Mexican-Trained Educators in the United States: Our Assumptions--Their Beliefs.
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| Title: | Mexican-Trained Educators in the United States: Our Assumptions--Their Beliefs. |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Maroney, Oanh H., Smith, Howard L. |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 29 |
| Publication Date: | 2000 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | Kellogg Foundation, Battle Creek, MI. |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research Speeches/Meeting Papers |
| Descriptors: | Beliefs, Bilingual Education, Bilingual Teachers, Economically Disadvantaged, Educational Attitudes, Elementary Secondary Education, Failure, Immigrants, Limited English Speaking, Mexican American Education, Mexican Americans, Minority Group Teachers, Social Attitudes, Teacher Attitudes, Teacher Expectations of Students |
| Geographic Terms: | Texas |
| Abstract: | A study examined the beliefs and attitudes of Mexican-trained educators regarding instruction for minority and language minority students in light of assumptions that students experience better outcomes with culturally and linguistically compatible teachers. Fifteen educators who received their teacher education in Mexico, and whose native language was Spanish, were interviewed. Findings indicate that while these educators understood the philosophy and purpose of bilingual education, were pedagogically prepared, and were both linguistically and culturally compatible with their students, they held some beliefs and perspectives about their students that may be problematic--in fact, as problematic as some beliefs and perspectives of educators from other cultural backgrounds. Specifically, these Mexican-trained educators demonstrated a deficit-model perspective in their beliefs that parents with "blue collar" jobs perpetuated a cycle of poverty and school failure by not encouraging their children to do well in school, that minority students' ethnic culture was a reason for their school failure, and that students and parents were often the determining factor for school success or failure. It cannot be assumed that individuals will not possess deficit perspectives about others of their own ethnic, cultural, or linguistic group. (Contains 24 references.) (TD) |
| Entry Date: | 2001 |
| Accession Number: | ED454003 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | A study examined the beliefs and attitudes of Mexican-trained educators regarding instruction for minority and language minority students in light of assumptions that students experience better outcomes with culturally and linguistically compatible teachers. Fifteen educators who received their teacher education in Mexico, and whose native language was Spanish, were interviewed. Findings indicate that while these educators understood the philosophy and purpose of bilingual education, were pedagogically prepared, and were both linguistically and culturally compatible with their students, they held some beliefs and perspectives about their students that may be problematic--in fact, as problematic as some beliefs and perspectives of educators from other cultural backgrounds. Specifically, these Mexican-trained educators demonstrated a deficit-model perspective in their beliefs that parents with "blue collar" jobs perpetuated a cycle of poverty and school failure by not encouraging their children to do well in school, that minority students' ethnic culture was a reason for their school failure, and that students and parents were often the determining factor for school success or failure. It cannot be assumed that individuals will not possess deficit perspectives about others of their own ethnic, cultural, or linguistic group. (Contains 24 references.) (TD) |
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