Three Good Reasons

Reasons for participating in GoodReads:

1. Exposure to books you may not have known about.  Because of the suggestions of friends and colleagues who are my GR friends I have discovered books that have enriched me and widened my horizons--personally and professionally.
2. Knowing what colleagues (and friends) are reading has helped me to get to know them better and appreciate them more. 
3. It's a great way to keep track of books read, currently reading, and want to read. 

If you haven't joined our GR friends, yet, I invite you to do so.  Let me know if you want me to send you an invitation. 

Wisdom of Thomas Edison

A couple of days ago we watched the 1940 movie "Edison, the Man."  There were some quotes in the movie that I really liked as well as some other quotes by Edison that I feel have meaning for us as Esperanza. 

Thomas A. Edison: [after the latest attempt to find a filament that will work in the electric light] Well, we failed again. That's the net result of nine thousand experiments.
Michael Simon: Too bad, Tom. We know the work you have done. We are as sorry as you are that you didn't get results.
Thomas A. Edison: Results? Man, I got a lot of results. I know nine thousand things now that won't work.

Edison:  What man’s mind can conceive, man’s character can control. 

Thomas A. Edison: Uncle Ben, I've got to do something, and I'm open for suggestions.
Ben Els: You foolin', Tom?
Thomas A. Edison: I wish I was?
Ben Els: Nobody ever asked me for advice before.
Thomas A. Edison: Why, then, you ought to have a lot of it stored up.

Restlessness is discontent — and discontent is the first necessity of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man — and I will show you a failure.

• The Diary and Sundry Observations of Thomas Alva Edison (1948), p. 110

Recreation

I listened this morning to the BYU Forum speech given by Patti Freeman on July 17, 2012.  It was about the importance of recreation.  Freeman's insights may influence how we want to approach recess and outdoor education at Esperanza. 

Financial Literacy

20 things kids should learn about money

By Valerie Strauss

Here are the 20 basic things that young people should learn about financial literacy — as recommended by the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability.
The council, named in January, recently released “Money as You Grow,” personal finance lessons for kids — and everyone else who doesn’t know how to live financially smart.
You can see the entire program here, complete with activities, but following are the 20 basic points that the council says everyone should know, along with the ages at which students should learn them.
3-5 Years Old
1. You need money to buy things.
2. You earn money by working.
3. You may have to wait before you can buy something you want.
4. There’s a difference between things you want and things you need.

6-10 Years Old
5. You need to make choices about how to spend your money.
6. It’s good to shop around and compare prices before you buy.
7. It can be costly and dangerous to share information online.
8. Putting your money in a savings account will protect it and
pay you interest.

11-13 Years Old
9. You should save at least a dime for every dollar you receive.
10. Entering personal information, like a bank or credit card
number, online is risky becausesomeone could steal it.
11. The sooner you save, the faster your money can grow from compound interest.
12. A credit card is like a loan; if you don’t pay your bill in full
every month, you’ll be charged interest and owe more than you originally spent.

14-18 Years 0ld
13. When comparing colleges, be sure to consider what each school
would cost you.
14. You should avoid using credit cards to buy things you can’t afford to pay for with cash.
15. Your first paycheck may seem smaller than expected since money is taken out for taxes.
16. A great place to save and invest money you earn is in a Roth IRA.

18+ Years
17. You should use a credit card only if you can pay off the money owed in full each month.
18. You need health insurance.
19. It’s important to save at least three months’ worth of living expenses in case of an emergency.
20. Always consider two factors before investing: the risks and the annual expenses.

Funding Sources

It would be wise for us to start a list of funding sources.  For instance, both Target and Kohl's give money to schools.  Also, I like the Barnes and Noble program to get books for our Esperanza Library. 

Margarita Calderon's friend offered these suggestions:

If she is already approved, she could apply for a Charter School Program (CSP) grant from either the state department of education or the US department of education. If the state has received a CSP grant, her application would go to the Utah DOE; if not, then she should go on line to USDOE's web site to get information about how to apply to the feds directly. The grant awards vary state-by-state but are generally between 250K to 500 K or more for start-up and early operations over a three-year span.

The Walton Family Foundation does not have a Utah grant program per se. She should take a look at their web site to see if she can submit directly to the Foundation. In most states where Walton is active, they have a local grant programs partner, but alas not in Utah.

One other possibility is the Daniels Fund, which is supporting charter schools in UT, CO, WY, NM, and AZ. She should go to their web site to get information about how to apply.

PD is generally an allowable (and desirable) activity for all of these grants."

Meraki

Remember to Be Silly

"If people did not do silly things, nothing intelligent would ever get done."
- Philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein

Human Virtue

On a Clear Day

These lyrics from the song "On a Clear Day" are what we want every Esperanza scholar and educator to feel. 

