Teachers, what would you expect?

Question

I'm presenting a 60-minute session entitled "Teaching Hispanic Cultures through the Eyes of Sandra Cisneros" with a Spanish professor of mine at the Foreign Language Association of NC's conference.

If you were a teacher of Spanish--choose your level--what would you hope to leave such a session with?

Would you want activities to accompany individual stories? Discussion topics for reading The House on Mango Street? What kind of additional materials would you want to go along with such a topic?

You're right about the Mexican-American thing, but my excuse is that my professor named the session. I don't know what she was thinking, except that maybe we could find some basic common ground that could relate more to other Hispanic cultures.

Answer 1

I am a Spanish Teacher, and I love Sandra Cisneros (I actually dated her younger brother about 20 years ago, in Chicago!), but I frankly don't understand the title of your session. How can you teach Hispanic Cultures, beyond her culture, which is Mexican American? By the title it sounds like you are going to cover at least a few Hispanic cultures. But how?
So, beyond the confusing title, I would expect some concrete examples and maybe some excerpts from her work, if possible. I would love some activities and discussion topics to use with my students. Also, maybe a vocabulary list of specific terms that may be unique and reocurring in her work.
Thanks and good luck!

Answer 2

ok...I am a Spanish major...and will soon be a Spanish teacher. I am very fluent and my husband is 100%, but I've never read "The House on Mango St." and have never heard of Sandra Cisneros". What I'm assuming is that you are trying to teach the Mexican culture of those that live in the USA. In my opinion, the culture is not that different than the one right across the border. They eat the same food, listen to the same music, speak the same language, etc. The difference is that over time the culture begins to mix with the one of the country they live in. This is especially true in the language...it becomes "tex-mex" or "spanglish" The children also tend to reject the language and culture of their heritage because it is not what their friends from school follow. In this session I would introduce them to REAL Mexican food....(not taco bell) with the comal...different types of tomatoes, chiles, tortillas de MAIZ. Also, allow them to listen to the music: cumbia, norteño, duranguense..are the most common to hear. There is a world of adjustment they have to make from their to here: how to use the toilet, the ways of going to the store, etc. If you would like more insight on the little things that are sooo much different write me [e-mail]