This book describes how bilingual children and their families actively and innovatively use available cultural and linguistic resources to pursue their goals. Three separate ethnographic studies were conducted within the same Mexicano community in Lincoln City, California. Descriptions of everyday talk of children and adults focus on how children…

With large-scale immigration in the last 20 years and a high birth rate, Chicanos now comprise the second-largest minority in the United States. This ethnohistorical account attempts to unravel the multiple heritages and influences shaping Chicanos from pre-Columbian Mexico to present-day United States. The book focuses on questions of land,…

The focus of this book is a study of voice through writing among poor, urban preadolescent fifth-grade girls. Voice became a central focus when the researcher, engaged in observations of peer writing conferences for students who were not native speakers, noted that the girls appeared to lose their voices as the year went on. The loss of voice was…

In many areas of education, Chicanos and Latinos have the lowest achievement and attainment of the major ethnic groups in the United States. In contrast to various deficit theories, this book argues that the Hispanic educational experience and outcomes can only be understood in relation to the development of U.S. and global capitalism and the…

This book aims to assist Latinos who are thinking about going to college. The book is divided into four parts and is organized by steps. Part 1 discusses preparing for college. Steps identify 10 new ways of thinking to get ready psychologically for the SAT or ACT exams and college itself; provide forms, tips, and a sample letter to assist in…

Designed for undergraduate and graduate courses in education, this book covers education developments and trends beginning with the Colonial experience through the present day, placing an emphasis on post-World War II issues such as the role of technology, the standards movement, affirmative action, bilingual education, undocumented immigrants,…

The goal of this book is to generate discussion not only about how individuals can create meaningful educational experiences for all learners, but to challenge systems that necessitate a resilient nature. Ultimately, the authors promote the need for a foundation of socially just policies and practices in all educational settings and respond to the…

"The Opportunity Gap" aims to shift attention from the current overwhelming emphasis on schools in discussions of the achievement gap to more fundamental questions about social and educational opportunity. The achievement gap looms large in the current era of high-stakes testing and accountability. Yet questions persist: Has the…

The seven short stories in this collection portray the lives of Puerto Rican children and adolescents in the South Bronx (New York City). The hopelessness of many Puerto Rican and Black youth is vividly depicted in stories dealing with drug use, discrimination, unwanted and early pregnancy, and a host of other urban social ills. Titles of the…

The very high incidence of school dropouts throughout the nation is viewed as one of the major factors contributing to the failure of the American educational system, affecting not only the schools but the society as a whole. The social, political, and economic implications of the dropout problem are explored. The ability of the United States to…

This book provides preservice and in-service educators with information about the four most prevalent culturally diverse groups in the United States and describes components of responsive multicultural education programs. The text staunchly maintains that multicultural education programs should be a total school effort involving all school…

Extensive information is provided about the various cultural elements, including attitudes toward education and work, that different family groups have drawn on in order to exist in the United States today. The family ethnicities of five distinct cultures (Native American, African American, Mexican American and Spanish origin, Muslim American, and…

This book presents the findings of a study of the demography of high school dropouts using a special analysis model applied to 1980 census results and other published data. The study sought to place findings in the context of the trends in national educational attainment in the second half of the 20th century. Data were categorized and analyzed in…

Materials on a variety of subjects related to school desegregation are collected in this book. Chapter 1 discusses assumptions about the overall consequences of desegregation. Chapters 2 to 5 synthesize the findings of existing research on the consequences of school desegregation for children and communities. Finally, Chapter 6 describes…

The 12 articles in this book cover most of the significant issues about which judges, policymakers, educators, and parents are concerned when they evaluate and debate the desirability of school desegregation. Part I addresses the legal context of desegregation policy with (1) "Brown in Perspective," by William L. Taylor. The effects of…