On a clear day,

rise and look around you,

and you'll see who you are.

 On a clear day,

how it will astound you

 That the glow of your BEING outshines every star.

 You'LL FEEL PART OF every mountain,

sea and shore,

 You CAN HEAR from far and hear a WORLD you've never HEARD before.

 On a clear day,

on a clear day,

you can see forever,

and ever, and ever more.

Persistence and Patience

I listened this morning to the BYU Devotional speech “Persistence, Patience, and Posies”  given by Patricia Ravert on July 10, 2012. 

“Persistence is a ‘stick-to-it’ attitude even when things are difficult,” she said. “Your daily persistence develops into the characteristic of perseverance.”

“Most of our plans have bumps along the way,” Ravert said. “This is when persistence and patience will be particularly helpful.”

 She broke down the challenges that we face into two categories.

 “Sometimes persistence is needed for the short term,” Ravert said. “Yet with patience and sincere efforts we are able to complete the goal.”

 Ravert said the second category requires persistence and perseverance over long periods of time.

People Want to Be Good

This is a great reminder that 99.9% of our Esperanza scholars AND educators want to do the right thing.    Therefore, when anyone messes up, he/she doesn't need to be punished.  Instead, he/she needs an opportunity to make things right. 

The message by Lloyd Newell on Music and the Spoken Word given July 15, 2012 support this:

The Purpose of Life

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

The purpose of life is to learn and grow and become better. Surely, heaven will be filled not with those who never made mistakes but with those who recognized they were straying and made corrections to get back on course. And we have opportunities to do that throughout life.i Think how much better life could be if this were our attitude—to learn from setbacks and mistakes rather than being defined or paralyzed by them. Anyone who has ever been lost or confused knows how absolutely vital it is to occasionally reassess the direction of our lives. One writer compares the matter-of-fact tone of a GPS, a satellite-based navigation system, to the ideal attitude toward accepting course corrections in life. "Here’s what I really love about the GPS,” she says. "When you miss the turn, it doesn’t fall apart. It just calmly says, ‘Recalculating,’ and tells you how to fix your mistake.” And then she laments: "I wish I could be as gentle and objective about my life mistakes as the GPS is about my driving ones. How marvelous it would be to be able to see things objectively and say to myself, ‘Well, you missed that turn, but we can still get you there.’”ii We all need to recalculate from time to time. It might be a change of plans or goals, an adjustment in our expectations and outlook, a fine-tuning of our attitude and character. In all these course corrections and recalculations, let us be patient and gentle and a little objective with ourselves. Remember, we are here to learn and grow and become better—and that takes time. Once we come to see mistakes as building blocks for a better life rather than stumbling blocks that keep us down, we truly begin to understand the purpose of life. i See Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "A Matter of a Few Degrees,” Ensign, May 2008, 60. ii Emily Watts, "Life Is Too Short: You Have Reached Your Destination,” LDS Living, Jan.–Feb. 2012.

The Way of the Shepherd

One of the leadership BLOGs I follow is Justin Tarte's.  He recommended this book.  The title fascinates me. 

Technology At Esperanza

Uniformity Is Not Excellence

Are all kids entitled to a great education? Of course. But that doesn’t mean all kids should get the same education. High standards don’t require common standards. Uniformity is not the same thing as excellence – or equity.
Alfie Kohn; "Debunking the Case for National Standards," January 14, 2010, Education Week

Another Poster for Esperanza's Wall

A Poster for Esperanza's Wall

Kindness Is Inviting

Kindness is inviting and therefore, should permeate throughout Esperanza.  This talk by Lloyd Newell on Music and the Spoken Word on July 8, 2012 is a reminder about the importance of kindness.

Conquer with Kindness

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

President Abraham Lincoln led America through the ravages of the Civil War with dignity and grace. In his second inaugural address, as the South was collapsing in the last of the battles, Lincoln called for "malice toward none” and "charity for all.”i In essence, he spoke of showing kindness in the most difficult of circumstances. Kindness is relatively easy to practice when all is going well. To show kindness at difficult and stressful times is to allow the heart to govern what we do. Kindness is a language of its own, a power, a strength of character, a way of life—and these days it seems so often in short supply. President Lincoln did more than just speak publicly of kindness; it guided his private interactions as well. He once instructed an army commander regarding the punishment of a Confederate officer: "My dear General, . . . do nothing in reprisal for the past—only what is necessary to ensure security for the future. I remind you,” he continued, "that we are not fighting against a foreign foe, but our brothers, and that our aim is not to break their spirits but only to bring back their allegiance. Conquer them with kindness—let that be our policy.”ii Lincoln’s policy can be our policy. We can rise above anger and be gentle with the young, considerate of the aged, tolerant with those who rankle us, and patient with those who stumble or charge at lightning speed. We can smile rather than point fingers. We can offer a listening ear rather than a cold shoulder. We can forget about past wrongs and go forward shaping and reshaping relationships. We can proffer a compliment. And, yes, we can even let someone ahead of us on the road or in the grocery line. We can "conquer with kindness,” and we will positively influence our corner of the world. i In Lewis Copeland and others, eds., The World’s Great Speeches, 4th ed. (1999), 317. ii In David K. Hatch, comp., Everyday Greatness: Inspiration for a Meaningful Life (2006), 41.

