Holler If you hear me

What was the attitude of the teachers?

- "Don't worry about it," one teacher told me. "Just do what you can with them, but you can't do much." She wasn't the only one who felt that way. The fourth grade teacher of some of the kids had reveled in calling them "stupid" and a teacher down the hall frequently referred to the entire group as "the criminials"

What did Armando like to do as a sixth and seventh grader?

"Armando always liked to test me. When he was my student during his sixth and seventh grade years, he would quiz me on Bulls statistics or obscure information from the back of basketball trading cards, hoping to come upon a fact I didn't know. Or sometimes he'd question me about a math problem, only to snicker when I had to use the book for clarification.

Armando said, "Don't pick me"- Explain

"No, I mean, I want to be in your class," he explained delicately, tracing Interstate 40 through Tennessee on the map with his finger, "I just don't wanna be dumb next year."

What reasons went through Michie's mind to not take the position at Quincy? Did he take the job or not and why?

-He says he'll take the job even though he was some worries since he grew up differently

"Sometimes it seemed like...............one long fight for control. Expound on that.

-He wanted to remain calm

What does Hector want to do with his life?

-He wants to get away from where he lives. Really really far away. Or join the marines

"A big part of teaching, I believed, was........The events of the morning, however, were forcing me to second guess this position."-Explain

-He wants to make a connection with the kids without touching them but doesn't know how to show it.

What was Tavares' idea?

-He was still mad and suggested that they put the school on trial for unfair rules.

Why did Michie write, "what we want to learn about" on the board?

-He was trying to interest the kids in exploring the civil rights movement and the life of Martin Luther Kind, but they resisted. They knew King was important but that was about it. They knew none of the details of Black America's struggle for racial justice. This made me even more convinced that studying the civil rights movement was important for them, but after 3 days of getting nowhere. I had decided to shelve it, at least for the time being.

How did Michie prepare himself?

-He went to the public library and got as many books as possible and tried to learn as much as possible.

"The changing of the guards took place." What happened next?

-Hector began firing paper missiles at other students

"they first needed...............distant Mexican dust." - Explain

-How some of the kids would make American culture superior to their own. And leaving their Mexican heritage in the past. The older Mexican kids are telling the new Mexican kids to put their heritage in the past and to move on and become more American.

1. News outlets often follow the dictum "if it bleeds..." what is meant by this?

-It bleeds. Things happen.

What was Michie's first impression of Quincy Elementary?

-It made him scared

Describe Audy home.

-It was a juvenile detention center, he had no freedom there

"Sometimes that's what being a teacher is: ............give the kids room to learn." Expound on that.

-Knowing when to crumple up your plans and give the kids room to learn. You'll take time out of your own schedule to help the kids if they need it

"Many Quincy parents were overprotective........."- Explain

-Mainly Mexican families, very close knit, very protective of their kids

What are the issues that marginalized or disadvantaged people speak of with excitement, anger, fear or hope?

-Marginalized people are people in poverty, from other countries, speak a foreign language, and with disabilities. We can always do more as teachers to try and help those that are marginalized.

Who was Manning? What was his credo?

-Mr. Manning was the school's disciplinarian, his credo was "Handle it in the classroom"

"They are kids........Holler if you hear."- Explain

-Never underestimate kids. They are always listening and watching. Don't shut them down because they didn't answer something right cause then they wont want to try again.

Describe Michie's childhood and upbringing.

-Not a very diverse upbringing

"Too often I am filled with despair..........................Greg Michie and his students give me that hope."- Explain

-Our education system constantly fails our students and tries to blame the students rather than take responsibility for their failure. People are in poverty attending these schools. If you want change, you have to make the change.

Hector's suggestion was to put the gangbangers where? Why?

-Put them in the army because prison doesn't help, it just makes them crazier

Describe Ms. Weisman

-She was a professional, very direct and motivated but wouldn't motivate others

Describe Tavares' time living with his mom.

-She worked a lot, so he didn't get to do much with her, she dropped out of college, single mom,

"In too many schools, the tests now .........., classes and programs have been cut back or eliminated altogether at some schools."- How do you react to this?

-Teachers were told to cut back on certain classes in order to focus on testing instead. With certain classes and programs if you weren't being tested in it somehow, it would likely be cut. Cutting these out, eliminates the students possibilities for their future.

