Past Events
Events
9th Annual Voice Your Language 2024
The DEBER Scholars participated in the 9th Annual Voice Your Language free public forum on Saturday, February 10th from 9:00am-12:30pm at San Diego State University (SDSU) with Keynote Speakers Dra. Cati V. de los Ríos and Dr. Guillermo Gómez. The theme for this year was "Ethnic Studies and Bilingual Teacher Education".
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...It was an honor and very inspiring to hear from our elders and from the organizers who helped spark this legacy which we as estudiantes and future maestros will continue to carry on. I really appreciate everything they shared. The struggle is ongoing and while we have made progress there is such a long way to go. In community there is power. La union hace la fuerza. I am beyond excited to continue my journey towards being a bilingual ethnic studies teacher.
...Son tantas cosas, que se me hace muy complicado enfocarme en una sola. Me impacto
la informacion que nos compartio la Dra Cati de los Rios en donde nos informa que
el español es el lenguaje mas antiguo no-nativo americano que se habla en los Estados
Unidos.
Somos una comunidad que a venido luchando por no perder su identidad cultural, su
idioma, sus raices y sobre todo la unidad familiar. Somos una comunidad que lucha
por permanecer viva a traves de las siguiente generaciones y que tenemos derecho a
ello. El estar en un pais diferente solo nos hace mas especiales porque podemos ser
biculturales y debemos sentirnos orgullosos de ello.
...I learned the work that was done behind the scenes, I never thought about how lucky I was to go to elementary school 2009-2016, I was able to have a dual language class where speaking Spanish was encouraged while learning English, how being bilingual was our superpower. Listening to the key note speakers experiences in school led them to fight for dual language education, they’re the reason I was able to grow up in a supportive environment to speak my native language.
...Aprendí acerca de las muchas formas que el lenguaje se representa en todas las materias escolares. De Dra. Cati de Los Rios, aprendi mas acerca de apoyar a tus estudiantes con su lenguaje usando algo que ellos ya hacen, en su caso eran los corridos. Poder usar la musica para aprender puede ayudar a muchos estudiantes a fortalecer su crecimiento como estudiante bilingue.
...It was very nice listening to the keynote speakers about their own growth path and how it corresponde to the growth of DLE as a department. Furthermore, I learned (or re-engage?) about teaching as a political act and how communities have come together to overcome the challenges presented by the education system.
...Lo que mas me impacto fue como los oradores explicaron como ellos llegaron ahi, y por todo lo que pasaron, me gusto mucho que se abrieran con nosotros.
...I learned that it is significant to learn about our history in order to make an impact on the future of bilingual education.
San Diego Dual Language Conference 2024
The DEBER Scholars participated in the San Diego Dual Language Conference on Saturday, January 27th from 8:00am-3:00pm at San Diego State University (SDSU) with Keynote Speaker Principal Nicole Cázeres Enríquez. The theme for this conference was "Our Languages, Cultures, Rights and Resources". DEBER Project leaders and scholars presented on the journey towards the bilingual teacher education pathway through the sharing of their "Testimonios" at one of the sessions.
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...I learned about the power of bilingualism through reading, and knowing that there is a handbook that I can use to guide my experience through bilingual education is something I greatly look forward to reading more about. About Directora Cazarez, I learned about her generational influence to be an advocate, and to be devoted to your craft. She was my middle school science teacher, and I have consistently looked up to her and seen her in my community multiple times. I continue to admire her work, and how she has used her learning disability as a catalyst for her growth as well as that of her community and students.
...Una de las cosas que más me impactó sobre los oradores de la mañana fue el entusiasmo que tienen sobre los temas. Me sorprende mucho ver como personas que son de diferentes lugares puedes llegar a juntarse para trabajar sobre el mismo tema. También me impactó como Dr. Ester ha tenido tantas oportunidades de estar entre tantos lenguajes. Algo que me impactó de la presentación de la Directora Nicole Cazares Enríquez es la dedicación que tiene. La jornada como leader multilingue es larga pero al final, como ella menciona en pocas palabras, vale la pena.
...Principal Nicole Carares Enriquez's keynote session stuck with me the most. First off it was amazing to hear her story and how she came to be in the position and person she is today. I actually met her when I was working as a camp counselor for a free kids summer camp that was funded by the San Diego park foundation and took place right at Sherman. From everything she shared, what I resonated with the most is that building community is key. I myself struggle with anxiety so hearing how much building and connecting with the community can not only help myself but others feel welcomed is amazing. This led me to reflect on how many students could also be feeling the same way that I am therefore prompting me to take action and come up with ideas and techniques in order to help everyone feel welcomed, heard, and understood. I also loved hearing about how her parents met. She shared the sweetest stories and allowed herself to be vulnerable. I can’t believe she didn't feel worthy enough to be a keynote speaker. I myself felt that I learned a lot from that one session and wish I could hear more about how she was able to become a principal!
...Por la manana aprendi sobre el libro The Handbook of Dual Language Bilingual Education. Este libro me hizo recordar a Pegadogy of the Oppresed por Paulo Freire. El libro tambien utiliza una pedadogia y manera de hacer investigaciones de manera critica y con dialogo. Pero tambien, incorporan sus experiencias personales y culturales no solo al investigar pero tambien al ensenar a estudiantes. Tambien aprendi de la Directora de Sherman Elementary School. Aprendi sobre su experiencia en una escuela donde no tenian los recursos o paciencia para ella debido a su disabilidad de aprendizaje. Tambien, me parecio interesante que su padre estuvo activo durante el movimiento Chicano y los murales de Chicano Park.
...Learning about the impact of dual learning through the preview of the DLBE handbook and the impact of taking a step towards advocating for the importance of it in the education world.
...Me encanto como expuso su carrera y todo lo que ha logrado en la vida. También agradezco que haya compartido parte de su familia y su historia.
...In her keynote, Principal Nicole Cázeres Enríquez explained the success of innovative dual-language immersion programs. Emphasizing a positive mindset, community engagement, and active involvement from the Spanish-speaking community, Principal Enríquez talked about the program's impact on students, with over 60 percent being non-native English speakers. The school's commitment to dual-language learning is noticeable in its large English Language Advisory Committee and well-attended parent workshops. Sherman Elementary's achievements include a Gold Ribbon School Award and outperforming district averages in English language proficiency reclassification. Her success story shows the transformative power of embracing language learning as a catalyst for overall education.
DEBER Professional Development Recognition Program (2023)
The DEBER Scholars participated in the DEBER end of the fall semester Professional Development Recognition Program with the community of DEBER scholars, leaders, partners and former scholars on Saturday, December 2nd. Former DEBER Scholars presented on a panel sharing their experiences from community college to graduation and completion of the DLE bilingual teacher education credentialing program.
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...I got to see some Deber Scholars in their careers and dream jobs around the country and got some ideas as to what path I should take on my journey to become an educator.
...Lo que más me impactó fue ver los distintos testimonios de diferentes estudiantes y maestros ver cómo Deber les ayudó a su éxito y lograr graduarse ya que yo en mi camino como estudiante e tenido mis miedos por mi idioma ya que el inglés es mi segundo idioma y muchas veces dudo de lograr cumplir mis sueños.
...I enjoyed how each of us were valued and recognized for our hard work. We had the opportunity to hear from students that graduated last year and what they enjoyed most about being in DEBER.
...Me encanto escuchar sobre las colegas que ya estan en el field y sobre su experiencia en la transicion de la universidad al trabajo. Fue muy importante. Ojala hubiese habido tiempo para preguntas.
...What impacted me the most was how I was able to relate so much with the graduating scholars and how they have similar goals to mine. It made me feel not so alone.
...I liked hearing the testimonies-real life experiences of the students. I left the zoom inspired and I felt more confident that I have people to support me through my journey.
...Me impacto escuchar las experiencias que nos compartieron algunos ex-compañeros y ver que ya se estan desempeñando como maestros y ver que gran parte de este exito se debio al apoyo y la guia de DEBER.
