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Our third volume, Transforming Ourselves Through the Power of Mediated Instruction (1996, Fall), focuses on the Fable Writing Project which was evolved into ‘la nueva fábula’ literacy framework. The writing project involved 150 students in three urban schools, spanning K-5 bilingual education classrooms, with the involvement of nine teachers, and three principals. In the fall of 1996 and spring of 1997, respectively, two volumes, Cuéntame una fábula and Cuéntame más fábulas, were published, showcasing over 150 children’s original fables.

PDF files: Volume Three is included at the conclusion of this post, along with the two Fable Writing Project publications.

This post includes three sections:

In Section One, an authored essay titled “Students Writing Fables: From Traditional to Modern” features the evolution and procedures of the Fable Writing Project. It highlights the collaborative relationship between public school teachers, principals, and the University of Houston. The project involved faculty and students at both undergraduate and graduate levels. The University of Houston’s Center for Mexican American Studies provided funding for the project.

Section Two focuses on the development of the project into a framework of culturally relevant literacy practices. It emphasizes integrating authentic orality and culturally sensitive discourse patterns into instruction, fostering transformative, dialogic engagement among teachers, students, and parents. By incorporating students’ cultural identities and experiences into literacy activities, “la nueva fábula” empowers them to comprehend their world and effect or enact positive change. An authored paper titled “Exploring ‘Story as Guide’ in la nueva fábula” presents both theoretical and practical applications.

In Section Three, the discussion is centered on mediated-instruction practices, emphasizing meaningful, reflective classroom and whole school engagements. This culturally responsive literacy practice incorporates student-teacher dialogue, fostering transformational relationships in-the-school and out-of-school environments. An authored essay presents the theoretical framework, and an interview excerpt features the exemplary work of a fifth-grade teacher of students that participated in the Fable Writing Project.

Included in the PDF file are articles written by Dr. Sugar Martínez, Samuel Sarabia and an interview with Cathy Amanti, co-author of articles on the Funds of Knowledge for Teaching, Volume Four. Special thanks to Lockie Kirksey, co-editor, and to the undergraduate and graduate students in the Bilingual Education Program at the University of Houston.

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We respect the privacy of the individuals in our research in Bilingualfrontera.com. To protect confidentiality, pseudonyms are used for teachers, students, and schools, and identifying details have been modified where necessary.

Unless otherwise noted, content on Bilingualfrontera.com is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). You may share and adapt the material for noncommercial purposes only, provided you give appropriate credit, link to the license, and indicate if changes were made.

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Students Writing Fables: A Traditional Genre Gets a Modern Facelift

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The use of fables as a literacy event in the bilingual education classroom is a natural continuation of this tradition. Used as a means by which to help students write original works in their native language, fables are also powerful vehicles to help students learn how to self-educate or self-edify. In Section Two, I provide the rationale for using the fable, which I define as ‘la nueva fábula,’ along with a literature review in the article, “Multicultural Literature in Bilingual Education: Exploring the Story as Guide.”

The first part of the article summarizes the fable writing project in some detail. Secondly, I include descriptive profiles based on interviews of the lives of some of the young fabulists along with their fables. Lastly, I provide an overall analysis of all of the fables by focusing on thematic strands.

The Project

1) Goals of the project. The project had two main goals. One was to engage participating students in a literacy event that included listening, discussing, and creative writing, using the fable genre. Another goal was to form a collaborative between myself, a university teacher educator, and the teachers of the participating students.

2) The participants: A total of seventy 4th and 5th graders participated from three bilingual education classrooms in three schools. The schools, with the majority of students being Hispanic, were in urban areas in one of the state’s largest school districts. The classrooms that met the criteria were selected randomly. The criteria were that the students and teachers be bilingual in the 4th or 5th grades, and interested in collaborating with the university educator. The sites selected were schools with which I had prior working relationships and/or planned to have one in the future. The intermediate grades were selected over the lower grade levels because of the likelihood that the students would have prior knowledge of the fable genre from their language arts program.

3) Method or procedure. After selecting the classrooms, I discussed the project with each teacher and gave them a written outline of my plan. The project was divided into three consecutive days, plus an additional day for which students presented their fables. Each session lasted about an hour and was conducted entirely in Spanish. On Day One, I introduced myself and the project to the students. I began with a cooperative learning activity. I divided them into small groups and asked them to line themselves up in alphabetical order according to their last names. Then, I asked them to reflect on the lessons learned from this activity. We discussed the significance of a lesson and how lessons serve as guides throughout our lives. Then, I read and dramatized three fables from Arnold Lobel’s book Fábulas. I selected the ones I felt had relevance to the students’ lives since my intention was to generate dialogue with students after reading each fable. I also looked for fables that lend themselves to the use of improvisation and simple costumes. I informed the students that I wanted them to write their own fable and that we would share these on the 4th day of the project. I also explained my intention of publishing their fables in a book and mailing each a copy over the summer. On Day 2, I read more fables, dramatized them, and discussed their lessons and their relevance to our lives. I also introduced the structure of the fable as a literary genre using a chart to point out the main and supporting elements of the fable. I called on different students to assume the role of teacher and lead a discussion on identifying the elements of the fables. We had discussed whether the students enjoyed their role, and their classmates responded positively. Day 3 followed a similar agenda as Day 2 with few exceptions.

I shared with the students a fable that I had written titled “La hermosa mariposa,” (“The Beautiful Butterfly”). By then, many students had already written a fable and read it out loud to their classmates. Day 4, which was about a week after Day 3, was specifically planned for the students to present their fables to their classmates. Two of the classes opted to use a karaoke microphone, which I furnished. The third class decided to go to the cafeteria and use the stage and the stand-up microphone. I was pleasantly surprised when two of the classes performed skits to dramatize their fables. Each student received a certificate for participating in the Fable Writing Project. Also, each student received through the mail a copy of the entire collection of fables as I had told them earlier. Additionally, six fables were selected from each group, and the student authors received a book as a reward. The title of the book was Fábulas y leyendas Americanas by Ciro Alegría.

4) Conclusion. I asked teachers for their impressions of the project, specifically, how well the students learned the value of using fables to achieve instructional objectives, and about my role in the project. Their responses were in general very positive. The overwhelming response was on how well the students responded to the fable writing assignment. They were even surprised by the responses of some of their students. They also remarked on the brevity and inappropriate timeliness of the project. Their consensus was that I should have started it at the beginning of the year and extended it for a longer period of time.

In all, I collected 79 original fables from 70 students. I observed most of the students read and/ or act out their fables. In some cases, I observed students who courageously struggled to read their fables after much coaxing to read in front of their peers. They seem to have conquered their reading difficulties or fears, at least for the moment. I was very pleased with the students’ discussion on lessons. The students seemed to catch on to the idea of a lesson – how we learned them, who teaches us lessons, and how a fable is structured to illustrate a lesson. The students seemed to reflect profoundly on their own life experiences to think of the lessons that they’ve learned. It seemed that the students were quite capable of generating appropriate lessons to guide them safely and wisely throughout their lives. Besides working with the students on the fable writing project, another goal I wanted to achieve was to work collaboratively with the teachers. At best, our working relationship was cooperative rather than collaborative, primarily since I initiated the project. Also, the brief time frame and the straightforward procedure disallowed us the flexibility to elaborate on the project. However, one teacher prepared a notebook containing excerpts of the fables from Lobel’s book and illustrations to use as a teacher resource. Two of the teachers commented on their intention to focus more on the fable genre in the future.

The Fables

In this section, I summarize the interview transcripts of five students who participated in the Fable Writing Project. After each summary, I include each student’s fable. Since the fables are written in Spanish, I provide an interpretive summary in English. For purposes of this publication, all of the fables have been edited slightly. Readers have access to the original copy in PDF format at the end of this post. The children’s fables described here are in the volume, Cuéntame una fábula. Please note that due to privacy concerns we are unable to disclose the real names of the children.

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If she were in El Salvador today, she wouldn’t be in school. She thinks that teachers don’t care there if children go to school and they don’t keep students from fighting each other.

She likes her fifth-grade teacher where she attends school today because he tells a lot of jokes and is the best teacher she has ever had. Beatriz has aspirations to become a lawyer to defend the rights of others. To the question of whether there are many injustices in El Salvador, she replied, “There are many.” She and her grandmother witnessed a man beating to death another in what appeared as a vengeful attack. She felt afraid but wanted to scold the man and tell him that someone could do the same thing to him. She also recalled a frightening experience of being followed by a man presumably to kidnap her. She had heard of this man who ripped the hearts out of little girls. What she wants most in the world is that people respect and love one another so they won’t fight and kill each other.

Beatriz knows that she will have to stay on track to stay in school. She recalled one of her sister’s frightful experience in which she was forced to join a gang in El Salvador douche but she resisted and came to join her parents in the United States. All three of her sisters are in high school, and they each have a part-time job. She’s often alone at night while her family works. She watches television and is afraid to go out of her apartment.

Beatriz’s fable titled “The Lost Swan” is about a swan that gets lost trying to return to his home. He asked a dog, a cat, and a duck for help, but each one directed him to the other. Then he asked the owl, who was very kind and helped the swan find his way home. For his help, the swan gives the owl a special place in a tree and assurance that if he were ever to get hungry, the swan would surely feed him. The lesson is you ought to know where you’re going, where you’re going, and where you come from so you won’t get lost. Don’t be embarrassed to ask others for directions if they laugh at you.

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Marcos spoke very little during my conversation with him. He seemed sad, frustrated, and I assumed it was just primarily because he is just beginning to learn. His fable is about an eagle and an owl. The two meet and strike a friendship. The owl is hungry, and the eagle is lonely. By helping each other, the owl satisfies his hunger, and the eagle is no longer lonely. The lesson is that one should be able to trust your friends and not your enemy, and that one should not have to go hungry.

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The family is here to stay but plans to visit Monterrey occasionally. Compared to her previous school, her current school is very similar, except that this school has a cafeteria, and school hours are longer. She likes her fifth-grade teacher a great deal and credits him for helping her do well in math, even though it has always been her worst subject. He makes learning fun and interesting by using dramatics and making them think.

