Nuestro autorretratos / Our self-portraits

One of the many ways in which a positive sense of self is nurtured during Spanish class is by providing all students with the opportunity to create his or her self-portrait, autorretrato. By focusing on the study of self-portraiture, my aim is to emphasize the unique and individual characteristics and features of each brilliant child. It is also a community-building activity that helps students to get to know each other. And, it is an effective resource that enhances oral and written communication in the target language, español.

To commence the autorretrato project, we first read Bobbie Kalman’s book, “How we are the same and different?” This book brought awareness to some of the ways in which we are all alike and different such as physical similarities and cultural differences.

Afterwards, many discussions and readings were provided as we focused our attention on one of the most noticeable physical traits we all have the same yet different, nuestra piel (our skin).

To guide our conversations, we began by reading “The Colors of Us” by Karen Katz. In this story, a little girl is going to create her self-portrait and learns that brown comes in many different shades. Shelly Rotner and Sheila Kelly’s book, “Shades of People,” uses vibrant photographs of children of many ethnicities to emphasize the concept that we all come in a variety of shades, even in the same family. “Not colors, exactly, but shades.” Another great read was Sandra Pinkney’s book, “Shades of Black,” which uses stunning photographic portraits and beautiful descriptions of varied skin tones, hair textures and eye color. Her book then led us to read books that celebrate all kinds of hair such as  “I Love My Hair” by Natasha A. Tarpley and “Hairs @ Pelitos” by Sandra Cisneros. 

Our final read was Katie Kissinger’s book,  “All the Colors We Are – Todos los Colores de Nuestra Piel.” This story provided positive exploration and celebration of skin color differences as well as the scientifically accurate explanation of how our skin color is determined by our ancestors, the sun, and melanin.

Next, the students were taught some of the Spanish terminology and concepts associated with self-portraiture. Students learned in español some of the body parts with an emphasis on facial characteristics as well as common eye colors.

Key vocabulary:

autorretrato – self-portrait

piel – skin

cabeza – head

cara- face

pelo – hair

ojos – eyes

cejas – eyebrows

pestañas – eyelashes

orejas – ears

nariz – nose

boca – mouth

labios – lips

dientes - teeth

cuello – neck

hombros - shoulders

Afterwards, a canvas panel along with mirrors and multicultural colored tissue paper and craft items were provided. As the students observed themselves in the mirror to look closely at the details of their facial features, they were encouraged to discuss qué color (what color) comes closest to their piel (skin), to their ojos (eyes), to their cejas (eyebrows), to their boca (mouth), to their pelo (hair), and so on.

By combining what we learned with the personal nature of self-portraits, student learning became individualized and relevant to their experience. Although not all grades are quite finished with their autorretrato, I invite you to stop by and observe those that are done and hang on our hallway wall next to my office, El Palacio. It is an amazing display that truly highlights "the colors of us."