A la biblioteca.

--Pedagogical implications based on the factors of identity and gender within the Chicana/Latina population--

Bernal, Dolores Delgado, C. Alejandra Elenes, Francisca E. Godinez, and Sofia Villenas, eds. Chicana/Latina Education in Everyday Life: Feminista Perspectives on Pedagogy and Epistemology. Albany: State University of New York, 2006. Print.
This source interrelates and defines the concepts of a feminist approach to pedagogy as well as the exploration of the Chicana/Latina identity. These various theories explore how this complicated identity plays out into other sectors, such as family life and community perceptions. Bernal discusses how Chicanas/Latinas are surviving in contemporary times here in the States – mainly focusing on the K-16 age range. In addition to having the precise age range for my research, other topics of personal research include intriguing case studies of the assimilation and acculturation process for these Hispanic-American women trying to make the transition into a new way of life. The book ends with some more relevant pedagogical approaches for educators who have this population represent within their classrooms, which is precisely the topic I will be concluding with in my analysis.

Blanco-Vega, Christiane O., Sara M. Castro-Olivo, and Kenneth W. Merrell. "Social-Emotional Needs of Latino Immigrant Adolescents: A Sociocultural Model for Development and Implementation of Culturally Specific Interventions." Journal of Latinos and Education 7.1: 43-61. Academic Search Premier. Web. 12 Mar. 2011.
The journal article starts off with the demographic makeup of Hispanic students in US schools, explaining how Latinos are the largest and fastest growing ethnic minority group here in the USA. As the article title indicates the primary focus is upon the social-emotional needs of Latino students. The authors expound upon the factors that make this community member successful or not successful academically – including acculturation stress, family factors, school belonging, immigration experience and more. Within my paper, I would like to include some of the introductory demographic statistics (unless I find more recent statistics) as well as explaining both identity and negative behaviors as a result of the aforementioned factors (e.g., immigration experience).

Gil, Rosa Maria, and Carmen Inoa Vazquez. The Maria Paradox: How Latinas Can Merge Old World Traditions with New World Self-esteem. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1996. Print.
While other sources have included how gender and identity are intertwined, this source specifically analyzes each topic from the lens of the female gender. It includes such social constructions as machismo (both positive and negative aspects) as well as to balance between the traditional ways and the contemporary ideologies. This source is an excellent one because it pertains to the very core of my research, while including such topics as “the double self and the bicultural paradox,” “the cultural collision,” “defining the woman’s place,” and many other community expectations demanded of Chicanas/Latinas. This book details both the private sacrifices and overall transitions that happen in the acculturation process between being a submissive Chicana/Latina and being the independent-minded American woman.

McKenna, Teresa, and Flora Ida Ortiz. The Broken Web: the Educational Experience of Hispanic American Women. Claremont, CA: Tomás Rivera Center, 1988. Print.
This book is chocked full of studies conducted about how Hispanic-American women are perceived in education and the opportunities (or lack thereof) offered to them. Although this book was published in 1988, it is interesting to see how some areas of education have progressed and then others have remained stagnant in the last twenty years. Since the majority of Hispanics in the USA presently are from Mexico, this book offers some interesting statistics specifically in regards to teacher-pupil interaction (49), which is the part most important for my research. Also pertinent to my research is chapter four (61) which discusses how lack of Hispanic professional women has become a cycle that preys upon the present and future generations.