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Iflyfish
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Posts: 3747
Registered: 10-17-2006
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"If a student has one person in school who cares about you then they are less likely to drop out" Paraphrase of Colleen Bondy. How do you quantify
care? There is no test for the impact on the heart/mind/soul of a quality Educator.
"I asked the kid who was skateboarding in my class and carrying his guitar in obvious defiance of the school rules to play his guitar for us and he
played incredibly and that turned his school and personal life around" Paraphrase of Colleen Bondy.
This is a great interview of an excellent Educator telling it how it really is. You should be very proud Ken of the wonderful daughter you have
raised.
As a society the US has blamed and scapegoated educators for the problems in education, totally ignoring the context of the children, the changes in
the society and the constraints on teachers to "teach to the test".
Listen to this wonderful Educator talk about how it was for her to be evaluated by the standardizing she is exposed to.
"Teaching at the end of the day is a relationship" Colleen Bondy.
Thanks for posting this very compelling interview.
Iflyfish
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BajaBlanca
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Posts: 13196
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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thanks IFLYFISH and Ken and windgrrl and and family guy
It was David, who was our guest and now our dear friend, who said we should have the kids cook and the experience went way beyond my expectations ....
created a wonderful atmosphere and boy did it take the pressure off me
so, I just made teriyaki chicken for the first time in my life and it is easy and delish, so next Saturday they will help make it. since I have never
been to Japan and the idea was to talk about experiences in the countries I had gone to, I am adding sweet and sour chicken from China as well, for us
to prepare. I have been there and I have Yuan money and cloisonne items and photos of the great wall and various palaces and funny stories to share.
I loved the interview .... I could hear myself in her voice .... once you make the connection, you have won that kid over forever. and yes, one can
lose them probably much easier than win them over. Your daughter, Ken, is obviously very gifted. and California should be ashamed that it isn't
illegal to have 55 kids in a class.
so here goes another one for the record: two la bocana boys had dropped out of high school here last year. They were in the bicycle club and we
spent a lot of time together discussing bikes, going to the various villages for races and just hanging out here at the house. So, last summer I
suggested they go to work at the cooperative plant here in la bocana, so they could see what working with the body rather than the brain really was
all about.
They did it for 2 weeks and went to the high school and registered for this year !!! Oh my gosh !!! They both swore they would NEVER work at there
again, the experience was horrendous. The hours really long and the work for those doing temp work is the worst, which makes sense to the boss but
boy, were they shocked.
Now both Alfonso and Julian are straight A students and our discussions are about which college they want to go to and what major they might choose.
Their personal stories are sad, each one has had hardships that I wish I could do away with. But, my role, as I see it, is to inspire with my teaching
English. and now, with food/cooking too.
So, what I do ask, amigos, is that when you come to Baja, no matter what village you visit, or which school you go to (elementary - middle - high
school), bring some pens, pencils, notebooks and spread the fun. Trust me, the pen I give one student for doing good at a game or on a quiz or for
participating, may just make the breakthrough that Ken's daughter mentioned. And YOU can make this happen for a Baja teacher. An average class here
is 39 students max. Once it hits 40, the class is split. So, 2 boxes will give one full class a pencil. And the thing is, some kids have parents
who support their studies but most of the parents only have a 3rd grade education and don't realize that the kids need pencils and pens and high
lighters and erasers. So, I get these middle school kids with one inch pencils and no erasers voila, the next day the prize I give out is pencils.
Which, I might add, wonderful BajaNomaders have kindly kept me supplied with !!!
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BajaBlanca
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Posts: 13196
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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wow.....wonderful baja nomader edzeranski brought me manicotti pasta .... I am so excited about a new menu item to add ....
two tidbits to add to this thread
1. I decided to take this weekend off ... after 4 weeks of three day prep time, I need a break !
2. careful what you wish for: yesterday was DIA DEL ESTUDIANTE, which is a huge celebration here in Mexico. So, for my morning classes, the
students asked if they could go outside and play soccer. Sure, I said. Then I told the advanced group that they could work in the audio-visual room,
if they wanted. And for the regular (read used to be monstrous) students, I also mentioned ... never ever ever thinking they would take me up on it
..... that whomever did not want to go outside could have class with me. and 10 students stayed LOL
so, my monster students are now very dedicated. I cannot tell you how astounded I was that they wanted class. I came home in absolute awe. They have
transformed beyond my wildest dreams.
