Cristina A.

Velazquezs
5 Principles for Leadership, Equity, and Social Justice in Education for the Coachella Valley and Beyond

Principle 1-Pedgogy
I believe that when teachers develop pedagogy where students are involved with issues that explain human
differences, a voice will then be heard. When students are involved in real-life experiences and dialogue, and
reflect on their own lives, a silence will be broken. Students must also reflect about his or her family,
neighborhood, and community in order for didactic knowledge to transcend across any social class, age
groups, race, or generations.

Principle 2 Trust
Trust must be developed and educators must involve students in meaningful activities. Then once that
quixotic bond is formed, students will be willing and more than capable. Teachers today have the daunting
task of not only teaching content, but also introducing students to rational thought and teaching the
processes involved in learning. Once those barriers are broken, only then will an open mind be ready to face
the rigor, bias, and challenges needed to become better and grow.

Principle 3 High Hopes & Expectations
I imagine a world where our counselors and teachers have high hopes and expectations for every student.
Those same expectations will send a clear message as to how we envision education. I imagine an
environment where ideas and opinions are valued, and I imagine an environment with purpose at any level.
But most importantly, I imagine an environment were everyone gets over their biases and stereotypes and
sees an individual for who he or she truly is-- one who can be someone great in life.

Principle 4 Role Models
Latinos and other minorities need role models, mentors, or teachers that teach about culture, identity, and
must provide each student with encouragement, motivation, support, and resources to achieve self-
development in ways that fit his or her own culture. For Latinos and blacks growing up, many come face to
face with clashes of race, customs, cultural values, and language. Role models must discuss these powerful
themes in order to discover about the struggles, the history, in order to help shape ones identity and or
perceptions.

Principle 5 Parent & Community Involvement
Parent and community involvement within the school is key in creating equity and knowledge for all. I
believe there must be an increase in participation and our parents must be made knowledgeable and aware
of important issues in order to have better student attendance, increased motivation, higher test scores, and
higher graduation rates.










8 Reflections Over the Quarter
REFLECTION 1

Today's students are said to lack curiosity, be indifferent to the adult world, and have a poor sense of the
future; they are seen as a historical, cruel, uneasy with intimacy, materialistic, dependent, and passive. This quote
stood out because each generation has always been misunderstood, been seen as a threat, or has had some sort of
problem. And with each generation, students are socialized to become silent and at times lose his or her voice. The
underlying themes within the articles include pedagogy and identity. I believe that when teachers develop
pedagogy where students are involved with issues that explain human differences, a voice will then be heard.
When students are involved in real-life experiences and dialogue, and reflect on their own lives, a silence will be
broken. Students must also reflect about his or her family, neighborhood, and community in order for didactic
knowledge to transcend across any social class, age groups, race, or generations. Yet, in this day and age, the lack
of a voice and nonexistent relationship of students with the curriculum leaves schools beleaguered.
What is true knowledge? How is true knowledge garnered? Is knowledge information given to us by
teachers, learned experiences, experiments, and advice or do we get it from books and movies? Is it culture telling
me different truths, norms, or beliefs? From personal experience, not knowing the answer to a problem or
question doesnt make one less knowledgeable than the next. Yet, the state is set up, with sets of multiple-choice
questions, telling us which students (and which races) are more knowledgeable than others. Education is set up in
such a manner that has left some powerless and created social inequalities. Students are asked to memorize and
work diligently, yet he or she is not asked to think and reflect.
Schools across the nation have access and are required to teach knowledge, standards, objectives, and the
same content to each student at each grade level. For example, English classes have access to the same reading
material, yet there is a major achievement gap across schools, even schools within the same district. The main
cause in my eyes is EXPECTATIONS. Every school has different expectations and goals (separate from objectives)
which it needs to accomplish. Some schools are resistant, where the acquisition of knowledge and understanding
is not expected from each student as rigorously as others. The teaching styles can also be different from each
school. I still encounter teachers giving fact-oriented notes, teachers asking students to copy notes, and teachers
asking students to answer textbook questions; a teaching style that is far from good teaching. Other schools have
a dominating sense of possibility and knowledge is less about a matter of facts and skills, while the distinguished
few strive for excellence and knowledge as academic, intellectual, and rigorous. Although most schools have the
same curriculum, the dimensions of structure and content are different. In reflecting over the disparity, I think of
its truths. Schools across the nation acquire knowledge differently because of the beliefs and structures, not
because there are more or less minority, socially disadvantaged, or special education students. As an educator and
student, the quest shall always be for intellectual growth and self-improvement. But I measure knowledge
differently. I cant grade a student on tedious grammar and academic vocabulary. I grade knowledge based on
real-world application, communication, zealous debates, and project-based assessmentsa process one hopes
can transfer across contents.
Teachers must teach students ways of working with that knowledge, of expressing themselves creatively
and critically that will transcend across board rooms, or operating tables, across cultures, and countries, and
across all ages. We must teach students how to think and we must first begin with teaching them about their
history and their identity. I see such methods as: storytelling, narratives, chronicles, family history, scenarios,
biographies, and parables to draw on the strength of the lived experiences students bring to the classroom. In
order for great teaching to happen one must teach students about their own history and to value that history. This
goal is to develop a pedagogy and curriculum that truly deepens ones understanding with purpose and intellect.
We are surrounded in a world where everyone holds an opinion, and a different one for that fact. Whether it is
education or politics, we are surrounded by people who think his or her perspectives are correct. And in the
absence of rational thought, we accept those doctrines, and we follow, especially in those espoused by people. But
if we teach to think, just possibly, we can begin to create change.
I reflected on the fact that teachers burn out from the energy spent to maintain authority and the
countless hours spent on lesson planning and curriculum. But what good will all the lessons be if teachers cant
break that barrier to reach each student? Trust must be developed and educators must involve students in
meaningful activities. Then once that quixotic bond is formed, students will be willing and more than capable.
Teachers today have the daunting task of not only teaching content, but also introducing students to rational
thought and teaching the processes involved in learning. Once those barriers are broken, only then will an open
mind be ready to face the rigor, bias, and challenges needed to become better and grow. I truly believe that the
purpose of education is growth. Students must grow.

