Educational Equity for English Language Learners

Ana de Sousa

Today I have the wonderful opportunity to attend the LATISM '15 conference in DC. This is always one of my favorite conferences because there is such a strong focus on education for Latinos. Below is the information I learned at the first Education track breakout session and I know it will be of interest to many of you.

Educational Equity for English Language Learners

Panelists:

• Milady C. Baez, New York City Department of Education
• Minnie Cardona, Seminole County Public Schools
• Gladys Marquez, NEA

Gaps in English Language Learners’ achievement exist across the nation, within communities, and in our schools. This session aims to elicit strategies to engage English Language Learners (ELLs) students in academic learning and English language development. Learn how to create classrooms and a school environment that facilitate language learning and motivate ELLs to practice academic language skills structured to demonstrate growing proficiency.

As the fastest growing populations what are some of the challenges English-language learners face. Marquez said the number of ELL enrollment has grown 57% and that by 2025, 1 in 4 will have been or be in an ELL classroom. However, funding dollars per student have decreased. And it is hard to find quality educators in front of the students who understand their unique needs.

Baez said that New York is focused on narrowing the achievement gap. Most ELL students start in the 10th percentile. The reality is that the school year for an ELL student is 15 months, not 10 months as with general education students. They find these extra 5 months in after school programs, weekend, and other ways.

She said that the most highly effective program is a Dual Language program. Most of the ELLs receive instruction is ESL, then transitional bilingual, then go into general education. Many drop out of school, fall through the cracks, and don't enter college.

So DL programs have become the main focus for NYC. Last year, 40 new DL programs were implemented. Training for the teachers, to create a program that is valuable. They see that a minimum of one year to do planning and train teachers/adminisrators. They anticipate opening 45 additional DL programs this year. They also want ELLs to have access to STEM programs, so 20 schools are going to be part of STEM initiatives because language should not be a barrier, should have accessibility to STEM initiatives.

The mayor of NYC says that equity and excellence in education will be what drives them in NYC. (The mayor is in charge of education for all students in NYC.) He wants all students to have access to computer science in next 10 years and has dedicated $81 million from public and private so all the students will have computer access. They want to focus on closing the achievement gap for ELLs. 

Cardona said the challenge is trying to find highly qualified teachers and asked, "How do we position ELLs to have access to 20th century skills?"

Marquez said that schools are ill-equipped to meet needs of students. Some of the poorest districts don't have the access because they live in the wrong zip code, so poverty has a lot to do with how districts prioritize and fund our students.

Baez said that even when computers are in classrooms, they aren't utilized by teachers who aren't trained on how to use them. We put in the software, but don't train teachers. They are now making a major effort teacher training. Professional development now has to go hand-in-hand with purchased software/technology. Because computers can give students who speak 160 different languages ability to access education.

Marquez said that we need to do a better job of inclusion and advocating for ALL students and develop culturally responsive teaching practices.

According to Baez, bilingual teachers work double than English teachers. They plan lessons, extra materials, they translate for lack of resources, however they get paid the same. There is no incentive for bilingual ed teachers so few people want to become a bilingual ed teacher. NYC is revamping this because it is not fair, many children don't want to become teachers (low pay), they want to create a new generation of teachers, we need higher salaries for teachers in bilingual programs, create more support, and make it more inviting. Right now, you do it because that's your passion, not for the money.

Cardona asked the panelists what strategies they found to be effective.

Marquez strongly feels that it is important to maintain a rigorous standard and have high expectations for the students. She explains to them that they have to learn the exact same things the general ed students do, but in a way that they will learn it best. 

Baez declared that cooperative learning is a must. Latino kids like to work in teams and share the productivity and want to be given specific roles. The work gets done in a project-based manner.

She also focused on vocabulary development and explained that this is not done in the same way as for gen ed learners. It is known that there are seven steps that work for ELLs, and it is critical to  maintain the fidelity of the program and work the steps. But because bilingual teachers are stretched out and have to prepare the class to take the standardized tests, they jump the steps instead, which has a negative impact.

Cardona asked, "How do we do professional development and support teachers?"

Marquez said that they have regular meetings where lead teachers share types of strategies, are encouraged to be slow and engaging. She also said that gen ed and bilingual ed teachers need to go into each other's classrooms to experience both sides so they can be supportive of each other's needs.

Baez emphasized how our teachers need to learn how to meet the educational needs of Latino students.

Cardona asked what can we do at the national/state/local level to ensure that ELLs have equal access to education.

