November 2021
In this HSA Bulletin
In the Spotlight!
January 2022 HSA webinar
November 2021 HSA Webinar resources
FAQ of the Month
In the Spotlight!
The November spotlight illuminates the Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD). In response to our September call for ethnic studies content, the district presented a program they have built over the years. It includes two English courses, a world history course and two courses-in-progress: art and U.S. history. To learn more about their program, read on.
1) You mentioned having worked for three years now to develop a series of A-G courses using an ethnic studies lens. What was your impetus for designing this curriculum? What is its scope?
The subject of ethnic studies has been proven to help reengage students who otherwise feel disenfranchised by school. Students enrolled in the Ethnic Studies program also have increased attendance and graduation rates.
All ethnic studies courses developed for PVUSD are based on four unit themes: 1.) Identity, 2.) Dehumanization and Humanization, 3.) Four I’s of Oppression/Hegemony and 4.) Youth Action. Thus, all of our courses link together by exploring similar themes within a content-specific, standards-aligned context. These themes originated with the Rethinking Ethnic Studies resource.
2) You also said you are developing a U.S. history and an art course. What can you share about the focus or purpose of these courses and how they fit into the existing sequence of curriculum?
The purpose of all of our courses is to facilitate challenging, culturally responsive ethnic studies courses, where students are given opportunities to witness themselves within a larger historical context and to critique dominant power structures and narratives. At the same time, students are equipped with concepts and tools to decolonize, liberate, reflect upon and transform their world.
We wish to create courses within as many A-G subject areas as possible, so that students may take several courses throughout their high school experience or be exposed to ethnic studies in the content area of their choice. We recognize that choice is an important component of a student’s learning experience and we try to provide them with as many options for fulfilling their graduation requirements as possible.
3) Describe one or two project or activities that really seem to engage students and that are representative of the program’s overall scope.
We believe students’ exploration of their own identities is crucial. Learning what affects one’s identity — and how to share it — is engaged by a zine assignment about an issue important to them and by creating artwork representative of who they are. In world history, students are tasked with writing about five aspects of their identity and then creating oral history questions to learn more about their peers in interviews. In all of these activities, we wish for students to learn about how they are connected to one another and to reflect on how this connection affects their experiences.
4) Finally, what are some favorite texts or resources that you would recommend and why?
The best resource is "Rethinking Ethnic Studies". It includes research and lesson ideas from experts in the field. We also use the social justice standards. In our Level 1 English course for 9th/10th graders, we use the novels “Gabi, A Girl in Pieces” and “The Hate U Give” as great examples for exploring personal identity and how to use one’s agency. We also use the text “This Book is Anti-Racist” in our Level 2 English course. We suggest this text as it is a fabulous resource that further explores the themes that all of our courses are built upon. Finally, for our world history course we are using the open source textbook "Beyond Race: Cultural Influences on Human Social Life", which introduces students to important concepts that influence their lives by asking them to draw connections to the world around them that are modern and relevant.
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