Expected Esperanza Outcomes

I listened this morning to the BYU Devotional given by Pres. Samuelson and his wife Sharon Samuelson on January 10, 2012.  Sharon Samuelson shared the following about BYU:

The aims of a BYU education are an extension of our mission and are expressed as the expected outcomes of the BYU experience. They are, first, to be“spiritually strengthening”; second, to be “intellectually enlarging”; and third, “character building”; leading to, fourth,“lifelong learning and service."

I feel it would be wise for us to develop something similar for Esperanza.

Leader Vs. Boss

Hispanic Mother/Daughter Program

Moms key in Hispanic women going to college

By Mercedes White , Deseret News

Published: Wednesday, July 11 2012 12:26 a.m. MDT

A Mother-Daughter Program at UTEP has received national attention for its unique approach and impressive results. Education advocates around the country look to the program for insight on improving the education outcomes of Hispanic women. (Shutterstock)

Dr. Josie Tinajero knew from personal experience that Hispanic women are underrepresented at college. As a girl, she watched her older sisters, cousins and neighbors drop out of school. In the mid-1970s, Tinajero was one of just a handful of Hispanic undergraduate women studying at the University of Texas El Paso.
In 1986, after completing a doctorate degree in education at Texas A&M, she returned to UTEP as an assistant professor. While she had been away from the school for 10 years, she didn't take notice of the woefully low college enrollment for Hispanic women.
"The population of El Paso is 80 percent Hispanic," she said, "but only 8 percent of our Hispanic women go to college." Deeply troubled by the status quo, Tinajero decided to do something about the low college enrollment trend.
The under-representation of Hispanic women at college is not a problem limited to El Paso. Throughout the state of Texas and around the country, Hispanic women are less likely than their non-Hispanic peers to be enrolled at a college or university. When Hispanic women attend college, they are less likely to graduate. The barriers to higher education they face, which include family expectations, financial obligations and legal restrictions, are well documented.
In Texas, programs that encourage Hispanic students to go to college are as ubiquitous as they are ineffective. Tinajero knew that if she wanted to see change, she needed to find a way for students to internalize the importance of college. Capitalizing on unique insight into Hispanic family dynamics, she came up with an innovative plan: she'd include mothers in her college preparation program.
"The most important role models for young girls, especially in the Hispanic community, is found with the family system," she said. "Hispanic mothers have a huge impact on how their daughters make decisions."
Tinajero's insight is important in light of research on the impact parents have on their children's propensity to enroll in university. Children whose parents understand and emphasize the importance of higher education are more likely to enroll in college, according to Susan Auerbach, a professor of education at California State University Northridge.
While many Hispanic parents want better lives for their children, the world of higher education and how to prepare for it is foreign to them, according to Cecilia Rios-Agular, a professor of education at Claremont Graduate University in California. Parents want to help their kids go to college, they just don't know how, Rios-Agular said. Tinajero's program shows them a way.
Tinajero's approach
Starting with the importance of family as a core principle, Tinajero and her colleagues at UTEP constructed a program they believed could boost college participation rate of Hispanic women. They call it "the Mother-Daughter Program."
In the first year of operation, they selected 33 sixth- grade Hispanic girls from Ysleta Elementary School in El Paso who showed academic promise, but were considered at risk for dropping out of school. Generally, that meant girls who had limited English language skills and a history dropouts in their families, according to Tinajero.
Working with a partner at the school, Tinajero planned monthly activities for the girls and their mothers. Sometimes they listened to presentations by accomplished Hispanic women on how to prepare for a career. Other months they toured UTEP's facilities, the libraries and science labs "to get a sense of what a university looks and feels like," Tinajero said. Service activities, which help students learn the importance of giving back to their communities and develop leadership skills, rounded out the program.
Tinajero was optimistic about the program's positive impact, but she admits she was surprised when she received a formal evaluation of the academic outcomes of the first group of young women who participated. Of the 33 girls who participated, 26 went on to college. Additionally, it was found that participants were more likely to enroll in honors courses and earn above-average scores on high school achievement exams. Participants were also less likely to get pregnant while in school than nonparticipants.
The Mother-Daughter Program has received national attention for its unique approach and impressive results. Education advocates around the country look to Tinajero's program for insight on improving the education outcomes of Hispanic women.
Since 1986, the program has expanded to include 36 schools in El Paso as well as a similar father-son organization.
Why it's needed
For many Latino parents, attendance at a university is uncharted territory. Parents who are unfamiliar with college may "construe (it) as a threat and resist the best-laid plans of qualified students," noted Susan Auerbach, a professor of education at California State University, Northridge.
