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Con Respeto: Bridging the Distances Between Culturally Diverse Families and Schools: An Ethnographic Portrait
Con Bridging the Distances Between Culturally Diverse Families and Schools―An Ethnographic Portrait presents a study of ten Mexican immigrant families, with a special focus on mothers, that describes how such families go about the business of surviving and learning to succeed in a new world. Guadalupe Valdés examines what appears to be a lack of interest in education by Mexican parents and shows, through extensive quotations and numerous anecdotes, that these families are both rich and strong in family values, and that they bring with them clear views of what constitutes success and failure. The book’s conclusion questions the merit of typical family intervention programs designed to promote school success and suggests that these interventions―because they do not genuinely respect the values of diverse families―may have long-term negative consequences for children. Con Respeto will be a valuable resource in graduate courses in foundations, ethnographic research, sociology and anthropology of education, multicultural education, and child development; and will be of particular interest to professors and researchers of multicultural education, bilingual education, ethnographic research methods, and sociology and anthropology of education.
240 pages, Paperback
Published June 15, 1996
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August 4, 2024
I only wish I had read "Con Respeto: Bridging the Distances Between Culturally Diverse Families and Schools" when I first began teaching children from rural Mexican families so many years ago! Being a middle class white woman, I really had no idea of the deep cultural, class and societal issues that were at play. Luckily for me (for more than professional reasons), I ended up marrying a man from the same background as my young students and learning much more about all of these issue through osmosis!
In order to understand how school failure comes to be constructed in the U.S. for and by newly arrived groups, one must have an understanding of the world from which these individuals come.
Professor Valdes spent 3 years conducting an ethnographic study with 10 borderland families who now lived in a small town just across the border from Mexico. Initially, she began with the task of finding out how lack of English affected the Kindergarten and First grade children of the families. However, her scope soon expanded to include huge differences in family customs, roles, dynamics, monetary issues, etc. In short, she was studying the family's opinions on everything! Particularly, the mothers! By thoroughly explaining what these families deal with on an everyday basis, their belief systems and how this aligns with everything they do, she paints a very complete picture of their lives. The reader is therefore able to see how the family's world view is directly related to the lives they lead and their ability to survive as a unit.
These families are not dysfunctional or lacking, despite what may be portrayed by the school system. They are not uninterested in their children's education. They are very interested in their whole family unit succeeding and remaining close. It is naive on the part of the school system to believe that tacking a "parent involvement" program onto their already hectic schedule will somehow allow them to achieve a middle class family unit copied from mainstream America. And would that really serve them? Certainly not.
The view that there exists a universal model of human development and a set of particular competencies that all children should acquire if reared adequately still influences both policy and practice...children around the world are socialized to develop those skills and competencies that are necessary for them to live as competent adults in their particular societies. Child rearing strategies of minority populations have not generally been seen from that perspective.
The study in "Con Respeto" was written before the Immigration Reform Act of 1986 when many immigrants were able to attain green cards and then US citizenship. These borderland families were easily able to travel back and forth across the border with a "border crossing card" which allowed them to shop and stay for 72 hours. I had never heard of this! Generally, the men would cross illegally first and work to save money in order to send for their families. When the moms arrived, they had no idea how the system worked in the US.
There were rumors and tales and more tales, all of which were false, about things that had happened, about how a mother was caught and kept locked up until she revealed where all her children were, about how schools turned in undocumented children and even about how children born in this country could lose their citizenship if their mother married an illegal alien.
I was particularly interested in a section of the "Raising Children" chapter called "Teaching Children". The method used to teach children household tasks reminded me of an ethnographic study about how children learned to drum in an African country (can't remember where). In both places, the children were taught by one of my favorite methods: approximation! So they were given the task to do with an adult who was doing it alongside of them. As they worked, the adult would explain which were the important points of the task and evaluate how the child was doing as they went. It also reminds me quite a bit of how many of us were taught to play a musical instrument, cook or do a sport. Learning by doing!
Guadalupe Valdes also does a wonderful job of contrasting the nature of Mexico as a "closed" or "caste" society where individuals and their families are stuck in their level of the 5 categories. It should be further noted that the vast majority of Mexicans fall into the first 2 categories:
1. Los marginados (extremely poor)
2. Trabajadores pobres (working poor)
3. Los empleados (commerce, teaching or bureaucracy workers)
4. Ejecutivos medios, profesionistas y comerciantes (middle management, professionals and businesspeople)
5. La alta burocracia y la burguesia (the rich)
On the other hand, the US is (supposedly) an "open" society where one can move more easily from level to level. I say supposedly because in Capitalism of course it's in the interest of the rich to maintain a poor working class.
