Project Recuerdo: Honoring Latinx Families' Knowledge Within the School. (4th October 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lopez, Michelle; Butvilofsky, Sandra A.; Le, Khanh; Gumina, Deena
• Is Part Of: Reading teacher. Volume 75:Number 4(2021)
• Page Start: 429
• Page End: 440
• Publication Date: 2021-10-04
• Subjects: Critical pedagogy -- Critical theory -- English as a second language -- English for speakers of other languages -- English language learners -- English learners -- Home‐school connections -- In‐service -- Parental involvement -- Writing strategies -- 2‐Childhood; Reading (Elementary) -- Periodicals; Reading -- Periodicals; Reading -- Remedial teaching -- Periodicals; 372.405
• DOI: 10.1002/trtr.2062
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0034-0561

Abstract

Abstract: The authors describe a culturally sustaining bilingual family engagement project that draws upon Latinx families' experiential and cultural wealth and integrates that knowledge within the literacy curriculum of a bilingual fourth grade classroom. Through the use of monthly writing prompts, Project Recuerdo, engages families in sharing stories that demonstrate cultural, linguistic, and historical knowledge with the child, teacher, and wider community. This form of family engagement counters deficit orientations towards diverse families, especially Mexican American families, as problems to fix, and instead honors the wealth of knowledge families have and integrates it within the curriculum. Through the analysis of the bilingual journal entries, related classroom artifacts, and family focal groups, the authors validate the importance of learning with and from diverse families; and detail the process for planning the implementation of the family project. Authors provide suggestions for teacher self‐reflection and possible writing prompts to engage families.