This book will be a collaboration with about 12-15 K-12 Latina Leaders. Each will write a chapter on a strategy that addresses equity and that was not only successful but can be replicated and adaptable to a different context. These women have experience being K-12 administrators and want to share their knowledge with others.
The content of each chapter will be designed around their Testimonio, leaning into their Latina values, the research that guided their steps, the actual strategy and implementation, and recommendations to others.
Testimonio is rooted in oral cultures and in Latin American social struggles. According to Bernal et al. (2012) “within the field of education, scholars are increasingly taking up testimonio as a pedagogical, methodological, and activist approach to social justice that transgresses traditional paradigms in academia” (p. 363). Her strategy included her development of a shared vision that became a call to action for teachers and staff. Together, they created commitments that operationalized this vision. Soon after, mandates became an opportunity for action, and the school moved from a "Compliance to a Commitment" mindset. Co-authirs will share ideas and understand the importance of using their own unique cultural traits to develop solutions for our schools and districts based own their own Testimonios and successes. They will also develop a clear road map to address equity challenges that can be revisited multiple times by schools by creating their own “consejos.” Participants will have an opportunity to engage in authorship by producing their own chapters in a book of collective best practices!
The content is based on a publication by me, “A Latina Leader’s Consejo: How to Get Your People in the Path of Continuous Improvement.” Here is a potential outline for each chapter:
◦ Title
◦ Abstract
◦ Purpose
◦ Research Questions
◦ Literature Review - Research
◦ Methodology: Testimonio that includes the strategy in action and results
◦ Conclusion: Recommendations/Consejos
I expect each chapter to be 12-15 pages long, including references. I also expect to have at least 14 chapters. Twelve of the Chapters will be done by the coauthors. The book will also include an Introduction and summary of strategies presented, and a Concluding Chapter.
I believe this book would be unique in that these Latina Leaders will share successful equity practices based on their own cultural traits. All K-12 administrators and educators could benefit from the advice of these leaders, their “consejos.”
This advice comes from practitioners that already have a proven track-record on these strategies. The book is about equitable practices that were implemented by equity warriors.
Intended Audience
P-12 administrators
P-12 teachers
P-12 counselors
College and University level preparation programs
Doctoral Programs
Equity leaders
ACSA
CALSA
Other K-12 organizations
IGI Global call for chapters