"Greg Michie's route reminds me ..........., to change plans midstream if need be."- Explain

-Teaching comes from willing to take risks and make mistakes.

"A truly liberating classroom...........challenging spirit of teaching."- Explain

-The children have freedom to learn and speak and be heard. There will be rules, but the kids will have room to be themselves

1. Describe the scenario when according to the ............been under way for 5 minutes.

-The class has started but nobody in the class is ready yet.

"Tightened apron strings can mean lost opportunities for the children."- Explain

-The mom is too high strung and won't let their child grow up

Describe his first day of subbing.

-The students were rowdy and didn't notice him for the first hour, but once he mentioned Michael Jordan, they started to pay attention. Mentioning someone they know, helped them. They immediately gave him their attention.

"Getting an email or phone call .............the true joys of teaching."-Who are we talking about here?

-Their former students who were impacted by them. It helps the teachers remember why they went into teaching, that they're doing something right.

Describe the courtroom scene.

-There were 7 judges who were all students... Nathan was the lawyer for the students. Tavares didn't get the position he wanted because Nathan was more popular. Tavares has to represent the teachers and administrators instead. He wins. He's very smart and knows how to argue something even if he doesn't agree with it.

"If a person was to sincerely look.....scared young people." Who are these guys and what are they scared of?

-They are "gangbangers", they're scared young people afraid of life without stability, afraid of being shot at and killed, can't live a free life, constantly on edge.

Why did Ellison's reading teacher abruptly resign?

-They broke her will by running over her like a steam roller. She went from a school with lots of discipline to zero discipline, she couldn't survive.

Compare Chicago's night sky to the Campground's night sky.

-They were amazed at all the lights in the sky because they'd never seen it like that

Describe Tavares' job selling magazines.

-Travelled around the country, knocked on about 150 doors a day, 6 days a week. People didn't want to buy it, then he'd give them reasons to buy it. He'd convince them. He also went to rich neighborhoods to try and sell, and this is where he sees african americans living in palaces, and he was amazed, he had never seen it before.

"Most of all, it's about what we owe them: ............an education worthy of their promise."- Your thoughts?

-We owe them all the abilities to fulfill their utmost desires and allow them to explore different things and test their skills and knowledge. Give them hands on things. Allow them to use all of their various senses.

Describe Hector's place.

-a fridge without a door, half a dozen goldfish, television cables, desk in shambles, clothes thrown about

What did Michie find out about the main reason Hector was fighting with the other boy?

-he was worried and wanted to make sure shes ok, he doesn't like that his sister is sick

"I wanted to comfort him,...........Never touch a student." - Explain

-he was worried because of everything diana said, he has second thoughts, but wants to show he's there for them

Describe Quincy's neighborhood.

-known as packingtown, the people who were originally there, left once the mexicans started to move in

At first glance, what was Camp Glenview like? Describe the schedule.

-looked like most children's retreats: CAVERNOUS DINNING HALL FILLED WITH ROWS OF PICNIC TABLES, cramped cabins with rickety bunk beds and cement floors, communal showers, small lake, basketball court -wake up, eat, go to class, eat, more classes, eat again, recreation

Bob and Michie decided to start where?

-on what it means to be a Mexican American

"I never thought you could do that in a book."- Do what?

Cisneros wrote about a lot of things that are hard to talk about, or painful to admit, but she had the guts to bring them out. She also brought out a lot of the suffering and a lot of the issues that affect Mexicans, and that affect women. I never thought you could do that in a book. I always thought you had to have these long, nice sentences, but she has some sentences that are only one word. But they still say a lot.

What is the highest goal for most of the girls in Nancy's neighborhood? What is their dream?

I think for most girls in my neighborhood, their highest goal is to graduate high school. If you go to college, that's something beyond, like "Wow, you're going to college." But for Mexican girls, their goal is to graduate high school. But their dream? = Getting married. "Their dream is, "Oh, I wanna get married and have kids and cook for my husband and have food for him when he comes home." Also, their dreams are to have the biggest wedding, the fluffiest dress, with the longest tail.

Why does Nancy want to continue to stay in the neighborhood?

I told my ma I don't want to move out of here, because one day I plan to teach at Quincy. I think it would be nice for a kid to have a teacher who can say, "I live right next door to you, and I've lived here all my life." I'm staying. I think the kids will look at me different. They can say, "My teacher lives in my neighborhood. She's lived here all her life. She's just like me."