There is a plethora of further information which was fascinating to me as a teacher, but I don't want to bog down readers of this review with all of the details. If you, like me, work with this population in some capacity, I'm sure you would find the details engrossing.
The main conclusion of this study was that one must be extremely careful when making changes to a family's way of living because there may be unforeseen negative impacts to their ability to survive in the new environment. Valdes doesn't directly espouse any certain intervention programs for families, but she does conclude on a positive note.
For all my doubts, I want to see Mexican-origin children laugh and brag about their brilliance. I want to applaud them as they become scientist, and businesspeople, and lawyers. In fact, I want it all. Like their parents, I want them to be good human beings.
In order to understand how school failure comes to be constructed in the U.S. for and by newly arrived groups, one must have an understanding of the world from which these individuals come.
Professor Valdes spent 3 years conducting an ethnographic study with 10 borderland families who now lived in a small town just across the border from Mexico. Initially, she began with the task of finding out how lack of English affected the Kindergarten and First grade children of the families. However, her scope soon expanded to include huge differences in family customs, roles, dynamics, monetary issues, etc. In short, she was studying the family's opinions on everything! Particularly, the mothers! By thoroughly explaining what these families deal with on an everyday basis, their belief systems and how this aligns with everything they do, she paints a very complete picture of their lives. The reader is therefore able to see how the family's world view is directly related to the lives they lead and their ability to survive as a unit.
These families are not dysfunctional or lacking, despite what may be portrayed by the school system. They are not uninterested in their children's education. They are very interested in their whole family unit succeeding and remaining close. It is naive on the part of the school system to believe that tacking a "parent involvement" program onto their already hectic schedule will somehow allow them to achieve a middle class family unit copied from mainstream America. And would that really serve them? Certainly not.
The view that there exists a universal model of human development and a set of particular competencies that all children should acquire if reared adequately still influences both policy and practice...children around the world are socialized to develop those skills and competencies that are necessary for them to live as competent adults in their particular societies. Child rearing strategies of minority populations have not generally been seen from that perspective.
The study in "Con Respeto" was written before the Immigration Reform Act of 1986 when many immigrants were able to attain green cards and then US citizenship. These borderland families were easily able to travel back and forth across the border with a "border crossing card" which allowed them to shop and stay for 72 hours. I had never heard of this! Generally, the men would cross illegally first and work to save money in order to send for their families. When the moms arrived, they had no idea how the system worked in the US.
There were rumors and tales and more tales, all of which were false, about things that had happened, about how a mother was caught and kept locked up until she revealed where all her children were, about how schools turned in undocumented children and even about how children born in this country could lose their citizenship if their mother married an illegal alien.
I was particularly interested in a section of the "Raising Children" chapter called "Teaching Children". The method used to teach children household tasks reminded me of an ethnographic study about how children learned to drum in an African country (can't remember where). In both places, the children were taught by one of my favorite methods: approximation! So they were given the task to do with an adult who was doing it alongside of them. As they worked, the adult would explain which were the important points of the task and evaluate how the child was doing as they went. It also reminds me quite a bit of how many of us were taught to play a musical instrument, cook or do a sport. Learning by doing!
Guadalupe Valdes also does a wonderful job of contrasting the nature of Mexico as a "closed" or "caste" society where individuals and their families are stuck in their level of the 5 categories. It should be further noted that the vast majority of Mexicans fall into the first 2 categories:
1. Los marginados (extremely poor)
2. Trabajadores pobres (working poor)
3. Los empleados (commerce, teaching or bureaucracy workers)
4. Ejecutivos medios, profesionistas y comerciantes (middle management, professionals and businesspeople)
5. La alta burocracia y la burguesia (the rich)
On the other hand, the US is (supposedly) an "open" society where one can move more easily from level to level. I say supposedly because in Capitalism of course it's in the interest of the rich to maintain a poor working class.
There is a plethora of further information which was fascinating to me as a teacher, but I don't want to bog down readers of this review with all of the details. If you, like me, work with this population in some capacity, I'm sure you would find the details engrossing.
The main conclusion of this study was that one must be extremely careful when making changes to a family's way of living because there may be unforeseen negative impacts to their ability to survive in the new environment. Valdes doesn't directly espouse any certain intervention programs for families, but she does conclude on a positive note.
