Tulane University

From June 14-18, 2015, the Latin American Resource Center at Tulane University hosted a summer teacher institute for K-12 teachers entitled Somos Nos: Teaching Afro-Brazilian Identity. Co-organized and sponsored by the Center for Latin American Studies at Vanderbilt University and the Latin American and Caribbean Studies Institute and Portuguese Flagship Program at the University of Georgia, the program introduced K-12 teachers from across the southern United States to a variety of information about Brazilian Portuguese, Afro-Brazilian identity, Brazilian food, music, dance, and history. Presenters included scholars from Tulane, Vanderbilt, and the University of Georgia who are experts in various aspects of studying Brazil and Portuguese and who regularly teach about these topics. Participants also learned about how to integrate interactions with Portuguese speakers, community members, and others outside the school community into the classroom.

Participants had a chance to explore some of New Orleans during a trip to the Pebbles Center Westbank, in the Algiers Regional Library branch of the New Orleans Public Library, where they saw a public capoeira demonstration, by Capoeira NOLA, and learned about a capoeira hero, to fit into the theme of the New Orleans Public Library summer reading program, which talks about heroes. Photos from the event were featured on the online edition of the Times Picayune, NOLA.com.

The institute ended with all attendees presenting about how they will use the information garnered in this four day institute in the classroom. Ideas ranged from having students create museum displays about different Orishas to using music and dance in the classroom to introduce younger students to the culture of Brazil and similarities and differences between Brazil and Spanish-speaking areas of Latin America.

The Capoeira demonstration at the Pebbles Center.

Participants visit the Amistad Research Center at Tulane University.

Check out the event website for more details, a schedule, and information on resources for your classroom!

For more pictures from the event, visit the Stone Center flikr page.