Baez and Marquez both discussed No Child Left Behind's impact. They asked why are we giving ELL's standardized tests when they haven't mastered English yet? They simply can't give the results that the gen ed students can. What message are we giving them? It takes 5-7 years for a child to master English. We're labeling them as failures by giving them tests in a language they have yet to master. 

In addition, teachers are penalized according to their student's performance on the tests. So teachers don't want to be bilingual teachers. NYC has requested a waiver for delivering tests to ELLs, but they've been denied. So they are requesting it again.

Cardona shared that Florida was denied the first time, too, but has now been approved. It's a bill. Two years or more state assessments won't be held against their ELLs.

Marquez said that No Child Left Behind is referred to by teachers as "No Teacher Left Standing." She said that toxic testing is detrimental to the profession and to the students. She gave an example of a student she had from Ecuador who arrived in September and by February was having to take the English test. His experience is not unique. The experience is an emotional and mental blow for ELLs.

Baez said, unfortunately, policies aren't made by educators and they are a hindrance more than a help.

Preparing The Class of 2025

Diego should graduate high school in the year 2025, so the cover of this month's Time Magazine really caught my attention. The two articles in this week's issue ask more questions than I originally had, but enlightened me with a nice history on education and a great number of current facts.

The first one, What Colleges Will Teach in 2025, reports that college students are spending less and less time studying (just above 25 hours a week). At the same time, college education costs are growing at alarming rates. Unfortunately, employers are having a hard time hiring qualified graduates. The math doesn't add up to me and when I read that "higher education is facing a real crisis of effectiveness," I really became worried.

Every state is trying to make sure every teacher is implementing Common Core standards so that our children know the basics in Math and English and know facts about our government and History. I shrink a little when Diego asks me a science question I should know but don't. Should it matter in this day in age? People argue that perhaps we should start focusing on teaching children how to do things instead of memorizing simply for the sake of test taking. Many also say we should hold different people and systems accountable for those results.

One of my favorite things to do is to listen to people discuss pop culture and politics while gracefully moving on to the discussion of a great book. The foundation of the American university education was based on exactly this; well-rounded individuals who knew a lot about everything. The university setting then focused (and spent a great deal of money and resources) on research. It will be interesting to see if it will take a turn to technology intensive education.

The second article, MIT's President: Better, More Affordable Colleges Start Online says that "Digital learning is the most important innovation since the printing press." For us, no question is left unanswered when little Diego is asking. In fact, he knows what tools to use to find it. Children are navigating through technology at a fascinating speed. Is it time to take the next step with higher education?

If there is a way to combine these three evolutionary education eras, then we could (in my opinion) be up to something.

"The most important elements of a true education-are transmitted most effectively face-to-face: the judgement, confidence, humility, and skill in negotiation that comes from hands-on problem solving and teamwork; the perseverance, analytical skill and initiative grow from conducting frontline research; the skill in writing and public speaking that comes from exploring ideas with mentors and peers..."

I want all three of my children to take advantage of every resource available to them. I hope for an affordable education for all our kids that keeps them balanced, questioning, researching and quite simply, just respecting and loving the institution of university.

What worries you about your child's college future? 

Betty Galvan, is helping her readers "find the positive and seek the benefits" over at her blog, MyFriendBettySays.com.

She is the mother of three beautiful little boys and a teacher.

There Should Be No Kid Hungry

 
No child should ever go hungry. Not just because our kids shouldn't suffer from such extreme poverty that they have to forgo a meal, but because when our kids go hungry, it affects our whole country. Children who are malnourished struggle academically. Kids who don't eat breakfast have a harder time focusing and learning.

That's why I support the No Kid Hungry campaign. This week was National School Breakfast Week. Does that sound silly? It shouldn't. Because children who eat a healthy breakfast are far more likely to remember what they've learned and are better equipped to learn more.

Perhaps the fact that I homeschool has made me better able to understand the ramifications of my kids skipping breakfast. If fact, just two weeks ago, when I picked her up from a morning piano lesson I was distressed to see that she couldn't remember the names of the notes that she'd had absolutely no problem reading the day before. Confused and a little embarrassed, I told the teacher I'd help her more at home. When we got in our car to leave, my daughter started crying upset that she couldn't remember and that she'd had a bad lesson. By the time we got home, she was sobbing. This was so unusual, I didn't really know what to do and wracked my brain trying to figure out the problem. Just before we arrived home, an idea entered my head and I asked her what she had eaten for breakfast. Guess what? Yep! She hadn't eaten one. I thought my husband had fed her, or that she had made her own. 

