Understanding Cultural Values Among Mexican American Families.

Title: Understanding Cultural Values Among Mexican American Families. 

Blog Series Name: Deficit Thinking in Education.

Building positive relationships with others enables an atmosphere of trust and understanding. When there is an understanding of one another, the relationship can move past judgments to one where they support each other.

In education, there are a lot of assumptions about Mexican American families. Educators come to expect anyone who falls under the Mexican American umbrella to be the same. This is not the case.

The truth is every Mexican American family is different, as each of their experience has been unique. Their cultural beliefs change over time. One key factor in understanding the changes in their cultural values is their generational level and acculturation status.

So what are some cultural shifts that Mexican American families may experience? Later-generation Mexican American mothers often emphasize their children showing autonomy rather than obedience. It is necessary to note that one is not better than the other. This simply demonstrates the importance of educators knowing what their families expect of their children so that they can build a strong partnership with one another. Conflict and judgment will arise when they do not try to understand the expectations of the families they serve.

Another cultural belief evident for Mexican American families is familism, which prioritizes family members supporting one another. In the education context, this is evident during school events where extended family members come and become part of the school community.

Educators must create an interactive relationship with the families. This includes maintaining their cultural integrity. In other words, they must understand their culture’s role in their family life and view it as an asset. Often, educators want to pass along information to families instead of treating them as true partners. When they understand every family unit’s strengths, they can work with the family toward providing a high-quality education that emphasizes a whole-child approach.

Part 5 of 7 of this blog series is next week: Teaching Mexican American Students Equitably.