Engages the complexities of teaching Latino/a students at Hispanic-Serving Institutions.

Engages the complexities of teaching Latino/a students at Hispanic-Serving Institutions.

Explores the contradictions between what is expected of teachers and the education and support they have received, and provides teachers with advice on how to teach writing and generate their students' interest in writing.

In the past ten years, literature by U.S. Latinos has gained an extraordinary public currency and has engendered a great deal of interest among educators. Because of the increase in numbers of Latinos in their classrooms, teachers have recognized the benefits of including works by such important writers as Sandra Cisneros, Julia Alvarez, and Rudolfo Anaya in the curriculum. Without a guide, introducing courses on U.S. Latino literature or integrating individual works into the general courses on American Literature can be difficult for the uninitiated. While some critical sources for students and teachers are available, none are dedicated exclusively to this important body of writing. To fill the gap, the editors of this volume commissioned prominent scholars in the field to write 18 essays that focus on using U.S. Latino literature in the classroom. The selection of the subject texts was developed in conjunction with secondary school teachers who took part in the editors' course. This resultant volume focuses on major works that are appropriate for high school and undergraduate study including Judith Ortiz Cofer's The Latin Deli, Piri Thomas' Down These Mean Streets, and Cisneros' The House on Mango Street. Each chapter in this Critical Guide provides pertinent biographical background on the author as well as contextual information that aids in understanding the literary and cultural significance of the work. The most valuable component of the critical essays, the Analysis of Themes and Forms, helps the reader understand the thematic concerns raised by the work, particularly the recurring issues of language expression and cultural identity, assimilation, and intergenerational conflicts. Each essay is followed by specific suggestions for teaching the work with topics for classroom discussion. Further enhancing the value of this work as a teaching tool are the selected bibliographies of criticism, further reading, and other related sources that complete each chapter. Teachers will also find a Sample Course Outline of U.S. Latino Literature which serves as guide for developing a course on this important subject.

Hispanic and Latino students now represent the largest ethnic group educated in the United States public school system. That means the ability to successfully educate Hispanic and Latino students, from pre-kindergarten to graduate school, is now of primary importance to the future of the United States. Under this critical context, Jaime Castellano's Educating Hispanic/Latino Students: Opening Doors to Hope, Promise, and Possibility arrives at the perfect moment to help educators better understand the Hispanic and Latino student demographic, and more importantly, uncover the strategies and implementation practices to better educate this burgeoning population. Topics covered include: The influence of poverty on the education of Hispanic/Latino students The challenge of identity when educating Hispanic/Latino students Educating the "whole child" and what this means for Hispanic/Latino students Engaging America's Hispanic/Latino parents and families Supporting Hispanic/Latino students through curriculum, instruction, and assessment By recognizing that Hispanic and Latino students are vital linguistic, economic, and social resources to our society, Castellano's Hispanic/Latino Students: Opening Doors to Hope, Promise, and Possibility is rooted in the firm belief that educational equity, access, and higher expectations should be the driving force to provide Hispanic and Latino students a quality education that prepares them for a successful and meaningful future.

In a departure from traditional paradigms, in this work Latinos examine their own experiences in US schools and offer theories born from positions of expertise and first-hand knowledge as researchers and educators.