I remember getting this same kind of reaction from her two or three times when she was younger and learning to read...but having forgotten to eat breakfast. It was hard for me to determine what was wrong back then...just imagine how confused parents who don't homeschool are if their child starts to struggle academically as a result. I would imagine that eating breakfast might not even be considered.

And what about those low-income families who might not be able to buy breakfast products and rely on their child's school to provide food?

I want to share with you five fast facts from the No Kid Hungry website about the importance of school breakfast programs... 

1. STUDENTS DON’T EAT BREAKFAST: Even though more than 21 million low-income kids in the U.S. rely on a free or reduced-price school lunch, only half – about 11 million – are also getting a school breakfast. [FRAC School Breakfast Scorecard, 2011-2012]

2. TEACHERS SEE HUNGER: Nearly two-thirds (62%) of K-8 public school teachers said they had children in their classrooms who regularly came to school hungry because there wasn’t enough to eat at home. [No Kid Hungry’s “Hunger In Our Schools” survey, 2012]

3. BREAKFAST IS KEY TO LEARNING: Teachers said school breakfast led to increased concentration (95%), better academic performance (89%) and better behavior in the classroom (73%). [No Kid Hungry’s “Hunger In Our Schools” survey, 2012]

4. BREAKFAST CHANGES LIVES: According to an analysis of the long-term impact of school breakfast, this morning meal does more than simply provide children with essential daily nutrition. On average, students who eat school breakfast have been shown to achieve 17.5% higher scores on standardized math tests and attend 1.5 more days of school per year. These factors are linked to a child’s improved chance of getting a high school diploma, and high school graduates are more likely to be employed, earn higher wages and see greater self-sufficiency as adults. [“Ending Childhood Hunger: A Social Impact Analysis,” 2013]

5. YOU CAN HELP MORE KIDS GET BREAKFAST:  The No Kid Hungry campaign has found that innovative ways of serving breakfast – like moving it from the cafeteria to the classroom – can give many more kids a chance to benefit from breakfast at school. Increasing participation in school breakfast is just one way No Kid Hungry is making sure all kids get the food they need every day, and you can help. We’re building an online map that paints a virtually unprecedented view of school breakfast programs across the country. We’re asking people to call a school(s), ask three simple questions about school breakfast and report their findings into our online map. Visit NoKidHungry.org/Breakfast to get started.

So what can you do?

1. Make sure your child gets a healthy breakfast every day. Their little bodies need the fuel to function properly.

2. Spread the news. Get to know the other parents in your child's class and share with them how important breakfast is for their child.

3. Get together with your child's school to promote the No Kid Hungry intiative. Enlist them to reach out to parents and promote the message.

4. Follow No Kid Hungry on Facebook and learn more about what resources are available to parents and educators. 

5. And if you are an educator, register for the No Kids Hungry toolkit.

Neutrogena's Wave for Change Campaign Benefits Low-Income Students

Woops. So my 8-year-old daughter (the Film Director of the above video) accidentally turned off the camera, but I was pretty much done anyway.

Thanks so very much to all of you who participated in last night's #WaveforChange Twitter party. If you were following me on @LatinMami, I had some technical difficulties and had to switch to my new @MommyMaestra account. I tried to do both, but Twitter goes so quick. Fortunately, the party was a resounding success with 12.5 million impressions!! It also generated around 60 views for the video during the 90 minutes of the party.

At any rate, I wanted to explain why I chose to participate in this particular campaign. This year, Neutrogena will donate a minimum of $100,000 and a maximum of $250,000 to GlobalGiving between 7/1/2012 and 8/31/2012. Video views will account for up to $130,000 in donations. (So click on that link and watch the video! How easy is that?) And any Neutrogena^® Acne, Facial Cleansing or Cosmetics products registered on Neutrogena.com or Facebook.com/Neutrogena will account for up to $20,000 in donations.

Aside from the fact that I use a Neutrogena product or two (yes, I really do!), GlobalGiving has selected three AWESOME charities to support with the funding.

Para los Niños is a non-profit that works to create academic success by supporting families in at-risk neighborhoods in Southern California. They offer high-quality education integrated with family supports, mental health services, and community engagement opportunities through their early education centers, charter schools, and wellness centers.

I was sold on this entire campaign the moment that I watched Para los Niños' video on the Wave for Change site. It is so moving! And it makes me so happy and thankful that there are people and organizations like these out there working hard to improve the lives of our children. I hope you take a moment to watch.

KIPP is a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools dedicated to preparing students in underserved communities for success in college and in life. They believe in hiring exceptional teachers who are passionate about their work and go above and beyond for their students. Their goal is 100% college enrollment. So far they are at about 85%, which is pretty impressive given the location of their schools.