Annie Salinas, a school counselor who worked with the Mother-Daughter Program for 20 years, remembers her migrant worker parents being displeased about her decision to enroll at the University of Texas-Pan American. She remembers being scolded by her mother for studying. "She would say, 'Quit wasting time, Annie, and help me around the house,' " Salinas recalled. "My parents weren't trying to be mean, and they weren't dumb either, but they didn't know any different. All they saw were economic issues."
College can seem risky and expensive. Nerina Garcia-Arcement, a Hispanic clinical psychologist who lives and works in Brooklyn, N.Y., was berated by family members about her decision to take on debt to go to Stanford University. From her family's perspective, education debt seemed like speculation instead of a safe bet. "When you don't come from a background of college educated people, it's hard to see how the investment in university will pay out," Garcia-Acrement said.
Other parents want to be "supportive of their children, but lack procedural knowledge to help them," said Rios-Agular at Claremont Graduate University. They don't know how to navigate the university bureaucracy, she said, and some Hispanic immigrant parents not understand how to help their child apply for federal funding or scholarships, or even know that those things exist. Tinajero encountered parents who needed guidance on how to facilitate studying by creating a space in the home for that purpose.
A parent's limited English skills can also be a barrier. Consider an example from Texas. The state passed a law granting residents who graduated in the top 10 percent of their high school automatic admission to the University of Texas at Austin. President George Bush, then the state's governor, sent letters to the parents of all graduating seniors in the state outlining the program. However, the letters were only available in English. Of the Hispanic students who qualified for the top 10 percent program, 58 percent failed to enroll at any post-secondary institution.
Why it works
Salinas and Tinajero attribute much of the success of the Mother-Daughter Program to parental support. "For the program to work, it has to be a partnership," she said. "If parents buy in, they will support their kids."
Tinajero was pleasantly surprised how invested in higher education many of the "mamas" became. She remembers several timidly approaching her after presentations about the importance of college with questions about what they needed to do to enroll.
One woman in particular stands out. Rosa Juarez came to the program with her 12-year-old daughter, Jessica. The newly divorced factory worker had a 3rd grade education. Juarez decided that if college was important for her daughter's future, it was important to for hers too. Plodding away over the years, she earned a GED and then a bachelor's degree. By the time her daughter graduated from high school, Juarez received a master's degree in education. Tinajero notes Jessica Juarez and her sister both followed their mother's footsteps and earned college degrees.
The timing of the program is also noteworthy. The younger a student is when they start thinking about higher education, the more likely they are to enroll in college. Many Latino kids don't start thinking about college until high school, but participants of the Mother-Daughter Program start early. This is important because it gives families time to prepare and plan.
Salinas sees another benefit of working with that age group. "We take them before they think their parents aren't cool," she said. "The kids are still at an age where they like their parents, value them and want to spend time with them."
Tinajero and Salinas both think that community dedication to the goal of helping Latino women obtain higher education has sustained the Mother-Daughter Program through its 25-plus years of operation.
"The program is a success because we are addressing this problem as a community," Tinajero said.
Most of the people who work for the program do so on a voluntary basis. Neither Tinajero or Salinas have ever received financial compensation for their work related to the Mother-Daughter Program.
"I'm compensated as a dean," Tinajero said. "I consider this my community service. I need to give back to my community."

email: mwhite@desnews.com

Copyright 2012, Deseret News Publishing Company

What Fair Means

A great quote that supports Brian Mendler's work. 

Wise Thought

When nothing is sure, everything is possible.”
- Margaret Drabble, author

Reason for Studying History

How can we restore America if we don't know what it is that we are restoring? Woodrow Wilson, President during World War I, put it succinctly when he stated: "A nation which does not remember what it was yesterday does not know what it is today, nor what it is trying to do." And Karl Marx, the father of Communism, previewing the actions of Communist regimes in the 20th century, said: "Take away the heritage of a people, and they are easily persuaded."

What's In a Name?

I listened this morning to the BYU Devotional speech--"What's In a Name?"-- that D. Gordon Smith gave on June 26, 2012.  His speech reminded me of a few things:

1. What do we want the name "Esperanza" to represent when people think of our school and also those associated with it?  What does it mean to be an Esperanza educator or an Esperanza scholar?
2. Remember to call others by the name they prefer...and pronounce them correctly.
3. Name-calling and labeling that attempt to marginalize others is inappropriate. 

Book Igloo

Love this!