Describe the Studio incident.

I took the girls to the studios of WIND, an all-spanish radio station, to record their stories in a professional sound studio. They all had the jitters at first - probably intimidated by the slow whir of the reel-to-reel tape machine or the oversized microphone that hung in front of them, seemingly staring them down, daring them to speak. But once we get rolling, they tried to ignore the fancy equipment and just let the stories flow. There were plenty of slip-ups, extended pauses, and mispronunciations. But the girls rooted for each other, reveled in every story, hung on every word. By early afternoon, we'd taped all 25 stories.

What was Michie's idea on the project?

I was looking for a couple of girls to work on a special project. I explained that I hoped to make an "audio book" of The House on Mango Street, and I needed a couple of girls to do dramatic readings of the stories. I wanted them to become Esperanza, to interpret the character in their own voices. Bob said he'd mention it to his classes and see if anybody was interested.

"You are not going to college.........don't have the money.." - Explain

I was shocked, I said, "I have to go, Ma." She said we didn't have the money. I older her I could get scholarships, but she didn't really understand it, because my ma is ignorant in that aspect. She has this idea that only rich people go to school.

"If you go to college like me................act White." - Agree or disagree with these kind of statements?

If you do go to college, like me, some of your mexican friends will say, "You're trying to act White." It's like, you can't win. A lot of times, an educated Mexican is considered a wannabe white. We see white people as different from us. Because we've always seen on TV or whatever media that Whites are always so perfect. Well, not perfect, but that they're something we're not. They live well, they dress well, they shop at good places, and they wear certain kinds of clothes.

What was one of the best things about the team teaching arrangement?

It made the classes smaller. This was important because teaching writing- and evaluating it-is exceedingly exhausting and time-consuming work. Even with two of us, the workload was overwhelming. But the co-teaching setup gave us the flexibility we needed to sit down and work with kids individually. We were better able to help kids rethink their work as opposed to simply recopying it.

"Our entire language arts curriculum that year developed out of the Mexican American identity theme."- Explain

It spiraled outward, growing into a year-long examination of human differences.

What was Edmundo's comment in a classroom discussion?

It's sort of like you're walking down the street and you're with your friend, the U.S. and then Mexico comes walking by across the street and says, "Hey, whats up?" And you ignore Mexico and pretend you didn't see him. Then when you're alone, you see Mexico walking by, and you say, "Hey, Mexico, what's up?" It's like you're embarrassed to say hi to Mexico when you're around your friend the U.S. But before long, if you don't start saying hi to Mexico, he's gonna leave you alone. He's just gonna leave you.

Who came to the class at 3:15 pm? What was his reaction? How did the class end?

John came back The class watched in silence as He went to his desk and said "aww man" to himself. It was as if he saw his own self-image on that desk, torn and battered almost beyond recognition. Then a few laughs were around him.

Describe what happened to Armando last winter.

Last January, me and Raul were coming home from school on the bus, and this Jester, you remember Chucho, right? - was sitting across from us on the bus with a couple other Jesters, and he starts throwing down the Chi-Town Players sign. And me and Raul, we just ignored him. We didn't throw down nothing, 'cause why should we? We're not gangbangers. So we come to our stop and we get off, and they follow us. So we go around a corner, near this alley, and a Chucho comes up to me and says, "What you be about?" And I tell him "I'm not nothing, man. I know you, Chucho. We used to go to school together." And he's like. "You don't know me. My name ain't Chucho." And then they just started punching me everywhere, in my face, my stomach, kicking me. Raul just ran. And they're all saying, "Player killer. Player killer." I'm bleeding all over the place. And then one of them pulls out a gun and sticks it right in my stomach. I thought he was gonna shoot me. Right that second, I thought I was gonna die. But then they just ran off.

"I was coming uncomfortably close ...........no good, very bad day."-Explain

Terrible, horrible, no good, very bad- as descriptors for the kids. The mean spirited and self-destructive attitudes that sometimes pervaded the group had been encouraged by the schools actions. For years, the kids had been tracked into low-end groups or classes

"I knew I had a lot yet to learn about the kids who called me their teacher." What had he already learned?

