Teaching Mexican American Students Equitably.

Title: Teaching Mexican American Students Equitably. 

Blog Series Name: Deficit Thinking in Education.

Studies have shown that Mexican American students report lower levels of challenge in some school activities than other groups. This is important because if educators are not challenging these students, they will disengage from the work. Once they disengage from the work, their learning rate will significantly decrease. There are varying harmful consequences. Students of color have the highest dropout rate and are underrepresented in gifted and talented programs.

To succeed in their classrooms, high engagement and complex learning tasks are necessary for Mexican American students. They must go through the productive struggle learning process.

So, how can educators teach Mexican American students equitably? One key factor is that educators must know the student’s culture and see it as an asset. When they do this, they can learn from and connect with the students because they are not viewing their way of life through a deficit thinking lens. On the contrary, they learn about their culture and find ways to bring it into the learning. This sense of connection is crucial for a strong teacher-student relationship conducive to student learning. In other words, the learning will follow once the relationship is there.

Mexican American students need educators that challenge them so that they are continuously growing. The educators’ words, actions, and instructional activities all matter in the educational experience they provide for their students. Moreover, they should involve the students in their educational journey by allowing them to reflect on their learning, set goals, and hold themselves accountable.

It is the power of belief. Believe in the students, pour into them, and they will learn. Educators must stop saying it’s students’ fault when they do not learn. They must not assume that the student cannot attain the learning. Mexican American students can learn.

In the words of Maya Angelou, people must do their best until they know better; then, they must do better. The research informs educators what they need to do for student populations such as Mexican American students that are not as successful academically as their White peers.

It is time to reflect on the research and do better.  

Part 5 of 7 of this blog series is next: Leading Mexican American Communities Equitably.