She has learned a great deal of English in the years she’s been here. She believes that bilingualism is important. Eventually, she would like to finish college and own a business. She doesn’t like the political corruption in México and the fact that the dollar is worth more in the U.S. than in México. She thinks that there are too many children buying drugs and other dangerous things. She recalls the violence that she has seen around her apartment complex and how hopeful she is that in a few years her father will be able to buy a house for them.

If she had one wish, it would be that the violence in the world would stop. She thinks people fight mostly because of greed. I asked her how school can be a better place for students. She responded by saying that teachers should listen more to their students and make them work harder. Also, if teachers would make the books come alive, children would pay more attention.

Araceli had written an essay about immigration in the United States. I asked her to elaborate on her ideas. She has analyzed the hostility that Americans have toward immigrants and has concluded that Americans don’t like them because they steal their space. An immigrant family has too many children, but what would the United States look like without immigrants? Immigrants help to harvest the food we eat. They help make the clothes we wear. They contribute fundamentally to our lives. That if immigrants stopped coming to the United States, it would not be so wealthy. She believes that everyone deserves an opportunity. I asked her about what opportunities she has had as a student. She claims that students have the opportunity to go to school to college and to learn English. Her parents don’t have that opportunity. When students refuse those opportunities, they are making a big mistake. But why do some students take advantage of their opportunities and others do not? To that question, she responded by saying that sometimes the violence in the homes drives students to become involved in gang life. Once they do, they stop attending school or, if they do go to school, they are easily distracted and their grades suffer. All of this is because they don’t get the love and affection they need at home.

Araceli’s fable is about a squirrel and a turtle. The squirrel is a hard worker, and the turtle is a slacker. When winter came, the turtle didn’t have a place to live or food to eat. The squirrel admonished the turtle but nevertheless offered him a place to live and some food. The lesson is that persons should fulfill their responsibilities to avoid getting sick or dying from the cold.

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I asked her to describe where she will be staying for over a month. She will play with her cousins in an open area more spacious than what she has in the apartment complex where she lives. They will go to the fields to milk the cows and pick fruits such as oranges. She commented that she has forgotten many of the Spanish words. She will also visit her another set of grandparents who live nearby fields of banana and mango trees. She also enjoys swimming in the river.

I asked her if she wants to go back to live in El Salvador. She replied that she would because she feels so much happier there. She can go anywhere she wants. It’s too dangerous to do that here. Her parents immigrated to the United States before she was born. Her older sister has never lived with them. She is waiting for her visa papers. Meanwhile, she lives on her own with the money her parents send her. Magda also wants to live in Boston, even though she’s never lived there. Her aunt, uncle, and cousins have lived there for many years, and they occasionally come to visit Magda and her family. She says that from the stories they tell her, Boston seems like a nice place to live, even though it’s also dangerous. She likes the idea that it snows in Boston. Her college plans are to study law because she wants to defend people.

Magda’s fable is about three circus animals: a dog, a lion, and a bear. The dog is mad because the bear told him he was too fat. He confided in his friend, the lion, who assured him that he wasn’t fat at all. Why then did the bear tell him that? So they confront the bear and press him for answers. The bear responded that he wanted to make him mad but he still wants to be his friend. The dog remains his friend. The lion also remains the dog’s friend, and they have fun playing together. The lesson is that people need to believe in themselves and to resolve your problems with others by talking to him or her.

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María has experienced her share of pain, disappointments, and fear in her brief life. She talked about the numerous gangs called maras who were involved with drugs and violence. Some of the gangs are known to force girls to join them. She was threatened by a gang member who wanted to beat her up if she didn’t join them, but she was able to fend them off. The harsh economic conditions were distressing for the entire family. People suffered, she said, “because everything costs so much and the jobs don’t pay very well.”

Her worst experience, however, occurred when she was six years old. She recalled the fierce shooting around the city one day. She and her family witnessed a horrifying death. She remembered she had to stand on her bed to reach the window. She saw men with knives slitting the throats of other men, decapitating them. She and her family had to sleep outside because the bullets were going through their house. Another source of pain for María is the memory of her father. She has not seen him in nine years. She talked about him with mixed emotions of confusion, disappointment, pain, and yearning. When I asked her to tell me her one biggest desire in the world, she replied that she wanted to see her father and to learn English. María Elena loves to write. She wants to work in a profession for which she can write, maybe even become a teacher.

María’s fable is about a flea who was known as the racing champion. A horse challenged the flea to a race, and he accepted. The horse called the other animals together and told them they must beat the flea so she could get out of town. During the race, the flea was at the front of the line and jumped on the back of a dog and won the race.

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Analysis

For purposes of analyzing the thematic strands in each of the three groups, I selected 61 fables that had discernible lessons. I categorized them by themes and tabulated their recurrences. The results are listed in the three tables below. The fables of a fifth grade class, which I called Los fabulosos, are analyzed in Table 1. Fables from the 4th grade class, Los maravillosos, are analyzed in Table 2, and another fifth grade class, Los fantásticos, are in Table 3. General analysis of the themes reveals the influence of the students’ experiences as they attempt to shape their notions of lessons into the fable genre. The themes are varied and reflect ideas or feelings of compassion, distrust, responsibility, and practicability. Some are more comical, such as the one in the group, Los maravillosos, “don’t hurt an extraterrestrial creature.” Certainly, it’s very good advice. I didn’t expect the high degree of originality that I found in all of the groups. Students usually imitate literary patterns in their attempts to create original compositions. These students seem to create fables with confidence and understanding, as I pointed out earlier. Their teachers indicated how surprised they were when they realized the high quality of their students’ work, and their understandings of the purpose of the fable genre. This could be partially due to the students’ familiarity with the fable as an oral tradition genre.

Conclusion

When I first met the students for the interviews, they appeared happy, enthusiastic, and friendly, but I didn’t realize how involved their lives were. Their worlds were anything but simple. In actuality, they seemed to be trying to make sense of their two worlds: the present one and the one they left behind. They seem to possess a magnetic psychological pull toward their homeland. I’m struck by the commonalities of their lives. They have each experienced a traumatic interruption in their childhood marked primarily by the separation from family members. The uprootedness from a home that signifies their cradle is a traumatic experience that surely has taken a toll on their emotional and psychological well-being.

It is important to note how they seem to want to grow up quickly as if to flee their childhood memories that have left them with psychological scars that are exceedingly painful and frustrating. But once in their new country, the road doesn’t get any easier. They must battle through the language barrier and arrive at some sense of the contradictions and conflicts that they experience in their new cultural environment. They must deal with societal perceptions that bombard them with hostile, negative messages. Climbing up the mountain of success can be extremely difficult, and the stumbling blocks are plentiful.

I have learned so much from the students by observing them through our dialogues and their fables. They have revealed to me a world that was partly familiar to me, but there was so much I didn’t know. In our conversations, I noticed how often I would relate my own life story to them as a way of sharing an understanding – a ‘situated definition’ (Dixon Krause, 1996). In this way, I was serving as a mediator to smooth out the pathways, or soften the blow, so to speak. I too couldn’t speak English when I entered school for the first time, and I remember a lot of painful experiences because I was the daughter of immigrant parents. María, and I also shared a moment in which we could talk about the experience of losing a father through abandonment. The Fable Writing project allowed us the opportunity to share our lives with one another and, as a result, opened a door that will never be closed, not as long as we think about how much we learned from each other.

TABLE 1: LOS FABULOSOS

Themes & Number of Fables With the Theme

Self-confidence (4 ) Believe your friends (3) Be responsible work for what you deserve (2) Don’t hold a grudge against others (2) Feel good about yourself (2) Forgive your friends (1) Provide food to those who need it (1) Confide in your friends (1) Seek help from your friends when you need it (1) Help others in need (1) It’s better to learn from others instead of making fun of them one (1) Put your umbrella away when you don’t need it (1)

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TABLE 2: LOS MARAVILLOSOS

Themes & Number of Fables With the Theme

Don’t confide in your friends  (5)   Don’t be presumptuous  (5)   Don’t be fooled by your enemies who contend that they are your friends  (1)   Don’t believe your friends  (1)   Some of your friends are good friends  (1)   We need to share with others  (1)   Seek out your friends when you need help  (1)   Take care not to be in danger  (1)   Don’t hurt extraterrestrial creatures  (1)   Take your time to do things well  (1)    Everyone has something special that no one else has  (1)

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TABLE 3: LOS FANTASTICOS

Themes & Number of Fables With the Theme

Always be prepared  (3)   Don’t lie to others  (3)   Don’t try to be what you are not  (2)   Don’t believe what strangers tell you  (2)   You should try to make new friends  (1)   Don’t believe your friends  (1)   Don’t be fooled by others  (1)   Watch out for your enemies  (1)   Don’t be a bully  (1)    Listen to advice your family gives you  (1)   Help others for someday you may need their help  (1)    Heed your mother’s advice not your friends  (1)   You should respect others  (1)    Don’t roller skate in the street  (1)   Don’t let your dog run loose  (1)    Watch over the food you bring your child  (1)

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References

Alegría, C. (1982). Fábulas y leyendas Americanas. Espasa-Calpe.

Dixon-Krauss. L. (1996). Vygotsky in the classroom: Mediated literacy instruction & assessment. Longman.

Guadarrama, I.N. (1995). Multicultural literature in bilingual education: Exploring story as guide in la nueva fábula. Emerging Literature of the Southwest 1, 57-69.

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Since the mid-20th century, multicultural literature has been a source of enjoyment, inspiration, and enlightenment for both students and teachers. It has addressed a significant gap in children’s literature that previously overlooked the voices of children of color and other underrepresented or marginalized groups. Although there is still much progress to be made, multicultural educational literature has greatly enriched our understanding of diversity by portraying people through various lenses, including culture, gender, language, and disability.