For all my doubts, I want to see Mexican-origin children laugh and brag about their brilliance. I want to applaud them as they become scientist, and businesspeople, and lawyers. In fact, I want it all. Like their parents, I want them to be good human beings.
August 21, 2012
Uno de los problemas más serios que enfrentan los inmigrantes Mexicanos en Estados Unidos es el poco éxito académico que logran. Los hijos de padres de Mexicanos suelen ser una población en riesgo de fracaso o incluso abandono escolar. Se le suele atribuir este problema a que los padres Mexicanos no están suficientemente interesados en la educación de sus hijos, en este libro Guadalupe Valdés propone una perspectiva diferente.
El libro es el registro de un estudio etnográfico en el que Valdés, en el paso de varios años en la década de los 80's, se adentró en la vida de varias familias inmigrantes viviendo en una comunidad semi-urbana de Texas. El estilo de redacción es accesible para cualquiera, aunque no tenga familiaridad con estudios etnográficos. Algunas secciones del libro son técnicas, más de interés académico que literario, y por eso razón son de gran valor para los que estén interesados en estudiar este problema.
Para un lector Mexicano es interesante conocer cómo es que los inmigrantes son vistos por la población nativa de Estados Unidos en relación con su desempeño escolar. Valdés hace un esfuerzo por ilustrar los retos que enfrentan las familias participantes en su estudio, en las cuales, algunos de los padres en ellas ni siquiera hablan inglés, pero aún así logran satisfacer las necesidades básicas de sus hijos, incluida la educación. Tareas tales como obtener una cita con un médico son todo un desafió para estas familias.
Las conclusiones a las que llega Valdés son provocativas aun muchos años después de concluido el estudio. Ponen en primer plano las enormes diferencias culturales existentes entre la población Mexicana y la Estadounidense, en especial el concepto de "respeto", que da título al libro, conocido por ambas poblaciones, pero lleno de sutilezas en significado para un Mexicano.
Una lectura muy recomendable.
El libro es el registro de un estudio etnográfico en el que Valdés, en el paso de varios años en la década de los 80's, se adentró en la vida de varias familias inmigrantes viviendo en una comunidad semi-urbana de Texas. El estilo de redacción es accesible para cualquiera, aunque no tenga familiaridad con estudios etnográficos. Algunas secciones del libro son técnicas, más de interés académico que literario, y por eso razón son de gran valor para los que estén interesados en estudiar este problema.
Para un lector Mexicano es interesante conocer cómo es que los inmigrantes son vistos por la población nativa de Estados Unidos en relación con su desempeño escolar. Valdés hace un esfuerzo por ilustrar los retos que enfrentan las familias participantes en su estudio, en las cuales, algunos de los padres en ellas ni siquiera hablan inglés, pero aún así logran satisfacer las necesidades básicas de sus hijos, incluida la educación. Tareas tales como obtener una cita con un médico son todo un desafió para estas familias.
Las conclusiones a las que llega Valdés son provocativas aun muchos años después de concluido el estudio. Ponen en primer plano las enormes diferencias culturales existentes entre la población Mexicana y la Estadounidense, en especial el concepto de "respeto", que da título al libro, conocido por ambas poblaciones, pero lleno de sutilezas en significado para un Mexicano.
Una lectura muy recomendable.
July 3, 2008
I had the privilege of taking a class from Guadalupe Valdes as an undergrad at Stanford and was impressed by her thoughtful, thorough, & precise analysis of bilingualism/biculturalism. This book was no exception. Although it's getting a little out-dated, it provides a glimpse into the lives of 10 Mexican immigrant families as they intersect with public school. I would highly recommend it!
July 20, 2012
Anyone who teaches students of Mexican origin should definitely read this book. It really helps explain many of the cultural discrepancies between Mexican and American culture and how as educators we can better serve these students.
March 5, 2019
A research-based look at how 10 families, representative of immigrants as a whole, struggled in their acclimation not only to American life but also to the American public school system.
I liked the author's approach to the study, especially in the fact that of the 9 chapters in the book, the first six focus on the background and struggles of each of 10 families during their immigration experiences. It is not until the seventh chapter that the schools come into the picture. In that sense, the layout of the book mirrors the priorities of the families, because there is a greater cultural emphasis placed on the success of the family as a whole than on any one child's educational opportunities, even though all adults who took part in the study wanted their children to be successful in school. Academics were always considered secondary to any needs of the family as a whole. Although the names of the families were changed, the fact that these were the real experiences of ten families brought a sense of reality and dignity to the study. These were not just general problems of a faceless culture or population... these were actual struggles to succeed in a foreign country where a different language was spoken and nothing could be taken for granted, including finding a place to live, remaining employed, and staying healthy.