REFLECTION 2
The data was astonishing in a negative way. I surmised that we have more high school
dropouts, less high school graduates (from 77%-69%), most inmates are high school dropouts and
happen to be black. Also, I found that treatable learning disabilities among juvenile delinquents
went unaddressed and looked over. There are gaps across all areas of education, and limited
exposure to cultural diversity throughout the educational process. Clearly, there is a critical
problem in our education system that continues to be unaddressed. It is a problem that will only
continue to grow if we dont educate our children, and educate them well. We continue to put blame
on the efforts or lack there of, and we presume that this nation is built under equal education for all,
yet we forget that statement does not mean all schools get the same funding, structure, pedagogy,
and academic rigor. The sad truth is that all schools do not receive equitable rights. In one clear
statement: many schools have unequal access to skilled teachers and excellence in curriculum,
which creates achievement gaps across the nation. Sadly, these achievement gaps are seen more
closely associated with children of ethnic descent. What do these inequalities mean? More
experienced, higher salary teachers will teach advanced placement and honors courses in affluent
schools. There will be more specialists, better technology, and up to date instructional resources in
certain schools. I had to stop reading and genuinely ask myself, how does this happen, especially in
this day and age? Well, its simple. Property tax revenues mean richer cities will have different
means of allocating funds. As well as, funding formulas and dissimilar school administration
practices create differences in schools. There is no debate that there is less access to education for
students of color, students that are socio-economically disadvantaged, and minority students.
For a country built on diversity and a land of immigrants, the inequalities and inequities are
only more prevalent, today. In reflecting over all the articles, the ever-present theme of equity
continued to rise. Through this, I have drafted a list for change. My teaching and my expectations
must suit the diverse needs of each individual student and strengths of the class as a whole. With
teachers, time is of essence, and it feels like there is never enough time in the school day, yet if I
focus on opportunities rather than time, collectively we will feel accomplished. When focusing on
the individual, the teacher must understand that he has to know about the students background
and culture. Why? Because language, socio-economic background, culture, and gender directly
affects that students world and perspective. We have to find a way of celebrating and utilizing
diversity to shape strengths in our unique classrooms. The state demands a certain curriculum, but
with a little creativity we can meet those requirements while allowing students to be engaged and
to shine.
In reading all the articles, I imagine a world where our counselors and teachers have high
hopes and expectations for every student. Those same expectations will send a clear message as to
how we envision education. I imagine an environment where ideas and opinions are valued, and I
imagine an environment with purpose at any level. But most importantly, I imagine an environment
were everyone gets over their damn biases and stereotypes and sees an individual for who he or
she truly is-- one who can be someone great in life.







