Some Vocabulary
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Authentic caring: is the idea that pedagogy is
premised on relationships. All energy is put
toward the student’s needs.
Social capital: idea that social networks have
value. Social contacts affect the productivity of
individuals and groups.
Subtractive assimilation: the process of
acculturation in which the native culture is
rejected and not valued
Educación: The Spanish term for education that
is distinct from the meaning “education.” Refers
to a broader idea of competence in the social
world in which one respects others.
Research Question
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How does the lack of authentic
caring in a school environment
shape attitudes of Mexican-American
youth?
Research Focus
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To produce “a rich, multilayered
account of the relationship between
schooling and achievement.”
Literature Review
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References linguistic studies that show findings
such as having academic competence in the
native language is a precondition for mastering
the second language.
Cites studies focused on race/ethnicity and
educational achievment that say that youth
schooled in Mexico outperform MexicanAmericans schooled in the U.S. and the reasons
behind the difference.
Talks a lot about “dual frame of reference” which
allows students to compare their present situation
with typically less favorable conditions in their
native country.
Research Paradigm
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This a primarily qualitative study that
was precipitated by quantitative data.
Used grounded theory approach.
Fits the Constructivist, ethnographic
paradigm.
Research Methodology
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She immersed herself in the community of
the area of the high school she chose.
She works there from 1992 to 1995.
Chose the high school because it had
been the site of a big walk out a few years
before, because it was in a primarily
Hispanic area, and because it had low
achievement scores
Participants
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High school students at Seguín High
School in the East End area of Houston
Group interviews were conducted among
three categories of students: immigrant
students, U.S.-born students, and
generationally-mixed groups
Most were 9th or 10th graders at the
beginning so that they could be followed
for the time she was there
She also spoke with school personnel,
community members and parents
Data Collection Procedures
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School Data
Participant observation
Informal interviews with teachers,
students, parents, adminstrators,
community members, etc.
School-wide questionnaire
Group interviews
Individual interviews
Data Analysis
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During the day she would take notes
and audio recordings.
Each night she would write up a full
account of the day’s observations or
interviews.
She looked for common themes.
Findings
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Through her data collection processes, she finds
that subtractive schooling measures are in place,
meaning that the curriculum is Euro-centric and
takes away the cultural and linguistic knowledge
that students need to achieve.
Teachers are not forming relationships and
engaging in “authentic caring.”
Her research supports previous research that
Mexican students perform better academically
than their Mexican-American counterparts.
Students that were seemingly disinterested in
school were not opposed to education but rather
the idea of “schooling,” which refers to the way
they were treated and objectified.
Interpretation
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The findings of this study mean that
school systems need to become “additive”
rather than subtractive.
Teaching in the native language does not
automatically make the curriculum
culturally relevant.
Authenic caring is essential for student
achievement, but it can exist outside of an
additive environment or curriculum.
Youth have a hard time caring for a
system that does not “care” for them.
Critique
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We believe that this study is directly
related to both theory and practice.
Argument is strong and supported by
interview excerpts.
We think the findings are very significant.
They support previous research that says
that Mexican-American (U.S. born)
students perform poorly in comparison to
Mexican immigrant students, but her study
goes deeply into the attitudes and the
students’ perceptions about the
educational system and the role of the
teachers.
Merten’s Criteria
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Researcher did have sufficient involvement at the site. 3 years.
Does make effort to share findings and get feedback from teachers and
administrators.
Not sure about member checks, but uses other students to make sure
students were accurately represented.
Negative cases are briefly mentioned but do not change major findings.
Triangulation, yes!
Like the thickest description you’ve ever seen. Very detailed description of
students lives and environment of the school.
We’re not sure about the audits.
Very candid about her position and how she is viewed by people in the
school
We’re not sure if the respondents become more sophisticated about their
experience, but we assume they do.
Definitely established links in the community.
Definitely seeks out those who are silent and marginalized.
Researcher very critically reflexive.
Not sure if researcher makes arrangement to “give back” but we believe
the work to be so significant that it benefits the field of multicultural
education.
Not sure, but probably stimulates action from policy makers,
administrators, or educators that read it.