The kids educated and enlightened me. The stories allowed me to see more clearly the larger picture the struggles and triumphs that had shaped their lives and those of their families. They also forced me to take a fresh look at how I fit into that bigger picture- to step back and look at my own hands. It was a reawakening for me, really, but it was only a beginning, I knew I had a lot yet to learn about the kids who called me their teacher.

"But those were the exceptions." What were the exceptions? Describe.

The kids were so enthralled the afternoon I passed out the first edition of the class newsletter which contained typed versions of the students' poems, stories, and editorials, as well as samples of their artwork- that they read silently for 20minutes without even being asked. When someone finally spoke, it was only to ask if he could read one of the stories aloud. I had the students compose a class poem about things that made them angry, with each student contributing one line. Eventually we even made it back to the civil rights movement and "Martin" Luther King culminating our study with a colorful butcher-paper wall mural.

Michie noticed a pile of papers on the floor. What happened?

-He saw that John Krafts belongings were strewn about the floor due to Eduardo or Kiko emptying out Johns desk

How did the job change Tavares?

-He also went to rich neighborhoods to try and sell, and this is where he sees african americans living in palaces, and he was amazed, he had never seen it before. -He learned how to save money, his temper got better

How was Michie handling Hector?

-He directed hector to the corner of the room, away from all the other students. "Look," I said in a hushed voice, "I'm trying to help you guys, but I need your help, too. I can't do this by myself. I want you to participate with us in this, but you can't be shooting things across the room or calling people names like that. I don't think that's asking too much, do you?

Describe the letter writing incident.

"What do you think?" Nancy asked after I finished reading the letter. It was something they had decided to do completely on their own. "It's just a first draft", she pointed out. "I think it's a great letter," I told the girls, "But I doubt I can get her personal address. We could send it to her publisher, and maybe they'd forward it on to her." "What I think is this," I said as gently as I could. "Sandra Cisneros is a very bust woman. She probably gets hundreds of letters sent to her, and I doubt she even gets to read them all. And even if she does read yours, she might not have the time to write you back. I hope she does, but, you know ... don't count it, that's all I'm saying. Don't be surprised if you don't get a response. It doesn't mean she doesn't appreciate your letter." "I just don't want you to be disappointed. I think the chances are really, really small that she would be able to come. I don't mean to be negative. I'm just being honest. I think the chances of her coming are, like, this big," I said, holding my thumb and index finger about 1/8 of an inch apart. "We could take that part out." -Veronica suggested. "Why? I say we should leave it," Alejandra said. "You never know; that's what I say. Think positive." "That's true," echoed Nancy. "You never know"

Describe Armando

-He has facial hair thickening -The body of a defensive lineman -Looked like he could've been in high school -Writing a paragraph was a chore for him -He was in agony reading picture books. -He goofed off a lot -Writing and reading were painful for him.

What did Alfonso say about Martin Luther King that shocked Michie?

-"But what happened to Martin Luther King?" It was Alfonso again. "You weren't interested in Martin Luther King." I said, handing Hector the chalk. "Yeah, I was. When he was a little kid, he went over to those White dudes' house and their ma wouldn't let them play with him 'cause he was Black, and he said that wasn't fair.' I was amazed. I hadn't thought he had been listening. "Maybe we'll go back to that, Alfonso, after we do whatever you guys come up with."

"Chicago's schools worst in America"- Explain

-"Probation on trial: one school's journey." the subhead reads, "At stevens Elementary School, less than 15% of students read at national norms. Whether academic probation can change all that may determine the future of public education in Chicago." -In the late 1980s, the paper even published a collection of their pessimism in book form: Chicagos Schools: Worst in America -Todays story chronicles the tribulations at Stevens, one of the 100 Chicago public schools recently placed on probation because of poor student performance - measured, of course, in terms of standardized test scores.

"Several of the kids recalled their terrible days." What did each of these remember? a) Jesse b) Veronica c) Michie

-A) Jesse remembered the day he rode the city bus downtown with his grandfather and the bus broke down. -B) Veronica raised her hand and explained, in solemn tones, "I had some birds, and, um, one day the mom bird killed the dad bird, and um, we had to throw the dad away." -C) Michie, told the kids about the day in second grade when I wet my pants in the school library, It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day to be sure. But it was nothing compared to what I would go through at Quincy later that afternoon.

