Six Interdisciplinary and Multicultural Projects

Mexica Tiahui	Cultural Connections	Mexican Heroines
What is "HIspanic"?	Beyond Salsa	Kakilambe

"A Dance Program Like No Other
Build on the Talents and Gifts of Your Students
to Motivate them to Extra-Ordinary Success"
 

These projects were designed by and for the students at Molina High School. They reflect the cultural heritage of the community and students' interests as well as their unique abilities. Molina High School is 89.1% Hispanic, 65% at risk, and 20% of the students are in the English as a Second Language Program. Many students are also bilingual.  These Dance Interdisciplinary Projects were designed  to bring out the best in  individual and student groups as well as to address special needs.

Use the Power of Emotions

When an article in the school newspaper erroneously call the winning number in the school talent show "a mariachi song" when it was "a norteño conjunto," I used the energy created by the insult to empower the insulted students with educating the Molina student body. The Music of Latin America became the focal point for the Cinco de Mayo Assembly.  The students who had been offended by the newspaper article were charged not only with demonstrating the differences between mariachi and conjunto music but also with demonstrating the different musical and dance styles of norteño music including  "Durangense, Huapango, Ranchera valsiada, and polka. 

 I hope that these projects serve as a creative spring board to assist you in  meeting  the special needs of your students whatever their ethnicity, social status or academic standing..

Look at your students closely

I was privileges to have Rosemary Wright as my mentor for nearly thirty years. Her gift to me was to teach me to really look at my students and to not be satisfied with the superficial.

What are their needs?
What are their interests?
What are their special and unique talents and gifts?
What special knowledge do you possess that could enrich their experience of dance?
What special cultural knowledge do they have?
What are your passions?
How can you bring these into the classroom?

If I taught anywhere else the projects would be completely different.

Everyone has a culture

When I presented a teacher training seminar in Wichita Falls, Texas, one of the fine arts teachers said, "Well, your projects are wonderful, but  we don't have culture here."  All people have a history.  All people have culture. Beginning with your students' is a good place to begin.

Move to Connect

In the projects presented, you will  notice a common thread, the projects move in the opposite direction.
If a project begins in the present, it will move it to connect to the past.
If a project begins in the past it will move to connect with the present.
If a project starts with the neighborhood culture it will move to connect to issues in the world and vice versa.

Mexica Tiahui begins in Pre-Columbian times and it ends with an investigation of  the Aztec contributions in the shaping of modern Mexico. Cultural Connections begins with the pop culture of today and connects to the history of slavery and the traditions of the African slaves. Zoot Suit Riots begins in 1943 and connects to current events related to the War on Terror, immigration and legal justice.

Build Student Traditions and Expectations

One last consideration needs to be made when studying the projects enclosed--The dance program at Molina High School was built by step by step and day by day over a period of ten years.  Keeping a written history, is am important way of demonstrating the idea of legacy and impressing upon students the importance of their participation. The projects presented reflect ten  years of building on student traditions, developing student leadership, creating a united community, raising funds, and forming community resources and  partnerships.

Respond to Student Needs and Interests

I too have been shaped by the needs of my students.  Fifteen years ago when I began work for the Dallas Public Schools my area of expertise was classical ballet.  It has been an learning adventure, I hope that you will see ways to expand how you relate to the needs of your students.

Beyond Surface knowledge

Through the use of interdisciplinary instruction, I hope that you will be able to move your students beyond surface knowledge (rote learning)  to deeper meanings that are engaging, informative, and that give the student the opportunity to acquire intellectual understanding along with "felt meaning."

Interdisciplinary. Before I was selected to the CEDFA Fine Arts Cadre, I knew that interdisciplinary instruction was  a view of knowledge and an approach to curriculum development that applied methodologies and language from another discipline. I did not fully appreciate the depth of understanding that it can bring to the examination of a central theme, issue, problem, topic and  experience.  I never really stopped to considered the different types.

Interdisciplinary Instruction includes:

Cross disciplinary viewing one discipline from the prospective of another discipline (the physics of music).

Multidisciplinary --the use of several disciplines on a problem, theme, topic without integration.

Fused-content from closely related topics blended into a unit or a course of study ( American Studies).

Project focused-- project driven instruction. Connection to concepts as they apply to the project. The more complex the project the more opportunity for deeper learning.   

The Curriculum Within: Attention needs to be paid to the process of working together as well as the the product that is being created. Teaching art is as much about creating an artist as it is creating a product.