Public Policy

Mission Statement

Academia Cuauhtli (Eagle Academy) is a language and culture revitalization project for 4th-grade students from Metz, Perez, Sanchez, Zavala and Houston Elementary Schools from the Austin Independent School District (AISD). It offers instruction in Mexican American Studies and Tejano Studies curriculum. Our Saturday classes are completely free and taught in Spanish. Taught by AISD master dual language teachers and in the context of a 12-to-1 student-teacher ratio, we envision this curriculum as not only providing the academic support that the children need in preparation for their STAAR exams and academic performance, generally, but also providing enrichment for students that we anticipate will have enduring impacts for them. Academia Cuauhtli is a collaboration of Nuestro Grupo (a community-based group organized by the Texas Center for Education Policy and the Tejano Monument Curriculum Initiative, both at the University of Texas at Austin and the National Latino Education Research and Policy Project [NLERAP], its fiscal agent and national nonprofit organization), the Austin Independent School District, the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department and within it, the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center. Academy Cuauhtli is a product of love, effort, and passion from our talented group of collaborators.

Internship Opportunity: Teaching Assistant & Community Engagement Associate

Academia Cuauhtli is looking for a Teaching Assistant who can assist in creating innovative lesson plans and enhancing the learning environment for our students. The teaching assistant will assist with the critical work of translating Academia Cuauhtli curriculum to a hybrid format for the fall semester. This work is vital to ensure student safety and continued connection with culturally revitalizing curriculum during this time. The ideal candidate for this position enjoys working with children, understands how they learn and is dedicated to creating and nurturing a learning atmosphere for every student.

Typical duties:

• Assist in developing and transferring lesson plans based on Austin Independent School District (AISD) requirements and the specific needs of each child.
• Collaborate with teachers to monitor the development of each child.
• Work with children in the classroom to promote their learning and development.
• Keep parents informed about their child’s development and any changes to the regular day-to-day schedule.
• Transferring BLEND work to google classroom, facebook, and Academia Cuauhlti webstie.
• Perform miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned.
• Attend weekly “Nuestro Grupo” meetings via zoom on Wednesdays from 7-8:30 pm
• Attend three lectures/talk per semester from scholars from the college of education, LBJ School of Public Policy, Mexican American Studies, or from the Center for Women and Gender Studies, and prepare write-ups. We will email relevant events with students, however, students are also encouraged to seek their own, and to share what they find with the rest of the team at meetings. Lecture/talk write-ups are opportunities for students to link theories and frameworks to an integrative and comprehensive approach to PK-20 education/Academia Cuauhtli.
• Students will be encouraged to join other Nuestro Grupo members and faculty and participate in the legislative process during the 2021 session in support of Ethnic Studies and other related proposals. Additional possible sites of intervention are the local school board, the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center board, and the State Board of Education.

**Teaching assistants will have the opportunity to collaborate with curriculum writing in the summer with experienced AISD teachers, bilingual teachers, researchers, professors, etc. August/September 2020.

Through teaching, students should learn to be able to

• Use enduring content and pedagogical knowledge to inform their teaching (know the content, critically evaluate the literature on effective practice)
• Develop relevant, rigorous and developmentally appropriate curricula (critically evaluate and apply literature on development learning)
• Modify curriculum and instruction based on individual needs of their students (address diversity in teaching/learning)
• Use assessment of their students’ learning and their own teaching to inform future planning and teaching (reflect on P-12 student learning outcome data, problem solve, critically evaluate the literature on effective practice for use in the classroom).
• Attend to the social and civic development of their students
• Work respectfully & collaboratively with colleagues & community to ensure quality instructional programs & stewardship of public schools.

To apply for this position, please email a resume and cover letter to Maria Unda, Graduate Research Assistant, at academiacuauhtli.ut@gmail.com.