...The most impactful thing about the presentation done by the panelists is the sense of accomplishment perceived from the participating Becarixs
9th Annual FERIA Partnership Conference (2023)
The DEBER Scholars participated in the FERIA Partnership Conference on Saturday, October 21st. The FERIA Partnership Conference is a culturally and linguistically appropriate meaningful, practical and useful productive one-day conference for 300 Latino parents, caregivers and professionals working with special needs students from Pre-School, K-12 and Adults. (F) Families, (E) Educators, (R) Resources (I) IHE’s, and (A) Agencies working together = Equal Student SUCCESS!
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...Lo que más me impactó fue aprender de la importancia de ayudarnos los unos a otros. Aprender acerca de la organización Padres Ayudando a Padres, me ayudó a darme cuenta de la importancia del cuidado personal.
...Something I learned from the Feria Conference was about IEP's. I was able to be in a room with parents and staff that dealt with IEP for their students who were on the specturm or had ADHD.
...Me impacto la cantidad de recursos que existen para poder apoyar a las familias que tienen hijos con alguna capacidad diferente. Hay tanta información y tantos programas de apoyo de los cuales yo jamás había escuchado. Desde que llegue a Feria, me sentí como un niño en una dulcería; quería llevarme todos los folletos que me encontraba, todo era como un tesoro que acababa de encontrar.
...I learned a lot from the conference such as; ways to talk to parents and kids in both English and Spanish or how to help children with disabilities.
...Aprendi del como los padres de estudiantes bilingues pueden usarse los unos a los otros como herramientas y fuentes de apoyo. El evento mas que nada se enfoco en dar ese sustento a los padres, ya que muchos de ellos piensan que estan en esto solos. Algunos de los temas que se llevaron a cabo fue la aseguranza de vida, salud emocional, y planes a futuro. Estos temas fueron los que mas me sorprendieron e impactaron ya que son temas sumamente importantes que los padres necesitan aprender mas.
...I will make sure that the communities I am a part of as an early childhood educator, the families I serve and the children I have the privilege to educate and care for participate en la FERIA Partnership Conference el año entrante.
...Honestamente, siento que un día no es suficiente para poder recibir tanta información. La realidad es que no alcance a recorrer todas las mesas de información. Me encantaría que pudiera haber un taller introspectivo de sanación, que pudiera dirigirlo un psicoterapeuta. No solo como información, sino como una terapia grupal en la que todas las mamas puedan sacar todo ese dolor que tienen en su corazón por tantos sentimientos que tienen que atravesar día a día. En el que sientan la libertad de llorar si es que lo necesitan y salir sintiéndose más ligeras para poder continuar su vida.
Project GLAD Awareness Workshop (2023)
The DEBER Scholars participated in the Project Guided Language Acquisition Design (GLAD) Awareness Workshop led by Project GLAD Nationally Certified Trainers Dra. Sera Hernández and Sally Fox on Saturday, October 14th. Project GLAD is a professional learning model that transforms the teaching and learning process. GLAD support teachers on how to make content come alive through sketching, pictures, chants, and media with corresponding language.
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...The workshop allowed me to understand how I can use strategies in my teaching that fall under the universal learning design. This will allow for a more inclusive classroom environment where students will have more opportunities to obtain knowledge in the way(s) they learn best.
...En el taller de GLAD aprendí que son muy importantes las imágenes al momento de enseñar porque les facilita el aprendizaje a los alumnos, ya que les brinda más información sobre lo que van a aprender. Por ejemplo, con la actividad en donde la maestra nos habló solo en Francés, no entendimos nada hasta que nos dibujó un diagrama de la lección.
...What impacted me the most was seeing just how much care and dedication is being put into GLAD's teaching strategies and knowing from first hand experience just how effective they are. For instance, chanting to a familiar tune while tackling parts of speech really makes the lesson hit home. At it's core, it's the compassion and earnest guiding by the instructor through the lesson that really stood out to me and I want to give a shout out to Profé Renard (Fox) 🦊 for her intriguing French lesson, her amazing candor/ and for being so patience with us as she guided us through that lesson.
...Aprendí que es muy importante la forma de dar las instrucciones, tenemos que ser claros para que los alumnos aprendan a seguir las reglas. Otra cosa que aprendí es que las imágenes le permiten a los estudiantes que desarrollen más su imaginación.
...As a future bilingual educator, I will take the lessons taught me there at project GLAD and apply it to each and every one of my students. I will be able to look at them and know how to assess their starting/ leaping off point and get them on track to being confident young future bilinguals themselves. I will know to look at each student as a unique individual with a rich cultural heritage and that I have no idea as to what they know or have been through but will then lead them through the chants, visual aids, pictures, and kinesthetic elements, like when we used the maracas when one said the word Fromage (cheese), and keep them engaged and focused on getting ahead on their studies in both their native languages and English.
...El taller me hizo dar cuenta que nuestra actitud, los materiales visuales y otras formas de explicar el contenido pueden hacer una gran diferencia en la oportunidad de aprender de nuestros estudiantes que están aprendiendo inglés como segundo idioma.
...It has made me think to teaching in a different way. The French lesson we did in the workshop really showed me how it is possible to have more than more language present in the classroom.
School Site Visits in the area of San Diego (2023)
The DEBER Scholars Program held required school site visits at several bilingual education model schools (Language Academy, Rosa Parks Elementary, Bostonia Global Language Academy, and Chula Vista Learning Community High School) in the area San Diego in the month of May 2023. Scholars where able to learn more about bilingual education, dual language programs, and community schools.
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...The most impactful thing from this school visit was the kids being so confident in both Spanish and English. They were all willing to try to speak both languages. I found that to be very special because I used to be very insecure in my English and also sometimes in my Spanish so therefore seeing the kids so confident in both made it very impactful for me.
...A mi me gusto mucho el ambiente, before covid I would volunteer at the after school program at Bostonian and it was a very good time there. The kids were so fun and smart, I def. was impressed with them when it was computer time and the cool stuff they could do on the sites. I remember going home like, wow i don't remember kids being this advanced, it's funny to see now that it was because of the school program itself. it was a full circle moment for me.
...As a former Rosa Parks Elementary student, I was most impacted by how education has gradually evolved. There were activities that I did still being today and others I don't recall or did. As times are changing, so should are methods of teaching. This doesn't mean we disregard everything from the past just change it to make it more applicable for today.
...Me sorprendí porque la verdad no sabía que había escuelas así. Yo pensé que las metas de las escuelas aquí en los Estados Unidos era de que los niños se olvidaran de su lenguaje. Me da mucho gusto qué hay escuelas que no quieren eso y que conserven el lenguaje. Hay muchos niños que no hablan bien el español y es porque en la escuelas les enseñan que deben mejorar en el inglés. La escuela de rosa parks quieren que los niños sigan mejorando su lenguaje.
...What impacted me the most was being able to see the difference between each classroom environment. I saw many different teaching styles and class environments. This gives me an idea on what my ideal classroom is. I’m starting to think on what type of classroom environment I want for my students, so that they can be in the best setting possible.
...Me impresionó mucho cómo el lenguaje dual en la educación se pone en práctica en la aplicación de los modelos parciales de una vía 80/20 y luego conforme avanzan los estudiantes de año ( tercer año) se aplica el siguiente modelo de inmersión 50/50. Me pareció muy educativo e ilustrativo como llenan las paredes de información sobre los temas que se presentan y así de esta manera, los estudiantes aprenden diariamente no solo de los libros, las clases, ejercicios en clase, videos o tareas sino también trabajando mucho la visualización diaria vista en las paredes. Finalmente,no se comunican solo en una lengua sino se hacen estudiantes bilingües.Fue lo que alcancé a observar que si la maestra les habla en español en un 80 % al inicio del los primeros años permitiéndoles hablar en un 20 % en inglés, todo el grupo va a aprendiendo español aunque algunos estudiantes hablen inglés.
...It has strengthened my understanding of how dual language looks in action. I have read about it but had never seen it before. It seems so effortless on the teachers' end. If I end up working in a dual language classroom, I will remember their teaching methods.
San Diego Dual Language Conference (2023)
The DEBER Scholars participated at the San Diego Dual Language Conference 2023 which was hosted by the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) as a multi-day, multi-venue in-person experience, joining other dual language educators and partners from throughout California and across the county from April 26th-April 29th.
Designed for teachers, teacher candidates, administrators, and other family/community champions of language learners, this conference invited educators and their partners to strengthen their resolve, knowledge, and joy.
