Corridos

My new school is different. It’s on the opposite side of this “city.”


The students, although relatively the same age, are different. Their recall is much better thanks to different sleep habits and better nutrition at home. The air of entitlement bugs me though. My ethics bother some of them thinking that a phone call from home will make me back down, but I double cross every “t” and double dot every “I”.

El Jabon

Growing up, my mom always bought the cheapest dish soap available. Back in those days, the cheap stuff was good. It wasn't watered down and it washed the dishes pretty good.

When I got my own place, I would go for smell. Then, I got all into "green" products. Recently though, I received an Influenster box with three bottles of Palmolive Fresh Infusions. Three bottles is way too much since between Daniel and I, we don't really have that many dishes to wash.

Anyway, I took a bottle to my sister's during Thanksgiving break and we were all in love with the smell. Plus, it foamed up and washed the dishes pretty well. It's readily available at my usual Target and Wal-Mart.

Gone

I finally did it. I left the place I began my teaching career. I always heard that it would be a sad and difficult even, but it turns out, it wasn’t.


I’m not saying I didn’t contemplate the decision for a long, long time. It’s just that once I decided I was going to leave, I got a lot of support from a few good people, and it just made it all easier. I almost faltered when we were discussing plans for the upcoming year—getting hopeful, thinking of the possibilities. But then, those few good people reminded me it was time for me to go and grow.

It was quite daunting, too. The first task was re-creating a resume which took me a few weeks until my friend held me hostage at Starbucks awaiting a completed copy. Then, there was the intense application process which I started one Friday afternoon after a long and intense week. Then, it was talking to my former principal who seemed to always have someone in her office when I got up the nerve. Then, there was the task of packing up the classroom I’d made my home for the last few years, but a student got me started on this task one afternoon by insisting she stay afterschool to help. Then, there was the interview process which seemed totally derailed by my unprecedented extended stay in El Paso earlier this summer, but somehow it all worked out. And, I was offered a position without ever having a face-to-face interview.

I know this is sort of cheesy, but this entire process has reaffirmed my faith. Since last summer, I prayed. I asked for things to work out for the best, and if I was meant to leave, let things work out in my favor. So perhaps, this is why it wasn’t so sad or difficult.

I’m excited about my new school. The student population is more diverse, and they will be taking on the 1:1 computer initiative which means, I will have a computer but the students won’t until the following year. It’ll be cool starting this whole process over again because I can try things differently, and I can assist with the roll out by sharing what worked and what didn’t. I’ll have new colleagues. But best of all, I am teaching English which for us is Writing. I will miss exploring literature, but I know that the “book whisperer” in me will never leave. I will always have book suggestions for students.

I’m glad to have gone through this process because had I not; I would continue to take compliments at face value. I am a good teacher, and I have done a lot in my short time in education, and I have a lot to offer students.
I am, for the first time in a while, super excited about the upcoming year.

It's funny how as we grow older, waking up early becomes an everyday thing. As much as I love to sleep, I know that if I don't wake up early on the weekends the work week is going to be utter hell.

I went outside this morning and I saw some intersting things:

Absence

In the time that I've been gone, I haven't done too many exciting things.

The Power of Literature

With the end of the Potter series looming at the end of the week, and the Twilight series final movie installments just around the turn of the calendar, some people are saying good-bye to their childhood literature comforts.


It’s moments like this that I like to step back and people watch. And I can’t help get emotional. Not because I’m sad that it’s the end of the series, but because of the immense power literature holds over people.

As a lover of words and stories, I have always found comfort in stories, poetry, and my own words. For so long, I felt like I was the only one who felt this need to live between the pages of Superfudge, wishing Ivon Villa from Desert Blood:The Juarez Murders really existed so I could call her up and chat, wondering what people said about the Buendias in Macondo, creating my own world in which I was whoever I wanted to be at the moments. But as I’ve taken my wonky path through life, I’ve found other people like me.

It’s incredible how the simple act of opening a book can change a person forever. And that, is not only why I love reading and writing, but also why I don’t ever want to stop teaching.

I Think...

Chasing Brooklyn

I just finished reading Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder, and I’m emotionally spent. It was such an incredibly sad story.  One of the most touching poems is the following:

#289

Dear Lucca,

I miss you.

I miss your beautiful blue eyes and the love I saw in

them for me.

I miss your hand that held mine.

I miss your arms around me.

I miss your lips on mine

I miss your laughter.

I miss the way you called me Brooker the Looker

I miss your voice and the sweet everythings you

whispered in my ear.