Education Through Music serves over 4,500 under-served students in Los Angeles with weekly, yearlong music classes at no cost. They provide music teachers, instruments, and guidance for schools to sustain the program. I know that music can have a profound affect on a child's performance in other subjects, which makes me laud the efforts of this program.

So if you use Neutrogena products, or even if you don't (I highly recommend their SkinClearing oil-free makeup), take a moment to support these very worthy programs and all the good things they are doing for children's education across our country.

Un abrazo...

Disclosure: This is a sponsored campaign on behalf of Nutrogena and Latina Blogger Connect. All opinions expressed are my own.

A Conversation with Michelle Obama

Yesterday in Miami, I had the incredible opportunity to talk with the First Lady. The event is still somewhat of a surreal experience in my mind; a blur of Secret Service agents in pink ties and over in the blink of an eye. But I will forever remember the moment when she walked into the room and how she immediately walked over to all of us where we were sitting on the couches. We all jumped up, of course, and she took a moment to greet each one of us with a warm hug and welcoming words, thanking each of us for taking the time to talk with her. She was warm and friendly, trying to put all of us at ease as she talked about her morning and her daughters.

As a Latina mom, I was struck by two things. First, this was, I believe, the first time anyone in the White House had reached out to Latina moms to talk about the issues and worries that so many of us deal with in our day-to-day lives. And second, Mrs. Obama was the perfect person for us to talk to because she is also a mother who obviously puts her kids first. And she seemed genuinely interested in what we had to say.

To our delight, we were also joined by Katherine Archuleta, Obama's National Political Director. She was also warm and gracious, and shared with us the story of her daughter, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 19 years old. And I think Ms. Archuleta really helped us to relax with the knowledge that we would be talking with another Latina mom who has the same fears and hopes as we do.

The picture above is a screenshot of the livestreamed conversation. You can watch the whole video here. We were repeatedly told that Mrs. Obama wanted a conversation, not a question and answer session. She wanted to know what our biggest concerns were. We were not coached, though we moms did meet for breakfast earlier that morning to get to know one another and talk about the issues we were going to address.

I have to say I loved talking with Melanie, Yvette, Shirley, and Maria. They are hard-working mothers who love their children madly and care about our country. It just so happened that all of us have young children more or less within the same age range. And more importantly, we all felt a tremendous amount of responsibility to bring up issues that other moms like us across the country were worried about.

I really feel like we just skimmed the surface, barely touching on some of the biggest concerns we have for our future and our children's future. But I'm so grateful to be one of the people who were invited to START the conversation. Thirty minutes is nowhere close to enough time to share the concerns, struggles, and issues that we as a community are thinking about.

Issues like how we need to recruit more bilingual teachers and counselors to help our kids succeed. And how we need to see more dual-language programs available across the country. How all parents should have the right to choose where their kid is going to go to school and how all schools should be graduating 100% of their students. And how better systems need to be in place to help us detect actual learning disabilities in our children.

Issues like how there needs to be more resources for Latino families with aging parents. Our culture is not one to just stick our aged in a nursing home, but rather we take on the responsibility of caring for our padres and abuelitos even if it means bringing them into our own homes, juggling this additional work-load with our own job/careers, child-rearing, and marriages.

And we also must talk about how we need to support our DREAMers, who through no fault of their own, lack a simple paper granting them the official title of "CITIZEN" of this wonderful country that they love and to which they are already loyal.

I am forever grateful to Mamiverse for inviting me to participate in this historic event. As a result I am moved and motivated to keep fighting for my own children and their future. To remember that one person's actions can affect many. It's up to us as individuals as to whether we do good or otherwise.

I don't think it is right for me to tell anyone who they should vote for. But I want to encourage each and every one of you to use your voice. It is our right and our responsibility as citizens of the United States of America to vote for the people that we think should be running our country.

And it is our responsibility to think about what issues are most important to us and to know the candidates and where they stand on those issues. We have to weed through the lies and think about who really is thinking about what is best for each of us. We cannot decide NOT to vote and then turn around and complain about who is in power and what they're doing or not doing.

Educate yourself. Know the issues. Then raise your voice and make it count.

Un abrazo...

Latina Moms Talk with First Lady

I am beyond pleased to announce that tomorrow, Tuesday, July 10th, I will be one of six Latina moms given the opportunity to talk to First Lady, Michelle Obama, one-on-one about the issues that matter to us the most. I'm so grateful to Mamiverse for inviting me to participate in this historic event (Has there ever been a First Lady who has talked to Latina moms like this? I don't think so!)