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...Dra. Ana Hernandez pulled at my heart strings. I felt very connected to my culture in that moment. I felt very proud of who I am and where I come from and made me want to transfer that onto my future students.
...Durante la primera conferencia de la Dra. Ana María Hernández con su tema, “ Soy mi Lengua” me pareció muy interesante cómo con esta estrategia la Dra. Motiva a escribir a sus estudiantes sus propias historias de vida a partir de una fotografía, de dibujos que ellos mismos pintan o dibujan. Además, al escribir ellos aprender a leer, hablar, escuchar y a la vez van describiendo sus identidades cuando van realizando preguntas en parejas para preguntar ¿Quién soy yo? por qué hablo de identidad porque ellos van describiendo su origen. Por tanto, me pareció súper importante que la Dra. Divide en tres categorías a los hablantes bilingües como un hablante nativo de inglés, un nativo hablante del español o el hablante de herencia bilingüe porque a partir de ahí se va observando la evolución del estudiante.
...The first presentation I attended was by Profe Saul Maldonado and Gabriela Ramsay. We learned about a chapter in their book Assessment and Evaluation in Bilingual Education in which they discussed "CHISPAS," a framework that serves as an indicator of quality and sociocultural competence in DL programs. CHISPAS stands for Cultural, Historical, Identity, Socio-emotional, Pedagogy, Action and Sustainability (CHISPAS).
...David Cisneros y expuso el tema “Desarrollando lenguaje en Matemáticas”. Aprendí que los estudiantes de un segundo grado ya pueden tener conocimientos para modelar una ecuación matemática hablada, la tranformar en un modelo matematico expresado en signos con la ayuda del maestro motivándolos a encontrar diferentes respuestas con sus conocimientos aprendidos de los años anteriores. Tam bien puede bservar que el maestro solo explicó este modelo en inglés porque talvez el utilice el modelo dos vías o bilingüe de inmersión 50/50. Nos regaló un video exlicando lo mismo pero en español.
..."Song and Sign" with Dr. Mike Longoria was a most enjoyable. He got everyone up and participating, laughing and learning the 'Power of Music' not just in teaching but in life in general. 'Music teaches in a way that a teacher can't. We as teachers are just facilitators. I learned that 'signing' engages both sides of our brain that enhances letter and sound recognition, literacy, and promotes reading and writing. Without music, letters are boring symbols. Adding music, visuals, and hands on tactile objects of manipulations can build on a child's retention and confidence.
...Melissa Ortiz con su ponencia denominada,” Empoderamiento de Aprendices de Inglés de largo tiempo a través de una Instrucción de lectura culturalmente receptiva” Pero, ¿Qué significa esto? Pude entender que esto se da en las escuelas de Los Estados Unidos para estudiantes de seis años o más que no han logrado un nivel de competencia en el inglés, se han estancado en su aprendizaje, la evaluación de lectura estandarizada y barrera adicional donde las causas son muy diversas tales como la inconsistencia de la instrucción del lenguaje cuando son muy jóvenes. Melissa plantea que se organicen en pareja y se hagan preguntas acerca de su origen . Por otra parte ella implementa lectura de documentos que se discutirán con las fortalezas del maestro evaluando las diferencias culturales, estableciendo significados de puentes culturales entre su hogar y la escuela. Esto le ha dado resultado y los estudiantes han podido salir del estacamiento que presentaban en el inglés.
...I believe that this conference really allowed me to come to a consensus as to what I want my teaching philosophies to surround. I want my children to be able to connect with their culture whether it is the same as mine or not. I want them to be respectful of others' cultures because I believe that will help them in every aspect of their education.
Latinx Education Summit (2023)
The DEBER Scholars Community joined students, parents, educators, university professors, and business and community leaders for the 2023 Latinx Education Summit on March 18 at SDCOE's main campus. Sponsored by the Latino Coalition for Education and SDCOE, the Latinx Education Summit explored current trends and reviewed a countywide achievement profile and an examination of how students, parents, TK-12 educators, and higher education advocates can work to enhance educational opportunities for Latinx youth.
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...I learned that I am not alone, and that there is so many amazingly humans behind these presentations. Educated people that actually are making a difference. I learned that there is a lot to work on and thats the cycle of working at a school, and being a teacher. There is always room for improvement ! This Summit made me stay motivated and hungry to become the best bilingual teacher I can possibly be.
...Aprendí que en California los estudiantes Latinx son los que están mas escritos en las escuelas. También vi que los Latinx son los que están menos representados con los maestro y gente que los pueden ayudar. La mayoría de los que están en poder son Blancos y eso no ayuda a nuestra comunidad de estudiantes.
...The presentations gave me a visual of the voices that vouch for us within the education system. It made me proud of what I have done to bring myself up as a Latinx first-gen and it made me want to be part of the percentage that makes a change.
...Aprendi que aunque hay muchos esfuerzos para mejorar la educación de los estudiantes latinos, todavía hay muchísimo trabajo para hacer. Me llamo la atención una estadística que mencionaba que para el año 2025 los latinxs representaremos 1 de cada 2 nuevos empleados de la fuerza laboral. Educar a los estudiantes latinxs es educar al futuro.
...I learned that as a Latinx community we have to stick together. I learned about how money can be used to help our future students be heard and seen. I liked listening to people of my raza talking and being able to relate to them and see how crazy it is how much we all want to help. Knowing I’m the future of teaching excites me to make change.
...en el 2023 Latinx Education Summit Reporte de logros y presentacion aprendi sobre estatisticas que muestran un porcentaje demasiado bajo de estudiantes latinos en continuar sus estudio a a nivel estatal al igual aun mas bajo a nivel mundial. En este summit del 2023 tambien pude apreciar la importancia de buscar soluciones para apoyar a los estudiantes en sus comunidades localmente. Los invitados aportaron gran valor en mi entendimiento de lo que es luchar por un cambio de igualdad en la educacion bilingue al compartir sus testimonios en los cuales hablaron de la historia de perseverancia que han pasado en el camino a travez de los años en Estados Unidos . Especificamente de leyes encontra del bilingualismo en las escuelas y la historia acerca de leyes imigrantes entre otros eventos historicos. Aprendi que es, sigue siendo y será una lucha el hacer espacio para estudiantes hispanos y latinos en el campo de la educacion en America.
...This was my first Summit so it was an overwhelming amount of information to take in and understand. What I felt I learned about the Advancing Educational Progress were the different facets of politics that involve our LatinX community. Though we are the highest percent of California's population, thus, LatinX students are the highest % in enrollment within the California Dept. of Education. [39.4% in 2021 and 55.9% in 2022] these are often overlooked in disproportioned access to the due benefits of programs and financial assistance provided by the State. The data discussed and provided by the pioneer speakers of the Summit since the 1970s, revealed LatinX students slip through the cracks by being inadequately informed or misguided in moving forward into higher education. Thank you for the voice of those pioneers who continue advocate for the LatinX population as the Summary statement reveals that there exists discrimination towards, not only the Latinx community, but others of color in general, for the benchmark of opportunities that should be applied to the workforce and in education.
Voice Your Language Forum (2023)
RECLAIMING SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ARTS AND MATHEMATICS (STEAM)
The DEBER Scholars participated in the 8th annual Voice Your Language public forum with Keynote Speakers Dr. Ximena C. Cid (CSU Dominguez Hills), Dr. Beto Vasquez (CREATE at UCSD), Dr. Kari Kokka (University of Nevada), and Dr. Luis G. Garcia (CSU Sacramento) and a Panel of Bilingual Binational Educators on Saturday, January 21st, 2023 at the SDSU Alumni Center. DEBER Scholars attended and participated in interactive activities.
These free events are brought together by local educators, community members and SDSU students and faculty to discuss topics surrounding multilingual education on both local and global levels.
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...Culture was bought in on making tortillas and teaching the children how that is science related also the color red where it comes from and how it was made.
...Respecto a los temas de cultura me encanto haber aprendido un poco más solo el tema asiático gracias a la Dr. Kari Kokka, la verdad me sorprendió lo mucho que pueden llegar a sufrir en un país "de oportunidades"
...I enjoyed learning about all the different ways in which the presenters tied students Founds of Knowledge to engage them in STEAM. The Lotería activity and the tortilla's making were my favorites.