Describe the following: a) Doc Jenkins b) Mr. Robinson c) Sister Nature

-A) Spiritless song -B) camps recreation director, wished the kids would sit down and shut up. -C) science expert, smiled and took pleasure in her job

Describe Tavares' time living with his aunt.

-After moving in with her, things went down hill, his cousin would bring around drugs, money and girls, and Tavares ended up getting brought into it because of instant gratification rather than delayed gratification. Tavares gets shot in the leg while out on a drug deal and is reminded of it whenever its cold and rainy.

What does brazer mean?

-Brazero = arm -The Mexicans would come over during world war 2 with their arms and the Americans couldn't pronounce it so they shortened it to this.

"rhythmic fluidity of Mexican folkloric dancers."- Explain

-By the time I flipped the book around to show them the drawing, they were crowded to within inches of it, all vying for the first or best or most extended view. This routine was repeated for each page, the children gravitating toward me and returning to their seats with the rhythmic fluidity of Mexican folkloric dancers.

Where did Michie grow up? Describe his work at CNN.

-Charlotte North Carolina. He said that his work failed to engage him, they were insensitive to him

Compare and contrast Michie's upbringing with Chicago.

-Chicago has more severe poverty and more diversity

Describe the incident with Sergio.

-During show and tell, the kids who didn't bring anything, he gave them an extension to bring it another day, the next day when they still didn't have anything, he made them go to the front of the classroom and stand there for 2 minutes. And Sergio begins to cry because his grandma is sick and in the hospital and he can't focus on school right now.

Describe the winter months in Quincy schools.

-During the winter months, heat in Quincy school's 100 year old, four-story building circulates capriciously. Some rooms are like saunas by the time the opening bell sounds, others don't warm to a comfortable level until around noon, and still others feel as if you're holding class out on the snow-plowed sidewalk.

"Teaching for social justice begins..........must be acknowledged, testified to, and opposed."- Explain

-Every human being is entitled to rights, freedom, and justice. Any time you see something wrong happening, speak up or else nothing will be changed and done about it. We see a lot of social injustice in our society.

"But inside I was hating it, and I knew..., a better way." What is he talking about?

-Every prior teacher was giving him advice telling him to be strict, he didn't like that though, he wanted to have control over the classroom but also be friendly with the kids.

They were beautiful young women,............. First year of college."- Who are they?

-First generation college students. Eighth grade is as far as most go. So to get all the way to college is a great achievement

"It was like Tavares and company all over again." What name calling took place?

-For the extended period, the entire class -all 26 of them- was in front of me, and in our first few sessions together I hadn't been able to accomplish much of anything. It was like Tavares and company all over again. They were called the low group.

Describe Diana.

-she can't read, she's difficult, she'd get into fights with hector

Why did Diana make up the story?

-she doesn't like him, she didn't have a jacket which meant she couldn't go

What did Mrs. Esposito- Marlena's mom tell Michie? What was his reaction?

-she tells him about Diana telling other kids that at night he would go into the girls cabin and pull all their pants down. -he was shocked and disgusted

What was the writing about?

-wanting a baby sister and getting a baby sister

. Michie had just got done saying -"Something like that ...........where people respect and trust each other ." What happened next?

A paper bullet was thrown at a girls bangs

What does Armando have to say about: a) Sixth grade? b) Last year's English class? c) His dad? d) His mom? e) His neighborhood?

A) I had Ms. Ferguson. She was a good teacher, but our class, we got left out. They separated us from the other kids. I guess they thought it was for our own good. The other sixth graders would change classes, but we didn't. They used to tell us,"This is the way they do it in high school" B) I'm still not doing too good in English. Last year, I had a good English teacher. It was interesting in there. We did projects and made posters for books we read. But I was absent a lot. My English teacher would call my ma all the time, 'cause sometimes I'd skip her class and then she'd see me later in the hallway. So she'd be calling my ma all the time. It kind of made me mad, but I guess she cared about me. She wanted me to be in class. This year, my English teacher, she just sits there and talks the whole time. C) It's important to me to graduate, 'cause I want a job that pays better. My dad's a landscaper, and I like working with him. D) My mom, she always tells me she wants me to finish. Some days when I don't feel like going, she tells me, "Armando, you're gonna go to school." E) The thing I don't like is the neighborhood where we live now. 'Cause you can't even be in front of your house without hearing a gunshot on the other side of the block. And I just get scared. I just go inside. And my mom will say, "Que pasaria?" And you'll hear the next morning in school that they shot somebody. Some guy got killed out here last weekend. Right over there by the lavanderia. A bunch of little kids shot at him. Little 13 and 14 year olds.

