Cultural competence in teaching immigrant-origin youth: The ethic of cariño

This dissertation documents the elements that characterize the perspectives and practices of four high school teachers identified as highly effective educators working with immigrant-origin Latina and Latino students in urban settings. They are distinguished in consistently taking into account their students’ cultural backgrounds and personal narratives. Using portraiture methodology, this study examines the development of their cultural competencies and the myriad ways each one promotes, supports, and celebrates the learning of their immigrant-origin Latinx students. Data sources include semi-structured interviews with the teachers, administrators, and members of the community, classroom observations and audio files, extensive field notes, and demographic data about the local context of the school where the four teachers have been teaching.