Pedagogy of Validation: Autobiographical Reading and Writing Courses for First-Year, Low-Income Students

A Practical Guide to Causal Mediation Analysis: Illustration With a Comprehensive College Transition Program and Nonprogram Peer and Faculty Interactions

“…Mediational pathways are a product of these relationships; so, even though one part of the pathway may be large, if the other part is small, the overall role of the pathway is diminished. The large effects of CCTP participation on faculty interactions are consistent with qualitative evidence that CCTP supports and trains students to interact with faculty (Kitchen et al, 2021;Perez et al, 2021). If the CCTP seeks to increase students' mattering and sense of belonging, then increasing the CCTP's emphasis on interactions with non-CCTP peers may be beneficial.…”

The tensions of teaching low-income students to perform professionalism.

“…One inherent contradiction is the fact that TSLC programs largely act as sites of validation for students that challenge deficit framing and recognize the inherent strengths these students bring to higher education (e.g., Kitchen, 2021; Kitchen et al, 2021; Perez et al, 2021). Thus, while students are largely encouraged to engage with their own prior knowledge and experiences to fuel their success on campus, messages and teachings about professionalism largely assume students need to absorb a set of externally defined practices to succeed.…”

“…For example, educators might engage with students to examine how they have seen professionalism manifest in the lives of their home communities and what lessons might be drawn for their own lives. Rooting curriculum in personal experiences and identity is powerful for the development of low-income students (Perez et al, 2021). These practices help students to make connections between their home and school communities rather than feeling the two are disjointed (e.g., Garriott, 2020; Hurst, 2010; Stebleton, 2007).…”

“…Some of these initiatives have included career development programming as a means of advancing low-income students’ employability, and in concept, their social mobility. Scholars have found that low-income students have benefitted from interventions (e.g., programs, courses, advising) that use holistic, asset-based, and validating approaches (Bettencourt, 2020b; Kitchen, 2021; Kitchen et al, 2021; Perez et al, 2021). Equally as important, low-income students have indicated that support from educators is meaningful when they acknowledge the daily realities of class and classism in the academy, and they actively work to change systems (Bettencourt, 2020b).…”

Leveraging culture and identity in writing‐intensive initiatives and courses at minority serving institutions

“…This work ranges from the necessity, approaches, and outcomes of ethnic studies academic programs to infusing cultural relevance into specific fields of study, such as math, sociology, and sciences to transforming educational environments towards more equitable ends (Alim & Paris, 2017; Gay, 2002; Ladson‐Billings, 1995a, 1995b; Museus, 2014; Rendón, 1994). Although there are a variety of concepts proposed to center identity and integrate equity into learning spaces (e.g., Ladson‐Billing's culturally relevant pedagogy, Alim and Paris’ culturally sustaining pedagogy), centering culture and identity within the curriculum is a focal point in this body of work, as such focus allows students experiencing marginalization to see themselves reflected in the curriculum and produces powerful outcomes (Halagao, 2010; Jehangir, 2010; Lin et al., 2009; Perez et al., 2021; Sleeter, 2011; Tuitt, 2003). Emerging research confirms that MSIs are places where such a curriculum is possible and positively impacts student success (Kem et al., 2020; Romero et al., 2020; Tang, 2017).…”