Course Syllabus
College of Education
Winona State University
Department: Education
Course Number: Ed 299
Date of Revision: February 2007
Course Title: Latino and Latin American
Perspectives
Frequency of Offering: Yearly
Grading: Grade
Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: none
Course applies to: All Majors
Professor: Dr. Stace Rierson
Email: SRierson@winona.edu
Office: Gildemester 140
Phone: 507-457-5654
Texts:
 M. M. Suárez-Orozco & M. M. Páez (Eds.), Latinos: Remaking America. Los
Angeles: University of California Press.
 Course Reading Packet available at the WSU Bookstore
Course Description
1. Catalog Description
This course investigates Latin American and Latino perspectives in the United States and
creates intercultural exchanges between WSU students and Latino K-12 students. Material
will be addressed through lenses of different careers such as Business, Criminology,
Education, Global Studies, Nursing, Social Work, and Spanish. In addition, this course will
address the theories and applications of Community-Based Learning as they relate to the
growing Latino culture in the United States. This course meets the requirements of Unity and
Diversity/Contemporary citizenship.
2. Statement of major focus and objectives of the course
Through course readings, guest speakers, class discussions, and students’ reflection, students
will gain increased competence regarding Latino cultures across several career fields. In
addition, the College of Education in partnership with Big Brothers/Big Sisters (BBBS), will
establish intercultural exchanges between WSU students and Latino K-12 students in Winona
County. Each WSU student will mentor a K-12 Latino student 1 hour per week at a mutually
agreed upon time. The K-12 students will expand the college students’ understanding of
Latino students’ cultures. Through course readings, guest speakers, class discussions, and
students’ personal reflections on their own experience with community-based learning,
students will gain increased cultural competence, appreciation for diversity, and experience
with bilingual speaking ability. The combination of theory and practice unite in this content
and community-based class.
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3. Course outline of the major topics
Major topics to be covered include Latino cultures, Latino identities, Critical Race Theory,
Latino Critical Theory, Community-Based Learning, and perspectives from fields including
but not limited to Business, Criminology, Education, Global Studies, Nursing, Social Work,
and Spanish.
4. Basic instructional plan and teaching methods utilized
A variety of instructional methods will be used including:
a. class discussion of reading assignments
b. guest speakers
c. media presentations
d. lecture/questioning
e. collaborative learning activities
f. mentoring experiences through BBBS
5. Course Requirements
a. active oral participation in classroom discussions
b. assigned readings
c. written personal reflections
d. final “Synthesis and Catalyst” Paper that addresses or responds to a current need in the
student’s major field.
6. Academic dishonesty policy: Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and disciplinary
measures will be enforced according to school policy. The first offense will result in an F on
the project in question, and a subsequent infraction will result in a failing grade for the course
(or worse).
7. Grading
The final grade will be comprised of the following elements:
Attendance, class preparation and participation
Written reflections of experience with community-based service (Minimum 1 page or
280 words per week)
Midterm Assessment at Week 7
Oral Presentation of Final Project
Written Presentation of Final Project
Grade Scale:
A 100-93%
B 92-83%
C 82-73%
D 72-63%
F 62-0%
Note to students with Disabilities: If you have special needs related to a disability which
may affect your performance in this course, please arrange an appointment as soon as
possible to discuss your needs privately.
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COURSE STANDARDS AND POLICES
1. Class preparation:
Students are expected to have read and be ready to discuss the assigned readings for each
class meeting.
2. Attendance, active participation, and homework:
Attendance is expected and required. Participation will be graded. Homework will consist of
brief note-taking assignments on the readings, online (D2L) submissions of reactions to the
readings, and reviews of and reactions to peers’ work.
3. Late work:
All assignments will be reduced one grade for every day late.
4. Written reflections
Students will share written reflections of their community-based service (Minimum 1 page or
280 words per week) with the course professor periodically throughout the semester.
Students will be encouraged to orally discuss their experiences with peers during class
sessions every 3 weeks.
5. Midterm
A written midterm at the end of week 7 will assess students’ cognitive progress regarding
community based learning and Latino theoretical methodologies.
6. Final Project:
(10 page minimum “Synthesis and Catalyst” Paper) Students will synthesize their mentoring
experiences and course readings into a relevant project for their declared major, These final
projects will be determined by each student and the course professor. For example, students
in criminology may investigate racial bias in court rulings and how Latino criminals are
treated differently than criminals from other ethnicities. Nursing students may investigate a
community based health need, and develop a plan of action. Education students may develop
culturally relevant lesson plans for their future students.
7. Oral presentations:
Students will make a brief (5 minute) oral presentation as part of the final exam assessment.