REFLECTION 3
Civil rights groups, federal legislation, and court rulings over historical decades have sought to rectify
the effects of past and ongoing judgment, bias, and discrimination against racial minorities. Despite strides,
austere inequities persist.
When reading the articles, the theme was evident. Minorities such as Blacks, Hispanics, and Native
Americans continue to struggle even in this day and age with equity and equality. Public education, whether
it be higher education or K-12, is most definitely separate and unequal. This is not just an opinion, its fact. It
was a history lesson when reading these articles, and the court cases were woefully fascinating. What angers
me is the fact that schools across the nation put up a faade of diversity and multiculturalism, but the reality
is far from that, as schools favor some, yet harm others. Minority families cannot afford to send their children
to private schools. Families across urban cities are forced to send their children into low or failing schools;
which only propagates the poverty they are trying to get out of, and then results in poor academic
performance. These facilities are most likely aging facilities, possibly inadequate, with under resourced
educators. This inferior education leads to low-paying jobs, dropouts, and it just becomes a vicious cycle. It is
a real injustice. Black and Hispanic students continue to hold less high school diplomas as compared to
whites. Black and Hispanic students hold fewer bachelors degrees than white students. This achievement
gap is critical and we must find a way to increase gains in minorities.
My family and I immigrated to this country in hopes of the American dream and in hope of a better
education for us. I was very lucky to have been such a driven and stubborn young lady. However, for many
and especially the ones that need it most, pubic education is not a blessing. It is oppressive for the kids that
need it most. Education should open up a world of opportunities, but for minorities like myself, at times it
feels like it closes. Ive always felt that there is a need to increase diversity and cultural competence. I feel it
is of essence to recruit teachers that have had similar experiences growing up as a minority that now hold
degrees, and can be a role model for students. Growing up I never ever had a teacher that looked like me,
shared my experiences, and united a similar culture. I was never able to identify with someone of unique
cultural heritage, like myself. We need this. Students of minorities need to know that that can be them one
day.

In reading all of the articles, this question arose: How can we create school funding structures that give to
our neediest schools in order to provide for a quality public education?



REFLECTION 4

My mind is beleaguered at the constant reading and thinking of these and past articles. I am
discovering more and more the social injustices and equities of the past and present in education.
But I personally need this. Why? The more I learn, the more I realize I must do something about
this. And despite it all, I still believe the education is the great equalizer. I say this for the few
students that made it out. Sadly, this doesnt occur for all. Ive seen faculty and staff who arent
sensitive to diversity issues, a broken support system both academically and through community,
areas of study that arent multifaceted, and a lack of mentors or advisors. The article by Solorzano,
D. G. & Bernal, D. D. (2001) states that Chicana and Chicano students today often identify
transformational role models and mentors as influential people who inspire and socialize them to
be concerned with and struggle for social justice issues in their school and community. I would kill
to have a role model, mentor, or teacher that taught me about myself, my world, and provide me
with encouragement, motivation, support, and resources to achieve self-development in ways that
fit my own cultural. For Latinos and blacks growing up, many come face to face with clashes of race,
customs, cultural values, and language. The feat is much more difficult for one who is a minority,
and even worse for one living in poverty. Reading about white privilege and white racist ideology,
and then reading about racist comments in the media makes me livid. It is incredible to live in this
day and age and still face the ignorance and dominance of the white group. I blame it on my people
as well. We should be confronting the negative portrayals and ideas about Latinos and fostering
change. We should be motivated by all of the negative stereotypes and ideas and be driven to
navigate our children through an educational system that reflects knowledge, character, and
progressionnot general ennui. We have to teach our students about racism and stereotypes.
Teachers tiptoe around these powerful themes and leave students guessing about their history,
their struggles, and their identity. In my opinion, curriculum development should include diversity.
I do believe we are a nation of strong values, hopes, and beliefs but to change ones mind, or ones
policy is a confession of weakness. A weakness we all must endure and proclaim before we dare make it
better.