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This perspective emphasizes how such literature helps students develop essential skills like problem-solving and reasoning within their sociocultural and linguistic contexts. The guiding aspect of multicultural literature, as in the ‘story as guide,’ is particularly evident in stories that deliver didactic messages similar to the moral lessons found in traditional fables.

This article explores the role of multicultural literature in bilingual education, specifically how traditional fables can be transformed into powerful tools for teaching important literary and sociocultural lessons. These lessons equip students to navigate complex identity and cultural issues effectively. In the context of bilingual and bicultural education, this type of fable is referred to as “la nueva fábula” or “the new fable,” as it maintains its traditional instructional quality while addressing the contemporary concerns and challenges faced by students in bilingual education programs today.

Since its inception in the 1970s, multicultural education has faced numerous challenges, as many schools have either refused to accept it as a legitimate part of the curriculum or have only incorporated it superficially (La Belle & Ward, 1994; Banks, 1994). At its core, multicultural education calls for a commitment to improving the sociocultural climate of our schools and fostering understanding and diverse perspectives among students. This approach aims to build a better future for our country by reducing and ultimately eliminating injustice, bias, discrimination, and racism (Baruth & Manning, 1992; Banks & Banks, 1993; Banks, 1994). Achieving this is particularly challenging for schools with a history of systematically discriminating against underrepresented groups. For language minority groups, the potential for discrimination remains evident, with policies that prohibit students from speaking their native languages on school grounds. Punishments for defying these policies can often have detrimental effects for students (Skutnabb-Kangas & Cummins, 1988).

Over the past decade, there has been significant development of curricular models for multicultural education. Banks (1994) outlines several key goals to guide teachers in choosing and creating instructional activities. These goals include fostering decision-making and social action skills, enhancing the ability to assess events from multiple viewpoints, cultivating cross-cultural competencies necessary for thriving in a diverse society, aiding students in forming clear, reflective, and positive ethnic and national identities, and acquiring literacy and computational skills (see pp. 61-62). Sims-Bishop (1994) offers criteria for selecting and developing multicultural literature. Key considerations include the literature’s ability to enhance understanding and appreciation of all people, presenting positive visions of a pluralistic society, fostering empathy and new perspectives, and providing children with opportunities to recognize and value both differences and similarities among people. Few experts would dispute the widespread agreement that multicultural education theory and practice have significantly expanded over the past 20 years.

However, a serious problem persists in the availability of quality children’s literature that promotes multicultural themes. In examining literature written by and for Latino children, the recent data reveal that a dismal market share of 11 to 12 % of children’s books are written by Latino authors, and 6 to 7% feature Latino characters. The data for African American children’s literature is similar with 13 to 14% published by Black authors, and 10 to 13% feature Black characters as protagonists.  

Story as Window

A perusal of titles in children’s literature with multicultural themes reveals that most books focus on describing aspects of life with the intent of accurately and poignantly bringing out the human qualities of its characters. Indeed, this is the most prevalent well-defined focus of multicultural literature, notably underscoring the “story as window” whose protagonistic characters promote positive images of underrepresented or marginalized groups (Sims-Bishop, 1994; Day, 1994). Some examples of criteria used to assess the quality of multicultural literature titles include the following: 1) students of diverse backgrounds feel pride in their own identity and heritage; 2) both mainstream students and students of diverse backgrounds learn about diversity and the complexity of American society; 3) all students gain more complete and balanced views of the historical forces that shaped American Society; and 4) all students can explore issues of social justice (Au, 1993, p.178).

The emergence of multicultural literature in this country can be traced back to a milestone in 1932 when Waterless Mountain by Laura Armer, a coming of age novel featuring a young Native American, won the Newberry Medal. In 1949, Song of the Swallows by Leo Politi won the first Caldecott Award given to a book with a Latino protagonist. In 1975, Virginia Hamilton became the first African American woman to receive the Newbery Award for her book, M.C. Higgins, the Great.

In 2016, Matt de la Peña became the first Hispanic or Latino author to win the Newbery Medal for Last Stop on Market Street, a book about a little boy and his grandmother who take the bus instead of driving a car. The boy asks his grandmother why they have to take the bus, and she responds by pointing out that observing the city in intimate detail allows him to find beauty and kindness all around. The major themes of the story include gratitude, empathy, and finding joy in simple things. The narrative also briefly touches on issues of race and class.

While a Latino has yet to covet a Caldecott Medal, author Yuyi Morales received a 2015 Caldecott Honor for her book Viva Frida, which features the art of Frida Kahlo. Likewise, author Juana Martinez-Neal earned a 2019 Caldecott Honor for her book Alma and How She Got Her Name, a story for young children about an inquisitive little girl who asks her father why her name includes so many last names. Her father explains that each name belongs to a family member, and together, they create the rich story of her life.

Story as Mirror

Although many authors of children’s literature strive to address these goals, their efforts can sometimes overlook the diverse challenges faced by children of color as they navigate a society where racism is institutionalized and social issues are rife with prejudice, inequality, and bias. This is not to say that multicultural books addressing social themes are absent. In fact, numerous talented writers and illustrators,  have produced a remarkable collection of well-crafted, focused books. Nevertheless, the selection remains limited given the significant need to fulfill the goals of a multicultural curriculum—particularly the need for a broader range of literature that encourages teachers and students to engage in meaningful dialogues. These dialogues should facilitate the exchange of ideas, attitudes, beliefs, feelings, and opinions while examining relevant issues, framing problems, and proposing solutions.

The use of books as a tool for addressing and solving social, developmental, and even clinical issues has been the focus of numerous research studies in recent years. Advocates of bibliotherapy trace its origins back to ancient Greece, with manuscripts such as “The Healing Place of the Soul” or “The Medicine Chest for the Soul” being recognized as early treatments. Bibliotherapy is considered an effective method for helping students reflect on their situations and engage in thought-provoking discussions. For instance, a child who has lost a parent might gain a better understanding of their grief by reading a book about a child in a similar situation. This mirroring technique becomes a powerful tool that teachers can use to support students effectively.

It is worth noting that Louise Rosenblatt’s transactional theory of reading highlights two distinct purposes for engaging with texts. The first, efferent reading, involves examining literature to acquire specific knowledge, a common and practical approach in most educational curricula. The second purpose, aesthetic reading, aligns more closely with Rosenblatt’s concept of the transactional view of reading, where the act of reading serves as a mirror, allowing readers to gain as much from the text as they contribute to it. In aesthetic reading, readers form a psychological connection with the text and may even identify with characters within the story.

“La Nueva Fábula” is designed to engage students socially and culturally, and to provide avenues for discussing relevant issues. It combines the ancient tradition of using literature as a therapeutic tool with contemporary topics of interest. Written in the native language of Spanish-speaking children, “La Nueva Fábula” acts as a powerful catalyst for engaging teachers and students in meaningful, culturally appropriate interactions. At a time when quality Spanish-language materials are both scarce and urgently needed, “La Nueva Fábula” helps to fill this important gap.

Literature with multicultural themes used in bilingual education must adhere to the same criteria as in any classroom. However, in bilingual programs, children are in the process of learning a second language and culture, which adds unique considerations. The lack of sufficient quality literature in students’ native languages, particularly Spanish, is not easily explained. The need for quality, authentic children’s literature in Spanish is well-documented by Huddleson, Fournier, Espinosa, and Bachmann (1994). Their article highlights publishers’ and distributors’ failure to recognize and utilize teacher input as a valuable resource in selecting and producing Spanish language literature. As a result, bilingual educators often rely on their resourcefulness to find suitable children’s literature. The authors identify three major concerns for educators: the significant shortage of Spanish language titles, the limited number of award-winning English titles translated into Spanish, and the poor quality and higher cost of many translations. While the authors emphasize the importance of high-quality translated books, they prefer those originally written in Spanish.

When children, particularly those from language minority backgrounds, are denied access to quality literature in their native languages, it becomes essential to analyze the social and political contexts surrounding this issue. Historically, we can draw parallels to the period of slavery in the United States, where African Americans were often prohibited from becoming literate (see Babb, 1993). Despite the severe punishments they risked, many enslaved individuals pursued literacy as an act of defiance and a potential pathway to freedom. Slave owners recognized the empowering potential of literacy, fearing that educated enslaved people could challenge the status quo. Similarly, African American slaves viewed literacy as a means to achieve freedom, as evidenced by their narratives in rare manuscripts from the late 1700s.

Today, the lack of adequate native language literature for language minority students raises concerns about the equity of their education. In a hegemonic educational system, these students face disadvantages reminiscent of the enforced illiteracy experienced by enslaved Africans. The systematic denial of access to authentic literacy resources in students’ native languages represents a significant developmental issue. Social literacy historian Harvey Graff provides compelling accounts of how dominant classes have historically controlled the education of working classes, ensuring literacy was accessible only to the extent that it prevented rebellion while restricting empowerment opportunities (see Gee, 1990). Language minority students not only encounter a controlled educational approach due to limited access to native language literature, but their entire culture and language also suffer devaluation in the process.

Developing and implementing a literacy curriculum that emphasizes pluralistic educational themes is a daunting task, especially when considering the diverse social, cultural, historical, and linguistic factors within a schooling community. Although this comprehensive topic exceeds the scope of this paper, several practical principles for literacy program development are proposed. The “la nueva fabula” project framework integrates a definition of literacy that fundamentally explores the relationship between discourse patterns and literacy, emphasizing the importance of leveraging students’ resources as a foundation for literacy instruction. The teacher’s crucial role underscores the need for background knowledge and understanding of the purpose and applications of la nueva fabula literacy. As Harvey Graff poignantly argues (Gee, 1990), the significance of literacy lies in what students do with it. This perspective emphasizes literacy development beyond school, engaging the community in social literacy practices. Contrary to the traditional view of literacy as a means to become an ideal citizen working toward a common goal—what Graff calls the “literacy myth”—the la nueva fabula approach is deeply embedded in the context of students’ specific language and culture.

The focus on literacy as a societal need aligns with Scribner and Cole’s (1999) work with the Vai people in Liberia. Their study assessed the relationship between schooling and literacy among 700 Vai adults, some of whom had formal education while others did not. The researchers found that Vai literates were not cognitively superior to their non-literate counterparts on any measures used. This evidence supports the argument that literacy alone does not foster the cognitive capabilities suggested by Graff’s mythical view of literacy. Additionally, the authors observe that different literacies require independent analysis and that reading and writing should focus on specific achievements. Although general conclusions cannot be drawn from this research, valuable lessons can be extrapolated. Scribner and Cole’s study clearly demonstrates that literacy is a social phenomenon, arising from societal needs and nurtured within its norms and expectations.

Gee (1993) summarizes this idea in this analogy of literacy as a loaded gun:

Contrary to the literacy myth, nothing follows from literacy or schooling. Much follows however,  from what comes with literacy and schooling, what literacy and schooling come wrapped up in, namely the attitudes, values, norms, and beliefs (at once social, cultural, and political) that always accompany literacy and schooling. …  A text whether a written on paper, or on on the soul (Plato), or on the world (Freire), is a loaded weapon. The person, the educator, who hands over the gun, hands over the bullets (the perspective), and must own up to the consequences. There is no way out of having an opinion, an ideology, and a strong one, as did Plato, as does Freire. Literacy education is not for the timid. (p. 42)

Another significant finding from research on the relationship between schooling and literacy is the strong connection between oral and written language. As highlighted in the Scribner and Cole study, the Vai people’s oral traditions and informational structures provided them with the necessary skills to navigate their daily lives effectively. Similarly, Shirley Brice Heath’s 1983 study of African American and white rural families in the Piedmont Carolinas revealed a close relationship between oral and literate language. These studies demonstrate the interdependency between orality and literacy, with each form being utilized by speakers based on specific needs, special occasions, or contexts. Together, they form an essential component of an individual’s overall communication repertoire and discourse patterns.

In a related line of research, linguistic anthropologists Ron and Suzanne Scollon (1981) examined how differences in discourse patterns—specifically, the ways individuals use language to communicate—contribute to breakdowns in interethnic communication. Their study focused on the interethnic communication patterns between English speakers and the Athabascan people in Alaska. They identified areas of confusion from both perspectives: English speakers often perceive Athabascans as “keeping silent, avoiding situations of talking, never saying anything about themselves, and being slow to take a turn in conversation.” Conversely, Athabascans view English speakers as “talking too much, always talking first, not giving others a chance to speak, and only discussing topics they are interested in” (p. 36). These differences in communication styles create their own social context and produce various consequences, one of which is the challenge faced by Athabaskan students in reading and writing.

The Scollons discuss the difficulties Athabascans face in adapting to English-speaking discourse, which they term the “essayist prose style.” This style, emblematic of literacy in general, is notably decontextualized. From the Athabascan perspective, the essayist style aligns closely with mainstream English-speaking discourse, making learning to read a broader social endeavor than it is for English-speaking children. Indeed, a challenging task for students’ initial encounter with literacy in their second language. Scribner and Cole elaborate: “We suggest from this that because learning to read and write in the essayist manner is, in fact, learning new patterns of discourse, literacy for any Athabascan is experienced as a change in ethnicity as well as in a perception of reality” (p. 52).

Heath’s (1983) study highlights the significant impact of differing discourse patterns between schools and three distinct family groups on children’s learning experiences, resulting in varied learning difficulties. Two of these groups, Trackton and Roadville, exhibit similar discourse characteristics, such as a lack of emphasis on decontextualization, contrasting with the more successful mainstream group, which values this aspect. Additionally, Trackton and Roadville families adopt an experiential, holistic learning approach, whereas the mainstreamers favor an analytical methodology. Notably, there are further distinctions in literacy development practices; Roadville families, like the mainstreamers, engage in parental tutoring, a practice not shared by Trackton families. Conversely, both Trackton families and mainstreamers appreciate imagination and fictionalization, including the ability to understand diverse perspectives as both author and audience, which is not a characteristic of Roadville families. Despite some Trackton children being capable readers, they face early academic challenges, while Roadville children, despite initial similarities with mainstreamers, encounter difficulties later due to insufficient creativity and fictionalization skills needed at advanced levels. The study underscores how the mainstreamers’ success is largely attributed to the alignment between family practices and the school’s curriculum. In contrast, families from Trackton and Roadville face cultural and social challenges that contribute to lower achievement rates.

Writing difficulties among Athabascan students can often be attributed to a mismatch between their inherent discourse patterns and those prevalent in educational settings, as noted by Scollon and Scollon (1981). They observed that Athabascan speakers are capable of creating coherent texts on familiar subjects when they feel it is appropriate to assert authority. However, when it comes to writing tasks, the Scollon study points out that Athabascan students struggle to express themselves effectively, even on topics related to their own culture. They conclude, “It is only to the extent that he or she is modernized, has come to identify as an English speaker, that he or she can operate within the essayist ideal of literacy” (p. 53).

Similarly, Yetta Goodman (1992) highlighted challenges faced by Tohono O’odham children in Arizona during a two-year writing project. Goodman noted various factors influencing writing, including parental, cultural, and community values, societal attitudes toward young authors, classroom dynamics, and the personal histories of the writers (p. 218).

Research such as these studies expands our understanding of literacy and underscores the significance of context. However, our application of this knowledge is often superficial. The challenge lies in the absence of a universal approach that can be uniformly applied across classrooms, as such prescriptive measures would undermine the essence of social literacy research. Educational strategies that succeed with Tohono O’odham children in Arizona, for instance, may not necessarily be effective for Latino children in Houston, TX, and vice versa.

This discussion proposes integrating authentic orality by incorporating culturally sensitive discourse patterns into instruction. The concept of “la nueva fábula” offers a framework for implementing appropriate literacy practices using culturally embedded literature in students’ native languages. This approach involves two main criteria: (1) Pedagogy should incorporate students’ discourse patterns and deepen understanding of how students and their families utilize literacy, aligning this knowledge with the school’s discourse patterns; and (2) Emphasis should be placed on transformative, dialogic engagement among teachers, students, and parents, focusing on cultural transactional issues and seeking action-oriented solutions.

The Strength of Cultural Identity

The relationship between social and cultural factors and literacy development has been extensively studied from cognitive and psychological viewpoints. Research provides compelling evidence that cultural and social differences between home and school can negatively impact student achievement. This is exemplified by the Athabascan youth, who face identity crises when acquiring literacy skills (Erickson, 1984; Trueba, 1991). Studies suggest that students learn best in educational settings that are culturally and linguistically relevant (Tharp & Gallimore, 1988; Au, 1993).

 Ferdman (1991) argues that the success or failure of literacy development in linguistically and culturally diverse students is closely linked to the strength of their cultural identity. His research indicates that literacy education can have a significant impact on an individual’s cultural identity, which can be either constructive or destructive. When individuals lose the ability to explore and create meaning in culturally significant ways, their literacy development gradually deflates, much like a balloon drifting aimlessly through empty space. Ferdman emphasizes the importance of students maintaining a healthy self-concept and an open-minded perception of others. Achieving this requires students to have a positive self-view and self-acceptance, which are essential for appreciating and valuing others—an important objective in multicultural education (Banks, 1994).

Thus, self-acceptance is closely tied to how students engage with the literacy curriculum. Ferdman explains: “In a more subtle but no less powerful way, the reading and writing activities that children are asked to engage in at school, to the extent that they’re accepted, will ultimately affect not only the children’s sense of who they are but the ways in which they can figure out their cultural identity” (1991, p. 363).

It is crucial, therefore, to consider literacy activities from the family’s perspective to determine how these can be integrated or aligned with school or mainstream literacy programs. In a pioneering ethnographic study, Concha Delgado-Gaitan (1990) examined the literacy practices of 20 Spanish-speaking families who identified as Mexicans in a small California community. Her research provides valuable insights into how home literacy is interwoven with everyday activities and social interactions, ranging from emotional support for children’s education to parents reading storybooks (p. 105). Delgado-Gaitan includes transcript excerpts that showcase a variety of oral and literacy activities between parents and children. These interactions illustrate how parents effectively convey their values, beliefs, and attitudes through a variety of interactions. For instance, a mother and her three children share a photo album, exchanging comments and reminiscing about their life in El Rancho (the ranch) compared to city living. In another example, a father engages in a playful dialogue with his young son and daughter using the story of “Caperucita Roja” (Little Red Riding Hood), adding absurd details to the delight of his son. The study provides ample evidence that these families engage in typical oral and literacy activities in Spanish, as one might expect in English.

Delgado-Gaitan’s observations note that when schools respect and incorporate families’ cultures into the curriculum and involve parents in decision-making, everyone involved is empowered. This empowerment leads to increased parental involvement; informed parents, in turn, inform others; and leadership and organizational skills among parents improve. This empowerment process also has a positive effect on children and teachers.

Delgado-Gaitan’s research highlights the significant role of oracy and literacy in strengthening parent-child relationships through problem-solving and decision-making activities. Parents often respond to their children’s displeasures or whims with negotiation and authority, contributing to the moral development of the children. Delgado-Gaitan’s transcripts document how parents view and uphold their lifelong parental responsibilities. For example, one parent noted that respect in older children stems from being taught obedience in their early years (p. 88).

Spanish-speaking families also utilize strategies such as “dichos”—proverbs or sayings—to impart lessons of morality and responsibility. Bilingual classroom activities often include dichos, whether embedded in stories or in read-alouds (e.g., Ada, 1993). These proverbs, rich in wisdom, are used intentionally in social interactions with both children and adults. When directed toward children, the meaning is typically didactic.

Fables belong to the same didactic category as “dichos” (sayings) and are crafted primarily to impart morals in an engaging manner. These simple tales typically feature animal characters to convey their messages. Originating in ancient oral traditions across the world, one of the most renowned collections is “Aesop’s Fables,” so named after the Greek storyteller who lived in the 6^th century BCE, compiled and published by Samuel Richardson in England in 1740 (Noel, 1975). Although the fable’s literary appeal began to wane by the 19th century, it has remained a cornerstone of children’s literature. Notable Spanish language fabulists include José Joaquín Fernández de Lizardi and José Rosas Moreno from Mexico, as well as Tomás de Iriarte and Félix María Samaniego from Spain (de Pina, 1963).