They will present to the class what they synthezied from their experiences, and what they
have generated to highlight awareness or create social change in area Latino communities.
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Course Calendar Fall 2007
* Discretionary changes may be made to the syllabus by the professor when deemed
appropriate.
Week 1 (Week of August 27)
1. Course introduction and expectations for Mentoring
2. Introduction to the Latino Community
Discussed Reading:
Suarez: p. 1-37 Introduction
3. Introduction to Community Based Learning
Guest Speaker: Tammy Swenson-Lepper from Communication Arts to talk on
Community based practice
Discussed Reading:
Campus Compact Essential Resources (2004)
Week 2 (Week of September 3)
1. Mentoring in Winona County
Guest Speaker Jamie Groth, Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters Winona
Discussed Reading:
Pope, M. L. (2002). Community college mentoring: Minority student perception.
Community College Review, 30(3), 31-45.
2. An introduction to Critical Race Theory and Latino Critical Theory: How these theories
relate to your mentoring experiences
Discussed Reading:
Baber, C. R. (2003). From liberal teacher to liberated teacher: A reflection on my journey
through the profession. In G. Ladson-Billings (Ed.), Critical race theory: Perspectives on
social studies (pp. 45-68). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.
3. An introduction to Critical Race Theory and Latino Critical Theory: How these theories
relate to your mentoring experiences
Discussed Reading:
Crenshaw, K., Gotanda, N., Peller, G., & Thomas, K. (Eds.). (1995). Critical race theory:
The key writings that formed the movement. New York: New Press.
Week 3 (Week of September 10)
1. Social Services and the Latino population
Guest Speaker Arlen Carey from Social Work Dept.
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2. Review major topics from previous weeks’ content and guest speakers
3. Open Discussion of weeks 1-3 Mentoring Experiences with Written Reflections
Week 4 (Week of September 17)
1. Racial Topics in the United States
Guest Speaker Linda D’Amico from Global Studies Dept.
Discussed Reading:
Darder, A. (Ed.). (1995). Culture and difference: Critical perspectives. Westport, CT:
Bergin and Garvey.
2. Racial Topics in the United States
Discussed Reading:
Delgado, R. (1998). The Black/White binary: How does it work? In R. Delgado & J.
Stefancic (Eds.), The Latino/a condition: A critical reader (pp. 369-375). New York:
New York University Press.
3. Racial Topics in the United States
Guest Speaker Peter Henderson from History Dept.
Discussed Reading:
Bodnar, J. (1994). Remaking America: Public memory, commemoration, and patriotismin
the twentieth century. Princeton: University Press.
Week 5 (Week of September 24)
1. Racial Topics in the United States
Guest Speaker from Criminology Dept (TBD)
Discussed Reading:
Crenshaw, K. (1993). Beyond racism and misogyny: Black feminism and 2 Live Crew. In
M. Matsuda, C. Lawrence, & R. Delgado (Eds.), Words that wound: Critical race theory,
assaulting speech, and the First Amendment (pp. 111-132). Boulder: Westview Press.
Delgado, R. (Ed.). (1995a). Critical race theory: The cutting edge. Philadelphia: Temple
University Press.
Farber, D. A., & Sherry, S. (1995). Telling stories out of school: an essay on legal
narratives. In R. Delgado (Ed.), Critical race theory: The cutting edge (pp. 283-292).
Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
2. Responses to new immgrants in the US
Guest Speaker from Centro Campesino in Owatonna: Discussed Reading:
Discussed Reading:
Suarez, pp. 165-189 Ambivalent Reception: Mass public responses to the “New Latino
Immigrantion to the United States
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3. Open Discussion of weeks 4-5 Mentoring Experiences with Written Reflections
Week 6 (Week of October 1)
1. Discuss Student Presentation assignment and peer review process
2. Gender, Race, and Community based learning
Discussed Reading:
Suarez, pp. 110-125
3. Community Based Learning: The impact of mentoring on the retention of students in K-12
schools
Discussed Reading:
Freire, P. (Ed.) (1997). Mentoring the mentor: A critical dialogue with Paulo Freire.
New York: Peter Lang.
Week 7 (Week of October 8)
1. Latino Literature
Guest Speaker Vanessa Greene from Spanish dept
Discussed Reading: Candelaria, C. (1986). Chicano poetry: A critical introduction.
Westport: Greenwood Press.
2. Latino Literature
Discussed Reading:
Anzaldúa, G. (1987/1999). Borderlands/La Frontera. San Francisco: Aunt Lute Books.