But the best part is that you, dear Latina mamis, can participate as well. The 30-minute discussion will be livestreamed on Mamiverse.com. You can sign up on their home page to watch AND to submit your own questions. They'll be selecting some to answer during the taping, so be sure to include your name.

My focus will - naturally! - be on education. But the other moms will be discussing additional issues that are important to all of us.

So I hope you will join me tomorrow (Tuesday!) afternoon at 12:45 pm EST. I would love to hear from you all!!

Un abrazo fuerte,

~Monica

Latina Bloggers Policy Briefing: Department of Agriculture

 

This is the second article in a series relaying information obtained during a White House briefing on issues relating to Latinos in the U.S.

Lisa Pino is the Deputy Administrator of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program under the Department of Agriculture. During Monday’s briefing, she shared some of the programs currently available to families and individuals.

Ms. Pino began by listing some of the nutrition assistance programs that the federal government offers such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), school meal programs, and the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. Though they are funded by the federal government, these services are administered at state levels and Ms. Pino said these programs are the most effective mechanisms available to fight hunger and obesity, two seemingly opposing problems that our society faces. But the reality is that they are both intimately linked as poor families often do not make wise food consumption choices, preferring to purchase inexpensive products that are high in fats and sugars. Malnutrition leads to obesity.

Ms. Pino stated that 1 in 4 Latino children are nutritionally insecure. In fact, Latino children make up the largest share of American children living in food insecurity.

And 1 in 2 Latinos suffer from diabetes. That means HALF of the Latino babies born today will develop diabetes.

We are experiencing an epidemic among Latino children. (For more information about this, please watch this super informative video I posted back in March.)

Ms. Pino also said that the president is committed to ending hunger and obesity for children, and cited the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act that the president signed into law in 2010. According to the USDA’s website, the legislation "authorizes funding and sets policy for USDA's core child nutrition programs: the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), the Summer Food Service Program, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program."

The act is designed to improve diets in schools and parents/children will begin to see changes starting this fall in terms of portion control, more fruits and vegetables, etc, in school lunches.

Special note: Listed above is the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), of special importance because it is during the summer months that children are the most vulnerable to food insecurity. This program provides free, nutritious meals and snacks to help children in low-income areas get the nutrition they need to learn, play, and grow, throughout the summer months when they are out of school. Learn more here.

Ms. Pino also talked for a while about SNAP and said it was the country’s largest anti-hunger program. But unfortunately, it only serves about 56% of Latinos who are eligible to receive assistance.

So as a result, the USDA has launched an initiative called La Mesa Completa. It is designed to engage Latino families to improve their access and increase their participation in the programs that are available. The program tackles the main issues that prevent Latino families from using the services. For example, because low literacy rates may prevent Latinos from learning about the services, La Mesa Completa relies heavily on word-of-mouth information. Read more about the initiative here.

The USDA also chucked the food pyramid model and replaced it with the new My Plate/Mi Plato symbol and educational tool designed to help families make healthy meal choices. The guidance system is much more attractive and easier for families to incorporate into their daily routine. The English website is very well developed. It is a great source of information, printable materials, and even a SuperTracker that helps families plan, analyze, and track your diet and physical activity. A lot of the information is also available in Spanish. Anyone can order Mi Plato information for home or school use and receive it free of charge.

Personally, I think a great way to disseminate the information would be for teachers to use the coloring sheets in their classrooms, or assign them as homework so that the information travels home where parents might see it.

I hope you all take a moment to check out some of these resources and share them with those you know.

Up next...the Let's Move program!

Disclosure: This information was obtained during a special White House policy briefing for Latina bloggers organized by LATISM. I was awarded a full scholarship to attend the retreat of which the briefing was one aspect, and appreciate the sponsors that made it possible.

Latina Bloggers Policy Briefing: Department of Education

l to r: Alejandra Cejas, Lisa Pino, Marissa Duswalt

This is the first article in a series relaying information obtained during a White House briefing on issues relating to Latinos in the U.S.

On Monday, I had the most fantastic opportunity to visit the White House for a special policy briefing thanks to our national LATISM organization. For two hours, dozens of Latina bloggers and I had the opportunity to listen and ask questions to some of the highest ranking Latina officials in the government.


Today, I want to focus on some of the resources and programs that the Department of Education is working on as described by Ms. Alejandra Cejas, Chief of Staff, Office of the Under Secretary, in the Department of Education.

