Engaging in Travesuras: A Latino Fifth-Grader’s Disassociation from the Schoolboy Label

Abstract

This case study examines José, a bilingual Latino fifth-grader, and his complex and dynamic engagements in travesuras (mischievous behaviors). José’s travesuras served to disassociate him from being labeled a “schoolboy.” This disassociation was evident in how José: (1) renounced “school-like” work and (2) downplayed his intelligence. José had been pigeonholed—for the most part—as a smart student who should have known better than to behave inappropriately. Implications point to how to create more nurturing and enriching experiences for urban Latino youth such as José.