As a literary genre, the fable is celebrated for its practicality and simplicity, adhering to a straightforward formula: a “pithy narrative using animals to act out human foibles and consequent moral, either explicit or implicit” (Noel, 1975, p. 1). Unlike basic narratives, imagination plays a crucial role in fables. By employing this formula alongside culturally relevant lessons, fables become powerful tools for engaging children in meaningful and potentially transformative discussions.

The teacher plays an essential role in fostering meaningful dialogue, akin to the critical analysis described by Freire and Macedo (1986) as a core component of critical literacy. To effectively engage students, teachers must be acutely aware of their students’ cultural, social, and political contexts. Recognizing the oppressive power dynamics within society is crucial for teachers to involve students in a transformative process central to la nueva fabula. Through this process, teachers empower students to develop a literacy that enables them to understand their world and equips them with the responsibility and courage to enact necessary changes. However, true transformation is reciprocal. It requires teachers to undergo a parallel enlightenment—not identical to that of their students, but genuine nonetheless. Teachers, therefore, must also embrace the courage that Gee (1990) refers to in his loaded gun analogy.

The transformative nature inherent in the pedagogy that results from the literacy event using la nueva fabula has the potential of creating the language of “hope and possibility” which Hermán Garcia (1995) alluded to in his keynote speech to the Texas Association for Bilingual Education (TABE) conference participants. He states: “Nuestra lucha pedagógica tiene que llevar en sí un lenguaje de esperanza y posibilidad, que nutra a las nuevas construcciones de docencia y aprendizaje, y que nos permitan realizar el potencial académico e intellectual, que necesitamos desarrollar para nuestras perspectivas instruccionales. (p.9)

Our pedagogical struggle has to include a language of hope and possibility that nurtures the new constructions of teaching and learning that allow us to realize the academic and intellectual potential that we need to develop for our instructional perspectives.

“La nueva fábula” provides teachers and students with a platform to engage with significant themes pertinent to today’s society. These themes mirror the universal ideals found in the philosophy for children’s curriculum (Lippman, Sharp, and Oskanian, 1980), such as truth, friendship, caring, growth and change, self-confidence, conflict mediation and resolution, and self-analysis and reflection in problem-solving. The transformative potential of “la nueva fábula” exemplifies the classroom environment that Miller (1993) advocates, where motivated discussions, supported by teachers at critical points, incite critical reflection. Miller emphasizes that, to cultivate powerful literacy in our complex multicultural world, classrooms must encourage discussions that provoke critical thought. Central issues like social justice, intercultural and inter-ethnic interactions, and peaceful coexistence are vital in contemporary society (p. 262).

In line with Freire’s (1986) concept of education as problem-posing rather than answer-giving, “la nueva fábula” raises more questions than it answers, aiding teachers, students, and their parents in focusing on reflective and critical analysis of social issues. Its potential is unlocked when teachers understand the power of literacy inherent in “la nueva fábula,” and are willing to create their own fables, becoming fabulists themselves. This process encourages children to write their own fables, share them with their parents, and invite their parents to write fables as well. Through this collaborative exploration, these fábulas become tools for students to explore, analyze, reflect, and ultimately transform themselves and their world, fostering a community of inquirers.

Summary

Multicultural literature, particularly “la nueva fábula” or “the new fable,” serves as a powerful tool in bilingual education. These fables, while maintaining traditional instructional qualities, address contemporary sociocultural issues faced by students. By providing a “story as a guide” perspective, they help students develop essential skills and navigate complex identity and cultural challenges.

The lack of quality bilingual literature, particularly in Spanish, presents challenges for language minority students. This issue mirrors historical patterns of literacy suppression, highlighting the need for culturally relevant and authentic literature. The “la nueva fabula” project framework emphasizes leveraging students’ resources and community engagement to develop literacy programs that empower students and challenge dominant cultural norms.

Inherent in the ‘story as guide’ as a literacy curriculum model is the importance of culturally relevant literacy practices, particularly through the framework of “la nueva fábula.” This approach integrates authentic orality and culturally sensitive discourse patterns into instruction, emphasizing transformative, dialogic engagement among teachers, students, and parents. By incorporating students’ cultural identities and experiences into literacy activities, “la nueva fábula” empowers students to understand their world and enact positive change.

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References

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Metaphors and visualizations serve as potent tools for re-framing theoretical perspectives, particularly those that lack clear connectivity to its intended application. In this article, I delve into the Ecliptic Convergence Curricular model, which represents a convergence of the internal and external worlds within and outside of schools, respectively, that fill the microcosms of students. At the core of this model lies the student’s engagement in learning, facilitating connections within their socio-cultural and linguistically diverse contexts and their teachers. The teachers, with the sole objective of fostering meaningful learning, create a learning environment based on a well-planned, deliberate, and mediated instructional model. The uniqueness of this pedagogy is its transformative force, enabling the curriculum to undergo a positive metamorphosis of learning for both students and teachers. 

Although the Ecliptic Convergence model draws inspiration from an expanded version of Vygotsky’s (1978) Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), its primary focus is on constructing the convergence zone within a school community, but it also extends beyond the classroom and school setting. This convergence event functions as a collaborative space where the entire school community actively contributes to the construction of meaning. Teachers, staff members, students, and indeed all members of a community of learners engage in reflective and socially constructed experiences that align with well-structured, student-centered educational goals and objectives. 

The image of the Ecliptic Convergence symbolizes a curriculum that has been gradually evolving, akin to the sun and moon intersecting during an eclipse. However, an enhanced interpretation of this image represents a total eclipse that illuminates student success rather than obscures it. This suggests that the significance of centering the curriculum is achieved through mediation in its various forms and by different stakeholders. Classroom teachers play a crucial role as mediators by providing the means through which students can utilize their own experiences and resources to transcend their state of knowing, guiding their newly internalized learning toward transformative levels. Transformative knowledge often arises from meaningful collaboration among a community of learners. In this process, the teacher as mediator, is key to the meaningful evolution of change. Critical mediation in the classroom is a shared process in the social construction of new knowledge and understandings within a broad socio-historical context in which education occurs (Freire, 1970, 1985). 

The theory and practice underpinning this Ecliptic Convergence Model are derived from a collaborative research project known as the Fable Writing Project. Key participants include the author, who assumes the role of university educator and researcher, and three groups comprising of fourth and fifth-grade students, each accompanied by their respective teachers from distinct schools within the same school district. The data collection encompasses the original fables crafted by the students and transcribed interviews conducted with some of the participating teachers, coupled with the author’s field notes. The data analysis yielded a comprehensive dataset that was subsequently organized into objectives, activities, and outcomes of the Ecliptic Convergence framework. This framework was further structured into six interconnected areas, many of which intersect within the praxis state. These include: 1) learning as a mutually transformative act; 2) teacher commitment; 3) language mediation; 4) a responsive curriculum; 5) intersubjectivity; and 6) extensions beyond the school curriculum. 

Interactive Collaborative Action Research: Contextualizing Theory

The following narrative outlines the sequence of events that led to the creation and development of the Fable Writing Project. In the personal narrative, the author combines reflective narrative experience with the theory-building process of the Ecliptic Convergence framework.

One warm and humid spring morning, I arrived at an elementary school in a large urban school district in Southeast Texas. The school, relatively large with around 800 students, mostly Latino, was situated in an urban neighborhood filled with apartment buildings. My purpose for visiting the school was to learn more about an event involving children and their teacher who had traveled from their home country of Guatemala to share their photography project as part of Foto Fest. Foto Fest, a biennial Global Visions project, funded by a contemporary arts organization, is a city-wide program that encourages and supports individuals to express themselves creatively through photography.

Upon my arrival, several classrooms of upper-grade elementary students and their teachers had gathered in the school’s cafetorium. On stage, four children, three boys and one girl, between the ages of 10 and 12, and their teacher were waiting to share their experiences and insights. The girl wore a customary blouse and skirt adorned with colorful embroidered markings, symbolizing her indigenous origins, while the boys wore a white shirt and dark pants. The four children sat together at a table, eagerly awaiting directions from their teacher. Each had a 35mm camera carefully placed in front of them. At the end of the table stood the teacher next to a slide projector. She was of medium height, in her early thirties, with long light brown hair and dressed casually. 

As soon as the audience appeared ready, she introduced herself and the children. She communicated in her native English and translated most of her messages into Spanish for the benefit of the bilingual audience. She explained that she was a professional photographer originally from the United States who had lived and worked in Guatemala for six years. As a teacher in the Foto Fest project, she had many of her young apprentices take photographs, some as young as five years old. The main purpose of her program was to share selected photographs that were accepted and featured in the Foto Fest project. However, the audience seemed eager to hear from the young, Guatemalan photographers.

The teacher turned her presentation to the slide projector, displaying a large portable screen filled with black-and-white photographs. These photographs, taken by her students and developed by herself, provided a glimpse into the lives of students living in an economically depressed area in Guatemala. The teacher described the families residing in these deprived circumstances, which seemed to be living in humanely uninhabitable conditions. The photographs captured images of garbage strewn throughout the neighborhood, adding to the sense of neglect and hardship. Despite their anxious expressions, the Guatemalan children remained silent throughout the entire slide presentation. In contrast, the children in the audience appeared captivated and intrigued, eagerly viewing each slide with curiosity. The Foto Fest teacher emphasized that these photographs were not just visual representations of life, but rather a window into the perspectives and life experiences of her students. 