Ms. Cejas began by saying that one of the goals of the administration is to make college affordable for families and students. Currently, many graduates are struggling with the amount of debt they incur to attend quality colleges. As a result, the Dept of Ed is looking into ways to make resources and information for (Latino) students more easily accessible. She said that they are trying to increase federal aid to these students to make repaying their loans easier, and to help them "compete and complete" a degree in higher education.

One of the initiatives that Ms. Cejas mentioned is the Educational Excellence for Hispanics initiative. I did a little research myself on the web and learned that the initiative was actually established in 1990 under the Bush Administration. The goal is to provide quality education while "increasing opportunities for Hispanic American participation in federal education programs."  In 2011, the Obama Administration appointed José Rico as executive director. You can read a fact sheet with more information here.

As part of the administration's program to increase access to federal aid to Latino and other under-served students, the Dept of Ed has created a Forecasting Funding tool on their website that provides a list of the grants that are available, a time frame for students/families, and the name of a staff member with a contact number. It is pretty simple and straight-forward. The site currently has funding listed for the 2012 fiscal year.

The White House is also working on creating a College Scorecard to help students and families compare colleges so that they can make informed decisions when it comes to choosing a college in terms of quality and affordability. The card will be be filled out by students with regards to topics like financial aid availability, graduation success rated, etc. The picture above is a sample scorecard for a four-year college. If you'd like to see more, you can download a PDF at their site, AND I would encourage all of you to evaluate the scorecard by letting them know what you think should be included or how you would change it by filling out their feedback form.

In addition, the administration has committed 2 billion dollars to the Office of Vocational and Adult Education to improve literacy among adults and attract adult learners to retrain them, strengthen their skills, or teach them a new set of skills so that they can begin a new career in a different, higher-paying field. She also said that the Dept of Ed is still fighting for Pell Grants, trying to make the dreams of all students a reality. However, on Sunday, various articles like this one in the Mercury News announced that Congress decided to reduce or eliminate Pell Grants for hundreds of thousands of the poorest college students (guess who makes up up the majority of them? Latinos.) The Pell Grants will now only be available for six year (instead of nine), and students without high school degrees will no longer eligible for the grant after July 1st unless they are already enrolled in college before that time. (However, according to the article, a 2008 federal study showed that students without high school diplomas who complete six college units are just as successful as their high school graduate counterparts.) These students can, however, continue to apply for state funding.

Ms. Cejas said that the administration was taking a "cradle to career" approach and trying to implement reforms across the entire education system through regulations. The way the system work is that the federal government provides funding and guidance policies (a suggestion of "best" practices). States and school districts are responsible for choosing curriculum, teaching strategies, class size, and implementing the specific teaching models.

Many of the Latina bloggers attending the briefing were provided with the opportunity to get up and ask questions. In terms of education, three bloggers in particular tackled the issue of Special Needs students. Lisa Quiñones-Fontanez from Autism Wonderland, Eliana Tardío Hurtado from Emir y Ayelén, and Laurita Tellado Calderón from Holdin' Out for Hero, all shared some of the difficulties they have encountered within the school districts and in society. Ms. Cejas responded by saying that the Department of Education is working very hard towards inclusion and emphasized that this issue is our modern day "Civil Rights Movement."

Roxana Soto from Spanglish Baby asked about the chances of dual-language schools becoming more prevalent for families wanting to raise bilingual children. Ms. Cejas said that the administration was definitely working on improving and even expanding school programs for Spanish-speaking children (ESL learners). So I think Roxana was bit frustrated, and I agree that learning or maintaining a second language should be a top priority the norm for early education programs nationwide. Personally, I think the government should offer incentives for dual language immersion, as well as foreign language and after-school programs that promote bilingualism.

Silvia Martinez from Mama Latina Tips shared her concerns about the increasing class sizes, her disapproval of intensive testing, and her opposition to losing extracurricular subjects/activities such as art and sports. Ms. Cejas replied that class sizes and curriculum (such as art, music, etc) are regulated at a state level, and sometimes even school districts made those decisions.

Ms. Cejas also stressed that the Dept of Education is working with the Departments of Nutrition and Physical Health with regards to how these issues all affect each other. I'll be sharing more about this the next two days!

If you'd like to join in or follow the conversation, follow the White House on Twitter at @WHLive or in Spanish @LaCasablanca.

Disclosure: This information was obtained during a special White House policy briefing for Latina bloggers organized by LATISM. I was awarded a full scholarship to attend the retreat of which the briefing was one aspect, and appreciate the sponsors that made it possible.

