As discussed throughout this paper, many institutional and instructional strategies can facilitate higher achievement among Latino/a students. Many of these are effective partly because of the relationships they foster. But we also want to point out a few concrete examples of supportive constructive relationships. The common thread in these…

This article is practitioner based and focuses on how high school counselors can facilitate the development of Latina/o youth and parents who on a daily basis face psychological and social issues that confront their lives. My work with Latina/o troubled youth and parents, over a 33 year period, has led me to propose five concepts that can serve…

This story describes how my immigrant parents from Mexico City transmitted their Mexican cultural knowledge to their U.S. born children to inspire us to understand the wealth of our culture. Their experiences and stories helped us to navigate as bilingual and bicultural Chicanos. We were a family that was very proud of our Mexican heritage; we…

Books written and illustrated by Chicano authors and illustrators give young Chicano students a different perspective to life that contrasts that of traditional school textbooks. They depict life as it was and continues to be. However, during the past few years, educational policy and law in California has imposed a strong focus on the teaching of…

The history, culture and practices of Central America are inadequately addressed in teacher preparation and professional development across the United States, and especially in California based on the author's analysis of teacher preparation. Information about the histories, cultures and practices add to the linguistic and pedagogic knowledge-base…

California and the rest of the United Sates are undergoing significant challenges in providing educational opportunities for an increasingly diverse population. These challenges include inadequate literacy and numeracy skills among large segments of the student and adult populations; an ongoing shift in the demographic profile of the population,…

Before the Civil Rights movement, the lack of accurate representations of people of color was evident. Children's literature did not present accurate depictions of Mexican-Americans in the text. Sarapes, sombreros and fiestas were typical symbols used to identify Mexican culture and traditions. The Civil Rights Movement sparked a change for…