World Teachers’ Day

According to UNESCO, World Teachers’ Day represents a significant token of the awareness, understanding and appreciation displayed for the vital contribution that teachers make to education and development.

Education International (EI) (the global union federation that represents education professionals worldwide) strongly believes that World Teachers’ Day should be internationally recognized and celebrated around the world. EI also believes that the principles of the 1966 and 1997 Recommendations should be considered for implementation in all nations.

Over 100 countries observe World Teachers’ Day. The efforts of Education International and its 401 member organisations have contributed to this widely spread recognition. Every year, EI launches a public awareness campaign to highlight the contributions of the teaching profession.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia.

“This is huge, I don’t even have words to explain how huge this is for me,” Maria Placencia, mother of 5-year-old graduate Fatima Rodriguez, told The Tidings. “I waited a year on a waiting list, and when they called me I told myself, ‘I won’t waste this opportunity because this is way too important for me.’”

The 32-year-old mother of three said she did not mind waiting a whole year until she could enroll in LAMP’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program at the same time that her two younger children were benefitting from the organization’s programs. “While they teach me English, they also educate my children,” said Placencia.

“This is a double promotion, for the children and their parents,” said Holy Name of Jesus and Mary Sister Daleen Larkin, principal of St. Andrew School in Pasadena, who has participated in the LAMP program.

Addressing the nearly 100 people attending the ceremony at the hall of South Central L.A.’s Victory Baptist Church, LAMP’s executive director Adriana De La Rosa congratulated the parents for “making sure that their children could take this first step in their educational journey.”

De La Rosa told the mostly working-class Latino families that LAMP is not just a pre-school, but a community organization “that helps children become stronger by making sure that their parents stay involved in their lives and education, and support them in their goals for a successful future.”

She reminded them that love and compassion are key factors for a non-violent education at home, and she congratulated the parents — most of them involved in the organization’s Family Literacy Program — for making an effort to learn English in order to improve their communication with their children and for participating in their formal education.

“Through your love you are giving them the future they deserve,” she told the attentive audience.

Keynote speaker Liz Guerra, member of the Family Literacy Support Network, became emotional when telling the families they mirrored her own experience.

“I started speaking Spanish first and then went to school and learned English and now I don’t practice Spanish that much,” she said in Spanish. “You are very fortunate to be part of the family of LAMP, which is growing and continues to make its mark in this community.”

A safe place
LAMP is seen by its leaders as a safe hub for the community it serves: a large percentage of low-income immigrant families and a fewer number of low-income African Americans trying to make ends meet in an economically-challenged environment.

The non-profit organization was initially founded 18 years ago as a ministry by eight congregations of women religious: Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary, Society of the Holy Child Jesus, Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, Sisters of the Holy Family, Sisters of Notre Dame, Sisters of St. Louis, Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary and Daughters of Charity. Since its inception, LAMP has kept its goals of strengthening families and empowering women — “the first teachers in the homes” — through education.

LAMP gives the opportunity to stay-at-home moms to attend ESL classes and to learn how to navigate the education and health systems, while their young children are being taught by licensed and dedicated professionals — some of them are LAMP’s alumnae — in adjacent infant, toddler and pre-school rooms.

Through the parenting program, parents are equipped with the tools to develop non-violent parenting skills.

“Mothers and children are being served together through wonderful programs and one has influence on the other, which is strengthening families and that’s the core of LAMP’s mission,” said Society of the Holy Child Jesus Sister Margaret Doyle, president of the board of directors.

Word of mouth has been the best marketing tool. As their services are sought by more people and as the community needs grow, LAMP’s leaders envision including more services and improving the existing, efforts that are challenged by the current economic times.

“LAMP is at a moment of great growth and we can see it today, but as the needs increase there are challenges in its financial situation,” said Religious Sister of the Sacred Heart of Mary Patricia Connor. “We are enormously grateful to individuals and foundations that have supported and believe in us, and we pray they will continue to believe and support.”

The programs are financed through a combination of public funds and the religious communities funds, but funding LAMP’s operations (including salaries) has been the great challenge over the years, the sisters said.

A grant for the family literacy program was recently expanded for another year, which gives LAMP “an opportunity for a smoother transition,” director De La Rosa told The Tidings. The board of directors will have to figure out how to keep the program running when the grant ends in a year.

Just recently, First 5 L.A. granted the non-profit a $150,000 capacity-building grant that will allow hiring more personnel and finalize the early childhood education program licensing process.

“We are looking into opportunities of collaboration to help build this neighborhood and this thriving community,” Pamela Huntoon, educational issues director in the office of Councilwoman Jan Perry, told The Tidings during the pre-schoolers’ graduation. She acknowledged the great role played by LAMP in the area’s development.

‘LAMP cannot fail’
Despite the financial challenges, De La Rosa remains optimistic.

“LAMP cannot fail because there are so many people that worry about its mission,” she told The Tidings. “The work and the people is what makes it, and we have some amazing people here,” she continued.

She believes in the development of the less fortunate communities through a closer connection with wealthier L.A.

“We all belong to L.A. and L.A. belongs to us,” she said. “It is a metropolitan center, a center of business for California, a center of culture, a center of politics, so we have to realize the importance of having all of us play a role in building that gem that we have in the city.

