Hispanic/ Latino values, culture, and child-rearing practices
Understanding the Hispanic or Latino values will help the teachers to attend to children with special needs. It is important for the teachers to be able to identify the family or the student’s cultural-influenced practices, strengths, and beliefs so that the teachers can mutually agree upon acceptable terms that will be included in the education plan. Teachers must also recognize that cultural background of Latinos can influence educational-related behaviors based on their past educational experiences, level of education, degree of acculturation, knowledge of the English language, and their socioeconomic status. The teachers should also bear in mind that the Latino students are persons with unique personal experiences within the educational care system since they belong to specific cultural or ethnic groups. Latinos have solid family values. They place a strong emphasis on family as the major source of a person’s identity and serve as their protector against the hardships in life. The strong sense of family belongingness is limited only to the members of the family and some close friends. Latinos do not easily give their trust to those individuals who are not family members or close friends. The values and beliefs of Latinos should be respected by teachers in order to help the students experience less prejudice in school and within the community. The ability of the teachers to integrate a healthy attitude and strike a balance of between Latino and American culture traditions, beliefs and values shall enable them to attend to children with special needs. Young Latinos are taught by their parents to stay away from gang violence, delay sexual involvement, and maintain a strong faith in God. The teachers must understand the diversity of their culture in order to create positive teacher-student relationships.