...The most impactful was the deeply ingrained stereotypes in Mexican Culture and realizing how those things subconsciously affect us.
...Como educador bilingue creo que se aprendieron varias técnicas tanto la empatia como el hecho de aportarle al estudiante conocimiento que se le quede en la mente siempre y no solo lo memorice para un rato. De nada sirve enseñar algo que no se va a aprender bien.
...I think this was one of the best DEBER event I have attended. I enjoy the topics, the presenters and the fact that in between we had hands-on activities made the event accessible for all learners.
...As I mention before, I think every single speaker shared their visions on how STEAM is everywhere and the importance to related to our students cultures in order to encourage meaningful learning. Furthermore, the presenters all spoke about their struggles as latinxs in science.
"The Importance of Learning and Sharing our Family Journey" with Professor Joaquin Aganza: Un Diálogo Virtual (2022)
The DEBER Scholars Program held its first required Virtual Dialogue (VD) event with Professor Joaquin Aganza on Saturday, December 10th, 2022 from 10:00am -12:00pm. Scholars learned about Professor Aganza's family history and how it had an impact on his education. He presented some of the challenges students face with the American education system. Although students work hard and have strong parental support, Professor Aganza emphasized there are other factors that will determine whether a student succeeds or not such as their family's language, culture, level of education and teachers' expectations.
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...I really liked how he handles the stories of his life and how, being the son of migrant parents, he understands the social problems that exist in students who arrive in the United States to a new culture, and thus he seek strategies through education to support them. That is very valuable.
...Lo que más me impactó de la presentación fue como el Profesor Joaquin dio su presentación acerca de la educación y su importancia así como marcan una diferencia de aprendizaje que hacen contraste al idioma correspondiente. Fue muy interesante como el profesor habló acerca de su familia mostrándonos con un gran orgullo sus orígenes. Y demostrando que el idioma no fue un impedimento para que su familia saliera adelante.
...I think the most impactful aspect of this presentation was the fact that Profe Joaquin Aganza is a School Psychologist. I appreciated his point of view as a psychology specialist.
...Even while in the conference, I began to write down questions to ask to my family. This dialogue made me realize the importance of knowing our family history in order to better support and understand my future students.
...Me encantó la exposición histórica del Profesor Joaquín y me pareció muy importante como abordar nuestras propias historias para aprender de ellas y así enseñar a otros estudiantes que, ellos como estudiantes, también lo pueden lograr lo que se propongan aunque provengan de otra cultura diferente.
...The thing I found the most impactful from Professor Joaquin Aganza's presentation is seeing how his family background shape who he is today. By analyzing his family patterns he knows how he can improve on the things he struggled with. Another thing he mentioned that stuck with me is school is all about reading. I am a math major and try to stray away from doing reading or writing assignments because it is not my strong suit. However I can not escape it completely therefore my only option is to try and improve with practice. A technique he gave was reading can improve with memories of phonics and decoding.
...Primero que nada entender mi propia cultura, conocer y reflexionar sobre esos obstáculos que yo pase y probablemente personas como yo tienen que enfrentar. Siempre teniendo en cuenta que aun siendo diferentes hay algo que nos une y es nuestra cultura. Entender eso significa saber que cada estudiante tendrá necesidades diferentes pero conectadas a una idea la cual es el bilingüismo.
...I would like to approach my students in such a way that I see them as individuals with their own experiences who are shaped by but not defined by these experiences.
RE:BORDER Binational Conference (2022)
The fourth annual RE:BORDER Binational Conference 2022 was held on Monday, November 14th (San Diego), Tuesday, November 15th (Tijuana) and Wednesday, November 16th (Mexicali/Imperial Valley). This conference brought together scholars, professionals, politicians, artists, students and community members who comprise our Cali-Baja transborder region and wish to address challenges and innovation for our sustainable future.
The three-day conference was offered in hybrid modality (in-person and remotely) and was hosted by San Diego State University, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, and El Colegio de la Frontera Norte. See the Agenda and view list of Speakers which include DEBER leaders. Every year, this conference explores key regional issues and innovative solutions.
This year's theme was "Innovation & Sustainability".
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...Aprendí que existen muchos prejuicios y que día con día existen personas que tratan de disminuirlos lo más posible. Aprendí que entre frontera debe haber muchísima más vinculación y colaboración porque estamos trabajando para lo mismo, enseñarle a la siguiente generación que no tienen límite en lograr lo que se proponen y que en lugar de juzgar o pelear contra otra asociación que hace lo mismo que tú, debe haber unión para que esa meta en conjunto se logre mucho más rápido y con más eficacia. También nos enseñaron a salir de nuestra zona de confort, el hecho de que no todos los que asistimos a esta conferencia fuéramos bilingues no significa que no debamos intentarlo. La mayoría de personas tiene la capacidad de aprender lo básico tanto del inglés como el español y lo importante es transmitir la idea.
...What I learned after this re-border conference, it's about the deep connection that San Diego and Tijuana have and how it stretches far beyond border lines. What affects Tijuana also affects San Diego because alot of families and Students commute. As a future teacher I plan to be more aware of my students living situation so I can be more conscious of their challenges since crossing the border every morning is not easy.
...Disfruté muchísimo de todas las charlas pero la que más me impactó fue Migration, Mobility, and Economic Development. Aprendí muchísimo sobre los esfuerzos que hacen los gobiernos fronterizos para los migrantes, especialmente el gobierno de Tijuana. Escuchar al señor Enrique Lucero Vázquez fue realmente interesante porque él compartió muchísima información sobre el trabajo que la dirección del servicio al migrante de Tijuana hace para ayudar a los migrantes. Por otro lado, durante la charla Food Security in the U.S.-Mexico Border Region aprendí sobre diferentes organizaciones no gubernamentales que están dando cursos de cocina y jardinería a familias en los dos lados de la frontera con un enfoque en food justice and culturally appropriate food.
...I learned that collaboration is the key to be able to assist the students, community, and families that come from a unique background that are not able to relate as much with "America's" background. As one of the slides stated, "the collaboration with UNICEF for minors' immigrants will assist students for them to emerge to English without any problem with their education.
...Creo que mientras más participó en este tipo de encuentros más me doy cuenta de el entramado de relaciones que existen entre los dos lados del borde y cuanto estas relaciones nos afectan a todos los que vivimos en la región. Tengo que seguir investigando en profundidad todo lo que implica vivir en una ciudad fronteriza y las diferentes formas en que me puedo involucrar con la comunidad. En especial, siento mucha intriga sobre cómo puedo involucrarme en asociaciones sin fines de lucro que apoyen inmigrantes en San Diego.
...I learned that students from and to San Diego from Tijuana want to study and be able to be understood about being able to get their education in both sides of the borders. I can help by informing others about advocating for this purpose.
...Aprendi que las fronteraz no son una limitante para la educacion y ahora se que se puede abrir una puerta para ayudar y aportar conocimientos asi como obtener una experiencia nueva.
"Telling Our Stories" with International Award Winning Author Dra. Lettie Ramirez: Un Diálogo Virtual (2022)
The DEBER Scholars Program held its first required Virtual Dialogue (VD) event with Dra. Lettie Ramirez on Saturday, October 8th, 2022 from 10:00am -12:00pm. Scholars learned about Dra. Ramirez's life experiences as an English learner as well as of her work in helping parents of students and college students write and publish about their own personal journeys with the American education system while not dominating the English language.
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...Lo que más me asombro de la presentación de Dra.Lettie Ramírez era el apoyo que ella ofreció en el inicio de la presentación. Dra. Lettie Ramírez creo una plataforma para poder hablar de experiencias como comunidad latina, y nos hizo una pregunta que como muchos jóvenes latinos hemos tenido, "que fue tu experiencia como estudiante joven en los estados unidos?", muchos de mis compañeros y yo compartimos experiencias de como nuestra cultura se reflejó diferente cuando llegamos a un sistema de educación diferente. Como grupo nos podemos conectar con memorias similares.
...I felt heard. As a transfer student we have a lot of obstacles we have to go through and we don't really think much of them but I think after this presentation I was able to acknowledge where I am at and how far I have come in my education. This talk inspired me to continue my journey in education and not stop at my bachelors and credential.