Unlike any other similar event, I will never forget the essence of it. I recall some details from one of the photographs: a woman lying in bed, wearing a blouse, skirt, and shoes. Her legs dangled over the side of the bed, as if she were sitting on the bed and had suddenly dropped her head on the pillow. Ironically, a bare bulb hanging above her from the ceiling seemed to brighten a very stark, somber-looking room. The teacher explained that the woman had, in fact, passed out from drinking too much alcohol. This photograph was taken by a student whom the teacher described as extremely quiet and reserved. Indeed, the young apprentice-photographer had very little to say, but his photographs conveyed the story perfectly. Every photograph presented by the teacher was a vivid portrayal of life, collectively forming a resounding narrative that conveyed a story encompassing historical, cultural, and social contexts. 

At that moment, I surveyed the audience and couldn’t help but wonder how many of these children had so much to say but lacked an outlet or means to express themselves. Even if they had some opportunities, I couldn’t help but think about how many of them could comprehend the immense challenges they face in their lives. The program opened my eyes and heart, as I felt it had done for many in the audience, especially the children. Perhaps by learning how the young Guatemalan photographers dealt with their emotions and the need for expression, they felt enlightened about the possibility of finding their own ways to express themselves. 

After the program concluded, the four children and their teacher were escorted to one of the fifth-grade bilingual education classes. I approached the fifth-grade classroom teacher, whom I had learned was Mr. Thompson, and requested permission to visit his classroom. Upon his approval, I joined the fifth graders, who were extremely excited and energetic, along with the four Guatemalan children and their teacher. 

When we arrived at the classroom, I noticed that the fifth graders had prepared to welcome the four visitors. Before the event, they had brought their photographs from home and displayed them on their desks. The students proudly showed the visitors around the room, allowing them to view their personal photographs. Their photographs were in color, and most of the subjects were properly posed. Many of the photographs focused on the students and their family members. The four children seemed to enjoy studying the photographs as they moved quickly from desk to desk. It was evident to me that the children were having an especially, enjoyable time together. 

Mr. Thompson asked his students to share something with the visitors. A few students eagerly volunteered to demonstrate some advanced math operations they had recently learned. They then asked questions directed at the Foto Fest teacher. In one of her responses, the teacher proudly mentioned that the young girl, Margarita, was bilingual, fluent in Spanish and her native Mayan language. Excited by this, some of the 5th graders asked her to speak a few words in her native language. Initially, Margarita was hesitant, indicating that she was unprepared for such requests. 

I was profoundly impressed by the respect, warmth, and friendliness displayed by the fifth graders. I sensed a strong bond among them and with Mr. Thompson. I was eager to learn more about these children and how Mr. Thompson had cultivated such a genuine relationship with them and fostered such joyous enthusiasm.

A few weeks later, I approached Mr. Thompson with a proposal: a bilingual writing project where his students would write their original stories. We would collaborate on a fable writing project, using fables as inspirational guides to help students craft their own stories and life lessons that resonate with them. By reflecting on these stories, the aim was to empower the students. To my astonishment and delight, Mr. Thompson graciously accepted my invitation. 

The Fable Writing Project

The idea of a fable writing project as a literacy event to develop critical thought began as a paper presentation in the fall of 1995 at the first annual international conference of an organization, the Emerging Literature of the Southwest Culture. Mr. Thompson’s classroom project followed a process with several key project activities: 1) the students are given the opportunity to develop and practice literacy skills using a genre that was familiar to most of the students; 2) students, classroom teachers, and university teacher/researcher have the opportunity to participate in a dialogue with students, using their linguistic and cultural resources; all of the activities are conducted bilingually, in Spanish and English; 3) the use of fables allows students the opportunity to reflect upon their own experiences; the lessons learned include the affirmations of empowerment and self-esteem; 4) the culminating activity includes the presentation of the student’s original fable, invitations to read their story to their peers and/or act it out and present it as a skit; and 5) students were informed from the outset that we would publish their fables in a booklet and they would each receive a copy.

Following the successful completion of the project with Mr. Thompson, I was granted permission to collaborate with two other elementary schools, each providing one classroom. Although I initiated the project, the classroom teachers agreed to maintain a collaborative work arrangement. As a result, we published two volumes of the children’s original fables, which every student received: Cuéntame una fábula and Cuéntame más fábulas. 

How Teachers and Students Connect in the Ecliptic Convergence Model 

Vygotsky’s (1962, 1978, 1986), Freire’s (1970, 1985, 1987, 1994), and Bakhtin’s (1981, 1986) theoretical works are widely recognized as foundational in research related to teaching diverse student populations, particularly in social and cultural contexts that focus on marginalized students. However, applying theory to practice requires rigorous examination and analysis of scholarly interpretations, highlighting the theory’s logical yet complex nature. In this section, I outline the theoretical underpinnings inherent in Vygotsky, Freire, and Bakhtin’s theories, which serve as the essential building blocks for the Ecliptic Convergence Model. I analyze excerpts from an interview transcript of a teacher to illustrate their perspective and practical applications of these theoretical concepts. A suitable definition of these essential building blocks is grounded in a belief system where actions and behaviors follow a chain of events. The teacher’s role is crucial in understanding how critical mediation supports students in the deliberation process of empowerment in the classroom and beyond. Teachers’ theoretical notions of teaching and learning intersect with every aspect of the curriculum, often in multidimensional ways. 

1) Learning is a mutually transformative act. Learning is not just transactional; it is also transformational.  Transformative learning is based on a teacher’s belief that success is achieved when the teacher engages students in a mutual quest for understanding and for creating ways of problematizing. Consciousness is defined here as learning for transcendence, encompassing deep critical analysis of one’s own life within a social context. Freire’s (1970) concept of liberating pedagogy explains the need to help students focus on reconstructing conceptual understanding to achieve ownership of the knowledge. When students reconstruct knowledge and make it their own, their limitations for critical consciousness are lifted, and social responsibility and action ensue, freeing themselves from their states of oppressiveness.

Certainly, teachers must assume a purposeful intuitive role in orchestrating mediation that supports a liberating context, one that moves increasingly farther away from a transmissional linear and controlling model of teaching, as in Freire’s (1970) term, the banking model. The aim is for students to self-regulate their own process of learning. As Vygotsky explained in his theory of how learning and teacher are organized within the zone of proximal development through the mediating process, students apply what they learn inter-psychologically, i.e., through transformative interaction with others in a social milieu, and toward the next inner plane of learning intra-psychologically, the application of tasks using their own cognitive resources. In order to help their students move continuously within their ZPD (Vygotsky, 1978), teachers must be cognizant of a wide range of learning that their students have acquired as well as what they need to be to construct or reconstruct in order to achieve consciousness in relation to the instructional objective (Dixon Krause, 1996).

Through engagement in the process of mediation on the part of the teacher and self-regulation on the part of the student, both teacher and student are transformed to the extent that they each learn and benefit from the experience. In this way, education, not simply learning, is transformational.

2) Teachers play significant roles in the lives of their students. Many language minority children and their families in urban schools view their school as the most important aspect in their lives. It symbolizes a gateway to the “better life,” or the only hope to realize any part of the “American Dream.” Teachers who recognize this and make genuine efforts to understand their students and families’ perceptions and empathize with them are in a better position to design an educational program that clearly eliminates the needs of the students. Teacher commitment is signified by the acknowledgement that they will make a significant difference in the quality of the curriculum, and that their program will have positive effects on the lives of their students by design, not by serendipity.

3) Language is a strong mediator according to Vygotsky (1986; Dixon Krauss, 1996). Language is vitally important for second language learners. Critical mediation occurs in optimal states when teachers are cognizant of the levels of tension that students experience in the process of becoming bilingual and bicultural. 

On one level, the student must deal with the pressure of learning English and subject matter simultaneously. According to the research on learning a second language, it takes school-aged children two to seven years to learn English well enough to function successfully in a classroom setting (Collier, 1989). On another level, in a context where the predominant language of school is English, students who have a non-English native language experience daily confrontations in their battle over which of the two languages is more important, or to put it another way, which language should they imbue with respect, power, higher class status, and devote more time learning. The struggle involves more than just language according to Bakhtin’s (1981; 1986) explanation of heteroglossia and patterns of speech genres. Every utterance in Bakhtin’s (1981) view is full of meanings. The “voice” connected with the utterance always expresses a worldview; both voice and utterance are not always focused and fine-tuned to neither the speaker nor the individual to whom the message is intended (Cazden, 1993). For a student, the battle is over language as well as identity, with all its social, political, historical, and cultural ramifications (Wertsch, 1991).

The classroom is the intersection at which the students’ worlds collide and vie for domination, metamorphically aligned with Bakhtin’s notions of the centrifugal and centripetal forces inherent in the social aspects of language (Bakhtin, 1981; Yaegar, 1994). The centrifugal nature of language is evident in the use of the native language and in a mixture of both languages that is generated by students and teachers alike, such as code-switching, or translanguaging, and borrowings at the phonological, syntactical, and semantic levels. The hegemonic influence that positions English as the dominant language, or the language of power and social status, is represented in the centripetal force that is commonly exerted by the authoritarian figures, such as teachers and principals. Students readily predict which language or language variety is to emerge victoriously, and once they acquire the English language, they often perceive their achievement as a Pyrrhic victory for the loss and trauma they endure in the process. In this context, teachers can mediate the dialogic relationships between their students’ two or more languages. The aim is for students to acquire a perspective in which they have control over their identities; to understand that becoming bilingual is not detrimental to their “selves” or to their native cultures. 

The mediation provided by the teachers is not unlike Vygotsky’s (1986) notion of semiotic mediation, whereby the teacher guides the students from simple to higher-level cognitive processes (Dixon Krause, 1996; Wertsch, 1991), but it is also extended by the incorporation of Bakhtin’s (1981) notion of the sociocultural dimensions of language, explaining that language is inclusive of many social languages. This task can be challenging for teachers since they must have knowledge of the student’s ZPD and a clear understanding of the social, cultural, and political context by which institutions such as schools make decisions and/or exert power over the curriculum.

