“Latino students should only be taught by Latino teachers.” I don’t think a blanket statement like that could ever be realistic or accurate. When I hear such words, I think of the teachers who’ve made significant impacts on my students’ lives even though the teachers don’t share the same backgrounds as their students. At the same time, I recognize the value of having Latino teachers teaching Latino students. I know that all types of teachers can impact Latino students.
I believe a student’s experience is enriched when s/he is taught by a diverse set of individuals over the course of his/her educational journey.
It’s important for students to be exposed to people and experiences different from what they are accustomed. Students need to be able to engage and interact with different individuals. When they go off to college or enter the workforce, they’ll be surrounded by a slew of different people with diverse personalities and backgrounds. They’ll be better prepared to navigate different environments if they were exposed to people and experienced different from their own.
Taking it a step further, it isn’t enough to say that a Latino student and white teacher have less in common than a Latino student and a Latino teacher. What if the Latino student and white teacher shared the same socioeconomic background?
There’s a caveat though – it’s a disservice if Latino students are never exposed to Latino teachers. Not having any Latino teachers throughout their time in school can send them implicit and unintended messages: “Latinos aren’t good enough to be teachers,” “Latinos shouldn’t enter education,” “Latinos don’t belong in the professional world.”
Our students need adults that share their same background and experiences so that they can envision themselves in those adults’ shoes. Our students’ aspirations are limited by their realities. If they can’t see it, they can’t dream it. That’s why they need to learn about successful individuals who look like them and share similar backgrounds. This reflection can provide students with a glimpse of what’s possible for them in the future.
In the end, it’s not up to us to predict what will leave a greater impact on our students. Our students deserve and benefit greatly from being exposed to individuals with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. Ultimately, we can’t control who they’ll connect with or what will inspire them, but we can do our best to surround them with an array of individuals to choose from.
This is Part FOUR in a series. Check out Part One , Part Two, and Part Three
