My case study was done on one of my Hispanic boy students.  When I first met my student’s mother she shared with me that my student’s father was incarcerated for domestic violence. My student’s mother was concerned and wanted to make me aware just in case I saw any signs of unusual behavior.    

When I interviewed my student’s mother for my case study she agreed without hesitation. She told me that all three of her children were born in the United States and she was born in El Salvador.   

According to the article “Hispanic-American Students and Learning Style” written by Griggs and Dunn the Hispanic culture has a strong family bond.  The belief is that a child’s behavior mirrors the positive aspects of the family, in other words it either brings honor or dishonor to the family.  Loyalty and a very strong support system is one of the keys to the Hispanic culture (it takes a village to raise a child).

 

Based on my own personal experience family commitment is top priority.  I have found this to be   very true of both my sister-in-laws (Santo Domingo & Honduras) family commitment.  I have found this commitment to be more so with my sister-in-law from Sana Domingo.  I am very blessed to have such a sister-in-law (and her mother) who has embarrassed my father just like he was her own.  

 

While researching Hispanic cultures I came across the following information about Mexican American students learning styles:

 

·         American students learn best in a structured environment more so than other cultures.

·         Mexican-American students favor working in groups opposed to Caucasian and African-         American students.

·         Mexican-American students required significantly more sociological variety than either African-Americans or Caucasians (Dunn, Griggs, & Price, 1993; Jalali, 1989).

·         Latinos' strongest strength is kinesthetic – The study of body motion, gestures, unconscious body movement.

·         Mexican- American students were found to be less auditory and visual than Caucasians and African-American students.

·         “Mexican-American females had a significantly higher need for mobility than their male counterparts (Dunn, Griggs, & Price, 1993).”

The majority of my students in my classroom are ESOL. Consequently, I have to adjust my teaching style to fit the needs of all of my students.  For math, I have to make sure that there are plenty of manipulatives available.  Also, small groups, visual aids, and plenty of modeling are helpful tools that allow my students to grasp the material much quicker. 

My teaching style this year has been hands on, but I find myself having to wing my students off because I discovered that many of them were becoming too depended on me, I was so called hovering over them.  Now that I have made this adjustment I am able to see who really doesn’t understand the content verses who can take on the task with minor assistance.   Also, I am finding that many of my students who didn’t like to participate are now willing to share what they know/have learned.  Although we still have a long ways to go, many of my students are really taking pride in their learning.  As an educator I believe it is my responsibility to do whatever I can to help my students succeed as a citizen as well as academically.  (I am more in line with the “Difference Orientation” concept outlined in chapter 4 – I look for opportunities to build on what the student already knows (Noel, pp. 127- 129).                       

References

www.education.com:

Baron, A., Jr. (1991). Counseling Chicano College Students. In C. Lee, and B. Richardson (Eds.), MULTICULTURAL ISSUES IN COUNSELING: New Approaches to Diversity (p.171-184). Alexandria, VA: American Association for Counseling and Development. ED 329 861.

Black, C., H. Paz, and R. DeBlassie. (1991). Counseling the Hispanic Male Adolescent. ADOLESCENCE 26:223-232. EJ 429 645.

Dunn, R., and K. Dunn. (1992). TEACHING ELEMENTARY STUDENTS THROUGH THEIR INDIVIDUAL LEARNING STYLES: PRACTICAL APPROACHES FOR GRADES 3-6. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.