Episode Transcript

Announcer:

This podcast is produced by Benchmark Education.

Kevin Carlson:

May was Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, celebrating the cultures of 75 countries from East, Southeast, and South Asia, as well as the Pacific Islands of Melenesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. In this episode, a look at today’s classroom through an AAPI lens. I’m Kevin Carlson, and this is Teachers Talk Shop.

Jessica Velasco:

As a first generation American, I always wanted to see representation and that was never really brought up in the classroom. It wasn't until my first Filipina teacher, Ms. Santos, I finally saw the representation that I needed in the classroom.

Kevin Carlson:

That is Jessica Velasco. She is a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Educator and Consultant. She is also a first generation American. And she is a perfect person to talk about Centering AAPI Voices in the Classroom. Author and educator Patty McGee spoke with Jessica recently, and the conversation started with some of her personal background.

Patty McGee:

So the first thing I would love for you to share is a little bit about your own story and upbringing, specifically your family and school, and just a little bit of background there I think our listeners would love to hear.

Jessica Velasco:

Yeah. So I grew up in the beautiful city of Miami, Florida, as a first generation American to hard working Filipino Americans, Filipino immigrants. My parents immigrated in the 1980s, and they truly left for the Philippines to have the American success story. Growing up in Miami, thinking Miami is a diverse city. However, I quickly learned it wasn't as diverse as I thought it was. The way that Miami operates is, we're very pocketed. So in different cities, in different parts of the cities, you have your Haitians, you have your white Americans, you have your Cubans. So it was diverse in a sense, however, not really integrating with one another. And education was the first, most important part of our values. And just growing up and my parents made sure that no matter what was happening in my life, education was always first. When I think about my education, especially in as a first generation American, I always wanted to see representation and that was never really brought up in the classroom. I had Filipino American friends, thank goodness. And it wasn't until my first Filipina teacher, Ms. Santos, or I finally saw the representation that I needed in the classroom. However, being Asian and students not understanding different cultures, she was kind of scrutinized for being herself. And it was difficult because this is someone I looked up to and this is someone that I can see myself in. But however, my classmates didn't understand that, so that was kind of conflicting in itself.

Patty McGee:

What grade was that?

Jessica Velasco:

Seventh grade. She taught science. Yeah, she taught science. And it was just a joy to see. However, it wasn't until later on where I realized, wait a minute, we do have Asian American teachers. They're just not in my area or they were not in they were not easily accessible. Right. Because a lot of the Asian Americans that I grew up with were in the medical field or they were engineers or they had to they came to America just to do a side job, even though in the Philippines they are a different completely career, but they wanted to make sure that they had the American dream.

Kevin Carlson:

After the break, some insight about the “Model Minority.” Stay with us.

Announcer:

Cultural inclusivity. It’s the focus of Represent, the new, forward-thinking book series for grades K through 6. Students of all backgrounds will be immersed in authentic texts, seeing their lives and what’s relevant to them…right on the page. Represent offers more than 200 high-quality student books in both print and digital, spanning 10 knowledge strands and created by diverse, acclaimed authors and illustrators. Robust teaching tools support responsive teaching, differentiation, and professional development. Learn more at BenchmarkEducation.com

Patty McGee:

And it makes me think of that word model minority. And would you just talk a little bit about it? Like how would you define model minority and how did it come to be like that term?

Jessica Velasco:

So, fun fact-when I was growing up, I thought Model Minority was something that was proud to be part of. Later on until I was adult, I realized it's actually a racial stereotype. The when doing history, the quote the term model minority was never defined by a specific person. However, in the 1960s there was quote unquote success stories of Asian Americans immigrating to, quote unquote American society. And it actually separated Asian-Americans from black Americans and other marginalized groups of individuals to, quote unquote, be the model of what America is like. Oh, yeah, harsh and heavy things, right? Especially thinking about when you hear the word model, you want to be like that. However, it really just separated these marginalized groups of individuals.

Jessica Velasco:

As Asian Americans, we were taught to be quiet. Get. Everything done. Work hard. Put your head down. Do what you have to do. We weren't taught to speak our voices. We weren't taught to challenge the system. And that's where the term came from.

Patty McGee:

Wow. And that's heavy. I mean, that's that's big, like, in so many ways. One, like you said, it marginalizes people and silos, different groups. And then there's this massive amount of pressure to be something some kind of persona that is expected from everyone. It's just so much pressure. And then to be in a school like you're saying, this getting educated is the number one priority in your family. So to have all of those layers of pressure without even realizing it. So yeah, at first at first glance it sounds like it's something really positive, but instead it just creates a whole different set of hard things. So then. So one of the big ways of then creating an affirming space and an inclusive space and maybe to, like, put some of these stereotypes that have bubbled up in our society, which of course have implications on the classroom. We know that there's so much research out there that says that when all voices are included in the classroom, everyone is more successful. So when we have representation from all different cultures, every that kind of lifts all students at the same time, not just particular students. And so when we're thinking about ways that we can do that in the classroom, but with this AAPI lens, I find I just want to say I find taking different lenses when looking at creating an affirming space is a really kind of systematic way of making sure it's not just like a whole, like just dumping everything in there and just hoping for the best. It's really taking the lenses of different communities that maybe haven't had a large presence in our curriculum and in our classrooms unless unless the teacher has done the work.

Kevin Carlson:

After the break, getting practical about AAPI voices. Stay with us.