I miss the drawings you showed me before anyone else.

I miss our midnight conversations for no other reason

than to say, “I love you.”

I miss how I felt safe when I was with you.

I miss you, Lucca.

For my whole life, I will miss you.

Love always,

Brooklyn

Although the resolution seems to come too easily, this book is so powerful. It tells a tale of lost love, and yet, it offers so much hope.

Brooklyn and Nico are complex characters depicted through the simplistic language of Lisa Schroeder. It was hard to put this book down. I'm so glad one of my students recommended it for me.

A Long Awaited Break

It seems like last week could not end fast enough. Every day, I would wake up thinking it was the next day.

An Allegory

There are many similes and metaphors teachers can use to describe what it’s like to be a teacher these days, running on a treadmill, a mountain being capped by snow, etc.

This morning, I woke with that sentence on my mind, and had to add but to it. Because those comparisons are old and trite in my mind, I’d much prefer to use an allegory at this moment…

No Gimmicks Required

This school year, I ventured onto a new endeavor with my students—get them to read and write. This transformation has been in the making for quite some time, I just didn’t know how to let go. Really, all it takes is what I like to call grassroots teaching.

NJWP-Week One

Today marks the end of week one of the New Jersey Writing Institute. We have two left, and I already feel a pang of sadness that it will be over soon.

Some people would ask why. They would claim that I’m giving up a lot of my summer. Time to sit by a pool or on the beach. Movie time I won’t get back. Sunny afternoons clacking away at Barnes and Noble keeping a slightly sweetened black iced tea and outrageous oatmeal cookie close by.

The truth, it’s all worth it. In just this first week, I have learned so much, been validated in regard to my teaching and writing, and inspired on so many levels.

I want to shrink Mona and Janice to tuck them away in my pen/pencil pouch so that I can pull them out in the middle. The period of time “that defines what kind of teachers we really are.”

Sure, I have my notes to go back to and the textbook is mine, but it just isn’t the same. It’s the comradery and voice of reason from the people who teach the process that makes this Institute what it is.

I wish I could require all of our teachers to attend. I know that this would change some of their mentality and in turn, provide our kids with the education they deserve. 

Los Mojaditos: A Portrait

I love this photograph because it is probably the only one with all of my siblings. On the left in the white undershirt and jeans is my brother Filly. Next to him in the white jeans is Silvia, the oldest of our sisters. Next to her is Richy, the oldest of our brothers. On the bottom from left to right are Jorge, me, and Gabi.

I can’t remember if this photograph was taken at our house on Rita street or the previous house. All I know is that we’d been in the country a couple of years and we were all still illegal.

Thinking back at how things were, I wonder how we did it. How did my mom do it to feed all of us, clothe us, and keep a roof over our head. I didn’t know how hard it was for my oldest sister who had been forced to move when she had already started her own life in Juarez. I didn’t know how bad school was for Gabi and Jorge.

There are a few memories in there of fights between my parents and the fear of perhaps my mom not coming home one day because she’s been deported. However, for the most part, I was a really happy kid. I had some books, a record player, a Tatiana LP recording of Osito Panda, a Cri-Cri LP, and playing outside with our neighbors or my siblings was the best thing ever, especially if we took a trip to the park. 

Rigor

This year, our principal assigned us some summer reading. People groaned when they heard that they’d have to read the student summer reading as well as a teacher book. I didn’t say much because I’m a nerd and I usually read that kind of stuff.

The book we were assigned is Rigor is NOT a Four-Letter Word by Barbara R. Blackburn. She will be presenting during one of our start of year in-services, too.

It’s an interesting book thus far (I’m only two chapters in). Blackburn tries to be interactive by posing questions and allowing space to write out your answer, kind of like a worksheet. I don’t think the books are ours to keep, so I’ve been making my notes elsewhere. One of the “assignments” was to:

Write a letter to a friend or colleague. Project yourself in the future; date it one year from today. Now, explain what happened in your classroom over the last year as you increased rigor. What did you do? How did your students respond over time? What was your biggest success? Even though you are writing what you hope will happen, write it in past tense, as though it has already occurred. (18)

Seeing as how I’ve been ignoring this here blog, I thought I’d post the letter here.

June 9, 2011

Dear Blogueros,

My 6^th year of teaching has come to a close and I can’t believe how awesome it was. If you had asked me at the end of last year if any year could be better, I’d have been doubtful.