...Me impresionaron muchas cosas, pero uno de los puntos fue cómo la Dra. Ramírez logra organizar y formar un equipo con estudiantes, padres y madres de familia para escribir un libro logrando crear conciencia de lucha acerca de las situaciones de discriminación, racismo y clasismo que padecemos muchos latinos al llegar a los Estados Unidos como migrantes. Así mismo, me encantó que, a través de la creación del libro, se establecieron lazos de amor entre ellos para desglosar sus sueños y objetivos y planear todos juntos una realidad de solidaridad y crecimiento con sus experiencias.
...What was most impactful was the project she worked on with the parents of students (and later students) to create a book about their experiences and advise on how to navigate higher education. I think that was such a beautiful project and awesome that we got to be able to have her come talk to us about it. Also, the tapping part of the presentation was something I had not heard of before and was interesting/cool to learn about.
...Lo que más me impactó de la presentación fue el cómo compartió datos de su vida los cuales la fueron guiando para escribir sus libros. El libro que más tuvo impacto fue no estás solo: Recetas Para Obtener Éxito de Padres para Padres ese libro tuvo tanto impacto que lo tradujeron al inglés. Tanto fue el impacto de este libro que los alumnos de la Dra. Lettie Ramírez se inspiraron para escribir un mismo libro pero ahora dirigido hacia alumnos y justamente ahí en la conferencia pudimos escuchar la lectura de una de las autoras de From México to Harvard.
...As a future teacher, I hope to be able to give tools to my students so they can teach each other and others. Also, one thing I learn that I hope to replicate in my future classroom es el lema "ask questions when you need it, and also make sure to share the knowledge you already have".
...Como miembro de la comunidad de DEBER, me siento más conectada y a mis raíces. Siento que ahora puedo conectar con muchos de las historias de mi grupo in DEBER, no nomas e sido yo que e tenido dificultad integrándome con una comunidad diferente a la mía, si no, mis compañeros también comparten sus historias y sus luchas, me hacen sentir fuerte como futura educadora bilingüe. Quiero aprender a conectarme más con estudiantes con diferentes luchas y padres que quieren ser partes de la educación de sus hijos/hijas.
Ethnic Studies and K-12 Schools: Possibilities and Pitfalls for New Teachers: Un Diálogo Virtual (2022)
The DEBER Scholars Program held its first required Ethnic Studies and K-12 Schools Virtual Dialogue (VD) event with Dr. Michael Dominguez from the Chicana(o) Studies Department at SDSU on Saturday, May 7th, 2022 from 10:00am -12:00pm. Scholars learned about Dr. Dominguez's experiences in the field of ethnic studies education and available resources such as obtaining an ethnic studies certificate while pursuing their bilingual education teaching credentials.
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...What was most impactful was the emphasis that Dr. Dominguez placed on ethnic studies even within bilingual education. I was in his ethnic studies for K-12 course this semester and it really changed the way I see the world and pedagogy. Bilingual education is a step towards equal education, but ethnic studies is truly liberating and is something we should strive to implement in the classroom.
...Me impacto cuando hablo de cómo es que estamos tan colonizados que por ejemplo en televisión se tiene da la idea de que lo obscuro es malo y como incorporan esto en las películas en especial cuando muestran a Mexico y ponen el filtro obscuro, me hizo reflexionar un poco sobre este tema.
...The most impactful thing for me was realizing that many times schools teach minority students to speak and write like middle class people. This idea assimilate or fail is really present in the school system. However, Dr. Dominguez offer great ideas on how to challenge these. I really liked when he said "focus on the knower rather than on the known".
...Lo que me impacto de la presentación de estudios étnicos fue el concepto de la descolonización de las ideas que están oprimiendo a las razas que no necesariamente están representadas en el currículo de las escuelas en San Diego. Es importante que se enseñe la historia de todas las culturas en los grados K-12 y las experiencias de las culturas que no necesariamente han estado representadas en el pasado.
...Based on this new understanding of Ethnic studies, it has made me extremely interested in seeking out proper training and accreditation that would help me be a more prepared teacher to serve diverse student populations.
...Me impresionó que existiera un certificado de etnicos estudios para K-12. Esto me pareció genial ya que el presentar más conocimiento sobre los estudios étnicos, nos ayuda acomprender la historia, la literatura, nuestras raices y sobre todo, a entender más acerca de los estudiantes por la diversidad étnica y cultural que existe en este país. Por tanto, de estos conocimientos nos ayudan a tener más bases y argumentos para combatir el racismo y la discrimianción que existe contra las comunidades minoritarias.
...The steps we can take is to focus on “purposeful and strategic” classroom layout/design, lesson plans using the translanguaging instructional design cycle, and pedagogical strategies that respond to student needs and are flexible.
CVLCC School Site Visits (2022)
The DEBER Scholars Program held its first required school site visits to the Chula Vista Learning Community Charter School (CVLCC) in the month of April 2022 where scholars where able to learn more about bilingual education, dual language programs, and community schools.
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...What impacted me most from the school site visit was CVLCC's vision/structure for their school, and then seeing how it is carried out within each of the classrooms. I was really shocked because I had honestly never seen anything like it.
...Color. Me encantó ver salones llenos de color y cultura. Pude notar que eso también se veía en sus notas, presentaciones, y trabajo en equipo. Me encanto ver a los maestros enseñando de una forma visual y creativa. Haciendo preguntas muy específicas del cuento o trabajo.
...The most impactful thing from the school site visit was seeing how many learning opportunities the students were offered. I enjoyed seeing all of the different countries each classroom was learning about. They learn about their history, people, and language and I think this will be very beneficial to them in the future. I also enjoyed hearing some teachers talk to their students in Spanish. I think it is so important for them to be able to learn in both languages and carry them both with them.
...Lo que me impacto de la visita escolar fue que la instrucción de la escuela tiene igualdad bilingüe en todos los salones. Esto es importante porque crea un ambiente de inclusión y respeto a diferentes culturas. Me gusto la integración de la ciencia en las lecciones, y que los estudiantes pueden aplicar su conocimiento en el mundo real con el aprendizaje que reciben en los proyectos de las clases.
...One of the most impactful moments for me during the school site visit to CVLCC was witnessing how social justice is placed at the forefront of the school's goals and expectations. This is the first time that I see a school work to form such a close and trusting relationship with its students and entire community to launch their academic learning as a tool to fight for social change.
...Personalmente yo disfruté mucho la visita al sitio escolar CVLCC porque nunca abia ido a una escuela bilingüe así que fue una buena experiencia. Lo que más me impacto de mi visita al sitio escolar CVLCC fue poder entrar a diferentes salones de clases y poder ver una clase bilingüe en acción.
...I think, above all, what I really took away from this visit is that where there's a will, there's a way. It is possible to create a real sense of community within a school where everyone feels appreciated and supported, while maintaining the rigor in the curriculum.
Voice Your Language Forum (2022)
The 7th annual Voice Your Language public forum was held in-person with Keynote Speaker
Dr. Gholnecsar (Gholdy) Muhammad and a Panel of Bilingual Binational Educators on Saturday, March 12th, 2022 from 1:30pm-4:30pm at the SDSU Alumni Center.
Dr. Muhammad is the author of the best-selling book Cultivating Genius: An Equity Model for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy. She also co-authored the book, Black girls’ literacies: An Edited Volume, published by Routledge. She works with teachers, leaders, parents, and youth across
the United States and South Africa in best practices in culturally and historically
responsive instruction. Her Historically Responsive Literacy/Culturally & Historically
Responsive Education Model has been adopted across U.S. school districts. In 2022
she was named with the top 1% Edu-Scholar Public Influencers, recognizing the 200
university-based scholars who had the most significant influence on educational practice
and policy.
These free events are brought together by local educators, community members and SDSU students and faculty to discuss topics surrounding multilingual education on both local and global levels.
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...The most impactful message the note speaker Dr. Muhammad relayed was about every child being special and treating them as such. She gave multiple examples of words of affirmation we should be using with our students. If we start to believe a student is incapable of doing something, then they will also start to believe they’re incapable as well. As educators we need to believe every student can be motivated.
