Introduction
I have been teaching Spanish in public elementary schools in Richmond, Virginia, since 2007. Before moving to Virginia, I enjoyed working twenty years in bilingual education and full–Spanish immersion classrooms in San Diego, California. I love all facets of language acquisition, and I am intrigued by the interaction of languages in culturally diverse communities.
Since arriving in Virginia, I have been working with students who attend Kindergarten through Third Grade (Summer Hill/Ruffin Road Elementary school). The Summer Hill school building is one of those old, red–brick buildings that are so abundant in Richmond (and which I find so charming despite their paucity of modern comforts). The building is used to provide educational services to students in 1 st Grade through 5 th Grade. Our Pre–School and Kindergarten students attend the Ruffin Road building, which is situated about a mile away from Summer Hill. Most of our students are African–American, but we also have a significant percentage of Hispanic children, mainly of Mixteco (one of Mexico's largest indigenous people) and Central American origins. Many of these children were born in the United States of immigrant parents who came to this country seeking a better life. Students of Anglo–Saxon ancestry are few in number, along with a very few children from other ethnic groups. In terms of overall diversity of the student population, Summer Hill/Ruffin Road Elementary has the highest number of Hispanic ESL students in the entire City of Richmond public school system. Almost all of the children in the neighborhood live in difficult financial circumstances and, consequently, most of the children receive free or reduced–price meals from our school cafeteria.
Students in Richmond Public Schools, as in many other places in our country, are expected to meet rigorous academic standards that require daily hard work and discipline. At Summer Hill and Ruffin Road, our days are filled with numerous activities, and our children not only spend a considerable amount of time studying the core curriculum subjects, but they also benefit from a number of extra–curricular activities during the regular school day, and a variety of after–school programs offered free of charge. Children attending public schools in the City of Richmond enjoy the benefit of learning Spanish from the time they are enrolled in Kindergarten, which allows them to acquire Spanish at a stage in life when children are particularly receptive to the acquisition of a second language.
Learning a second language requires much more than just being able to occasionally use a limited number of conventional phrases. We do not want to approach others in a superficial manner; we want to be in real communication with them. For that reason, it is not surprising to see that promoting cultural knowledge is one of the critical elements contemplated by the Spanish as a Foreign Language Standards of Learning.
With this in mind, one of my priorities in my daily work as a teacher of Spanish is to introduce my students to the beauty and richness of the Latin American and Hispanic cultures, a purpose that involves much more than the mere teaching of the language. I certainly want my students to be able to communicate their ideas using Spanish in a comprehensible way, but I don't want to limit my teaching, or their learning, to the traditional practice and drill sessions that result in little more than vocabulary retention. I am convinced that in order for my students to get the most out of our sessions, I must find ways to enrich my lessons with activities that are not only informative and engaging, but that will allow them to recognize the sometimes hidden commonalities existing among people from different cultures. I want my students to open themselves and look at life the way people in other countries do, and in that process, to gain information not only about those others, but also about themselves.
I believe that becoming fully aware of how deeply interconnected we human beings are, despite differences in languages or geographical distance, may be one of the most liberating experiences in life. As the Mexican poet Octavio Paz says in his poem "Piedra de Sol",
"Para que pueda ser, he de ser otro,
salir de m, buscarme entre los otros,
los otros que no son si yo no existo,
los otros que me dan plena existencia…"
("In order to be, I must be another,
leave myself, search for myself in the others,
the others that don't exist if I don't exist,
the others that give me total existence.")
Unfortunately, while our public schools are fully integrated, and children from all over the world may sit side–by–side in our American classrooms, the lack of mutual understanding may be a serious obstacle affecting the way individuals in our society approach each other as they grow. This lack of understanding, as we know, may become a fertile ground where all sort of racial conflicts may easily germinate. As a teacher, I feel obligated to do my part to minimize tension between the children, and to promote compassion and tolerance through our classroom activities. Sadly, I only get to spend a limited amount of time with my students, and it is difficult to eradicate certain negative attitudes that may be the result of years of misunderstandings. For example, my African–American students have stereotyped ideas about Latin Americans, they believe that everyone who speaks Spanish in this country is from Mexico, and that Mexicans celebrate their Independence Day on the Cinco de Mayo.