Announcer:

What if there was a book for every child, one that reflected their unique identity and affirmed the value of their experience? The Benchmark Education Authentic Voices Library builds content, knowledge, and perspective with 550 books by diverse authors and illustrators. Available in English and Spanish, print and digital, and featuring robust teacher supports, the Authentic Voices Library provides enriching encounters with meaningful text. What would happen if every student could see themselves in a book? Visit www.AuthenticVoicesBookRoom.com for more information.

Patty McGee:

So as we think and just pay attention to today AAPI voices. I'm wondering if you have some ideas on how we can get practical then to really help teachers expand their knowledge and also help us kind of counteract some of the things that we were talking about with Model Minority.

Jessica Velasco:

Yeah, I think the first step is having teachers as educators, even myself, really understand what our personal biases are, what were the things that we were taught and how to let go of that in the classroom. So I think the first step is reflection, what we're saying, what we're phrases or myths or unlearning that I need to unlearn for myself as an educator. So really taking that to a step. And then the next one is really having that representation in the classroom. I'll never forget when my teacher asked me where my ancestors are from, and just being proud of that and having some sort of flag or some sort of representation, whether it's in the classroom, library or just maybe next to a cubby of this is where your ancestors are from.

Jessica Velasco:

However, you are American as well, or you are X, Y, Z, and we want to highlight that. So just kids want to feel want to fit in. However, we all have beautiful differences, so let's highlight those differences. And last but not least, celebrating not just as an AAPI month, not within the certain months, but just really celebrating their true identities and having them learn their identity if they don't know it. Reaching out to their parents and asking What do they know and what do how can I support them in the classroom?

Patty McGee:

Yeah, those are really great ideas. Could we just dig into each one a little bit more? Yeah. So I mean, I think and I've personally been on this journey and I will not stop. I come from a very, not very diverse area. I live. I grew up close to where I live, and diversity really hasn't been our forte. And so I know that I've had to really do some work around unpacking my own biases, and for me it's a lot of reading. What would you recommend for educators for them to unpack?

Jessica Velasco:

Yeah, being a staying curious understanding. I think a lot of times educators don't want little one shout out to all the educators because we are so many hats. Right. And also two we have great intent. However, sometimes the impact can potentially be harmful. So having educators understand that when you come with curiosity and you want to learn it's the universal language, right? And knowing that we do have biases, then we're learning and we're trying to go, we are on this journey. And it's one of the journeys that will take a long time, but there will be an end. There is some way as a diversity equity and inclusion practitioner, I am still on my journey. We don't have all the answers, but we're all learning together.

Patty McGee:

Yeah, and I think part of that is challenging for educators because there's another myth out there is that we're supposed to know everything and the things we've always done we can always keep doing. And then there's this feeling of like emotion around it, like almost shame or feeling vulnerable. And so to underscore what you're saying, to be to take curiosity as the vehicle rather than like the shame and discomfort it might. Come along with it because now we've walked around with lots of different things that we've been taught. But that's not our fault. So just getting curious about what else can we know and learn? I really appreciate that. So can you give me like maybe one of your favorites now around your second idea of having a student's culture represented in the classroom?

Jessica Velasco:

Yeah. When thinking about classroom planning and understanding where your students or your students’ ancestries are from, really, including that in the declaration. Honestly, something as simple as decoration.

Patty McGee:

Yeah.

Jessica Velasco:

One of my SO something that I did before I had table groups of different countries and I made sure my students’ ancestors were represented in those countries.

Patty McGee:

Oh, yeah. Simple. Yeah, that's like right in your face.

Jessica Velasco:

Exactly.

Patty McGee:

You are welcome here in a very simple way.

Jessica Velasco:

Yes. One of my students was from Cuba and I said, table Cuba, let's go. And they were just so proud of knowing that that was their country in the classroom. So just having that representation and even in the books as well. But yeah, something as small as a decoration can really just go a very long way.

Patty McGee:

Absolutely. Absolutely. And then the last idea that you brought up was celebrating students’ differences and diversity and. Right. Because it is beautiful like what we bring not being the same as beauty and. Literal color to the collection and the community in the classroom. So ideas for any type of celebration celebrating especially not always during the month.

Jessica Velasco:

Yeah, the best days were when the day students are able to bring or wear their different outfits or wear some sort of part of their identities on their shoulder. Physical and literal and physical, right. Whether they were able to bring a dish or whether they were able to wear a certain dress. Just highlighting that and having them share the stories though their parents share the stories, having them share with their students and their classmates gives them pure autonomy, something I wish I did more as a child. However, we're doing it now as educators, so we're at it goes a long way.

Patty McGee:

Yeah. What I love most, I think about what you just shared with us. First of all, your deep knowledge around diversity, equity and inclusion, and you being part of the AAPI community, sharing your own stories and then giving us simple, practical ways that we can infuse this in our classrooms because we know that there are so many hats, as you said. So like I picture teachers right now with like a giant stack of hats on their heads and a bunch of plates that they're trying to spin at the same time with all of these acts on their heads. And so to feel like one more thing, one more plate, one more hat, these are so real. And like I said, simple. There's that power and simplicity. And and we know that students learn more and are more successful in schools when they feel that they belong in this community and they have that relationship with their teachers. So, Jessica, thank you so much for this conversation. It was really helpful for me and I'm sure for everyone listening.

Thank you, Patty.

Kevin Carlson:

Thank you, Jessica Velasco. Thank you, Patty McGee. And thank you for listening to Teachers Talk Shop.

If you would like to hear more from Jessica, check out her blog post. Redefining Trauma-Informed Care. To find it, go to Benchmark Education.com, visit the professional learning area, and look under the professional development resources. There you will find the Benchmark Blog. The post is full of great information, useful tips and links to other helpful resources. Enjoy!

For Benchmark Education, I'm Kevin Carlson.