Will Latino Stories Sell?

It is with extreme pleasure that I publish this article by author, Laura Lacámara. Laura has chosen to share her thoughts on the current Latino children's literature market, and within her words I find an important message for all of us as we head into Día de los niños, Día de los libros. As parents, let's make some noise and show the publishing companies what we think about the market.

Will Latino Stories Sell?

by Laura Lacámara

Lately, big New York publishers have been saying NO to making children’s books with Latino-oriented stories or themes. The sales numbers aren’t big enough to justify the investment, they say. It costs a lot to produce picture books, after all. 

Well, in the not-so-distant past, before the phrase: “It’s the economy,” was rolling off our tongues a hundred times a day, there was a much more Latino-friendly atmosphere at these large publishing houses.

What a happy time! The mangos were ripe and salsa music was in the air! This Cuban chica was in demand! My new agent was circulating my first picture book manuscript, Floating on Mama’s Song/Flotando en la canción de mamá. And publishers weren’t dancing around the issue, they were obviously hungry for Latino stories!

I know this because all eight of the “non-acceptance” letters my agent got from the editors of these big publishers (before my manuscript was acquired) ended more or less the same way:  “Please keep me in mind for future Latino-themed submissions. We are actively seeking to expand our multicultural line.” It was clear that something big was happening. Not just for me, but also for my fellow Latino authors and illustrators.

An agent I met at the time told me even better news. She said: Now that we have opened a lot of doors for Latino authors to share their unique stories with the world, we are ready to take it to the next level. We are ready to hear stories of all kinds from authors of color.  In addition to culturally-inspired themes such as the Latino immigrant experience, the doors are now swinging open to include other themes from authors who happen to be Latino and have a story to tell.

That appealed to me. I knew my Latina-ness would still come through, no matter what I wrote. And what I wanted most was the freedom to let my imagination soar and make stuff up that appealed to the child inside of me. It looked like I would get to have my flan and eat it, too!

So how did we lose so much ground? Back then I really believed there were no limits. That the road to cultural diversity in children’s literature was opening up in front of me. But now, years later, I’m literally being told by my editor not to write Latino stories at all (no Latino themes, main characters, etc.) because they are such a hard sell.

I wanted to be free to let my spirit soar, but I never wanted to exclude my cultural identity! Is my only choice now to cut off part of myself in order to appeal to the mainstream?

Not that there isn’t something seductive about finally, after a lifetime of feeling like an outsider, being invited to join the mainstream!

Growing up Latina in white suburbia I felt ashamed of being different and longed to be like everyone else.

And don’t get me started on the never feeling normal because I’m an artist thing...

It’s taken me years, heck a lifetime, to accept that I will always feel like an outsider to some degree. So naturally, it’s with a certain level of ambivalence that I consider joining into the mainstream...

But, wait a minute here!  What is this so-called mainstream we're talking about?  Are publishers afraid that white Americans are under-represented in children's publishing today?

Well, let's see.  In 2010, according to US Census data, 63% of the US population was Caucasian. Yet, according to the University of Wisconsin, nearly 95% of children’s books published that year were by white authors and illustrators. Also in 2010, Latinos comprised about 16% of the U.S. population. However, less than 2% of the books published that year were by and/or about Latinos! Talk about under-representation!

The fact is that nearly 40% of U.S. children come from diverse backgrounds. How can we deny a considerable slice of our population the validating experience of seeing themselves in the pages of their books?

True, when I was growing up, I don’t remember ever seeing a reflection of myself or my culture in the books I read. But folks, that was like a thousand years ago! In the late 60’s and early 70’s, I was a minority in my San Fernando Valley classroom. But today, in the L.A. Unified classroom of 2012, my blonde, blue-eyed daughter is the oddball. Today’s Los Angeles Unified School District is almost 75% Latino.

So what are publishers afraid of? That there is no audience for Latino books? Whenever schools in the Los Angeles area and beyond hear that I have bilingual books to share, they go crazy trying to book me for a presentation! They know what their kids are missing.

And I can see it in the kid’s faces when I get there. Like the girl who was beaming when she announced, "Anita in your book looks like me!"

And kids love it when I share my background and tell them about becoming an author and illustrator. One second grader named Araceli tapped me on the arm as I was packing up to leave. "When I grow up, I'm going to be an artist, like you," she whispered. Maybe she sees it as an option for the first time.

So, I'm left wondering if the enthusiasm for Latino stories was just a passing fad? Or, when the economy turns around, will Latino and multicultural imprints spring up at the big publishers like never before and take their rightful place representing a proportional amount of American culture?