The same holds true for the Hispanic children, who fail to see how strong the African influence is in the Latin American countries. They look at their African–American co–students from a painful distance, as if there was no connection between these ethnic groups. They are not aware that some of the most "Latino" elements in Hispanic–American culture, such as music, food and a variety of artistic manifestations, are tightly connected with Africa. In other words, Latin American culture would not be what it is without the African influence, and I find very painful to observe how my students move away from each other because of their cultural ignorance.
Consequently, I have decided to prepare a curriculum unit in which I can blend the teaching of grade–appropriate Spanish vocabulary with information about some of the traditional art and poetry produced in Latin American regions. Taking into consideration that most of my students are Hispanics and African–Americans, I have chosen as the topic for this unit the art and poetry created by the Afro Mestizos, which is the term used to refer to those Hispanics with an African background. Unknown to many North Americans, Afro Mestizos are the descendants of the African slaves brought to Latin America during the Colonial times. It is my hope that by studying this unit, students will develop an appreciation of the cultural elements they share. More specifically, as they learn more about the social and cultural legacies that slavery left in Latin America, students may grow closer together instead of further apart. I also expect to see my students making steady progress in their learning of the Spanish language, since they will be required to read, write and speak in complete sentences, using the appropriate Spanish vocabulary. They will also demonstrate their understanding of the content in a variety of ways.
This unit is intended primarily for students in 4th to 6 th grade levels; however, with modest modifications of content and activities, the unit may be adapted to older students studying Spanish at a more advanced level. For example, teachers working with older students may choose to reflect upon the manner in which some traditional festivities among the Afro Mestizos mirror celebrations such as the Brazilian Carnival, and even Mardi Gras, to stress the existing interconnection between people with African ancestry living in the Americas. There are dances and rituals that have been practiced in Mexico through the centuries, which are not only fascinating because of their resemblance to African practices, but they are also a display of the beautiful outfits, masks and music especially prepared for certain occasions.
Regarding the portion of the unit that is dedicated to poetry, while conducting research on Afro Mestizo poetry in Mexico, I discovered poems that have been written to express the love and emotional connection between the poets and the land where they were born. For this reason, and since one of my main objectives in preparing this unit is to help my students to see how they are culturally interconnected, I will also share with the children a few poems written in Spanish by poets having an Afro Mestizo background who were born in countries other than Mexico, for example, the Cuban poet Nicolas Guilln. In these poems, students will find the issue of slavery and oppression mentioned in a manner reminiscent of that offered by many Afro American poets. Again, because of time limitations, I will share with my students only a few poems that should be easy for them to understand. Finally, I expect the students to be able to write short poems inspired by a piece of art, or by an image related to the Afro Mestizos.
Afro Mestizos, also known as Afro Hispanics, have lived in the Latin American countries under very similar circumstances for many years, and are linked by many commonalities. However, there are also distinctive features that characterize each of the Afro Mestizo communities, and it would be extremely difficult to include information about all of them in this unit. For this reason, I will limit the scope of my work to the Afro Mestizos living in Mexico, and more specifically, in the region occupied by the estates of Oaxaca and Guerrero. This area is known as la Costa Chica ("little coast"), which is an area particularly rich in Afro Hispanic traditions. Interestingly, it is also the region in Mexico where most of the Hispanic families living in the City of Richmond had their home before moving to the US. I want to take this opportunity to explain to those teachers who may read this work that while I did not prepare this unit with the intention of teaching geography I believe it is important for my students to gain a better grasp of where regions actually are. I think it is unfortunate that in times when young people are becoming used to receive instant information from or about people living in places far away from us, they cannot find those same places on a world map. For that reason, some of the activities planned for this unit will provide students with opportunities to review their knowledge about geography. I have included a number of suggestions on excellent maps, which are available online, in the list of references at the end of this unit.
I would like to mention that an important factor that motivated me to prepare this unit was my participation in the National Seminar "Poems about Works of Art, Featuring African American, Hispanic, and Women Writers", organized by Yale University, under the expert leadership of Dr. Paul Fry. This National Seminar had a special emphasis in what is known as "ecphrastic poetry" (that is, poetry directly inspired by works of art). Participants had the opportunity to study and share their thoughts about the poetic interpretation of some very well–known paintings and sculptures. They also prepared individual presentations, and made valuable suggestions about practical applications of similar activities in the classrooms. Taking part in this National Seminar helped me to realize how the analysis of art and poetry can greatly stimulate my students' critical thinking skills, while they can also gain valuable information about the world around them.