...It created a new understanding on how to foster a environment that not only teaches skill in the classroom but can help students in their daily life and mental health. Reflecting on how I was taught when I was younger and cultivated my genius helped me understand why it is so important to include social and emotional and global aspects in school.
...Lo que me impactó de la presentación de Dra. Gholdy Muhammad fue su perspectiva que hay que cultivar la inteligencia de todas las culturas en las escuelas. Es importante escoger la lectura en el salón que representa a las diferentes culturas de los estudiantes sin excluir a ningún estudiante.
...Educate myself even more about the community I want to serve. This was my first conference about education in the San Diego Area and I notice the struggles for educators in the area are completely different from what I had experience before.
...Bring culture into the class room, get a better understanding of your students strengths and weakness, making sure your students voice is being heard and ask those questions is joy happening in this classroom!?
...Aprendí que es muy importante tener una comunidad que se apoyan entre ellos porque así podremos crear nuestras estrategias que benefician no solo a la maestr@ pero también al alumno. Generar esa conexión con maestros de México y Estados Unidos ayudarán a apoyar a niños de ambos lados de la frontera para que puedan aprender los dos idiomas de una manera eficaz.
...I learned about how Baja California incorporates English into their system. I wasn't sure if they included learning English so it was interesting to learn about how it compares to learning a second language in the United States.
...Tomar en cuenta que todos somos muy diferentes pero al mismo tiempo muy iguales. Todos queremos un futuro mejor como maestros o educadores, y siendo bilingüe nos da una ventaja a poder ayudar a mas niños. Nosotros como educadores o futuros maestros somos lo que los estudiantes necesitan, ese soporté o ayuda o un empujoncito a ser la persona que ellos sueñan en ser.
San Diego Dual Language Conference (2022)
The San Diego Dual Language Conference was held on Friday, January 28th and Saturday, January 29th, 2022. See program and speakers here. DEBER Scholars attended the session "Promoting Collective Resilience in the Faces of Challenges" with panelists Dr. Nelson Flores, Dr. Sin Sook Lee, Dr. Suzanne Garcia-Mateus and Dr. Sera Hernandez on Saturday, January 29th.
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...Existe una gran influencia y perspectiva racial y clasista ante la educación bilingüe en Estados Unidos. Desde la perspectiva racial de personas blancas observando el bilingualismo como una “habilidad” y/o “oportunidad” sin embargo muchas familias que son bilingües por necesidad , se les observa como menos “trabajadora”, se cuestiona su nivel de educación (en tanto a los padres) y su nivel monetario.
...Something that always catches my attention when attending these conferences is the marginalization of minority groups. Although I am Latina I cannot help to think about the privilege I hold just because of the color of my skin. Growing up I was praised for being bilingual and put on a pedestal, while I saw how my cousins, because of their darker complexion were constantly getting pulled out of classrooms and separated from their group, being marked as challenged and not gifted. The celebrated vs the non celebrated side of bilingualism. More than anything this conference opened my eyes to my own ignorance.
...Lo que aprendí, es la importancia de crear un salón que sea lingüísticamente inclusivo para todos los estudiantes en la escuela. También, se tiene que luchar contra la opresión lingüística por que es importante que se mantengan los lazos culturales de la comunidad.
...To start off, I learned what a sociolinguistic perspective of dual language education is! This is a concept that I did not know of before the panel. I learned from Nelson Flores there are double standards when it comes to dual language education and being bilingual. Some people are celebrated for being bilingual, like princess Charrolette, but others who are bilingual are seen as challenging such as ESL students. I learned from Dr. Sera Hernandez that even the best and most loved teachers can have blind spots in their own teachings and morals when it comes to dual language education.
...Con mi nuevo aprendizaje de la conferencia, he aprendido que es bien importante de tener respeto a todas las culturas que están presentes en el salón. Hay que reconocer a los otros idiomas en el sistema escolar y evitar el modelo de monolingüismo en las escuelas. Es importante lograr instrucción auténtica bilingüe para que la educación sea inclusiva para todos los estudiantes en nuestra comunidad.
...From the panel I learned about the different perspectives from reframing dual language education. The first perspective talked about was Liberal Multicultural. It was stated there will be a fast and positive outcome from encouraging bilingualism. It will help promote anti racist educational spaces. The second perspective talked about was Raciolinguistics. It was stated that we are encouraging bilingualism in a society with a history of racial stratification thus will lead to intensifying raciolinguistic hierarchies.
...Most importantly, I learned that I could have blind spots in my own teaching and morals. This really impacted me because as someone who is bilingual, wants to teach in a dual language school, and in my community, I know that I need to check by blind spots to be the best bilingual educator I can possibly be. By attending conferences and reading books like "Bilingualism for All?" I am on the right path to becoming the best that I can be.
Dr. Margarita Machado-Casas, Chair of the Dual Language and English Learner Education Department at SDSU: Un Diálogo Virtual (2021)
The DEBER Scholars Program held its first Dual Language and English Learner Education Virtual Dialogue with Dr. Margarita Machado-Casas on Saturday, December 11th, 2021. DEBER Scholars learned about Dr. Machado-Casas' experiences in the field of bilingual education and of available resources for students pursuing their bilingual education teaching credentials at SDSU.
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...Dr. Machado-Casas has such an amazing story beginning with her life in Nicaragua, until the time she immigrated to the U.S. Between herself and her family they have so much strength and drive. She is inspirational as an AfroLatina, as a woman, and as an educator.
...Fue muy impactante aprender acerca de sus experiencias de pequeña. Me dio esperanza pensar que alguien que se parece tanto a mi pudo empezar con tan poco y llegar tan lejos. I truly appreciated how real and humble she was.
...I think Dr. Margarita Machado-Casas's story really drilled in the importance of finding a community that ultimately understands you and celebrates your accomplishments that might differ from others.
...Her immigration story was so inspirational. To see how far she’s come based on her parents’ will to survive as well as her own.
...Siempre que conocemos a alguien con education nos imaginamos que la tuvieron fácil. En cambio con la historia de la Dr. Margarita me quede sorprendida porque pude escuchar de los obstáculos que ella tuvo que superar. Su historia me inspira a imaginar que yo algún día también tendré la oportunidad y dicha de sobresalir en la vida así como hizo ella. La Dr. Margarita compartió una frase sobre la marea y sus palabras me quedaron marcadas “siempre habrá mareas en nuestras vida pero tenemos que superarlas” esto me da la motivation de seguir luchando! Gracias Dra. Margarita!
...Something that I believe was really interesting about Dra. Margarita Machado-Casas was her background. I think she is a very strong woman who represents us, I myself as an immigrant who came from Mexico believe that she represents a lot of people that are looking for opportunities. She is clearly a role model for us I think she shared interesting things about her path into Higher Education.
...A través de esta presentación, entendí que el departamento de DLE en SDSU está compuesto de gente que ha triunfado a pesar de los obstáculos que se les han enfrentado. Son personas que han aprendido a navegar este sistema que no fue diseñado para gente como nosotros y nos brindan el apoyo que a ellos les hubiera gustado tener.
RE:BORDER Binational Conference (2021)
The third annual RE:BORDER Binational Conference was held on Tuesday November 16th and Wednesday November 17th, 2021. The two-day conference was hosted by San Diego State University and CETYS Universidad, in collaboration with our binational partners RE:BORDER 2021. See the Agenda and view list of Speakers which include DEBER leaders. Every year, this conference explores key regional issues and innovative solutions.
This year's theme was "A Nuestra Salud: Confronting Public Health and Mental Health Challenges and Solutions in our Transborder Region."
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...I think that a lot of the topics I was able to listen in on were interesting and
worth learning about, but the one that really stood out to me was the issues that
indigenous women "jornaleras" in the Central Coast of California face, especially
the working conditions depending on whether they're a part of a union or not. I would
like to learn what could be done to promote awareness about this issue and what can
be done to help these women get better working conditions and rights.
...I learned that just like me, many students have the same obstacles growing up next to the border, except do not have the guidance and support I did. My goal as a future educator is to be that person for as many of my students as I can.