REFLECTION 5
In reading the articles, I cant help but think of my own students whom complain about certain teachers or
contents. He or she will tell me they dont get it. They dont get it because they dont understand. They dont
understand because it has no significance and it has no pertinence to his or her life. It has no relevance, and it
turns into a bunch of busy work. Busy work that is tedious and with no purpose other than to fulfill a point
system. This isnt an improvement in educational opportunities, and worse it leads to students giving up on a
system he or she does not believe in. Carlone and Johnson prove that one must create meaning in order to be
successful.
I asked myself the very same question posed in the Lynn article. Why do I teach? I teach because I
never saw a role-model like myself, from the very same skin, to the same hardships I once endured. I never
saw anyone like myself prove that it is possible for one to make something out of nothing. I chose to teach in
order to inspire, in order to change the mentality that others might have about my culture. Even after 25
years, I still see the same disparities. This last semester I had 3 new students (added to my 167 students)
that returned to Palm Springs High School from Mt. San Jacinto continuation school. I asked them on their
first day what his or her goal is in Spanish class, but I asked in Spanish. Every one of them responded in
English and I said, No hablas espaol? The response was no, but of course theyre thrown into my Spanish
heritage language course because of the students last names and previous course history. As much as I wish
to change it, it does become an issue of skin color. Students are judged based off of their race. Students are
also mislabeled and many are lost through the cracks. Black students are treated differently, as are Latinos.
Blacks in California and across the nation have lower socioeconomic status and more punitive relationships
with the criminal justice system. In my opinion, blacks and Latinos have significantly more barriers to cross.
Plus, teachers dont quite provide students with culturally approximate and responsive curricula. The
disconnect is huge and something needs to change.
Educational leaders must respond differently to the California state educational system and the way
teachers receive training toward curricular and pedagogical practices, especially in the case of minorities,
English language learners, and special education students. Sadly, these same students (blacks and Latinos)
arent exposed to rigorous college-preparatory curriculum. How can we dare dream of them getting into
college? The truth of the matter is minority students are not getting the adequate education needed to
advance in higher education. Advanced placement courses are mainly filled with white students, and these
students are getting the latest in technology and state of the art science labs.
Educational leaders must respond to the unequal school funding formulas and biased educational
policies that discriminate against people of color. I genuinely believe that educators need to redefine their
roles, expectations, and relationships. Many times, we view the deficits instead of the opportunities.
Policymakers, educators, and administrators must realize the achievement gaps that exists among minorities
and whites was created because of the inequalities and injustices of our educational school system. As stated
in the Brown vs. Board of Education ruling, ...it is doubtful that any child may reasonably be expected to
succeed in life if he is denied the opportunity of an education. Frankly speaking, minority students are being
denied innovative learning strategies and curriculum, technology, goal-oriented lessons, history and culture,
and opportunities that white students receive in affluent cities. The disparities that are leaving our students
behind will lessen once policy makers and administrators decide to do something about it. We must awaken
the child to cultural values, prepare students for the real world with professional training, eliminate
stereotypes and biases toward minorities, and truly seek to create positive change within all schools.