What are the stories of the following? a) Joaquin Duran b) Perla Cerda c) Elizabeth d) Gabriel

A) Joaquin Duran, was a kid who had only been in the United States for a few years. The year he was in our class was his first in the monolingual program, and he still lacked confidence with his English. He wanted to tell the story of one of his ancestors, as his grandfather had told it to him, but he didn't think he had the vocabulary to do it. B) C) Elizabeth, carried a ragged spiral notebook with her wherever she went, and jotted down lines that she would later turn into poems or short stories. By standard definitions, grades, she was not a very good student. She pulled C's and D's in most of her classes and her spelling was highly creative. But she didn't seem to mind. For her, words and ideas were meant to be shared, not graded. Even though I was born in Mexico, I was raised here in Chicago. I'm a Mexican raised here in a different country, I'm not a brazer like they say, not a Chicana either. But they consider me Mexican American D) Gabriel, born an American but doesn't feel like an American. He speaks Spanish in the classrooms. He doesn't get treated like an American. He's proud that he's Mexican.

What did the following gain from the Mango Street Meeting experience? a) Yajaira b) Marisa

A) The stories were very interesting and they all have a feeling that I have once had. Sandra's stories said she will never go back to that old house, but people said you'll come back because you cannot forget what you once were. I think this was a great time we spent together because we kind of got to know everybody much better. I really feel I have some kind of family with my classmates and Mr. Michie. B) Having this class has been wonderful because we learned from reading the stories that life could be worse. That we aren't the only ones with problems in life. I enjoyed reading these stories a lot because of the things we talked about. It seems that when we come in here we get to express ourselves and says things we can't say in other classes.

What directions did Michie give to: a) Brenda? b) The office? c) The class?

A) To go to the bathroom with a friend and get cleaned up B) Buzzed the office and told about the accident in 307 that needed to be cleaned up C) Talked to them about Brenda and how embarrassed she must be feeling, and that when she returns to class, no one should laugh or make any comments

Describe each of these: a) Veronica b) Yajaira c) Marisa d) Alejandra e) Nancy

A) Veronica was small and thin, with gelled bangs that curled down past her eyebrows, barely leaving room for her eyes to peek out underneath. Quick-witted and a natural at performing, has strict catholic parents. Only could leave the house to go to school and to work. She sold jeans and t-shirts from 8:00-4:00, saturdays and sundays at the Swap-O-Rama flea market. B) Yajaira, Quietest of the group, her mom pulls her hair into a long, tight braid, and her stepfather orchestrated her life. She was responsible for looking after her younger sister Isabel who was just learning english. C) Marisa, the tallest, whose slightly nasal voice carried with it a touch of longing, was born in Puerto Rico. The youngest of four daughters, she came to Chicago when she was 5, and her parents divorces soon thereafter. Dreamt of being a lawyer. D) Alejandra, a skilled artist, chopped her thick black hair off into a short bob, had a serious boyfriend. She and her two younger sisters lived with their mother who supported the family working second shift on the bacon line of a Back of the Yards meat-packing plant. E) Nancy, most introspective of the girls, was the sixth of nine children and had her sights set on being the first Garcia to graduate from college. She lamented the fact that her older brother, whom she insisted was "the smartest one in the family" and had been the first to finish high school, had not continued his education.

"Nancy is aware, her biggest struggle may lie yet ahead." - Explain

At DePaul, she will exist in a limbo that is the bewildering intersection of two very different worlds. The challenge, or perhaps the trick, for Nancy and so many other students of color, will be learning how to maneuver successfully in one without leaving the other forever behind.

Why was it hard for him to do that in Quincy?

Because I was relatively well versed in African American literature, music, and history, I had been able to hook into the culture of the kids at Ellison. It had helped me make some important connections. But having grown up in North Carolina in the 1970s, I'd had few opportunities to learn about anything outside the Black/White spectrum. I knew practically nothing about the experiences of Mexican Americans or my students' struggles to come to terms with a dual identity. In fact, almost everything I knew at the time had been culled from one deceptively thin collection of stories

They claimed Brenda was scared to speak up. Why was she scared?

