Who is this institute for?

This institute is designed for: classroom teachers, specialty teachers, social studies teachers, humanities teachers, STEM teachers, coaches, administrators or any educator who teaches content that touches upon history or culture (which is pretty much everyone). This institute is for people who want to learn more Latine/x history and culture content, methods for inclusive history instruction, strategies for teaching joyful as well as unsettling truths about the Latine/x experience throughout the year, awareness of the role identity plays in history teaching/learning and a framework applicable to all history instruction.

I teach high school. I teach preschool. Would this institute be right for me?

Possibly. This institute is designed for K-8 educators. This is because the resources and examples are aimed for that grade range. However, the principles and framework apply to any grade range. If an educator wishes to attend outside of that grade range, they are welcome to do so, knowing that some of the resources shared - particularly student facing resources - will need to be replaced with age/grade appropriate materials.

Why do you call this institute Teach Latine/x Heritage All Year? Why not Hispanic Heritage? Why not Latino or Chicano or…?

When we decided to teach this institute we spent a long time reading, reflecting and speaking with colleagues before deciding ultimately that we wanted to present content that has been typically marginalized within the content taught in today’s K-8 schools. While many students are familiar with Spain and its influence, from colonization to the current day, on the United States, less is known about the influence, contributions and historical events that center people with a Latine/x identity. As for the term Latine or Latinx - we use these terms interchangeably for now. We are aware that there is ongoing robust debate in the use of these and other terms to describe a diverse group of people with a huge impact on the United States. In recognition of the need for a gender neutral term and the existing use of ‘e’ at the end of a Spanish word to indicate gender neutrality we use that term. In recognition of the importance of being explicitly inclusive of not only gender identity but also fluid, nonbinary and trans identities, we also use the term Latinx. We also acknowledge that a large number of people, who might be otherwise identify as Latine or Latinx, do not speak Spanish or do not recognize Spanish as a language connected to their identity, which poses further complications to the choice of an overarching nomer. There will be time and space to discuss these and other terms at the institute and we look forward to the discussion.

The content I am required to teach doesn’t include topics typically involving Latine/x history or culture. Will I find this institute useful?

We believe so. One of the purposes of this institute is to disrupt the notion of knowledge building priorities being framed by dominant narratives. We also want to name that the instruction of Latine/x culture and history is has long and is currently contending with threats of erasure, assimilation and in some cases legality. Yet, like all marginalized people, there is no area within the content typically taught in American schools where Latine/x people did not make and do not make direct contributions or have specific narratives to tell. We aim to support educators in crafting more inclusive, complete, and truthful content instruction.

There are a lot of ethnicities, races, nations of origin that are encompassed under the ‘Latine/x’ umbrella. Do you intend to cover everyone?

As you probably guessed, we cannot include every historical topic or identity as it relates to United States History and culture in this one institute with any depth! We also acknowledge that while statisticians and census makers might group everyone with roots in Latin America and the Caribbean as Latina/o/e/x - there are complex and distinct differences that make such grouping imperfect at best. However, while acknowledging the limits of language and time, we do prioritize foundational understandings of the larger Latine/x experience as well as topics that are fundamental to understanding the United States as it currently functions in this institute. This includes both people who have immigrated, or have ancestors who have immigrated, to the United States and those whose families have always lived on the land the United States now claims. We also offer a framework and teaching methods that are transferable to any topic you wish to teach.

Why May?

Because this institute springs from our first joint institute, Teach Black History All Year, many of our systems and beliefs are the same. We planned that institute to come before Black History Month to give educators time to digest and plan before the designated month. National Hispanic Heritage Month is recognized as starting in September and most American schools start their school year in August or September. It was difficult to imagine ways that a summer institute would be able to fit into educators already packed summer schedules (whether packed with professional development, summer jobs or simply relaxation) and we aim to make all our professional development offerings as accessible as possible. We chose May as a way to both honor the many Latinx specific historical and cultural observations in that month, as well as a lead up to summer, to allow time for any desired follow-up study, planning or reflection before September, as well as the entirety of the school year.

I can’t make every minute of the institute. Will it be recorded? Can we get access to the recordings?

The main content of every session will be recorded and made available to all registered participants for one week after the date of the session. We will not be recording the parts of the sessions that include participant activities or discussions.

Are there scholarships available? How do I apply?

Yes! We do not want finances to be an obstacle for as many prospective participants as possible. If attending this institute would be a financial hardship, you can go to the registration page and choose the scholarship registration option. Once you have entered your information we will contact you with a few questions for you to answer within 1-2 weeks. There is a limited number of scholarships, so unfortunately we cannot guarantee everyone who applies will receive one. Please note: we are prioritizing participants who are not able to get funding from their schools or districts. Please contact your school or district before applying for a scholarship in case there is alternative funding available.

I would like to be a part of collectively supporting colleagues. How can I contribute to a scholarship?

Thank you! You can go to the Register link and choose a donation of a full or partial scholarship (separate from, or with a paid registration). We truly appreciate your commitment to advancing the cause of equity.

Is there a syllabus?

Yes! Since the institute includes 12 hours of content, it reflects that level of content and not that of a full semester graduate course. You may contact us to request the syllabus if that would be useful to you.

Will there be certificates of attendance available?

Yes. We will be taking attendance each day and have certificates available reflecting attendance hour completion upon request.