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

The Comfort of Old Friends

When my horoscope read, “Get things done today so that you’ll have time later in the week to reconnect with someone,” I thought they were talking about the BF and I. Imagine my surprise when I’m walking out of the office and I hear a loud, raspy voice that could belong to none other than my mentee from two years ago.

She came by to say hello and we sat around for two hours talking about students, work, and her never-ending issues for not fitting the mold. Despite all the struggles, she’s maintained a sense of humor and has even more passion about educating our students.

I wish some people could get past their issues and realize what a great fit she is for our kids. I can vouch for her because for the last two years, the students I have received from her are kids that are prepared for me. They’ve retained instruction and have developed the work ethic needed to be 7^th graders. Sure, I have to nudge it out of them at first, but when I find out she was their teacher, I know they have no excuses. In her class, the expectations are never lowered—no matter what.

Being her mentor, I never felt I had anything to teach her. With her, I saw myself as someone who just needed to help her get situated in our school. She knew so much, not just because she was a good student but also because she had her Street Smarts Ph.D. In fact, I probably learned more from her than she did from me.

I know that when her path leads her elsewhere, so many kids are going to lose out. For many of them, she is that one chance that they have to finally break the mold and create a different future for themselves.

Directions Quiz

As a teacher, I get tired of telling kids, "Read the directions." This past week, it took my Pre-AP kids 25 minutes to revise a sentence because they didn't read directions. So, I decided it was time for a directions quiz. I googled and found one and made some modifications to fit my class.

It was comic relief Friday for me. I can't post pics of the kids, but I can post the quiz for you.

Directions Quiz

Read the entire quiz first, then follow the directions given. You have 10 minutes to complete this test. (Your teacher will be watching you and making notes of what you do, so read carefully!)

1. Write your name in the upper right hand corner

2. Put the date in the left hand corner

3. Write your age:

4. Write the name of the President of the U.S.

5. Write the name of the author of The Outsiders

6. Stand up and stretch.

7. Write your two favorite colors here: ____________ and _____________

8. Walk once around all the desks in the class.

9. Write the formula for a sentence*:

10. Put your left shoe on the desk and leave it there.

11. Get up and sharpen your pencil.

12. Fold this paper in half.

13. Add 237, 4986, and 866. Answer: __________________

14. After you do number 13, raise your hand for ten seconds.

15. Write the name of your favorite food: _______________

16. Sit down and stand up 10 times as fast as you can. Record how long it took you here: ________________

17. Print the name of the planet you live on ____________

18. Write down a compliment for the person to your right or left on the back of this paper.

19. Draw one red circle and two blue triangles on the bottom of this page.

20. Don’t follow these instructions. Instead, turn this paper face down and read your book quietly until time is called.

*The timer was sitting on top of the foldable we've been working on for sentence types. The formula for a sentence was to the left and I have them recite it weekly at least.

It's Been Such a Long Time...

There have been half a dozen times that I type up a blog post, but never get around to actually posting it. Some of them are saved and some have been lost.

Life has been going on, you know?

Work is good. Although I’m not leaving as early as I intended and sometimes it gets really crazy busy, it’s not so bad. I like my kids. The same kids I kept hearing were so horrible I’d want to flee the building screaming and pulling out my hair. Perhaps because of this reputation, I’d convinced myself that I was going to be a hard ass at first, and I guess I have been. I haven’t had many issues aside from the incessant gum referrals. I keep knocking on wood hoping that it’ll stay good all year long. We are just sliding down the October slope though. I’m determined not to spend the entire year in the dip though.

I suppose I should mention that I have a student teacher. She’ll only be with me for a couple weeks more and then off to the other end of the building. I had no idea it’d be so cool. I know a lot of it has to do with her being super awesome and me not being a demeaning witch, but it really does make the day go by swimmingly.

In the home front, I have two new pets. I actually just got them today. I named them Jeff and Kelley. I was told that those were stupid names, but the peeps that know me, know me know why I called them that. They’re happily floating in their plastic cylinder right now. I’m convinced to clear off my desk tonight, so I can sit in there and watch them as I force myself to work.

I’ve also gotten into the habit of podcasting the Rachel Maddow show and watching it before I go to bed. She cracks me up. In the mornings, I like to listen to Fresh Air. It makes the hair situation more bearable. I’ve been growing my hair out some, so now I must do more than rub in some gel and muss it up. Interestingly, my hair kind of resembles that of Rachel Maddow. I’m not sure how long I’m going to let it get, but it’s a nice change. I’d had the same hairstyle for ten years.

There’s not much else to really tell. I’ll probably disappear for another few weeks or months. The textbook committee meetings start up soon, and I’ll most likely be spending lots of free time on finding and defending the best book for our district. As big of a nerd as I am, I’m really excited about it.