Collective vs Individual

During my 8 years of teaching at CHHS, I had the opportunity to teach Beginning and Intermediate Spanish, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior English, as well as English as a Second language. Learning a new language is NOT easy; so, when I started teaching ELL (English language learner) students, I would try to put myself in their shoes by remembering how difficult it was to learn Spanish. This allowed room for a greater understanding of their frustrations. Let's be honest, English is not an easy language to learn. This video is a good reminder of how crazy our language is and how difficult it can be to manage. I've taught at both secondary and higher education levels and can legitimately say that students who speak English and have done so their entire lives still struggle with basic rules of grammar. No one is perfect- ESL and English students alike! I realize I'm jumping into a vat of hot tar, but I'm tired of being silent on this issue. Immigration is a hot topic, especially when it comes to finding candidates worthy of political seats. I can feel the hair on the back of my neck raise each time Spanish speakers are thrown into negative groups:1.They don't want to learn English. 2.They're too dumb to learn English. 3.They're trying to force their language on us. 4.They're lazy. And on, and on, and on the list goes.... Please, I beg of you to not look at immigrants collectively. They are individuals with different stories. I will admit that I had a handful of students tell me that they didn't need to learn English, but the majority of my ELL students tried to learn our language. They faced obstacles as they were forced to learn a new language and to adapt to a new culture. Most of them wanted to go home to their friends and family but were here because their parents needed the work. It hurts to hear the callous remarks made by politicians; it is worse when comments are made by individuals I look up to and respect. Anger and irritation need to be replaced with patience and the desire to help. Yes, there will be individuals or small groups of people who will not want to change or learn English, but I promise you that if you take the time to listen to those who are trying to learn the language and to make a difference in their community, you just might be surprised by the outcome.

In the Heart of the Sea

I had the opportunity to thoroughly study Moby Dick, Melville's epic masterpiece, while taking an American Lit class in Graduate school. To be honest, I was less than thrilled when I saw it was on the reading list for the class because of its length (600-700). However, as I began to read the novel, I found myself enjoying Melville's structure and thematic detail. I fell in love with Ahab's insanity, Ishmael's search for humanity, and the sacrifices made by men for the economical pursuit of oil. (Side note: I know that whaling is a hot topic. Oil, in the ground, had not been discovered and although barbaric, these men were doing a job. Also, if you've read the book, you know that there were men who felt that killing these sea monsters was unethical and inhumane.)
I ended up writing a thesis on Moby Dick that had nothing to do with whaling. My focus was on the biblical imagery found in the text. Nonetheless, to this day, I am still fascinated by the story, the themes, the characters, and the history that gave Melville the knowledge and expertise to write it. I was reminded of my obsession as I watched The Heart of the Sea, the true story that influenced Moby Dick. The movie was well done and was narrated by the one remaining survivor of the Essex and the man interviewing him, Herman Melville. To have been a fly on the wall in that interview. . .

"Consider the subtleness of the sea; how its most dreaded creatures glide under water, unapparent for the most part, and treacherously hidden beneath the loveliest tints of azure..... Consider all this; and then turn to this green, gentle , and most docile earth; consider them both, the sea and the land; and do you not find a strange analogy to something in yourself?" -Moby Dick by Herman Melville

F O R T Y

Turning 40 wasn't as daunting or scary as I assumed. Don't get me wrong, I'm still getting older and that idea in itself IS daunting, but I'm learning to embrace it. 
My parents, Craig, and I spent my birthday in Huntington Beach. It was nice to have sun and sand for five days. My parents also gave me an additional gift before we left; this beautiful, table runner was made by my mom. It is a daily reminder of their love and is something I will always treasure.

The last 40 years have taught me that some things, some people, are more important than others. One thing I become more appreciative of as I age is family: my niece and nephews are the definition of joy; my brothers (and two amazing sisters-in-law) are the essence of kindness; my Mia (yes, she IS family) fills my heart with unconditional love; and last, but not least, I love and adore my parents. They make great sacrifices for me and they never complain. I don't know what I'd do without them. 
If age and experience help us become better people, or at least allow us to recognize the good in others, I'm willing to go another round of forty.