One of the major misunderstandings presented by the author is the assumption among school personnel that there is something wrong with the family dynamic of these and similar immigrant families, in that the families do not seem to place any emphasis on academic success. This is "evidenced" by the fact that immigrant students do not seem to get a lot of homework support in the household, nor do the immigrant parents seem to be visible at many school functions or events. In that sense, parental involvement is almost non-existent. The grades of students suffer, and the teachers and school personnel make a correlation between those two factors: parental involvement and academic success. However, the author presents ten families, each with parents who are very involved in their children's lives. Academic success still eludes them.
In reality, the problem is much more complex, beginning with the value systems of the immigrant families (not that their value systems are the problem). Though they verbalize a desire for their children to be "successful," they do not define success in the same way that the traditional American (read: middle class) would define the concept. Families view education as important, but not as most important. Based on their own experiences, they view the role of families as most important, and individual (or "selfish" as termed in the research) goals such as attaining academic achievements were always secondary to daily family needs. For example, taking a sick relative to a doctor, earning money to support the family, traveling to attend a funeral, or missing school to accompany a relative for translating purposes... on any given day, any of these scenarios would be considered more important than attending school.
Teachers who might expect students to be academically supported at home when projects or homework was given take for granted that there will be a parent in the home who can read the instructions, understand the assignment, and have time to provide meaningful assistance. From the standpoint of the families in this study, their position is that the teacher "doesn't give orders here" and has no authority in the home. Other things might take precedence on any given night. Consequently, the student may return to school having not completed the assignment and being assigned a poor grade as a result.
Within this study, the moms of the students did not see themselves as adjunct teachers. Based on their own experiences, growing up in Mexico, they viewed the role of the mother as one who provided "consejos" or moral education in the home. For example, in preparing a kindergartner for school, a mother would focus on making sure that the child learned lessons about their behavior and the importance of not causing problems once they began to attend school. There was no time or focus on learning ABCs, 123s, or colors, because that was the role of the classroom teacher once the student arrived at school. However, because American moms traditionally do help children know some of these basic academics before the first day of school, the immigrant kids are already behind from the beginning. This cycle continues throughout their educational experiences. The resulting communication problems, social development problems, and the perception that the parents "don't care" about their child's success only exacerbate the issue.
One of the things that stood out to me that I would consider the most insightful takeaway is that there is a foundational difference between how American school personnel define "education" and how these immigrant families would define "educación." Although these two words seem to be the same, Americans focus much more on academics when talking about education. By contrast, these immigrant families would immediately think of the moral and ethical development of their child when hearing the word "educación." By the same token, if you asked a typical American mom to define success for her child, and then also asked an immigrant mom from this study what she hoped to see her child become, their answers would each reflect how they defined the concept of education. One might hope for academic success, a college degree, and a financially rewarding job. The other would envision a child who is well-behaved, well-respected, who values family first, and who doesn't move far away.
Because of this foundational difference, each party (American school personnel and immigrant families) are mismatched from the beginning. The expectations of child development are different from each perspective and consequently, every action taken afterward may be with the best of intentions, but with each side viewing the other as not interested in helping the child succeed. I don't believe that a simple orientation program or a single intervention program can bridge such a distance, and neither party seems to have the time that would be required to understand or acclimate to the other viewpoint. It's interesting to note, however, that the strong family values that are common to the immigrant families were once held in the same regard by American school personnel. Unfortunately, that was many, many generations ago. The question that lingers is whether or not American society has actually progressed since the time when those family values were held in higher regard. Perhaps it is the Americans that could learn a thing or two from the immigrant families.
I liked the author's approach to the study, especially in the fact that of the 9 chapters in the book, the first six focus on the background and struggles of each of 10 families during their immigration experiences. It is not until the seventh chapter that the schools come into the picture. In that sense, the layout of the book mirrors the priorities of the families, because there is a greater cultural emphasis placed on the success of the family as a whole than on any one child's educational opportunities, even though all adults who took part in the study wanted their children to be successful in school. Academics were always considered secondary to any needs of the family as a whole. Although the names of the families were changed, the fact that these were the real experiences of ten families brought a sense of reality and dignity to the study. These were not just general problems of a faceless culture or population... these were actual struggles to succeed in a foreign country where a different language was spoken and nothing could be taken for granted, including finding a place to live, remaining employed, and staying healthy.
