Subtractive Schooling:

U.S.-Mexican Youth

and the Politics of

Caring

Author:

Angela Valenzuela

Gladiola and Caroline

Some Vocabulary

Authentic caring: is the idea that pedagogy is premised on relationships. All energy is put toward the student’s needs.

Social capital: idea that social networks have value. Social contacts affect the productivity of individuals and groups.

Subtractive assimilation: the process of acculturation in which the native culture is rejected and not valued

Educación: The Spanish term for education that is distinct from the meaning “education.” Refers to a broader idea of competence in the social world in which one respects others.

Research Question

How does the lack of authentic caring in a school environment shape attitudes of Mexican-American youth?

Research Focus

To produce “a rich, multilayered account of the relationship between schooling and achievement.”

Literature Review

References linguistic studies that show findings such as having academic competence in the native language is a precondition for mastering the second language.

Cites studies focused on race/ethnicity and educational achievment that say that youth schooled in Mexico outperform Mexican-Americans schooled in the U.S. and the reasons behind the difference.

Talks a lot about “dual frame of reference” which allows students to compare their present situation with typically less favorable conditions in their native country.

Research Paradigm

This a primarily qualitative study that was precipitated by quantitative data.

Used grounded theory approach. Fits the Constructivist, ethnographic

paradigm.

Research Methodology

She immersed herself in the community of the area of the high school she chose.

She works there from 1992 to 1995. Chose the high school because it had

been the site of a big walk out a few years before, because it was in a primarily Hispanic area, and because it had low achievement scores

Participants

High school students at Seguín High School in the East End area of Houston

Group interviews were conducted among three categories of students: immigrant students, U.S.-born students, and generationally-mixed groups

Most were 9th or 10th graders at the beginning so that they could be followed for the time she was there

She also spoke with school personnel, community members and parents

Data Collection Procedures

School Data Participant observation Informal interviews with teachers,

students, parents, adminstrators, community members, etc.

School-wide questionnaire Group interviews Individual interviews

Data Analysis

During the day she would take notes and audio recordings.

Each night she would write up a full account of the day’s observations or interviews.

She looked for common themes.

Findings

Through her data collection processes, she finds that subtractive schooling measures are in place, meaning that the curriculum is Euro-centric and takes away the cultural and linguistic knowledge that students need to achieve.

Teachers are not forming relationships and engaging in “authentic caring.”

Her research supports previous research that Mexican students perform better academically than their Mexican-American counterparts.

Students that were seemingly disinterested in school were not opposed to education but rather the idea of “schooling,” which refers to the way they were treated and objectified.

Interpretation

The findings of this study mean that school systems need to become “additive” rather than subtractive.

Teaching in the native language does not automatically make the curriculum culturally relevant.

Authenic caring is essential for student achievement, but it can exist outside of an additive environment or curriculum.

Youth have a hard time caring for a system that does not “care” for them.

Critique

We believe that this study is directly related to both theory and practice.

Argument is strong and supported by interview excerpts.

We think the findings are very significant. They support previous research that says that Mexican-American (U.S. born) students perform poorly in comparison to Mexican immigrant students, but her study goes deeply into the attitudes and the students’ perceptions about the educational system and the role of the teachers.

Merten’s Criteria Researcher did have sufficient involvement at the site. 3 years. Does make effort to share findings and get feedback from teachers and

administrators. Not sure about member checks, but uses other students to make sure students

were accurately represented. Negative cases are briefly mentioned but do not change major findings. Triangulation, yes! Like the thickest description you’ve ever seen. Very detailed description of

students lives and environment of the school. We’re not sure about the audits. Very candid about her position and how she is viewed by people in the school We’re not sure if the respondents become more sophisticated about their

experience, but we assume they do. Definitely established links in the community. Definitely seeks out those who are silent and marginalized. Researcher very critically reflexive. Not sure if researcher makes arrangement to “give back” but we believe the work

to be so significant that it benefits the field of multicultural education. Not sure, but probably stimulates action from policy makers, administrators, or

educators that read it.