Because Michie has said no one would be excused during the extended day period.

How did Professor John Nicholls influence Michie?

Challenging me to continually rethink my assumptions about teaching. He was emphasizing the importance of listening to students and bringing their lives into the classroom. He didn't champion a child-centered classroom in the generic sense; he encouraged me to put my kids and their experiences at the center of what we did together.

What did Michie see from the sidelines?

Cisneros met with the Mango Girls in the library, where she chatted with them, signed their books, and answered their questions.

What did Michie give them for their graduation gift?

For their graduation gift, I gave each girl a copy of North of the Rio Grande, an anthology of short stories on the Mexican American experience, and typed up for each a page-long "prophecy"-a narrative account of my predictions (or wishes) for the next 20 years of their lives. We exchanged addresses and phone numbers and promised to keep in touch. It was easier than saying good-bye.

Where did he find The House on Mango Street? What is it about?

From the Seminary Co-op Bookstore on the University of Chicago's Campus -Centered on Esperanza Cordero, a young Mexican American girl growing up in a working-class Chicago barrio

In the meantime what did Alfonso do?

He stood up ,and pointed an accusing finger at the back row and said "she peed on herself" (referring to Brenda Sinclair)

Why was Lourdes offended by Maestro Gomez?

He told her that she shouldn't waste her time singing the songs she had grown up listening to-the songs of the mariachi. They were folk songs, Gomez had told her

"Overall, my first foray...........unqualified disaster." - Explain

Helping the kids in 307 to view themselves as smart, talented, and capable individuals- not as "the slow class" had been my primary goal, but my success was meager. Years of low expectations and marginalization, I realized, would take more than 10 weeks to remedy.

What was bothering Tavares?

His teacher had a rule for the class that you couldn't eat in class, yet stood in front of the class with a diet doctor pepper and a donut and ate it.

Michie says, "We'll see . I'm taking it..........one year at a time."- Explain

I continued to feel like an outsider much of the time. Home, to me, was still North Carolina, and I felt the pull of my roots every time I went back to visit.

In addition to teaching what was Michie doing? What was his schedule like?

I had begun taking graduate classes at the University of Illinois's Chicago campus, where I was working my way toward certification. I would leave Quincy each afternoon at 3:30 or 4:00 and head straight for UIC, where I had class 4 nights a week from 5:00 to 8:00PM. I'd get home about 8:30, eat, do some reading, get my plans together for the next day's teaching, and maybe grade a few papers before falling asleep.

How was Nancy influenced by Sandra Cisneros?

I never heard stories like hers on TV. It was nice to know that she grew up in a neighborhood like I was living in, and it made me feel like I wasn't the only one who passed through some of those problems. She made us feel like if she did it, we could do it, too. She's kind of opened a door for me onto something else, to a world I didn't really know. She said, "Don't forget where you came from."

"Cisneros was last to take center stage" What happened after that?

Like a good teacher, she didn't talk at the kids or down to them. She talked with them. She had them exploding in laughter one minute and lost in introspection the next. She shared stories of her own frustrations as a child in school, told of teachers who hadn't encouraged or understood her, and even passed around a copy of her fourth-grade report card for the kids to inspect- all Cs except for an A in art. She read from her books, telling the kids that being Mexican was what made her writing so special. "I'm very proud of that," she told them. "I'm very proud of my culture."

"Sometimes it feels like...........want you there." - Explain

Man, I'm sick and tired of that. I mean, they're just dropping kids like its nothing. If teachers want kids to do better, why do they suspend them? Would you do that? If they want kids to do better, they should be keeping them in school, not kicking them out. The guy in the detention room, he tells us, if you're doing so bad in school, why do you even bother to come? Sometimes you feel like they don't even want you there.

Describe the scene in the hallways and steps.

Michie heard a thud and turned to see Francisco, holding his eye and bawling hysterically. Hector was standing with clenched fists a few feet away. He said, "Yeah, I hit him... He shouldn't have been talking about my grandmother!" The class left the room in chaos and were unruly in the halls, ignoring requests for quiet. Mrs. Woodruffs class was below us, waiting silently in two lines at the exit doors. Hallway protocol dictated that my class wait at the top of the steps until Woodruffs class is released. Richie told them to hold up but the kids didn't listen and they passed him and Woodruff and almost flattened some kids in her class.