...I learned that there is an overwhelming amount of violence for our transborder students, which has increased substantially during the COVID-19 pandemic. I asked a question about the panelists’ experience/knowledge about LGBTQ+ resources for our students crossing the border, and they gave me a resource for where to report LGBTQ+ Violence done by CBP agents. Also, one of our panelists shared a quote: “Being queer as a transnational person let’s me see how being queer is in two different cultures” which is something I hadn’t totally realized through my own queer existence.
...Lo que aprendí sobre este tema es que efectivamente hay mucho distanciamiento entre los gobiernos de México y de Estados Unidos en el tema de Salud. Por la pandemia todo se ha ido empeorando ya que muchos no están tomando las medidas sanitarias. Yo personalmente creo que la gente de México es la más vulnerable ya que ellos no tienen los recursos financieros para atender un hospital. En cambio, aquí en Estados Unidos tenemos todo a nuestra alcance y mejores servicios médicos. La acción que yo pienso tomar es abrir el conocimiento a ambos lados de la frontera y resaltar que se tienen que seguir las medidas sanitarias. ¡Se debe usar la mascarilla y lavar manos frecuentemente para el bien de todos!
...I learned just how much public health affects public education and how the pandemic was a huge example of how schools were significantly impacted and still are. Some actions I can take as a teacher is to teach not just students but parents about a lot of misinformation that is out there about public health that can be dangerous.
...What I was surprised to learn is that all border towns share similar experiences. I was naive to think that it was only our border region that experienced nepantla but it is all borderland towns. As a former transfronteriza student I know the difficulties and stress and that help from the institutions would be beneficial. I also learned a lot from the media and VAC and VAW. I was unaware how technology and media could help those that cross the border every day
...I learned about what it means to be a “población compartida,” and the importance of referring to ourselves as one to be able to combat current issues we face. It was particularly empowering to learn about the communication and partnerships between CETYS Universidad and various universities on this side of the border. These partnerships open up so many avenues for efficient and productive communication for us as a binational population. I would like to learn more about these partnerships, and hopefully become involved!
Preparing for School Site Visits: Un Diálogo Virtual (2021)
The DEBER Scholars Program held its first Preparing for School Site Visits Virtual Dialogue on Saturday, October 30th. Scholars learned about DLE's Knowledge, Disposition and Skills Framework (KDS) from Dr. Melissa Navarro of the SDSU Dual Language and English Learner Education (DLE) Department and different bilingual education program models from three bilingual teachers that shared their experiences in the field.
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...Lo que más me impactó fue reconocer el sistema bilingüe de muchas escuelas, que lamentablemente sólo buscan que aprendamos el inglés pero no nos motivan a continuar aprendiendo más de nuestro propio lenguaje.
...The breakout rooms discussing our own experiences with bilingual education was one of the most impactful moments from this event. Hearing other student's experiences, struggles, and growth from their access (or lack of) to bilingual education was not only eye-opening, but it revealed a huge crisis within the educational system that is failing many bilingual students.
...I was very surprised in how a lot of my peers had the same challenges as me, growing up from a Hispanic community the language barrier was one of the main challenges because our parents could not give us the support needed in school and thanks to bilingual teachers we were able to thrive! I was very touched and impacted of how many of my peers are passionate of their career and how they have been able to make in a impact in all these children.
...Desde mi punto de vista lo que entendí es que hoy día hay más concientización sobre la importancia de mantener y fomentar el idioma español en las escuelas públicas. En las décadas pasadas, debido al trauma vivido por los padres, ellos no querían que sus hijos/as pasen por lo mismo. Por lo tanto, ni se fomentaba el aprendizaje del español. Ser bilingüe desde el punto de vista anglo, era —y todavía es en muchos estados— como una barrera, un déficit, un problema, una inconveniencia, un peligro. Cuando en realidad es algo genial!!!
...The most impactful topic was learning about the different dual language programs that are offered. I learned about their history and it gave me a different understanding of what they all mean. Before, I thought all dual language programs were the same!
...When I was in elementary school, I was grateful to have had bilingual teachers through my elementary school years. There were some moments where I had difficulty trying to speak in English because when I get nervous I tend to speak in Spanish because it makes me comfortable and safe, but since I had strict teachers in high school I couldn't speak very comfortable. I want to learn about how bilingual teachers work with their students and support them on their journeys.
...Compartir mi conocimiento. La razón por la que me gustaría ser maestra bilingüe es porque no quiero que las futuras generaciones se encuentren en el mismo lugar que yo. No quiero que el alumno llegue a la escuela a estar sentado todo el día sin que nadie lo ayude y que se sienta indiferente porque no entiende, yo quiero ser parte del cambio y que algún día diga que yo lo ayude.
Intersectionality & Solidarity: Un Diálogo Virtual (2021)
The DEBER Scholars Program held its first Intersectionality & Solidarity Virtual Dialogue on Saturday, May 8th with Dr. Virginia Loh-Hagan and the DEBER Leadership. Scholars were encouraged to expand and reflect on their own intersectionalities, take actions for racial justice and seek solidarity. Scholars learned about the historical and current contexts of anti-Asian hate and were provided with support strategies and resources for cross-cultural solidarity.
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...One of the things that impacted me the most from what we learned today is reflecting on the areas of intersectionality that I am privileged in. Learning that it often takes an experience to wake up and realize that we have that particular privilege because it is not something that we are forced to think about daily. Reflecting on my own identity and my experiences has been eye-opening for me today because I am now able to vocalize some of the complexities that had been intertwined with those moments.
...I really loved the guest speaker about APIDA and Asian-Hate Awareness. I'm not Asian, but I get to be confused as Asian most of the time when I go out, that I know how impactful it is to receive hate specially because of Covid. I also love Asian history and culture that it was very exciting to learn some history from Asian/Hispanic history.
...I really enjoyed learning and hearing from a different background. It personally gave me more insight as to how they experience racism but as well what we can do to show solidarity. What impacted me personally was seeing how the Asian and Latinx community have worked together in solidarity. It makes me want to do more research on that. Another thing that I will take away from this zoom meeting would be knowing how to show solidarity and how to be an ally.
...As a future bilingual educator, I really want to put into practice the tips and information that Dr. Loh-Hagan shared with us this afternoon. Particularly the information on how to be a better ally and her suggestion to be very specific when offering our help to others. I have always been willing to help but I realize that I need to be better in being specific in order to better support those who need it. Keeping that in mind will allow me to better serve my students and their families.
...I believe that inclusion of all in an educational setting is key for understanding one another.
...I will make sure to learn all the different pedagogic methods necessary to teach my students to honor their heritage. To speak about the things that matter in our society and encourage them to help improve our diverse society.
...We as educators must create comfortable environments where students feel out of danger from any kind of bullying, likewise, avoid and immediately stop any discriminatory gesture or action against any student who shows any behavior of sexual preference, a physical disability, a different skin color, a different religion, a different language, a different race or ethnicity, etc.
Antirracismo: Un Diálogo Virtual with the SDSU DEBER Leadership (2021)
The DEBER Scholars Program held its first Anti-Racism Virtual Dialogue on Saturday, April 17th with Dr. Lisa Sparaco and the SDSU DEBER Leadership. Scholars were instructed to take the Implicit Association Test online for race or skin color prior to attending the event. Scholars were informed on the differences between bias and discrimination, intersectionality and systemic racism. Scholars were encouraged to support others doing anti-racist work and were provided with anti-racism resources.
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...What impacted me the most was how we have come to ignore and accept bias, discrimination, and systemic racism. It is surprising how we choose to be ignorant and deny even the slightest bias or discrimination leads to only more bias and discrimination.
...Education is key. Educating students and letting them know that race and the color of our skin is not a determining factor of who we are or who we will become in life.
...I will definitely incorporate this information in my lesson plans, I will strive to make my students know that this exists, that everyone has gone through it in one form or another, and I will not tell them what to do, but guide them in the right steps to know the differences between opinions and discrimination.
...What impacted me the most was that everywhere you go, if you pay attention there is bias. The video that we watched on implicit bias made me think of all the times I applied for a job, and never got called back. Maybe there was another applicant with the same resume as me, but our skin color and name were completely opposite.
...After having taken the quiz before the talk I realized that even without intending it we all have some sort of bias when it comes to different races. It is important that we acknowledge those biases and try to correct those behaviors. Especially as future educators we can't be preferring one race over the other, whether it be subconscious or purposely.
