From Funds of Knowledge to Community Funds of Knowledge and Identity: educational practices rooted in their communities / De los Fondos de Conocimiento a los Fondos Comunitarios de Conocimiento e Identidad: prácticas educativas arraigadas en sus comunidades

Abstract

The work of Luis Moll has been fundamental in the development of the ‘Funds of Knowledge’ approach, which has inspired projects aimed at valuing the knowledge held by the families of culturally diverse students. From a social justice perspective, its inclusion in schools enables: (1) the generation of contextualized, meaningful learning; (2) relationships of mutual trust between teachers, families and the community; and (3) the promotion of educational transformations. This article furthers the contribution to the field with the notion of ‘Community Funds of Knowledge and Identity’ (CFK&I), understood to be common goods — natural, cultural, historical or oral — of the local area, that serve as learning resources and foster shared identifications. By examining three experiences, we illustrate how this perspective enables the bond between school and family to be transcended, generating networks among diverse agents and converting the territory into a pedagogical mediator. Challenges are identified, such as the projects’ sustainability, the lack of synchrony among the actors involved and the need for institutional policies that recognize and support these practices, as well as documenting the processes and clarifying the roles from the beginning.