RELFECTION 6
In reading the articles, I cant help but think of my own students whom complain about certain
teachers or contents. He or she will tell me they dont get it. They dont get it because they dont
understand. They dont understand because it has no significance and it has no pertinence to his or her
life. It has no relevance, and it turns into a bunch of busy work. Busy work that is tedious and with no
purpose other than to fulfill a point system. This isnt an improvement in educational opportunities, and
worse it leads to students giving up on a system he or she does not believe in.
In reading about English learners and special education I asked myself this question, Why do I
teach? I teach because I never saw a role-model like myself, from the very same skin, to the same
hardships I once endured. I never saw anyone like myself prove that it is possible for one to make
something out of nothing. I chose to teach in order to inspire, in order to change the mentality that
others might have about my culture. I chose to teach others of the racism I had to endure to possibly
help English learners and minorities cope with the injustices of today. Even after 25 years, I still see the
same disparities. This last semester I had 3 new students (added to my 167 students) that returned to
Palm Springs High School from Mt. San Jacinto continuation school. I asked them on their first day what
his or her goal is in Spanish class, but I asked in Spanish. Every one of them responded in English and I
said, No hablas espaol? The response was no, but of course theyre thrown into my Spanish heritage
language course because of the students last names and previous course history. As much as I wish to
change it, it does become an issue of skin color. Students are judged based off of their race. Students are
also mislabeled and many are lost through the cracks. Black students are treated differently, as are
Latinos. Blacks in California and across the nation have lower socioeconomic status and more punitive
relationships with the criminal justice system. In my opinion, blacks and Latinos have significantly more
barriers to cross. Plus, teachers dont quite provide students with culturally approximate and
responsive curricula. The disconnect is huge and something needs to change.
Educational leaders must respond differently to the California state educational system and the
way teachers receive training toward curricular and pedagogical practices, especially in the case of
minorities, English language learners, and special education students. Sadly, these same students
(blacks and Latinos) arent exposed to rigorous college-preparatory curriculum. How can we dare
dream of them getting into college? The truth of the matter is minority students are not getting the
adequate education needed to advance in higher education. Advanced placement courses are mainly
filled with white students, and these students are getting the latest in technology and state of the art
science labs.
Educational leaders must respond to the unequal school funding formulas and biased
educational policies that discriminate against people of color. I genuinely believe that educators need to
redefine their roles, expectations, and relationships. Many times, we view the deficits instead of the
opportunities. Policymakers, educators, and administrators must realize the achievement gaps that
exists among minorities and whites was created because of the inequalities and injustices of our
educational school system. As stated in the Brown vs. Board of Education ruling, ...it is doubtful that any
child may reasonably be expected to succeed in life if he is denied the opportunity of an education.
Frankly speaking, minority students are being denied innovative learning strategies and curriculum,
technology, goal-oriented lessons, history and culture, and opportunities that white students receive in
affluent cities. The disparities that are leaving our students behind will lessen once policy makers and
administrators decide to do something about it. We must awaken the child to cultural values, prepare
students for the real world with professional training, eliminate stereotypes and biases toward
minorities, and truly seek to create positive change within all schools.
RELFECTION 7
In reading the articles, Im reminded of the importance of parent and community involvement within
the school. I think we all know who important it is, yet many lack the pieces needed to increase participation
and accept isolation. Parent and community involvement within the school is key in creating equity and
knowledge for all. I believe there must be an increase in participation and our parents must be made
knowledgeable and aware of important issues in order to have better student attendance, increased
motivation, higher test scores, and higher graduation rates.
Although a parents role in their children will evolve and grow as their kids do, one thing will never
change, the parents are the models. I feel as if sometimes the teacher is made to be the parent, the
disciplinarian, the teacher, the counselor, and every other role one can think of for the child. But a teachers
attitude can change and inspire a parent and the community. Working had in had can really allow the
parents to make a difference in the educational journey. A theme of leadership within parents emerges and
could mean the ultimate shift in student achievement. Parents must be leaders.
I do believe that parental involvement is significantly influenced by family social class, maternal level
of education, health and single parent status, and by family ethnicity. It also is influenced by the age of the
student. In elementary, all parents come to back-to-school night, parent conferences, and awards nights. I
would be so lucky to get a phone call answered in high school. There is a huge shift in parental involvement
as the student gets older.
Honestly, when reading these articles, the same themes come across through videos I see, the news I
watch, or the articles I read. Its all around me. A couple days ago, I came across another article that said,
When schools, families, and community groups work together to support learning, children tend to do
better in school, stay in school longer, and like school more. But we know what the research says, yet
parents, especially minority parents are the ones working double shifts or two jobs. These parents have
bigger families and more kids to look after each day. Many of these parents are also single parents with one
sole income. I know how hard it is to be involved when their clearly isnt enough time in ones day.
I think it starts with the parent and parent participation is the ingredient that will make a difference.
For parent involvement, the television needs to be limited and most definitely turned off. Parents need to be
involved by not only reading to their children but checking homework every night. Most importantly,
parents need to communicate with their children about what is going on in order for a significant impact to
occur.
RELFECTION 8
Reading the assignments for this week truly reminded me of all of the work I must prepare myself to
embark. As my friends and family see me ardently working toward my goals, they continue to remind me
that it will be worth it, and that I will soon be done. But they dont know the internal struggles that I must go
through and do not realize that my work has just begun. As the more I learn, the more injustices I see, and
many times I do see an biased world. A menaced world, and a world that will not stop for any one person.
This is where the fight really begins. Now is when I see the power I have to influence young hearts and young
minds. Now is when I see the potential I have to make a change, a change that society desperately needs.
These thoughts come about reading A Talk to Teachers. James Baldwins article was astonishing; a rare
article to come across that is both brutally honest and genuine.
I was sincerely touched when reading Teaching as an Art form because it put my job into
perspective. At times, I get so frustrated with the system, I see how unfair and prejudiced it truly is, and at
times I feel stripped of everything Ive ever believed in or hoped. And whats worse, I see teachers with a lack
of what Friere calls critical moral leadership, which disables the hearts, minds, and bodies of their
students. For the past 20 years, Ive come across these students that are disconnected from anything
personal or motivational. Students that have become trapped by a system that has failed them. Students that
cannot stand up for themselves or one another because they do not have the proper tools to communicate,
the model vocabulary, or the motivation to learn for the sake of learning. Education is designed to perpetuate
the aims of society. Yet, curriculum and instruction is designed for students to labor on countless hours of
tedious work in order for the teacher to put in the Gradebook to satisfy a grade. Teachers arent challenging
us to live and love in the present. Teachers arent creating a pedagogy of liberation, of autonomy, of courage.
They arent instilling the possibility of creating revolutionary dreams or teaching us to turn our fears into
courage. NO, students are taught to be quiet and do their work, and if one dares to speak up, injustices will
occur. But if only students would know that when one becomes conscious, one can then begin to examine the
society in which he lives in. And only when one is aware, can he become better, and make others around him
better, too. I know this now, I know this because I have struggled so much in educating myself. From the
language barriers, to the financial burdens, to living in hiding, to the many, many years I have endured in this
system. I know now that it is my responsibility to change society.