UCLA

This study centers the lived experiences of Chicana K - 12 teachers from Southern California who see themselves with defined ethnic and political identities, and view Students of Color from an assets-based perspective. The dissertation documents how Chicana teachers explain connections between their life experiences and classroom practices. Through a Chicana Feminist sensibility, I collect information with the teachers in qualitative ways: (1) pre-interviews, (2) life-history interviews, (3) classroom observations, and (4) portraiture. This study works under the hypothesis that Chicana teachers employ a broad range of pedagogical approaches influenced by their own lived experiences. The findings are presented as portraits of the individual Chicana teachers, framed by their socio-historical context. This study provides insight into the implementation of culturally relevant practices with Students of Color. Additionally, this work offers considerations on the development of a critical, "home-grown" Teacher of Color pipeline.