How to Implement Mexican American Studies in Your High School.
by Tony D on 02/15/15
Although, implementing Mexican American Studies as a high school dual credit course is the "gold standard" available to any school in Texas, there are several other ways to bring these brilliant courses to your students.
One reason to do is that research, including the Cabrera report,
MAS students were 108% more likely to graduate than non-MAS students.
MAS students passed standardized math tests 140% more than non-MAS students, and so, and so on, and so on.
If you want to learn to step-by-step how to bring MAS Dual Credit to your school, attend the 2015 NACCS Tejas Foco Feb. 26-28 at Lone Star College-North Harris, in Houston. Teachers from Mission, Texas lead a workshop titlted.
But if you can't to wait, but want to bring MAS into your class as early as tomorrow, here are some additional strategies for thrilling students with cultura, arte, and historia.
Ten Ways to Implement M.A.S. (Mexican American Studies) at Your High School.
1. You can implement Mexican American Literature as a Dual Credit Course.
Mission Valley High School teacher Victoria Rojas will lead a workshop titled: How to Implement Mexican-American Studies in Your High School, Friday, February 27, 2015 10:30 AM - 11:45 AM in ACAD 139, for the 2015 NACCS Tejas Foco.
2. You can implement Composition II/English 1302 with an Emphasis in Mexican American Literature.
Successful completion of Composition II/English 1302 is often (But not always) a required requisite for enrolling in Mexican American Literature. Offering English 1302 as a Dual Credit Course with an Emphasis in Mexican American Literature paves the way for the full fledged Literature Course the following semester.
3. You can also teach any 9th grade through 12th grade Spanish LOTE Class (Language Other Than English) as Special Topics in Mexican American Studies. (Note, special permission is not needed. Special permission is need for an Innovative Course.)
4. If you teach Spanish, add Mexican American Literature as an emphasis. We will be creating a list of readgins for this option.
You can incorporate Mexican American writers into your other English courses, Language Arts, Creative Writing, History, or Film Course. Our Website has a list of authors and Mexican American Authors to choose from and some lesson plans. Once a teachers sees how their students are inspired by authors they can relate to, they will want to introduce more M.A.S. courses.
5. Hispanic Heritage Month: September 15-October 15. The MAS Texas website has a great list of authors and films for Hispanic Heritage Month. This can compliment a MAS Course or serve as independent displays. We also feature MAS INFO on some of these authors which includes not only biographical information, but Texas ties, and also powerful primary sources.
6. Banned Book Weeks Exhibit: Celebrating the Freedom to Read: Sept. 21-27, 2014
MAS Texas website in conjunction with the Librotraficantes will provide information to exhibit the works that were part of the cutting edge K-12 Mexican American Studies curriculum at Tucson Unified School District. Arizona House Bill 2281 prohibitted MAS. Tucson High School students are suing the state of Arizona to overturn that law. The students will take their case to the 9th District Federal Court of Appeaals this fall. Displays can consist of some of the 84 books by Mexican Americans, as well as other non-Latinos, and even non-Latinos whose works were part of the brilliant curriculum. Fore more information visit:
http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/
www.librtoraficante.com
7. Advanced option: The Research Course: Encourage your school to offer any one of the above approaches above one semester. The following semester your school can offer the research course. So for example, offer LOTE Spanish Special Topics Mexican American Literature one semester. Offer the Research Component for the course the following semester.
8. Advanced option: Increasing Course Levels: Offer Increasing levels of a course: For example, first offer LOTE Spanish Special Topics Mexican American Literature First Level, then the next year or the next semester Second Level, then Third Level, then Fourth Level.
9. Advanced Option: Social Studies Endorsement: Implement Mexican American Studies via the Texas State Board of Education’s Social Studies endorsement through the following course:
a.) AP Human Geography
b.) World History/World Civilization Hybrid
c.) U.S. History
d.) U.S. Gov/ Eco Year
Note , for 4th year English, you can request an Innovative Course, such as English with the Endorsement, in the form of Mexican American Literature. Permission must be requested from a school board.
10. Advanced Option: The Texas 16 Option: Students can Request the Class: If 16 students, request a course, Texas State Board of Education policy allows for that course to be offered. Ask us how.
Quantum Demographics: As we refine the path to implementation for MAS and create the kit to conduct the classes, we will also identify leaders in African American Studies, Native American Studies, Asian American Studies to offer those classes also.
Welcome the to the Multicultural, multimedia era.
