Abstract

Recent research suggests that teachers who work effectively with Latino students employ three non-traditional practices that are: (a) highly interactive, (b) student-centered, and (c) collaborative (Dalton, 1998; Moll, Amanita, Neff, & González, 1992; Padrón, Waxman, & Rivera, 2002). These contrast with traditional practices that tend to be teacher-directed, individualized, and competitive (Tharp & Gallimore, 1988). In addition, this research finds that successful teachers of Latino students tend to have a broader pedagogical perspective than others, one that extends beyond the traditional notion of content knowledge and instructional practices (Moll et al., 1992; Monzó & Rueda, 2001; Padrón et al., 2002).