3. Midterm assessment: reflection on personal goals
Week 8 (Week of October 15)
1. Latino Empowerment in Minnesota
Guest Speaker from Latinos Unidos in St. Charles
Discussed Reading:
Burris, V., & Diamond, S. (1992). Academic freedom, conspicuous benevolence, and the
National Association of Scholars. Critical Sociology, 3, 125-42.
2. Community Based Learning
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Discussed Reading:
The impact of mentoring on culturally and linguistically diverse students
Discussed Reading: Suarez pp. 306-320 Bilingual Infants: Mapping the research agenda
3. Open Discussion of weeks 6-8 Mentoring Experiences with Written Reflections
Week 9 (Week of October 22)
1. Latinos and Access to Healthcare in the US: How does this affect our students?
Guest Speaker from Nursing Dept (TBD)
Discussed Reading:
Bloomberg, L., Ganey, A., Alba, V., Quintero, G., & Alvarez Alcantara, L. (2003,
May/June, Supplement 1). Chicano-Latino youth leadership institute: An asset-based
program for youth. American Journal of Health Behavior, 27, s45-s54.
2. Latinos and Access to Healthcare in the US: How does this affect our students?
Discussed Reading:
Hayes-Bautista, D. (2002). The Latino Health research agenda for the 21st Century
Introduction: The research agenda. In M. M. Suárez-Orozco & M. M. Páez (Eds.),
Latinos: Remaking America (pp. 215-235). Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of
California Press.
Brown, E. R., & Yu, H. (2002). Latino’s access to employment based health insurance. In
M. M. Suárez-Orozco & M. M. Páez (Eds.), Latinos: Remaking America (pp. 236-253).
Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press.
3. Film: Race, the power of an illusion (Part I)
Week 10 (Week of October 29)
1. Film: Race, the power of an illusion (Part II)
2. In class discussion of video, Race the Power of an Illusion; complete written reflection
3. Open Discussion of weeks 9-10 Mentoring Experiences with Written Reflections
Week 11 (Week of November 5)
1. Preparing Latino students for their futures: Latino students’ needs
Discussed Reading:
Darder, A., & Upshur, C. C. (1993). What do Latino children need to succeed in school?
Prado-Olmos, P. L., & Marquez, P. (2001). Ethnographic studies of Exito Para Todos. In
R. E. Slavin & M. Calderón (Eds.), Effective programs for Latino students (pp. 231-250).
Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
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2. Preparing Latino students for their futures: The impact of mentoring on successful K-16
graduation rates
Discussed Reading:
Excerpts from Bartolomé, L. I., & Balderrama, M. V. (2001). The need for educators
with political and ideological clarity: Providing our children with “the best.” In M. de la
Luz Reyes, & J. J. Halcón (Eds.), The best for our children: Critical perspectives on
literacy for Latino students (pp. 48-66). New York: Teachers College Press.
2. Preparing Latino students for their futures: The impact of mentoring on drug use and
violence.
Discussed Reading:
Levin, M. (1998). Teach me! Kids will learn when oppression is the lesson. New York:
Monthly Review Press.
Week 12 (Week of November 12)
1. Latino Empowerment: Guest Speaker Fatima Said from Project FINE
Discussed Reading:
Excerpts from Darder, A, Torres, R. D., & Gutierrez, H. (Eds.). (1997). Latinos and
education: A critical reader. New York: Routledge.
3. Latino Empowerment: Guest Speaker from Latinos Unidos
Discussed Reading:
Suarez, pp. 75-96 Power and Identity: Miami Cubans
4. Open Discussion of weeks 11-12 Mentoring Experiences with Written Reflections
Week 13 (Week of November 19) (Thanksgiving week)
1. Latino students: what generates success?
Discussed Reading:
A study of four Boston Public Schools. In R. Rivera & S. Nieto (Eds.), The education of
Latino students in Massachusetts: Issues, research, and policy implications (pp. 127146). Boston: University of Massachusetts Press.
Week 14 (Week of November 26)
1. Race and Education
Guest Speaker Maudie Williams from Education dept.
Discussed Reading:
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Branch, A. (2003). A look at race in the national standards for the social studies: Another
bad check. In G. Ladson-Billings (Ed.), Critical race theory: Perspectives on social
studies (pp. 99-120). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.
2. Race and Education: Have conditions improved since the Civil Rights era?
Discussed Readings:
Ginsberg, M. (1988). Contradiction in teacher education and society: A critical analysis.
New York: Falmer Press.
3. Open Discussion of Semester Mentoring Experiences with Written Reflections
Week 15 (Week of December 3)
1. Continuing the Mentoring Process
Guest Speaker Jamie Groth from BBBS
2. Wrapping up the semester: from Critical Theory onward.
3. Course evaluation
Final Exam:
Final Project due with oral presentation to class
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