Armed with experience and more knowledge, my students grew by leaps and bounds. My lessons were not only engaging, but challenging as well. Can you believe that the Shakespeare unit was an even bigger hit? The kids had so much fun doing the research about Shakespeare’s life. They actually did research. RESEARCH!!!

Not only that, my kids read, A LOT. All of the changes that I started implementing at the end of my 5^th year were a great way to start (reader’s response journals, keeping a list of books that were and weren’t read, me reading more), and I think it made a huge difference with my students. It was also pretty cool that I had more support when it came to students having reading material at all times since this was a requirement across the board.

Their writing was also way better than any other kids I’ve taught. I know it was me, too because I really used all the cool strategies I learned this summer in my staff development. Can you believe that we got more 3’s and 4’s than ever on the state exam?

What I’m most proud of though has to be the growth in student vocabulary. It’s amazing. In the past, it was always a big dark cloud over my head because I didn’t know how to get them to learn the words. I mean, I could get them to memorize the definitions, but I couldn’t get them to keep them long term or relate them to other words that were similar.

I know that at first my students thought I was crazy, which is not unusual in my case, but at the end of the year, they really got it. They saw that together, we demolished all of those fences people like to build around them. I know it increased their confidence and for many of them, that was the missing factor.

I am so glad I changed my ways. I really think I’m on the right track now. I can’t wait for school to start, so I can start on my new crop of kids.

Sincerely,

LBG

Petite Rocollections of Jorge

We’re in the toy section at Winn’s next to the Diary Queen on Alameda Ave. Jorge is 13 and I’d just turned 5.

“¿Cúal quieres?”

I look at my options. Rainbow Bright is cool, but Lurky is just so cool. He’s brown and furry and would probably make an awesome pillow. After some thought, I decide on Lurky.

I watch him shell out the $17 for it and feel somewhat embarrassed that he would spend so much money on me, but at the same time so special.

Catching Up-A Long One

So much has gone on lately, but I haven’t had the will to sit and type about it. Sometimes I wish I could get back into the blogging groove and write an entry at least once a week. Other times, I sort of forget about my blog altogether.


It’s just weird, you know? How much do you tell? How much do I want to tell?


I do think that I should start updating once a week. Work it into my schedule like I do with my grading—I hang out on Friday afternoon to get all caught up.


So in an effort to get this all up to date, I offer to you a bulleted list:

Babies, babies, babies

It seems like everyone is having a baby these days. It's kind of exciting to welcome all these new little people to the world.

I don't have much else. I just thought I'd post something since I came on here to change my profile pic. That's the longest I've had my hair in years. Locks of Love, here I come!

THESE Kids...

All of last year, I heard about the kids I would be getting this year. I heard all about how horrible they were, how they would not follow the rules, how they could get away with murder, how difficult they were to teach.

Although it was in the back of my mind, I kept my mind open. The first time I met them was at summer reading camp and they were good for the most part. I was also able to meet some during orientation. Still, there weren’t any major problems.

Despite all the complaints people have about our current kids, I got lucky with the kids I got. They are pretty good. Sure, I have a handful of super chatty ones and some supremely aloof ones, but for the most part, they are pretty good.

Many kids have turned me into a character in their fractured fairytales. Today, when I got a mean edge in my voice when my last class would not stop talking, they looked at me with deer in the headlight eyes and got super quiet. When school was over and the kids were leaving, one of my super chatty, hyper active kid shouted out my name and gave me a big wave and huge grin as he walked out the doors.

As I sat at my desk grading away the afternoon, I realized that these kids are working for me because I am finally ready for them. I am a much better teacher. I still have my lapses, but overall, I am becoming the teacher these kids deserve.

The State of My Blog

I’ve been thinking about this blog—about why I hardly ever write here anymore. Last week, it was raining and I was preparing to go into Kroger for a round of groceries and it all came together. I don’t write in here because I feel like I should write only about education, yet there is nothing that says that is the only subject I should write about. Just another example of the imaginary obstacle courses I create in my mind.

So a list, if you will, of things that I’ve been up to.

Hair!

I am still growing it out. It’s really pretty strange to run my hands through it and have to buy hair products and spend time on it. Last time I went in for a trim, the new hair girl was sure I was done and there to chop it all off. I’m determined to grow it out to at least my shoulders. After that, there is no telling. I may go back to the pixie cut or keep it long. It is just hair after all. I know it seems sort of a paradox that I made that last comment and I write a whole paragraph about it. Sometimes I think my determination comes from some people around me betting on my failure.