Thanks again to Ed who really went out of his way to find the caneloni. and to my mom who sent me little gifts that I will put in goodie bags on the
last day of class these kids will have with me, at the end of June. What I was previously looking so forward to, I now dread. It will be a very sad
day.
[Edited on 6-2-2012 by BajaBlanca]
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BajaBlanca
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Posts: 13196
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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got pencils and paper for the kids today .... lots of both ! yahoooooo
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
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Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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baja blanca
I tip my hat to you !!! awsome !! K&T
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BajaBlanca
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Posts: 13196
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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thanks captkw ! My hat tipped right back at ya !
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DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
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Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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Children especially adolescents are always hungry. Pilár now age 11 used to go bonkers over my banana nut bread. So at age 8, I struck a deal. When
she completed her homework assignment and I reviewed it and thought she had attempted to learn from it, I rewarded her with a slice of bread and a
glass of ice cold fresh milk --- things that are not easily available nor inexpensive (hence out of reach of her, her sister Dalia, or their parents).
Her teacher later explained to me that she thought the improvement was un milágro, a miracle. Then I involved both her and Dalia in the kitchen. Dalia
was then age five and desperately wanted to learn how to crack eggs without breaking the yolk or raining egg shell bits. After she learned I got a
huge hug.
Children NEED adult participation in their lives. All children of any nationality need to be read to starting around age two or three, at bedtime. Not
five minute's worth, but twenty to a half hour. They go to sleep dreaming of candy land and friendly huggable animals. It's Pavlov at his finest.
Children soon learn to associate reading with parental love, imagination, and sweet dreams.
Thanks BajaBlanca, I needed a booster shot for my beliefs and you and the responses above gave it to me.
-El Abuelito-
[Edited on 6-2-2012 by DavidE]
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
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BajaBlanca
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Posts: 13196
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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de nada abuelito ... so here is more fun from Satuday June 2:
Three of our guests wanted supper at the last minute, so the boys and I went to work on dinner !! The meal was a sweet and sour chinese chicken with
rice on the side, chicken pesto and corn on the cobb, cole slaw, freah tossed salad, and a double chocolate cake. I was so impressed with the boys -
they plunged right in and did GREAT !! and they made $45 !!
LONDON HERE WE COME !
preparing the chicken:
reading the recipe:
preparing the chicken pesto:
and this last one was actually a hilarious scene ... Poncho had never used beaters before and I was busy elsewhere and he beat and beat and beat the
cake some more til I realized this had gone on for toooooo long. We all laughed a lot but the double chocolate cake came out REALLY GOOD. We had the
leftovers today and yum yum yum.
and here are our customers eating away:
I am really proud of the boys - they are so out of their comfort level and really showing motivation to work .... and at this rate we will reach our
goal.
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BajaBlanca
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Posts: 13196
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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somewhere Shari asked about passports and visas....they will have to get their passports this summer while they are out of school. It takes about 2
hours.
There is no visa needed for England. It is given once you arrive.
We will most likely be leaving via san diego - that part I do not know .... I guess they will need a visa to leave out of a U.S. airport ???? maybe
someone else knows how this works...and I also do not know if they need a parental letter permitting them to travel out of Mexico without mom and dad?
In Brazil you do. In the US, I never used to need special permits but things may have changed now...anyone know ?
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BajaBlanca
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Posts: 13196
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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I have been thinking about paypal - would someone in la paz and maybe someone in the states be willing to be our treasurer for all those friends who
want to donate ?????
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BajaBlanca
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Posts: 13196
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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Here are some pics of yesterday's lunch ... it was stuffed manicotti - the pasta brought by EdZeranski and Mr. Valentine:
even had a middle schooler show up and watch the fun:
and the result was very delicious:
these kids are now hooked on Italian, I am afraid..... They have asked to make lasagna next week. One of my favorite meals, so bring it on !
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