SEMILLAS DEL PUEBLO (Seeds of the Community)

Why Semillas del Pueblo and why now?

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Teaching is rarely a desired profession for middle and high school students in Tucson, especially for Mexican-American students. Why?

In Southern Arizona, there is not only a shortage of teachers, but also a shortage of those who know how to teach in the tradition of Mexican-American Studies (MAS).

Since HB 2281 (outlawing MAS in Tucson Unified School District) was ruled unconstitutional, we knew we needed to develop the next generation of teachers trained using MAS approaches. More than curriculum, MAS includes how teachers engage with their students and the larger community. Research shows that students who take MAS courses perform better on the state tests and graduate at a higher rate, yet local school districts are struggling to find MAS-trained teachers.

How will Semillas solve such large problems?

Semillas del Pueblo grew out of conversations, research, teaching, and experiences. Any teacher can use this student and community centered approach to education. Semillas will:

• Empower students to construct their own understanding of the world to better serve themselves and their communities
• Cultivate interest in teaching in middle or high schools
• Offer a teacher-education program based on MAS approaches
• Work with high schools and Pima Community College to create a pipeline for MAS-trained educators, with the goal of expanding to a pipeline of MAS teachers anywhere in the country
• Offer a graduate certificate for educators to bring the MAS approach into their classrooms (a four-course sequence, including ethnic studies history, humanizing pedagogy, and equity awareness and literacy)
• Serve students in Mexican-American communities

What kind of collaborations will Semillas use?

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• Working with the college’s Project SOAR, an intergenerational mentoring program, Semillas will focus on high school students taking culturally relevant courses, the federally mandated MAS replacement directed by former MAS teachers
• Offer students the opportunity to become MAS-trained in their secondary education (M.Ed.) program
• Offer a graduate certificate for educators to bring the MAS approach into their classrooms (a four-course sequence, including ethnic studies history, humanizing pedagogy, and equity awareness and literacy)