policies and practices that organize failure not success;

And In the Hearts of our Children’s Future, and our

Children’s Children We must take the lead in changing this mess,

one by one, geometrically it becomes a million times a million;

We must find and use our collective voice/s at school board meetings, at our local schools, at the legislature, in our communities, in our homes;

We must not lose sight of one of our collective life’s mission-the quality education of our children;

Parents, Teachers’ & Administrators Voices, Beliefs, and Convictions

of Civil Rights “No child’s learning should be handicapped by

the fear and humiliation of learning a second language in a hostile environment.”

“The ignorance and false beliefs about Latino children must be replaced by the truth. The truth that Latino children can learn and be successful in whatever they do. Teachers & Administrators are the ones who will make the change and break these habitudes and myths so we can ensure Educational Equity for ALL.”

Si tu no lo haces, entonces quien?

We must invest in our children’s educational futures by organizing, dedicating the time and energy to do right by our children; to stand up and deliver with ganas, coraje, y sabiduría.

We must join business people, attorneys, researchers, civil rights advocates, community based organizations, other ethnic coalitions, government officials, firefighters, police, nurses, other professionals, labor unions, parents, actors, journalists in a concerted effort to truly EDUCATE our CHILDREN.

SÍ SE PUEDE “Cuando vives en la frontera

people walk thru you, the wind steals your voice…

Living in the borderlands means youfight hard to resist…In the borderlands you are the battleground…

To survive the borderlandsYou must live sin frontreras Be a Crossroads.”

Gloria Anzaldúa, 1987Borderlands/Las Fronteras

SÍ SE PUEDE Si no luchamos para nuestros niños y

nuestros derechos, entonces ¿Quién lo hará?

Si nos dejamos, nos van a fregar más. Nosotros tenemos el poder, solamente

necesitamos buscar la valentía que está en nuestros corazones y actuar con la integridad.

Muchisimas Gracias, OABE