In Freirean (1987) education, language is a powerful tool because it serves to mediate how people interpret reality. Language allows the students and teacher to engage in meaningful dialogue by which students participate actively determining the course of their education in cooperative and participatory formats, posing questions and reflecting, analyzing, and establishing agendas for action (Shor, 1993). Freirean (1970) pedagogy encourages students to tell their own stories; stories that provide the structure of how students’ voices may be heard, especially repressed voices (McLaren & da Silva, 1993). Oftentimes, children are unable to express their innermost feelings or make sense of their complicated lives. The Fable Writing project is designed to allow students the opportunity to experience storytelling by reflecting on their own lives and to acquire a consciousness of control that may be missing from their lives as a mediating filter. The fable represents a safety net that ensures students a degree of comfort in taking risks in expressing themselves perhaps in unprecedented ways. It is, as McLaren and de Silva (1993) mentioned, “the task of the critical educator to provide the conditions for individuals to acquire language that will enable them to reflect upon and shape their own experiences and in certain instances transform such experiences in the interest of a larger project of social responsibility.” (p. 49)

In creating fables, students who participated in the project reflected on their lives and artfully analyzed didactic elements within them and used their imagination to carve out lessons. Their fables are inspiring, affirming what McLaren and de Silva conveyed in their statement: “in fact, making an experience into a story is perhaps the most fundamental act of human understanding.” (p. 73) Furthermore, the contextual and conceptual dialogue propelled by the study and writing of fables formed the basis for the development of interpretive understanding that Gadamer (1984) describes as the essence of humanness. This kind of understanding that takes one beyond the imagined or preconceived situations to think critically is possibly a prime example of a potentially transformative experience.

4) A responsive curriculum is imbedded in the sociocultural historical context that is made relevant to the students. The call for the development of localism, i.e., the incorporation of context in the curriculum by educators, has been a dominant theme among the work of prominent scholars such as Dewey (1966), Goodlad (1984, 1990), and Schwab (1996, 1983). The heart of the matter is that teachers have the strongest influence in shaping the curriculum in a way that is truly relevant to their students. But to engage students in the process of developing critical thought and consciousness teachers must first become intimately knowledgeable with this experience through dialectical thinking, i.e., examining all possibilities of posing and solving critical problems at the individual and social levels.

Teachers must first experience conscientization to achieve the knowing subject role that Freire (1970) describes, alluding to immersing oneself in the learning phase to facilitate students through their self-actualization process. This clearly points to the need for teachers to comprehend broadly and multilaterally the social, cultural, political, and economic issues in our democratic society that control and stratify the distribution of power and control, resulting in repressed mental states and oppressed social and political conditions. For marginalized students in urban schools. these conditions are antithetical to an education that helps them think critically and resolve cultural and social problems.

Several theories and pedagogues (Bowles & Gintis, 1976; Giroux,1983; Apple, 1979; McLaren, 1986; Shor, 1987) have expounded on the hidden curriculum found in our schools that silently but insidiously inculcates the values, ideals, and rituals of the dominant ideology in our society. For students already in marginalized social situations, this serves to further affirm their perceptions of self-acclaimed failure and acceptance of a bleak future. Manifestations of a hidden curriculum include the consistency of certain practices such as the emphasis on rule conformity, passivity, obedience, and the blatant disregard for the integrity of students and their abilities to think critically and creatively. Recognizing how the school plays an integral part in contributing to the repression or oppression of the students is essential if teachers are to take active, deliberate steps to ameliorate the educational pathways and oppose pernicious practices and actions in the school curriculum.

A responsive and empowering curriculum is one that encourages critical thought and incorporates a process by which students can learn about their own personal and family histories as well as the political and social backgrounds and agendas of their immediate and global communities. Teachers can greatly influence students by taking an active part in this process, and in effect, use inquiry and experimental modes that conform to transformative teaching and learning (Freire, 1985; Vygotsky, 1978). Acknowledging and validating student’s native languages and cultures is crucial to students’ self-acceptance and motivation that is necessary to build a future over which they manage self-control.

The use of fables as a literacy event highlights important goals in education that is empowering and liberating. It renders students the opportunity to analyze and critique their moral and ethical views, to examine their perceptions of control about their lives, and consider ways in which they can assume a greater influence. It creates a venue for teachers and their students to become focused on reflecting over their own and others’ perceptions, judgments, and for seeking truth. Teachers can facilitate the process of critical analysis and at the same time learn about and from their students (Freire & Macedo, 1987). The dialogical method in literacy instruction described by Freire & Macedo (1987) highlights the teacher and learner co-investigation pairing to address problem-solving instead of following the traditional one-way transmission model.  

A Genuine and Productive Parent Involvement

Involving parents in the education of their students is one of the most essential aspects of a program that aims for structural, systemic change. The most important kinds of parental involvement are, like the curriculum, very localized. Thus, appropriate means to involve parents may include literacy or other functional, practical classes, depending on their needs and of the community. it may also mean that parents need to take an active leadership in helping others to understand relevant social and political issues, engaging in the social process of enlightenment and action. In Freirean terms (1985), this alludes to the various means by which to shatter the preconception of school as an impervious institution. Parents are more apt to participate in their children’s education when they perceive their involvement with the school as genuine and productive. A responsive environment, characteristic of an Ecliptic Convergence Model, is a whole-school, community effort.

It is the totality of the orchestration by teachers, students, parents, school leaders, and community members that will make the greatest impact on the education of students.

5) Intersubjectivity between the teacher and students illuminates the important role of affect in education. The extent to which a teacher contextualizes meaning for students and genuinely engages in their understandings determines the substantive degree of intersubjectivity between the teacher and students. From a student’s point of view intersubjectivity underscores the ease and extent to which the teacher embodies their lives throughout the curriculum. Students consider this as indicative of their teachers’ acknowledgement and validation of them their language, their culture, and background. A teacher can organize an endless number of strategies and techniques and activities to promote an affable psychological climate and may implement them to achieve an overall effect.

However, a teacher’s greatest influence lies within the perception of his or her himself as a symbol of trust and sincerity for his or her students. Perhaps, the best way for a teacher to exercise his or her influence is by creating a nexus not only between him and herself and the students but between and among students as well. A teacher’s influence is so pervasive that one can argue that every aspect of teacher behavior is dynamic. A teacher may strengthen or weaken the bonds between and among students, depending on whether her actions or words are inviting or meant to trigger delineation and distance. Every utterance made by the teacher is measured by the student psychologically, socially, and politically.

A high degree of intersubjectivity is observable in the substantive, genuine discourse, and consistent invitation of language that the teacher uses and makes significant through example and encouragement. According to Freire (1994), genuine discourse is observable when teachers and students engage in the sharing of subjectivity, leading toward critical consciousness through dialogue based on recognition, trust, and hope. Vygotsky’s emphasizes learning as a product of socially organized collaborative engagement, co-constructed through meaningful participation (1978).

6) A school community must embrace the past, present, and future of its students. A localized school curriculum is affected in great part by the lives of the students and their families. The interactive relationship between curriculum and community must extend beyond the time frame that students spend in the school. In other words, the goals mission and qualities of the school curriculum must be framed by the characteristic of the students before they attend the school, during their enrollment, and after the final school bell. 

In this regard we can argue that a school community exists in space and time; a school curriculum then, is transformative when it reaches students beyond this sphere of actuality, into the sphere of possibilities (Freire, 1985). As such, the students’ futures are just as relevant as are their preschool years. Planning a curriculum for students that encompasses in-school and out-of-school seems like an enormous task, beyond the capability of a school. However, unless a school embraces the educational lifespan of students it cannot be more than a transitional phase resembling the educational programs of late, schooling practices that reproduces ideology and cultural dominance (Freire, 1985).  The basis for planning an all-encompassing program is a process used for collecting the data on the students. Teachers can systematically learn about their students and their families as they collect valuable data using a processual approach to achieve the dual objectives of informing and transforming.

One example of a curricular project that correlates with a transformative model is the Funds of Knowledge for Teaching Project (Gonzalez, 1995; Moll & Gonzalez, 1994). This model combines conceptual knowledge and research methods using anthropological frameworks that coincide with teaching and learning in a social and cultural milieus. Teachers rely on ethnographic skills and understandings to learn about their students’ in-school and out-of-school socio-cultural environment, reflecting upon their experiences within a whole school perspective. Thus, teachers develop a birds-eye view of an effective, wholistic approach to working with students, strengthening their ability to connect and transform, which constitute key curricular elements inherent in an Ecliptic Convergence Model. 

The Funds of Knowledge for Teaching Project is featured in Volume Four of the Discovering Our Experiences: Studies in Bilingual/ESL Education (1997) series.

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An Interview with an Mr. Thompson

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Mr. Thompson describes his teaching philosophy and shares his views on how he actualizes the curriculum:

I always think about being meaningful, being real. The first step that I do is re-establish journal writing. I will spend the first two or three months writing to each student, getting to know them, corresponding to them. Once they understand that we relate, that I am serious, that I feel that I care about their future, then we can go from there. So, I see myself with the philosophy that I really want to empower my students. I want them to take positions, to take stands, to understand that, even though you may be in a certain position at this moment but one day it will all be up to you; that you’ll be in control, that you’ll be able to partake within the system, no matter what country that you’re living in. You’re not just a person walking through life; so, I try to establish first of all a sense of trust, a sense of identity; and secondly, I talk about my experience living in this country where I have been and I try to expose them to the idea that there’s more. You can have it all, you’re young enough, you’re bright enough. Let’s go for it. And thirdly, I look at what is it that a child in fifth grade needs. I do a needs assessment. I’m one of very few teachers that asked the child, ‘what do you want me to teach you? ‘what is it that you want to learn?’ And we go from there; of course, you have the requirements: these are things that I would like for them to learn; you have to go out and look for books, you have to brainstorm, you borrow, you ask others ‘what are you doing? what do you think about this?

I had a teacher that I worked with for five years who was my mentor when I first started. I would always call him at the office: What do you think about this, what is it that these kids need? And more than anything they need to first have the joy of the love to read. Once they start to read and then, you show them the penny words versus the five-dollar words vocabulary, that’s very important. I tell my kids, you guys are so smart you’re the best class; you’ve got the best teacher. after they began to feel and see that; they began to show it. So, I do I lot of positive brainwashing and that’s something that’s not written anywhere.

