Hispanic Heritage Month with Heart: Teaching Culture in Complex Times

Every September, teachers across the United States start asking the same question: How should I approach Hispanic Heritage Month in my classroom?

Posters, food days, and playlists are easy. But this year feels different—more complicated, more charged. Administrators worry about relationships with families, parents are tuned into the “tone” of what’s taught, students are flooded with content from social media, and teachers stand right in the middle of it all.

So, how do we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with meaning, depth, and heart? That was the focus of my recent webinar. Here are some key takeaways.

---

From “Them” to “Us”

Hispanic culture is not a visitor in this country—it’s part of the foundation. Spanish was the first European language spoken in what is now the U.S. Cities like Santa Fe, Los Angeles, and San Antonio carry that history in their very names. Today, more than 60 million Hispanics live in the U.S.—nearly 30% of the population.

That means Hispanic Heritage Month is not about celebrating a small “group over there.” It’s about celebrating our community. The less we place Hispanic culture in a corner, the more our students see that we all belong.

---

Why a Month, Not a Day

A single day would reduce the celebration to a mention. A month allows us to honor—to move beyond food, music, or trivia into conversations about dignity, contribution, and shared humanity.

---

How It Really Feels

A few years ago, I asked my students how they thought I felt during Hispanic Heritage Month.
“Happy,” they said. “Celebrated. Maybe you get presents?”

Not exactly. While advertising campaigns ramp up in September, many Hispanics don’t feel more welcome because of them. That’s why it’s so important for schools to reclaim this month for people—not marketing.

---

Start With Essential Questions

Instead of telling students what to think, invite them into reflection with questions like:

• What are we celebrating—really?
• Why does this celebration last a whole month?
• How is this about the entire community, not just one group?

Add clear protocols: disagree with ideas, not people; support claims with evidence; and listen with respect.

---

Addressing Stereotypes Head-On

We all know the stereotypes: They’re all from Mexico. They don’t speak English. They’re all undocumented. They only work in construction.

I’ve experienced this myself. In my first year of teaching in the U.S., a parent told me I should be cleaning bathrooms instead of teaching. Students hear those comments, too—which is why we can’t ignore them.

Try a “stereotype of the day”: name it, counter it with facts or stories, and reflect. Over time, those five minutes add up to real change.

---

Beyond Posters of Celebrities

Too many classrooms rely on the same familiar faces: Celia Cruz, César Chávez, Gloria Estefan. These figures are important, but focusing only on the past suggests there are no influential Hispanics today.

Bring in living voices—writers like Julia Alvarez, journalists like Jorge Ramos, scientists like Ellen Ochoa, muralists like Judith Baca, musicians like Gustavo Dudamel. Students are often surprised to learn that people they already admire are Hispanic. (Yes, even Carlos Santana—my teens knew Maria Maria before they knew the man behind it.)

---

Context That Surprises

Place names like Colorado, Nevada, Florida, and San Antonio remind us how deep Hispanic roots go. Many students assume these are English words. Those “aha” moments open doors to powerful historical conversations.

---

Humanizing the Immigrant Experience

Immigration is often politicized, but in the classroom it must remain human. Testimonies—whether from teachers, families, or community members—connect far more than data points ever could.

And yes, poetry works. Short, accessible, and emotional, poetry helps students feel the inner world of an immigrant: the loneliness, the pride, the nostalgia.

Nostalgia Migrante

In my own book of comprehensible poetry, Nostalgia Migrante, I write about the immigrant experience from the inside. Students usually answer, “Immigrants come for a better life.” True—but what does that better life cost? The poems reveal the emotional price: living between two worlds, missing family, carrying pride and grief at once.

For many students, poetry is their first doorway into empathy.

---

Activities That Stick

• Everyday Economics: Compare what $1 buys in the U.S. vs. 4,000 pesos in Colombia. Look at wages, housing, and healthcare. Numbers make empathy real.
• Cultural Comparisons: Start with shared values—family, hospitality, celebrations—before differences. This builds respect and prepares AP students for their cultural comparison.
• Collaborative Projects:
  • A mural called Stories That Inspire
  • A class newsletter with short profiles
  • A short video: Hispanic Contributions in My Daily Life
• Stereotype of the Day: A daily practice that dismantles misconceptions in small, steady steps.

---

Language Matters

The words we choose create the classroom climate. Instead of “illegals” or “foreigners,” use “documented and undocumented immigrants.” Repeat words like community, dignity, diversity, contribution, richness.

---

A Practical Sequence

In just one to two weeks, you can:

1. Launch with essential questions.
2. Add history and toponyms.
3. Run daily anti-stereotype reflections alongside testimonies and poetry.
4. Ask students: Where do I already touch Hispanic culture?
5. Wrap up with a collaborative showcase.

---

Keeping It Human

I’ll admit—I’ve made mistakes. In my early years, I reacted with anger in class. Staying silent isn’t the answer either. The balance is here: give students tools for critical thinking and empathy, without turning the classroom into a battlefield.

---

An Open Invitation

Last year, I launched Hispanic Heritage Month Zoom Gatherings with schools across the U.S. and Canada. Students prepared questions, and I shared as an immigrant, teacher, writer, and father. We connected—not about trivia, but about life. I’d love to continue that tradition.

---

CONCLUSION

Hispanic Heritage Month should help students become better human beings, not just better at memorizing capitals or menus. Less “us vs. them.” More we. Less surface. More story.

When we humanize culture, Spanish stops being just a subject and becomes a bridge—connecting my story to yours, our classroom to our community.

Real people. Real contributions. Real stories. That’s where the heart belongs.

Watch the webinar here: