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This is a continuation of my journal from my 2001-2002 school year.  Please read the previous posts to give this entry context.  

Thursday, January 17th - My Fourth Wedding Anniversary

A lot of the students in sixth know Chad.  Rodolfo wanted Chad to come sit by him.  That kind of request is usually a good reason not to put the student in that seat. 

“Don’t worry, Ms. Hansen,” Chad wryly assured me, “I’m not much of a talker.”

That’s true.  Chad’s sitting by Rodolfo.

In each class, I read aloud some of the poems.  In fourth period I noticed that the two poems I’d chosen were by my two white students.  The only white students in the class.  I felt bad, but they were the best poems.  Which raises the whole tricky question of affirmative action.  Should I have chosen more or other poems simply because the two I liked best were written by white students? 

I didn’t.  However, that’s partly because I have strong Hispanic students in fourth period who often are the shining stars.  I don’t have to make huge efforts to provide role models.  But what if I did?  Would I have put aside Jennifer’s poem or Josh’s poem to read a lesser poem?  Of course I could simply read more poems, but what if I really had to choose? 

I have very mixed feelings.  There is definitely a part of me that believes the best is the best and it should be honored.  It should provide the standard, regardless of the race of the writer.  However, in my heart I’d feel a sense of sadness and unfairness if day after day I held up Josh’s and Jennifer’s work as the example.

Today we looked at using repetition in poetry, setting students up for the use of repetition in Martin Luther King, Junior’s “I Have a Dream Speech.”  We’ll be reading that next week.  I used “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou for inspiration and a model. 

Friday - Whew

It’s been crispy cold all week with frost on the ground.  Zihuatenejo, Mexico, where I spent the last week of vacation seems a long time ago.

Rodolfo wanted me to read his poem aloud and Diana read hers.  Then I collected the poems and read some more aloud.  

Xochitl’s Poem

Another Place

In the lonesome season,

he loses his hope, It isn’t

always black, but he wishes

it was.  When he dreams break

the eyelids that beat his desires,

everything reverses.  So?

Some night he may cry,

but if the starlight fingers his

grief

he declares his certainty

and sleeps.

His eyelids beat his desires.

Wow!  I don’t know what to think.  Did her sister Mireya help her?  If she had, I would expect the line breaks to be better.  Is Xochitl one of those students with weak prose and strong verse?  That happens.  Some of the phrasing, though, like lonesome season and starlight fingers seem too sophisticated for her.  But, on the other hand, I got fabulous stuff from the week’s work. 

Gustavo’s Poem

In my heart the sky is

like a dream.  On the sky

your kisses are like

a comet shooting in the

lips.  On the sky the

stars are like the

delicious chocolates.  The

delicious chocolates are

as your beatiful lips

kissing my lips.

Adriana’s Poem

Life

 

Life is like city streets.

It’s very complicated.

In every stop you’ll meet a new friend

In every curve you’ll find danger

How can streets be without curves?

How can life be without danger?

You can always come to a dead

end and make everything stop. 

Diana’s Poem

Shining Stars

 

I am like a star

Although many are out there,

I still shine

I am one in a million, or two,

maybe three,

You see, each star has to

shine to light up the sky

Just think if one star

thought it didn’t matter

and said,

“There are enough stars, they

don’t need me,” and just shattered

But if each star said

that, the sky would be

empty which

includes you and me. 

Chad’s Poem 

Breeze

 

Her smile is like a breeze

cool, calm and refreshing.

When you see her smile it just blows you away.

When you are hot her smile will cool you down.