I asked Mr. Thompson about how he worked with his students on the Fable Writing Project.

In this classroom there have been factions because I have transitioned students along with regular students. We have names, cliques within this classroom. We have incidents that will sit with some and that will not with others and they would change. I started out the year by writing sayings on the board. This summer we’re reading a book on a person. I put on the board, ‘don’t judge a book by its cover, and then we decide what that means later on. In Social Studies we read on the Pilgrims – what they said about education. The Pilgrims said that in order to please God a person needs to work hard. We talk about Jose Marti a lot, from his philosophy, on what being honorable means. So, I have brought have brought all that to the students. I have encouraged them to bring things to the classroom to share. So when you shared the fables their lights were turning. They understand. I think my kids are very mature beyond their years; I have an exceptional class. A lot of them bring a lot of unique experiences where they have been betrayed. In this classroom there are what an American would term as dysfunctional families. A lot of my students don’t share a lot of things with me – to allow to tell me. It’s not easy to trust, especially when it comes down to men. They talk to me about that. A lot of them have had really bad experiences because they don’t speak English.

So, what I try to convey is ‘Yes, I understand, but I hope you understand that not all people are the same.’ This is a class of freedom; you can say whatever you want to say as long as you are respectful. It doesn’t matter how you say it; I encourage you not to hold anything in. Sometimes it appears that there’s disorder but there’s order, even in the writing. First you start with disorder; hopefully, by the end you’ll have order within it. The kids are very bright beyond their years. I gave them a model in the beginning. I brought things in the classroom. I brought a parent to come and do a presentation on José Martí. We talk about freedom; everything is coming out of Social Studies, and sometimes, we close the book and say, ‘Let’s analyze this, what does this mean?’ It’s the same process of summary. Tell me what the person is saying in words. I tried to get inside the feelings; you don’t do things unless it’s meaningful. so when they write it’s personal. ‘Don’t tell me what I want to hear, tell me what you feel; if you don’t want to do it this moment, don’t do it; come back and do it.’ That’s what my biggest fear about fables, that you came at the end of the year and then nobody wanted to do it. And when they said they were going to do it, I was shocked. I felt that I had to plead the children of every single ounce and then, I was more shocked the other day when they wanted to invite you back again. In my classroom, I can say that I try to bring in things that give them opportunity to see themselves; try to find books with Hispanic surnames; books that are about their culture. These fables are fantastic; they could relate to them.

I asked Mr. Thompson to elaborate on the kinds of expectations he holds for his students.

“Don’t imitate. We want the original thing here.’ You’ll ask them what I stand for, they will tell you – imagination; what does C stand for- creativity. My basic expression is you want to do this in color (Spanish pronunciation), If you write something, I want to see some color; I want to see some flair; make me want to read. We talk about writing – their dream homes. describe it; make me want to read your story – bring me into it. They understand. First, you give them an example. It’s the same thing in everything. Let’s put a little color into it. Put some music in it. When you read, when you do anything I want to hear music. I will tell them sometimes I don’t hear any music. Sometimes I’ll stop the class and say, ‘Do you hear it?” And they’ll go, ¿Qué? Well, when you hear it, bring your paper back, and they say that I’m crazy.

We learned that we have to laugh at ourselves. It used to be that they had to defend themselves. But now when you say something, we all have names. All my students have names; they’re names that we have given and have adopted. No one has ever gotten upset about the different names. My students have seen me cry on several occasions. There have been kids who have left my classroom; I couldn’t take it. They would ask me, ‘Are you going to cry?’ I said yes, and I’d cry, and that’s just the way it is when I’m upset. I won’t hide it. They know it but I let them know that is normal. Whatever you’re feeling, it is normal. If one day you come into my classroom you say, ‘ I was up late last night and I really didn’t do my homework.’ I say, ‘I understand.’ This is the first class I can say that all my writing projects have been completed. I have a reputation of not knowing when to stop because it’s something that I really and truly enjoy. I tell the kids and their parents I will teach whatever it is that you want to learn but more than anything else I will show you how you can teach yourself. I can only show you but actually you’re going to teach yourself. I’m just going to provide that opportunity.

When I posed a question about how he helped students express their ideas and feelings, he referred to the day the students presented the final draft of their fables. The students took turns reading their fables with a microphone while their classmates improvised them into skits. He added the following:

Everybody has an opinion. Everybody has a voice, and everyone wants to hear it. You notice that when you were ready to leave and I went to take everybody to ancillary, they were fighting to get on stage. I have a group of students that nobody wants to be last; to be disenchanted, left out. What I’ve always taught them is if you think that it’s right when someone says it’s not, you need to address it. There’s a right way and there’s a wrong way to do it. So, I’m teaching to write petitions. Don’t hold anything inside because it will manifest itself later. If you have something to say and you don’t understand it, let’s talk about it. Let’s solve it. If there’s a problem, there must be a solution. The writing is the most important part. You ask the students why do we write and they will answer you, ‘We write to be remembered.’ Anything they do, they want to see their names. What you say people may forget but what you write people will remember.

Mr. Thompson maintains constant communication with many of the parents of his students. Parents often visit him in the classroom. He said the following about parents:

I’m amazed by the amount of love and respect and loyalty that the parents have shown me over the years at Bradford. When one of my students was having immigration problems her mother asked me to adopt her daughter. I was shocked. It was really an honor that someone would actually think well of me to want to adopt their children.

Mr. Thompson’s comments regarding the fact that there’s a general perception of his students as underachievers or cases of lost hope are reminiscent of other teachers who voice their advocacy for their students. He commented the following:

Every one of my students passed the English TAAS except one did not pass the Math. I feel good because a lot of people look at these students and say ‘They can’t do it; I don’t know about this bilingual thing, you’re just wasting your time they’ll never catch up.’ But it’s been done over and over again because no one really knows the ability of the children. I say, ‘Look we’ll do it in English and we’ll do it in Spanish and both of them well.’ It is a good feeling to know ‘Yes, you’re ready to go into the next phase of the program.’

To the question of what he would change in education he responded:

I think our tasks should be revisited. I’m not saying just putting in Spanish surnames in the testing perspectives that appear token. I’m talking about authentic literature. I believe that bilingual education – the way it’s set up today is set up in a segregationist type of environment where the kids are segregated. They don’t have the opportunity to be involved with English-speaking students versus in dual language program where there’s an equal exchange of both of the languages. I would mix the kids more; I would have a lot of distribution of typical Americans: African-Americans, White American students in the same classroom, sharing. Students would be required to go to the lab. I would provide literature and books. I would spend more money on giving them choices. I would not require that every student read the same book. I would have several different types of books in the classroom. I would give the kids better contact with typical American students. The way it is right now at Bradford, if you’re in bilingual education; you’re in a certain stigma; if you’re in a transition then, here you are and if you are regular you’re better than any of them.

In his final comments, Mr. Thompson shares his views about teaching in general and the transformative nature of critical pedagogy.

I tell my students, ‘Yes, I’m your teacher; I like you, I want you to learn the concepts.’ But more than anything else when a child comes into my classroom, I care about their person. I will never turn them down if I cannot rebuild them or make them better. I’ll just leave them alone. What’s important to me is that you really care about students – how they are as people. I feel like if they are whole, everything else will come in time. I want to build them up. This is an additive environment. I’ve learned so much since I’ve been here they’ve made me whole every day. They make me want to get better, do better; it’s a two-way street. I asked them for feedback, ‘What is it that I could do better?’

Reflection and Conclusion

The inspiration and invaluable lessons I gained from collaborating with students and their teachers in the Fable Writing Project were instrumental in my personal and professional transformation. Among numerous observations and insights, the most profound developmental conclusion pertains to the mutually reinforcing intellectual, spiritual, and emotional growth that occurs between teachers and students. This dynamic fosters an inclusive environment that empowers individuals to express themselves freely, and in the process, cultivates a fertile ground for developing critical consciousness. I have gained a heightened awareness of the pivotal role that schools play in students’ lives, recognizing them as institutions that steadfastly transcend conventional perceptions of educational settings.

The theoretical foundation of the Ecliptic Convergence Curricular Model, which serves as the cornerstone of the learning and teaching process, acts as a potent and effective tool for fostering and strengthening the bond between students and teachers. It also cultivates an environment where both students and teachers undergo transformative growth. Indeed, we are naturally connected to each other, but we must learn to recognize, illuminate, and strengthen these relationships to achieve our desired outcomes. The Ecliptic Convergence Model also represents a historical, political, and cultural struggle to localize the curriculum and intentionally and authentically focus on students and their families. I’ve also come to realize the significance of adopting a fresh perspective on critical issues and, in tandem, developing a language that communicates the necessary changes in our schools. This language can only be cultivated through collaborative efforts among teachers, administrators, parents, and university teacher educators.

The overall goals of the university/school collaboration efforts were accomplished; the intended outcomes were evident in two ways: 1) collaborators developed original, localized ideas, framed the problems, and designed action plans, thereby energizing, revitalizing, and creating the language through function and design; and  2) the originality fostered by the collaborations added personal ownership, empowering the participants.  

Collaboration, however, is not always empowering, nor does it automatically lead to change. A transformative collaboration must prioritize the school community as an integral part of students’ and families’ lives. It should result in action plans that are processual, long-term, and extend beyond the school’s physical and temporal boundaries. Critical mediation, a pedagogical tool that bridges the gap between the school and community, empowers teachers to play a pivotal role in guiding students toward academic success.

The enchanting journey that lies ahead is beautifully described by poet and philosopher Antonio Machado, who advises travelers that “there are no clear paths; by walking, we create them.” Indeed, we carve our own paths. We carve them in our journey toward improving the schooling practices for our students. We travel down familiar roads with a fresh and exhilarating perspective, but we also embark on the creation of new pathways toward horizons and experiences never before imagined. We find strength in these ideas when we understand the hopes and dreams of our students and their families.

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