...One of the sections that impacted me the most during this platica was when we were able to go into breakout rooms and discuss white supremacy and our own experiences of this within the educational system. Reading through the slides of the different groups was extremely powerful and emphasized how hurtful and common these situations are. This activity, connected to the map of the active racist organizations in California, was very impactful and it made me reflect on my daily interactions with people outside of my home and how even though we often assume that because we are part of a very diverse community, that these things aren't as common. However, the reality of it was very clear on the map and reiterated the importance of being safe and knowing how to advocate for ourselves and our community.
...I was impressed that there are many support groups against racism because "Unity is strength" I really liked how we are organizing to fight it and that more anti-racist groups continue to emerge in the country. On the other hand, I liked that we met with colleagues to exchange our ideas about the videos and discuss them even quickly. From what we argue, we are all anti-racists and we want equality in all human beings. We do not agree with a supremacy that discriminates against any human being. In addition, we examine in our groups how certain concepts enter our unconscious and how we are programmed to choose stereotypes to choose certain types of people. That is why it is necessary to create conscious groups and address these issues of racism to create anti-racist and anti-discrimination consciences, but this would be another point. Education against racism.
Voice Your Language Forums (2021)
The 6th annual Voice Your Language public forums on Multilingual Education in California were held virtually with: award-winning author Benjamin Alire Saenz on February 27th, renowned author and artist Yuyi Morales on March 13th, award-winning researcher and author Dr. Claudia Cervantes-Soon on April 10th and award-winning scholar Dr. Nelson Flores on May 1st. These free events are brought together by local educators, community members and SDSU students and faculty to discuss topics surrounding multilingual education on both local and global levels.
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...Something that impacted my learning from this event was giving voice to my language and understanding that the are many ways of communicating. For example, when Benjamin Alire Saenz categorizes the different kind of languages such as colonialism, the language of education, the language of hate and violence or sexism I found that really interesting because it tells us that when we learn to categorize these differences, we make better choices in finding the right ways of communicating with others. I also felt like his story was powerful and just getting to know his journey and finding out that most of as Latino Students can relate to a lot of his experiences because our reality as Latino Students in the U.S are still the same as it was back when he was in school. This gives me a source of motivation to break those barriers and possibly change that educational setting for a lot of those future Latino students that share the same background as I did.
...Based on the presentation, Benjamin taught me very valuable things that will forever impact my path towards becoming a teacher. He assures the importance in doing your absolute best in whatever you do in order to gain respect from others, and most importantly, to incorporate yourself in your work. Meaning, to not let others change your personal beliefs and ideas to accommodate others, when another group of people need your words and support. You must do whatever you are passionate about and not let others get in the way of that.
...As I heard Benjamin Alire speak about his experiences throughout his education journey, I feel really empowered because he really had to stand up for himself and for those around him in order to make changes around his school and community. Although sometimes he needed the extra help from adults in order to make these changes possible he was always elaborating his ideas. I also felt uplifted when he spoke about resilience and about the importance of embracing who we are and where we come from, regardless of what society thinks about us.
...Something that definitely impacted my learning from this session was Yuyi's Morales reflection on how we sometimes feel like part of our stories might not be worth telling because they might not reflect the majority narrative. This stood out to me because it is something that I have also struggled with and it was the first time that someone acknowledged those feelings and offered advice. Knowing that we are not alone in that experience and that those stories are also valid and important to our community narrative was very impactful.
...Hearing these accounts from different bilingual educators who are also immigrants, allows me to hear success stories that I can share with my future students. Having these conferences/workshops where they share their personal thoughts, feelings, fears, doubts, hesitations, gives me an in-depth look at how future students may also feel. I will also have bilingual students who are not immigrants, but this allows me to share with them why it is a source of pride to be bilingual and how it is beneficial to have understanding of bilingual culture.
...I think this might inform my work as a future bilingual educator by ensuring that I check in with my students on a personal level to make sure that they feel seen and know that their own experiences and stories are just as important as everyone else's. Learning about Yuyi's artistic process will also be helpful in my classroom to inspire students to use their artistic talents to express themselves and continue sharing their stories.
...Yuyi Morales talked about the importance in following your own vision and not feeling discouraged when things do not go your way and how failures shape us.
San Diego Dual Language Conference (2021)
The San Diego Dual Language Conference was held on Friday, January 29 and Saturday, January 30, 2021. See Program and list of speakers which included DEBER Leader Sera Hernandez and DEBER Supporters: Margarita Machado-Casas, Olympia Kyriakidis, and Michael Domínguez.
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...Before attending the conference I had a different idea of what is translanguaging. During the session I learned that translanguaging is a pedagogical tool, a way to develop cross linguistic awareness that creates a safe space for students where they can discuss a certain topic with a different language. Also, embracing the bilingual identity and knowing the importance of valuing the language practices of families and communities. When students from a bilingual background have the opportunity to embrace their native language they feel more confident and allow them to participate more in the classroom.
...This informs my work as a future bilingual educator because it encourages me to think about the practices that I will implement in my future classroom through a critical lens that focuses on sociocultural competence and equity. As one of the speakers mentioned, going beyond just decolonizing education but rather indigenizing our curriculums.
...If we all come together as a bicultural family we can advocate the importance of education and how it should be offered for everyone regardless of status. I can encourage my students to follow the bilingual path and to feel empowered by their roots rather than embarrassed. It's important to know about our past and embrace where we come from and support one another.
...As a future bilingual teacher it is important for me to have resources to incorporate in my students' learning. I have to be current and updated in my professional development, as well as receiving different ideas and resources from other educators. The different perspectives from the speakers really inspired me, they were intelligent, and very passionate about their topics.
...Knowing that I will be dealing with children from very unique backgrounds unlike the usual mode most would expect when coming into a classroom and learning how to work with them instead of cast them aside as teachers have done so in the past was enlightening and eye opening and it further excites me to pursue this career.
...As a future bilingual educator it is important to know the effective methods to help students to work in a multicultural classroom. Using books or materials where students can connect with the topic or reflect themselves in the story. Allowing students to express themselves in their native language or other language with the purpose to not create a disconnection with their education and identity.
RE:BORDER Binational Conference (2020)
The second annual RE:BORDER Binational Conference was held on Thursday, November 12 and Friday, November 13, 2020. RE:BORDER 2020 See Agenda and view list of Speakers which included DEBER Leaders Cristina Alfaro and Sera Hernandez.Every year, this conference explores key regional issues and innovative solutions. This year's focus was on challenges and solutions related to mobility in the transborder region of California and Baja California. Academic experts, practitioners, students, public policy experts, and community stakeholders explored how San Diego State University and its regional partners can contribute to innovative solutions in the transborder region through expert presentations, conversations, poster sessions, and artistic experiences.
Reflections As A DEBER Comunidad
DEBER Scholars shared their experiences:
...in border areas where there are always two different cultures, these types of problems will always exist, but as it is discussed in these conferences, we must find the best alternatives and solutions for students.
...a bigger understanding of how emotionally, physically, and mentally taxing it is for students who cross the border on a daily and regular basis.
...many positive results have been generated through virtual empathy through perspective.
...aprendí que los gobiernos de los dos lados (de Tijuana e San Diego), están trabajando juntos para poder facilitar el estudio bilingüe, y también en ayudar a los estudiantes que cruzan a diario.
...testimonies have definitely opened my perspective and have affected the way that I choose to respond/investigate certain behaviors that might come up with my future students.
...reiterated the importance of educating myself on how I can help hold officials accountable and how to support organizations that are actively trying to reduce the size of obstacles students are facing.
...en tiempos pasados era penado hablar en tu idioma natal, y ahora se está haciendo el esfuerzo para integrar la educación bilingüe a los estudiantes. Esto no solo ayudará a estudiantes recién ingresados a clases en inglés, pero también abrió varias puertas para otros estudiantes para encontrar más trabajos donde se solicite ser bilingüe o que sea más oportuno tener más de una lengua.
San Diego County Latinx Educational Summit (2020)
The Latinx Education summit examined the current trends in Latinx education achievement in San Diego County. Summit organizers sought to raise community leadership and social consciousness to provide equitable experiences for students, TK-12 teachers and higher education advocates in San Diego County.
February 22, 2020
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