One of the major misunderstandings presented by the author is the assumption among school personnel that there is something wrong with the family dynamic of these and similar immigrant families, in that the families do not seem to place any emphasis on academic success. This is "evidenced" by the fact that immigrant students do not seem to get a lot of homework support in the household, nor do the immigrant parents seem to be visible at many school functions or events. In that sense, parental involvement is almost non-existent. The grades of students suffer, and the teachers and school personnel make a correlation between those two factors: parental involvement and academic success. However, the author presents ten families, each with parents who are very involved in their children's lives. Academic success still eludes them.
In reality, the problem is much more complex, beginning with the value systems of the immigrant families (not that their value systems are the problem). Though they verbalize a desire for their children to be "successful," they do not define success in the same way that the traditional American (read: middle class) would define the concept. Families view education as important, but not as most important. Based on their own experiences, they view the role of families as most important, and individual (or "selfish" as termed in the research) goals such as attaining academic achievements were always secondary to daily family needs. For example, taking a sick relative to a doctor, earning money to support the family, traveling to attend a funeral, or missing school to accompany a relative for translating purposes... on any given day, any of these scenarios would be considered more important than attending school.
Teachers who might expect students to be academically supported at home when projects or homework was given take for granted that there will be a parent in the home who can read the instructions, understand the assignment, and have time to provide meaningful assistance. From the standpoint of the families in this study, their position is that the teacher "doesn't give orders here" and has no authority in the home. Other things might take precedence on any given night. Consequently, the student may return to school having not completed the assignment and being assigned a poor grade as a result.
Within this study, the moms of the students did not see themselves as adjunct teachers. Based on their own experiences, growing up in Mexico, they viewed the role of the mother as one who provided "consejos" or moral education in the home. For example, in preparing a kindergartner for school, a mother would focus on making sure that the child learned lessons about their behavior and the importance of not causing problems once they began to attend school. There was no time or focus on learning ABCs, 123s, or colors, because that was the role of the classroom teacher once the student arrived at school. However, because American moms traditionally do help children know some of these basic academics before the first day of school, the immigrant kids are already behind from the beginning. This cycle continues throughout their educational experiences. The resulting communication problems, social development problems, and the perception that the parents "don't care" about their child's success only exacerbate the issue.
One of the things that stood out to me that I would consider the most insightful takeaway is that there is a foundational difference between how American school personnel define "education" and how these immigrant families would define "educación." Although these two words seem to be the same, Americans focus much more on academics when talking about education. By contrast, these immigrant families would immediately think of the moral and ethical development of their child when hearing the word "educación." By the same token, if you asked a typical American mom to define success for her child, and then also asked an immigrant mom from this study what she hoped to see her child become, their answers would each reflect how they defined the concept of education. One might hope for academic success, a college degree, and a financially rewarding job. The other would envision a child who is well-behaved, well-respected, who values family first, and who doesn't move far away.
Because of this foundational difference, each party (American school personnel and immigrant families) are mismatched from the beginning. The expectations of child development are different from each perspective and consequently, every action taken afterward may be with the best of intentions, but with each side viewing the other as not interested in helping the child succeed. I don't believe that a simple orientation program or a single intervention program can bridge such a distance, and neither party seems to have the time that would be required to understand or acclimate to the other viewpoint. It's interesting to note, however, that the strong family values that are common to the immigrant families were once held in the same regard by American school personnel. Unfortunately, that was many, many generations ago. The question that lingers is whether or not American society has actually progressed since the time when those family values were held in higher regard. Perhaps it is the Americans that could learn a thing or two from the immigrant families.
February 28, 2021
Read for class to clear my admin license. It’s infuriating that we still largely have these same exact issues and misunderstandings in education.
June 29, 2020
We (educators) say that we want to have a stronger partnership with our families...and we think we know what that looks like on our own.
This book is an excellent tool for any teacher of Mexican-origin students. It does not advise, but it does illustrate some of the mores, challenges, assets, and values of families who have recently migrated to the United States. I leave it with one essential question in mind that I hope to start asking this fall: What hopes do you have for your child?
This book is an excellent tool for any teacher of Mexican-origin students. It does not advise, but it does illustrate some of the mores, challenges, assets, and values of families who have recently migrated to the United States. I leave it with one essential question in mind that I hope to start asking this fall: What hopes do you have for your child?
