Reynaldo Reyes

“Key Interactions” as Agency and Empowerment: Providing a Sense of the Possible to Marginalized, Mexican-Descent Students

This article discusses how key interactions between community members, teachers, and Latino counselors and advisers were integral in providing support, knowledge, and agency to marginalized, Mexican-descent students in their 1st year of college. Findings show that particular types of discourse and narrative exchanged between integral adult figures and the students helped to create a common point of cultural and personal understanding that fueled further efforts and motivation on the part of the students.

“Cheating” as Good Pedagogy: Bilingual Teachers Defying English-Only to Foster Student Achievement

“Cheating” is a form of resistance in pedagogy for bilingual educators. Bilingual educators “cheat” in classes where English as the only language of instruction is strictly imposed by school or district officials, but these teachers “cheat” by using the native language of their English language learners because they know they must. But, for many teachers in todays political and antagonistic anti-Mexican, anti-foreign language climate, not using a students native language for instruction is the equivalent to injustice.

On the Impact of Our Feedback: Students Choosing, and Using, to Learn

Do our students actually read and use the feedback we provide? If so, what purpose does it serve them? Although these should be concerns, if we provide the adequate tools and guidance on how to use our feedback, this question should not be a pedagogical burden. Ultimately, learning, thinking, and understanding are the products of good feedback to a student, which includes feedback that may not be as concrete as students would like. But concrete ambiguity may be the key in helping our students develop their thinking, as well as their writing.