Chicano Studies Chapter 1 Summary

Introduction to Chicano Studies or Chicano Studies 1A is an introductory course at UC Santa Barbara on the historical development of Chicano people that covers topics ranging from the Aztec Society to the contemporary Latino Generation. The class includes a lecture, with 500 students, and is taught by Professor Mario T. Garcia. It is held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:00 to 3:15 PM in Isla Vista Theater 1. There is also a mandatory section which is taught by a teacher’s assistant. The section is 50 minutes long, and in my case led by Sarah Latanyshyn on Friday afternoons in Girvetz Hall. The section and lecture are very different in their teaching styles and roles for teaching the course. The section is only 20 students which

There are 5 books required for the class: Migrant Daughter, Canicula, The Gospel of César Chávez, Blowout, and December Sky. The majority are written or co-written by Professor Garcia which means that the books are necessary for the class and relate to the material given in lecture. The books that are assigned fall under the genre of oral history, meaning they are a collection of historical information about families, individuals, important events, and everyday life through a narrative. Every week in the section, a quiz is given to check for understanding and is can include short response questions or multiple choice. The quizzes ask for information from the lectures and the books and include questions such as “Name one scientific or mathematical innovation created by the Mayans”. The books are vital to the understanding of Chicano history since they provide a different perspective, so quizzes are an important tool to see if a student is proficient in their

These handouts outline what Professor Garcia will say and contain information that will be seen on the quizzes and exams. They contain certain terminology that the Professor will define and elaborate on. For example, the term “Tejano” is written in the handouts in order for the students to listen attentively for the definition. This kind of terminology is specific to the course, as it stands for a Mexican-American living in Texas. Specific language is important in a class like Chicano Studies 1A because it is a discourse community. Discourse communities contain six identifiable characteristics described by Swales, one of them which is that they have “acquired some specific lexis” (66). Using terminology specific to the course is a literary practice because it introduces you to the terms and language used by the community allowing you to be more familiar. Another significant component of the class is the Oral History Project. Students in Chicano Studies 1A are required to interview a latino immigrant, 1st generation or 2nd generation, who is currently in college. It is a ten-page paper that is meant to be similar to the oral history books assigned. The purpose of the project is to emulate the books written by Professor Garcia while learning how to interview people. It also teaches some history and background information about someone