Is there something we as authors, illustrators and/or parents should do to help our voices be heard in the publishing world?

I don’t have any magic answers.  But I do want to create magical stories and pictures. And, while I know the deepest part of me supersedes culture and identity, I still seek the freedom to express myself in the fullest way possible which naturally includes my Cuban-American background.

Meanwhile, I'll go make a flan, and I hope someday soon we can all have a slice! 

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Laura Lacámara is the award-winning author of Floating on Mama’s Song / Flotando en la canción de mamá, which was chosen as a Junior Library Guild Selection for Fall 2010 and is a Tejas Star Book Award Finalist for 2011 - 2012.

To learn more about Laura Lacámara, visit her website: LauraLacamara.com

Plaza Familia: A Free Magazine for Latino Families

Today, I am so pleased to announce the launch of a wonderful resource for Latino families. Plaza Familia is a bilingual magazine and education platform designed to provide information on a variety of subjects related to raising a healthy family. From tips to having a healthy pregnancy to dealing with toddler tantrums (without throwing one of your own!) to helping your tween dream big, Plaza Familia helps parents find solutions and support.

The magazine will be distributed in some Walmarts and other supermarkets throughout the country - for FREE! But if you can't find one near you, don't worry. The beautiful issues are available online. You can find the inaugural February issue and even read ahead in the March issue online at issue.com. I am honored to be a contributor to this great project, and you can find my first article on How to Maximize Your Children's Learning by Reading to Them inside the March issue.

In addition to the magazine, Plaza Familia is also creating multiple platforms online. First up, check out their new blog for some excellent articles in Spanish. You might especially enjoy the printables, like this letter "A" worksheet for preschoolers and kindergartners.

Don't be afraid to show some love and leave a comment or two!

Together, we are all working toward the education of our children and the future success of our country.

Con mucho cariño...

Collaboration: One of the Keys to Education Reform

Tonight on NBC's Rock Center with Brian Williams there was a fascinating piece by Chelsea Clinton on how one charter school (The Learning Community) in Rhode Island is sharing their reading strategies with local public schools to help their students improve their reading performance to grade level. When this collaboration began three years ago, only 37% of K-2nd graders were reading at or above grade level. Within 8 months, that number was up to 66%.

As Clinton talked with the teachers and the students I was amazed to discover that these new and innovative strategies were things like "sketch it" (kids listen to the story and the draw pictures related to it), "connection" (kids think about the story then relate it to a similar experience they've had), and "retelling" (kids tell the teacher what the story was about). The teachers also make it a point to have one-on-one time with each student every week to help them with their reading.

These are all practices that I use with my kids, and I bet so have most homeschooling moms. I'm not a trained teacher. My major in college was English with a creative writing emphasis and a minor in Social Work. But I learned most of these techniques with the curriculum I was using to teach my kids how to read, and from reading articles about developing your child's literacy skills. And I don't think these ideas are new to teachers, either. Maybe for some. But I know that there are many teachers who are either teaching their students this way, or would like to but can't.

Although I was really sad to see that these strategies are not commonplace techniques in ALL school districts across our country, I was so very glad to see this type of collaboration between the charter and public school system. I have had a very high opinion of charter schools for a while now, and even considered enrolling my own daughter in one when she was ready to start Kindergarten. (More on that another day.)

Anyway, in the interview, one of the questions Clinton asked was why we weren't seeing more collaborations like this across the country. The teachers readily admitted that "sometimes public school teachers can perceive charter schools as a threat" when it comes to resources and personnel. How sad is this? I wonder if this perception isn't promoted by "upper management" within the school districts.

But you quickly learn that this group of teachers have a different outlook. I was so happy to hear one of the other public school teachers say "We all share the same goal. It's student achievement."

And isn't that just what it all boils down to in a nutshell?

When asked why the program is successful, a charter school teacher responds that "We just keep it dynamic. We make decisions right there on the spot about how to meet the needs of every single student in the class." What a profound statement. This is something I do every day at home with my kids. Isn't it a shame that teachers across America aren't allowed the freedom to make these decisions with their own classrooms? 

There are so many lessons to be learned from this segment. I think it is an inspiring story during this time when there are so many negative feelings associated with our current education crisis. So I want to share it with you here...

I really wish that instead of so much fighting and distrust, our education systems would find a way to work together for the sake of our children. Enough with the jealousy, the bickering, and the OVERLY competitive outlooks.

I would love to hear from some of the teachers reading this blog. What are your thoughts about this issue?

Con mucho cariño...