What were Michie's classmates at UIC like?

My classmates at UIC were a mix of second-career teachers such as myself, recent undergrads who had yet to experience a classroom of their own, and seasoned veterans who were seeking either an advanced degree or the salary increase that accompanies it Attitudes ranged from the cheerily enthusiastic to the miserably jaded.

What happened to Nancy the night before Valentine's Day?

Nancy's family home burned down. Everything's ruined, Either from the fire or the smoke or the water. I had to borrow clothes from my aunt. My sisters don't even have shoes.

Describe Maestro Gomez.

No-nonsense instructor, pretty strict. He has his customers always pay before their class.

What is Armando doing now?

Now a high-school junior age-wise, he is still a first semester freshman based on his credits. Students are supposed to have 10 credits by the end of their sophomore year; Armando has 2 1/2. But unlike many others in similar predicaments, he is hanging in, trying to make it to graduation in spite of the tide that seems to be rising against him. He just quit his $200 a week job at a bustling flea market to concentrate more on school, but daily frustrations continue.

How was her new neighborhood different than the old one?

The new neighborhood was calmer, somewhat cleaner, and perhaps safer than Back of the Yards, it had none of the Mexican flavor or vibrant life of that community. Gone were the paleteros selling ice cream from their pushcarts in the summer, sidewalks full of children on bicycles, and the posadas celebrations that wound their way through the streets each Christmas. The new neighborhood was a completely different world-a world that, to Lourdes, seemed sterile, bland, and lifeless by comparison. When I moved to my new neighborhood, I was in shock. I couldn't believe that I was in Chicago, that I was actually in the city, because I didn't hear anything at night. There was no people out. I miss my old neighborhood a lot. You're around Mexican people, you're outside, there's a lot of people out, there's traffic, a lot of activity. I'm a people person. I like being around where there's a lot of people, talking to them. But where I live now it's more closed up. Neighbors just say hi and that's about it. They won't open their door to you and ask if you want to come in or anything.

"Should anyone have been surprised ........aggressively resentful?" - Explain

The principle had tried to sell the kids on the idea that what they were experiencing was a program especially designed for them. They had been selected for "special" pullout programs, she told them, and had a "special" schedule. The kids knew what was going on, at best they were being treated as less than adequate, at worst, they were being demonized.

Where does the rest of the family work?

The rest of my family, they all work at the meat-packing plant. My two aunts, my two brothers, my two sisters, my two brothers-in-law, and my cousin. They all work there.

What was so funny about flip-flops?

The story was titled "Chanclas" Chancels were a type of shoe, in english, they're called flip-flops. Nancy said, "It's just the word, it's like a nickname or something. I've just never seen that word printed up in a book before. It's not that it's funny, it's just- it's like an inside word, you know? Like a word nobody outside knows. You get me?"

Describe Perla's description of Michie's and Bob's course in her assignment from the freshman English teacher.

The teachers tried to make it fun, interesting and exciting for us to learn. We didn't really use any books the entire year. We used video cameras, stories, and the knowledge of other people. By the end of the year we had discussed several subjects such as: Mexicans, The Role of Women in our Society, Racism, Cultures from Different Parts of the World, the Family, Sexual Intercourse Between Teenagers, etc. Mostly we learned to communicate and know more about people from our society. We also learned that no matter from what country, color or size a person may be that we should have respect for every person cause nothing is going to change the fact that a person is and always will remain a human being.

"Mango Street was unlike anything they had ever read"- Explain

The vignettes in The House on Mango Street never failed to conjure up memories from the girls' own lives, and we spent as much time sharing those as we did reading the book. As days and weeks passed, I got to know more about each of the girls' singular stories and sensibilities. Each of them may have been Esperanza, but each was Esperanza in her own unique way.

"But as I was ..................teaching is about." - Explain

The willingness to explore with kids, to reach with them, to follow a dimly lit path together, often unaware of the dazzling surprises that may wait around the bend. Our Mango Street meetings had come to embody so much of what I thought school ought to be about but too rarely was. I guess on some level we all realized that, and none of us wanted to let it go.

How did the Hispanic Leadership Conference motivate Nancy?

They had speakers, and booths for different colleges. So I got all these brochures from different colleges and I was thinking, "Oh, I'd like to go to this one. I'd like to go here."