Beauty

For some reason, last year around the start of school, I decided I should start wearing makeup. Prior to that, I only wore a swipe of mascara, face powder, and lipstick on special occasions. Now, I’m all about the eye shadow. I’ve spent countless hours on YouTube learning about brushes and color combinations and techniques. It’s sort of fun to play with it. Sometimes it ends up really bad and I just wipe it all off and start all over and I think that’s what I like the best about it.

I’ve also gotten back into painting my nails. I stopped this trend when I started wearing acrylics and then last summer, after a particularly painful and horrible experience at the nail salon, I was done. My nails are still healing from the battle wounds, but they are much better. One of my students always comments on my nails. I think she finds it amusing to keep track of the colors I wear and whether or not they match my outfits.

Books

I’ve read a few books, still on the more reading than writing kick. One of the more interesting YA books I’ve read in a while is If I Grow Up by Todd Strasser. It’s pretty bleak, but very good. I think everyone should read this book. The insight it provides is unmatched. It’s sort of like Speak and The Throw Away Piece. These difficult tales, that make me want to smack some of the adults in the books over the head and said, “Can’t you see that kid needs help!” It reminds me to be more sensitive to my students.

Currently, I’m reading Mare’s War by Tanita S. Davis. It’s about these two teenage girls forced to go on a road trip with their weird grandmother who doesn’t like to be called Grandma. It’s taken me a while to get through it because I haven’t taken a day to just immerse myself in it. I do like it though. I like how the story weaves the past and the present.

Audio books have also become part of my life. That is how I got through the Twilight Series. I listened to every other book (New Moon and Breaking Dawn). I’m thinking about going to get My Life in Paris from the public library.

Speaking of which, I just saw Julie/Julia and I loved Meryl Streep. I found myself gushing over her. I know, what a cheese ball. I just love the Julia she portrays. She’s fierce and ruthless and the person I want to be. After reading the Julie/Julia book this summer, I was so inspired and despite what the reviews said, I felt the same way after watching the movie. The Julie parts were a bit annoying, but the Julia parts were amazing.

Interview Judge

This last week, I had an opportunity to be a judge for the Decathlon Competition. I was helping with the interviews. It was pretty cool because the first student to walk in was one of my former students. She was awesome, but I think the best interview we had was with this young lady, a senior, who had the most amazing story.

When she walked in, she treaded carefully because the floor was so slippery. When she got to the desk she was supposed to sit at, she took a deep breath, studied it for a minute before trying to wedge herself into it. I felt for her because I have the same problem—always have. I was up first and asked something lame like, “Why did you decide to join the Decathlon team?”

As the interview went on, she said that college wasn’t a possibility for her. We were interviewing the honors kids, so this kind of surprised me. So when my turn came around again, I asked, “Is there anything else you want to tell us about yourself?”

We were told to ask a variation of that question somewhere during the interview because they’d been practicing their response. Anyway, her response was completely unexpected. It turns out that she is the legal guardian of four of her family members, so she can’t go to college because she has to work to take care of these kids. At one point during her story, I had to look down until I was able to control the water works.

She reminded me of Precious. Her story can teach people. Her story can change the way people are. Her story is only one of the many dreams deferred that sit in our honors program classes. The ones shake our heads at because someone should do something, yet we do nothing.

As the Kids Say...Be There!

You’re invited to the first Children’s Prison Arts (CPAP) Fundraising Mixer!

October 27, 2009

AvantGarden (411 Westheimer, Houston, TX 77006 / 832-519-1429)

Avantgardenhouston.com

6-9 pm

CPAP is a nonprofit arts education organization founded by Gypsy Walker in 1993 to introduce juvenile offenders in correctional facilities and shelters to an innovative educational theater and visual arts forum where they can express their thoughts and visions in constructive ways in Houston, Texas. 

CPAP is funded in part by grants from The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, The Brown Foundation and The Houston Endowment.

Please come and enjoy yourself after a long work day and support this important project.

Any contribution helps

$10      one acrylic paint jar

$20      one canvas

$30      refreshments for youth after a performance

$50      printing of 100 postcards that advertise CPAP art exhibits or performances

$100    paint and three canvases for one art session (10 hours)

$200    costumes for theater production

$400    salary for visual art instructor (10 hours) or theater instructor (10 hours)

$500    half a year of office supplies

$1000 framing of 6 juvenile art works

Carolina Villarroel, President

Gabriela Baeza Ventura, Vice president

Laura Zubiate, Treasurer

Georgina Baeza, Secretary

For more information on CPAP visit http://www.childrensprisonart.org/gallery.htm