During the process of planning this unit I asked myself many questions. For example, just how much information do I need to share with the students? Should I include historical facts about slavery in Latin America? Would the unit be meaningful and complete if I focus my teaching only on the artistic and poetic works? I could limit the scope of the unit to an analysis of Afro Mestizo poems and art, but including the historical context may significantly enrich the overall experience. After all, art and poetry are intimately connected to the period in time in which they are created, as mirrored in the social circumstances surrounding the writers and artists. So much poetry has been written because of historical events. Perhaps more importantly, so much history has happened because of skilful writing and oratory. I doubt that my students will have many subsequent opportunities, as they move to upper grades, to be exposed to information about the implementation of slavery in Central and South America. As a Hispanic woman who has had opportunities to enjoy the richness of the African contribution to culture in Mexico, I would not be satisfied with this unit if I did not mention the historical facts. That having been said, including the issue of slavery within any curricular unit requires sensitivity and careful planning from those who aim to introduce children to a particularly brutal time in history, when millions of human beings were treated as "property" by people who considered themselves educated, civilized, and faithful practitioners of their religious beliefs.
This unit can be taught in five weeks, implementing two sessions each week, with each session requiring at least an hour of classroom work. Every session has been carefully prepared to make sure it meets the Standards of Learning (SOL's) for Spanish while it also supports other core subjects. In addition, each session includes activities that respond to individual learning styles, with a special emphasis on acquiring Spanish vocabulary, through the usage of a variety of teaching resources, including photos, charts, diagrams, videos, music, books, and even food. Every teacher knows that meaningful communication is a main component in any effective learning session, and for this reason my lessons will be delivered in both English and Spanish, to minimize what is known as "language anxiety" and to promote active oral participation by every child. Activities include working as a whole class, but there will be plenty of opportunities for the students to work in pairs and small groups, with African–American children working side–by–side with their Hispanic "colleagues," so they can all practice Spanish and benefit from each other's learning. Instead of a written final evaluation, students will be required to complete a comprehensive final project, in the form of a journal among other items, which may include facts, drawings, tables, texts (such as poems) as well as writing of their own. Students will be invited to share their personal thoughts with the rest of the class, to expand on what they have learned, and we will have a celebration at the end, with the participation of at least one special speaker––hopefully a poet or an artist.
Since I took part in a seminar about poetry inspired by works of art, I wanted to make sure my curriculum unit included poems and art created by Afro–Hispanic poets and artists. This will provide the students with a broader understanding of how people who speak different languages may express similar hopes and concerns through art and poetry. My students already have some knowledge about American art and poetry, and this unit will enrich their knowledge with information about artistic production from other areas in our continent.
For organizational purposes, I have divided this unit in two sections. The first section offers information about the African presence in Mexico, including facts about the slavery trade that was implemented in Mexico during the Colonial years. This part also provides general information about the Afro Mestizo population living in Oaxaca and Guerrero, Mexico, and their art and poetry. The second part of this unit will include the lesson plans and classroom activities as well as a list of resources that can be used while teaching the unit. Before I start the informational part of this unit, I want to express my gratitude to the cultural organization Xquenda, located in Mexico City, and to its director, Ms. Susana Harp, as well as to her staff, who have passionately worked for the past eight years in the compilation, promotion and protection of important and beautiful samples of the traditional art and poetry produced in the Costa Chica area in Mexico. They have graciously provided me with authorization to use some poems and images that will make the lessons a very stimulating experience. To Xquenda, and the dedicated artists they represent, goes my admiration and respect.
I have been very excited during the preparation of this unit, and I can hardly wait to introduce my students to an experience that will help them see how culturally connected they really are. It is my hope that at some stage in this journey of learning about the Afro Mestizos, my students' perception about themselves and the rest of the class will positively change. Finally, I would like to invite teachers who may be interested in implementing this unit, to send me any comments or suggestions that may improve this work.
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