Columnist Speaks About the "Latino Explosion"

Latinos have become the largest minority group in the United States, and if current demographic trends continue, one in four Americans will be Hispanic by 2050. To address the Latino explosion, Ruben Navarrette Jr., a columnist and an editorial board member for the Dallas Morning News, spoke at the NASSP Convention's Urban Viewpoint Session.

Navarrette grew up in a small California town at a time when schools were tracking students based on their perceived ability to learn.

Navarrette was quickly identified as a gifted student and rose through the ranks of his class. He graduated as a valedictorian and went on to Harvard, one of a handful of minority students admitted. He fought perceptions of affirmative action when his principal suggested that he might not be accepted to one of the elite colleges to which he applied, even though Navarrette had 96 As on his high school transcript.

Navarrette's experience in U.S. schools helped him formulate five tips for the best way to reach Latino students:

• Create an environment of respect for all students. Teach students one on one and play up their strengths.



• Raise expectations for Latino students. "Recognize that the absolute worst enemy is low expectations," he said.



• Abandon bilingual education or use it "with care" for a maximum of three years; use immersion rather than the pull-out model for English language learners to avoid stigma.



• Make parents partners in their children's education. Some districts offer resources for parents, such as translation services, transportation, GED classes, and citizenship classes.



• Be aware of learning differences. "A lot more kids have dyslexia and ADD than are talked about."

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