April 30, 2022
I had to read this book for EL licensure, but I found the study very thorough and interesting. This provides a unique look into the cultures of the families interviewed, and it can help see other perspectives towards education and success.
November 16, 2007
I'll write a good review in two weeks.
Read
September 18, 2023had to read this for class and was absolutely miz the entire time so i’m not rating
February 1, 2014
I loved reading the thick descriptions that Valdes presents in Con Respeto, from the descriptions of the 10 families she profiles to her explorations of concepts of teaching and learning in their homes and schools. Like Unequal Childhoods, Valdes digs deeply into the social and cultural lives of families as a point of entry to understanding their experience with schools. Moreso than Lareau, though, Valdes leaves open some very difficult questions about the best ways to respond to the issues that 1st generation/Mexicano families face vis a vis schooling. These are the difficult questions that educators and policy makers really need to grapple with; I'm looking forward to reading this book with my student teachers and digging in to some of them.
Reading this text at this moment where the education of ELL's is supposedly a cornerstone of teacher education, one realizes how blatently this research has been ignored. None of the observations about the cultural disconnects between Mexican origin families & schools seem to make it into "best practice" texts for teachers, which is extremely sad. This is a great book for teachers, but also for those who want to think more about how to stop dominant culture from steamrolling the experiences of those in the periphery.
Reading this text at this moment where the education of ELL's is supposedly a cornerstone of teacher education, one realizes how blatently this research has been ignored. None of the observations about the cultural disconnects between Mexican origin families & schools seem to make it into "best practice" texts for teachers, which is extremely sad. This is a great book for teachers, but also for those who want to think more about how to stop dominant culture from steamrolling the experiences of those in the periphery.
November 3, 2014
Overall, I cannot say that this book was a pleasure to read. While it did have kernels of good information, they were buried beneath citations, lengthy and boring expositions, and sterile accounts of things that should have been exciting and full of life. This book can certainly be called ethnographic research, but I would hesitate to call it a typical ethnography. I feel like the information within the book could have been successfully condensed into a fifty-page book with no significant losses. That said, I would definitely give the final few chapters of this book to future colleagues or administrators to help improve the system of communicating with non-mainstream families. I think the information held between the covers of this book is incredibly important—I just don’t think it was presented in a way that was meaningful for me.
April 28, 2010
The main thing one must remember not to do is assume that parents do not care about their child’s education. As teachers, we cannot assume how a student’s life is even after we may ask the student to tell us how he/she lives. We must understand that some parents are not equipped with the communication skills to be able to voice their opinions or concerns. Some parents are doing everything possible in order to survive and be there for their children. Recognizing that different cultures have values different than our own can help us all become better people in our community and society. What we might consider as something important in the education system, might not be as important in the child’s life.
July 12, 2008
I'm only giving 3 stars to both of the Mexican themed books that I read, because I'm not sure everyone would be interested in the subject. Both of the book I read gave first person accounts of the immigration picture. The book deals with the question of Mexican parents surrendering their family values and lifestyle in order for their children to improve in American schools. That's a very superficial review and anyone who is interested in learning more, teachers and school adminstrators would appreciate the discussion it initiates.
August 15, 2009
I originally read this for my Educational Principles class and re-read it recently. Despite its focus on education, I think it explains a lot about the difficulties of immigrant integration, at least with this case study of recent Mexican immigrant families in Texas.
November 4, 2012
I read this for an ESL class and enjoyed it. Once again, many myths were contradicted and cleared up for me. My only complaint was I struggled to apply the information to Hispanic students in the Midwest as this was an ethnographic portrait of Hispanic families in border cities.
November 23, 2013
Important book for understanding the amazing community connections of those living on the US Mexico border. I worry about some folks essentializing Mexican Americans based on the observations of place and time.
April 3, 2015
This book really changed my perspective on what "good" parenting is and looks like. As an educator, I admit that I assume that all families function like those of the American middle-class. I would definitely suggest this book to all educators.
July 16, 2015
This made me re-think a lot of my assumptions in how I view a "good, supportive family" as a teacher. I learned a lot about Mexican borderland families, their values, and the challenges they face when transitioning to the US.
August 1, 2010
A pretty good book concerning families and culture. But there does seem to be a lot of repetition of information. Could have been more concise.
December 23, 2013
Good book that sheds light into Mexican home life and can help provide insights into the lives of students.
November 7, 2007
Another one I had to read for graduate school that I think helped make me the Teacher I am today.
Read
August 7, 2011a good ethnographic read, but Valdes cops out at the end
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews