Proposed Teaching Strategies for Black and Latinx Studies in Connecticut

Abstract

In 2020, Connecticut became the first U.S. state to require all public high schools to offer Black and Latinx studies. This monumental decision has raised a fair amount of concern over what constitutes effective and conscionable teaching practices for Black and Latinx studies at the classroom level. In this paper, I propose several teaching strategies, all grounded in critical, dialectical, and responsive theories of pedagogical praxis. I deliberate on the strengths and potential weaknesses of each approach with equal attention, and at the end of each section I offer some examples of how these strategies can be applied in the classroom. I conclude by restating how important Black and Latinx studies are in facilitating the reimagining of educational practice and classroom pedagogies throughout Connecticut.