Creative Connector
On page 77 the author discusses an exercise that he has his students do, writing what they think their definitions are of Mexicans and Americans. Most of them had very negative views of the other culture. When I was student teaching I did a unit just like this with my German Level 3 classes. In this unit I taught them how Germans stereotype Americans and vice versa. One of the beginning activities was to write on a piece of paper words or sentences that they associated with Germans. A lot of the responses had to with Nazis, beer, and fat people. At the end of the unit I had them do a project where they created a poster which had on one side a common stereotype of Germans on the other side what the reality of it was. I can honestly say that many of the students’ views of Germans had changed positively throughout the unit.
A lot of this chapter deals with how many of the author’s students had a hard time with their identity. Many did not know where they belonged because they had strong Mexican heritage but lived in America, but their American peers still saw them as Mexican and their Mexican peers saw them as American. I am currently in a situation where I do not feel like I fit into either of a certain group and it kind of makes me feel lost sometimes. It is hard to relate to both the groups at the same time.
Vocabulary Vitalizer
Cajoled: To deceive with soothing words or false promises
(My brother cajoled me into cleaning his room, promising me that he would walk our dog for a week in exchange, which he never did.)
Brazers: Students from Quincy School’s slang for someone who is “too Mexican”
Unflaggingly: Tireless
(At first I wouldn’t agree to my brother’s proposal, but he unflaggingly harassed me into it.)
Antepasados: Spanish ancestors
Güero: Someone who is fair-haired
Gringa: a vulgar Spanish term for a North American
Mariachi: A Mexican street band
(The mariachi band’s music echoed through the streets of Mexico City.)
Punitive: inflicting, involving, or aiming at punishment
(Growing up my parents’ rules were punitive.)
Algo es algo: Spanish term meaning something is better than nothing
Posadas: A nine-day celebration with origins in Spain beginning December 16 and ending December 25. It is a yearly tradition for many Catholic Mexicans and some other Latin Americans and symbolizes the trials which Mary and Joseph endured before finding a place to stay where Jesus could be born, based on the passage in the New Testament.
Essence Extractor
Classrooms are a good place to help students find their identities.
Stephanie- I loved your German unit project idea! What an enlightening experience for both you and your students. Your situation sounds very similar to the passage in the chapter when Mr. Michie asked his students to share their definitions of Mexican and American cultures. It's a shocking reality but gives us as teachers an insight to these common stereotypes. I really liked your project on how you decided to showcase these stereotypes and in the end you students discovered a new positive outlook on cultures other than their own. Nice connection!! -Rachel
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