By Patricia Espiritu Halagao, Ph.D. University of Hawaii, Manoa Theorizing from Pain, Passion and Hope: The Development and Effects of a Decolonizing Curriculum By Patricia Espiritu Halagao, Ph.D. University of Hawaii, Manoa

Questions: What inspired you to create Pinoy Teach? How do decolonization concepts inform Pinoy Teach? Implementation and results.

Theory as Liberatory Practice Personal experience base of theory making Theory transform our lives “I longed passionately to teach differently from the way I had been taught since high school” (hooks, p. 7)

Theorizing from Pain Experienced pain of racism, pain of discrimination, marginalization, invisibility, disconnect “Tall nose, Tall Nose” poem (Espiritu, 2002) Balagtasan– the mind is divided Colonial world is compartmentalized: Native quarters, European quarters, (Fanon, p. 40)

Evolution of Pinoy Teach Inception: 1996 Co-Author – Timoteo Cordova, Artist and Community Activist with the Filipino Youth Activities After taking Drs. Fred & Dorothy’s FilAm Studies class, I desired outlet to express acquired knowledge Masters Project

School-Based Partnership College students enrolled in a teacher education program at the University of Washington that empowered them to team teach middle school students the Pinoy Teach curriculum. 1996-2001 – 11 public, private, parochial schools in Seattle and Bellevue, Washington Over 85 teachers and 1000 of children impacted by Pinoy Teach

Pinoy Teach in Hawaii Living in Hawaii has made me look at Pinoy Teach differently. Colonialism is real here. In your face. Indigenous people are living in homelands taken away from them. I am an Asian settler. Conduct Professional Development

Question 2 How do decolonization concepts inform Pinoy Teach? Implementation and results.

Research Overview This paper shares findings and implications from a survey research study that examined the long-term impact that a multicultural teacher education program entitled, Pinoy Teach, had on predominantly Filipino American college students who were empowered to teach their history and culture to middle school students.

Filipino Americans As Filipino Americans continue to struggle academically in our public schools we must seek alternative frameworks to understand how their historical backgrounds and cultural identities have impacted their educational experience. Filipino Americans have a colonial history, which has produced what scholars term a “colonial mentality,” a denigration of self and an aspiration to be like the colonizer.

Decolonization Filipino Americans must shed the “jacket of imperialism” by unlearning the internalized oppression garnered from colonialism by taking the journey of decolonization (Strobel, 2001). Decolonization framework: rediscovery/ recovery (2) mourning (3) dreaming (4) commitment and (5) action. (Laenui, 2000) Name, Reflect, Act (Strobel, 2001)

Decolonizing Curriculum & Pedagogy Given this historical legacy of colonialism, educators from these formerly colonized groups have looked at developing curriculums and a pedagogy with a decolonization framework in mind to emancipate students from ignorance and to ignite a commitment to social change (Tejeda, Gutierrez & Espinoza, in press; Strobel, 2001).

Research Design Survey Method Population Sample 87 college students who participated in Pinoy Teach from 1996-2001; all graduated 79 students - Filipino Americans; 8 non- Filipino. 59 students – female; 28 - male (3:1). Colonial mentality (Halagao, 2004)

Data Collection non-probability methods targeted Pinoy Teach participants from 1996-2001 conducted haphazard sampling which accessed volunteer subjects to participate in the survey cross-sectional survey methods to gather information at a single point in time. Data was collected in three phases using mail and electronic survey.

Self-Designed Survey Instrument Q1: Why did you do Pinoy Teach? Q2: What do you remember most about Pinoy Teach? Q3: What did you learn from Pinoy Teach? Q4: Has Pinoy Teach affected you today? If so, how? Q5: Is there anything else I should know about your experience with Pinoy Teach?

Data Analysis Six steps for qualitative data analysis (Miles & Huberman,1994)

Findings Received 35 surveys out of 87 past Pinoy Teach students giving a 40% response return rate. Out of the 35 surveys, twenty-five (25) were female and ten (10) were male (3:1 ratio) Thirty (30) Filipino Americans and five (5) non-Filipinos (all European Americans) responded to the survey giving non-Filipino students a higher response rate of 62%.

Findings The curriculum served as a tool to decolonize students during and after their experience in the program. Over 50% of the respondents pursued careers and advanced degrees in education with one-third stating that Pinoy Teach had a direct impact on their decision to go into teaching.

4 Major Themes Pinoy Teach was responsible for : (1) love and appreciation of ethnic history, culture, and identity; (2) feelings of lasting empowerment and self-efficacy; (3) life-long embodiment and commitment to principles of diversity and multiculturalism; and (4) continued activism in teaching profession and/or involvement in social and civic issues in the community.

Discussion The four major themes showed that Pinoy Teach became the catalyst for moving students through the journey of decolonization. During and after their experience with Pinoy Teach, students have continued to cycle through decolonization framework of naming, reflecting and acting (Strobel, 2002). Respondent answers show that they did and continued to experience decolonization: (1) rediscovery and recovery, (2) mourning, (3) dreaming (4) commitment (5) action.

Pinoy Teach as a Decolonizing Curriculum and Pedagogy While Pinoy Teach was developed out of a multicultural theoretical framework, it in effect also became a decolonizing curriculum and pedagogy for Filipino Americans and descendents of the colonizer. Designing a decolonizing curriculum was not intentional. But after becoming aware of the decolonization framework, the theory of decolonization fit my decisions and practice. As hooks explains: “Theory comes out of experience.”

Implications for Decolonizing Curricula and Pedagogy What elements should be integrated in a curriculum that would make decolonization possible for Filipino American students?” “What does a decolonizing curriculum and pedagogy look like?” (Strobel, 2002)

Suggested Elements of Decolonizing Curriculum A decolonizing curriculum requires deep and critical thinking of one’s history and culture within a multicultural and global context. A decolonizing curriculum must be feeling-based with activities that promotes love of self, empathy, perspective-taking, stirs up anger, and hope. Mixed positive and negative emotions are natural feelings to encounter, discuss openly, and help students move forward in the decolonization process.

Suggested Elements of Decolonizing Curriculum A decolonizing curriculum needs to create a space for formerly colonized people to gather and unite. A decolonizing curriculum teaches life skills that enhance one personally and professionally. A decolonizing curriculum must have a social action component that develops leadership, models activism, produces empowerment, self-efficacy, and inspires carving one’s own niche in giving back to the community to effect social change.

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