Tertulia Resolana High School~College~Community~Collaborative is an interdisciplinary, standards-based introductory course on Latin American and Latino Studies for high school students and is facilitated by pairs of advanced CUNY two-year and four-year college enrolled students.

• Service learning opportunity for CUNY two-year and four-year students
• Rigorous approach to reading, writing, listening, speaking, and research
• Peer mentorship
• Exposure for high school students to Latin American and Latina/o Studies

Tertulia Resolana History

• First piloted in Phoenix, Arizona for the 2002-2003 school year at Carl Hayden High school
• Initially offered as a voluntary after-school program in conjunction with the Center for Latin American Studies at Arizona State University
• 2003-2006, operated both as a push-in and after-school program serving five high schools, and co-facilitated by Arizona State University graduate and undergraduate students and Maricopa Community College students
• 2012 to present—in conjunction with the CUNY Institute for Mexican Studies, building partnerships with schools and institutions, piloting the program with Belmont Preparatory High School in the Bronx

The Program Model & Curriculum

• A literacy-based dialogical pedagogy
• CUNY students co-facilitate readings, research, and discussion
• Emphasis on learning communities
• 8 to 14 weeks per semester, one period per week
• Credit bearing for high school student participants
• Guided research paper completed by high school students
• Open Call: High School Student Symposium on Latin American and Latina/o Studies

What Actually Takes Place in a Class

• Reading, writing, listening and sharing thoughts on the histories and cultures of the Americas and the Latina/o experience in the U.S. through an interdisciplinary, grounded on human rights
• Guided assistance by the CUNY co-facilitators on writing a research paper on a related topic
• Encouragement and presentation of opportunities to expand student networks through participation in the civic, cultural, and artistic life of the community

CUNY Co-Facilitator Support

• Pre-program orientation for student-teachers
• Weekly co-facilitator workshops and professional development
• Ongoing communication and visits

The work entails:

• Participation in orientation and weekly check-in and lesson-planning location
• Co-teach a weekly Latina/o and Latin American Studies curriculum at a participating high school, either as an addition to an existing course, or as an additional after-school course
• Maintenance and development of partnership with host high school faculty, staff, and administration
• Develop principal themes from which lesson plans evolve, balancing academic and pedagogical interests with suggested outline of chronologies and calendars and points to cover
• Co-teach approximately 14 lessons, once per week, for 1 semester
• Lead and supervise high school students through the process of research and writing
• Develop and implement classroom management approaches
• Build and maintain catalogs of resource materials
• Gauge student progress