“In this side of town people don’t really get to enjoy a lot of the other areas of town. Or, the other folks that have the money living in a different area of town have no reason to come here. How can we connect them, how can we integrate them, how can we all share and transform and improve this wonderful cultural center that we already have?”

“This is what LAMP is doing,” she said. “We are building in this cultural richness, by bringing the community together, by educating the community, by helping them educate themselves and educate their children and thus they are enriching this part of town.”

For more information about South Central LAMP, visit www.southcentrallamp.org or call (323) 234-1471.

South Central LAMP is a Sponsored Ministry of the Sisters of the Holy Fmaily

Saint Vincent's Day Home

VINCENT ACADEMY received 100% approval by Oakland Unified School District last night, with the option to revisit our preference for SVDH students in two years … the option cannot be in place the first two years because of Federal Funds that we will receive to get the school started … we all are very excited.

Now the work at Saint Vincent’s Day Home will be carried forward … our children will have a quality school experience – year round — from 7am -5:30 Monday through Friday — serving the needs of the community and the families that have called SVDH “home” for 99 years …. The model for this Charter School follows the Day Home model … our next 100 years of excellence has now extended to the 5th grade!

If you were a member of this amazing community, as a child, a parent, or a family member, we urge you to contact them, and continue to be a part of the family.

Children gathered for festivities in the traditional art arbors built in every Day Home, circa 1940

St. Elizabeth’s Day Home
950 St. Elizabeth Drive
San Jose, CA 95126
MAP

Phone: 408.295.3456
Fax: 408.295.5917

www.sedh.org
info@sedh.org

Click here to contact the Alumni Program of the Holy Family Day Home

If you send us information about you or your family member’s experience at the Day Home, we’ll send you a Holy Family Day Home memento to thank you for contacting us.

Dr. Kevin Starr
(Attended the Day Home 1945-1947)

Dr. Kevin Starr (Attended the Day Home 1945-1947)

A half century and more ago, I would awaken after my nap at the Holy Family Day Home at 16th and Dolores Streets in San Francisco. I would look up to the great windows through which streamed the California sunshine. The windows seemed vast and distant, as if they were the windows of a great cathedral.

I later learned that the famous architect Willis Polk had designed the building; but even then, as a boy of five and six, I recognized that I was spending my days in distinguished surroundings, watched over by kindly women wearing the habit of the Sisters of the Holy Family. I remember the order and dignity of those days — and the serene stability that meant much to a child of divorced parents whose mother worked each day at a nearby bank in the Mission District.

The Sisters of the Holy Family treated us with dignity and respect. I can never remember anything even vaguely approaching punishment, although all of us, boys and girls together, were well behaved. We quite naturally fell into the dignity of our surroundings, and the gracious care of the Sisters seemed to elicit our best behavior….

The simplicity of spirit, the flexibility, the emphasis upon charity and service that characterized those first formative years has remained with the Holy Family Sisters throughout their 125 year existence.

Excerpt from the Introduction of A Legacy of Caring: The Impassioned Mission of Sisters of the Holy Family, by Charolette M. Hall and James Wolfe Hall. Pleasanton, CA, Hall Media Group, 1997.

Week of the Young Child 2010: April 11th—17th!

Last year’s Theme:

Working families need child care and supportive employer policies to be able to meet the needs of their young children throughout the day.

• In the United States the majority of mothers with children under age 18 work, including 59% of those with infants and 74% of those with school-aged children.
• Approximately 13 million infants, toddlers, and preschool children are regularly in non-parental care in the United States, including 45% of children younger than one year.
• The Census Bureau reports that approximately 50% of working families rely on child care providers to help them care for their children while they work; 25% rely on relatives for child care; and nearly 25% arrange work schedules so that no child care is needed (e.g. parents work different hours or days; one parent works during school hours and is home after school)

In Las Vegas, the Associates and Sisters have been working very hard to use this date, as an awareness and educational “moment”. To commemorate this day, Associates and Sisters have been stuffing “thousands” of small plastic bags with rosary beads and prayer cards, to be handed out after all the Masses on the 10th, and 11th, of January.

National Human Trafficking Awareness Day is a perfect time to let people know that human slavery – also known as human trafficking – is still happening today! Millions of people, including children as young as age five, are among the millions of people recruited, sold, and otherwise enslaved globally each year for the purposes of prostitution and other forms of commercial sexual exploitation. In Las Vegas, the sex industry is a multibillion-dollar business each year, and that is why we have focused in on prostitution for human trafficking.

After hearing Sister Martin, suggest saying the rosary for victims, we moved ahead and developed a Rosary for prostitution victims “Set the Captives Free Rosary”. The front of the card compares the five sorrowful mysteries, with the tragic reality that the women and children face each day as victims of this crime. The back of the prayer card tells “What we can do to help the elimination of this problem.

These women and children are not anonymous, faceless victims: they’re someone’s daughters, sisters, mothers and friends.

What can we do?

• Learn more about sexual slavery and the complex reasons it exists;
• Raise awareness about sexual exploitation as a local and national concern in need of prayer;
• Advocate for tougher laws to fight trafficking and exploitation of human beings; and
• Join or support groups that work to end sexual trafficking of women and children.

In Las Vegas, we need to become a strong abolition movement for the elimination of sexual trafficking, the prosecution of sex traffickers, and the protection of survivors. In the light of this whole human rights violation, and because of forces like “Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman who has proposed legalizing prostitution in Las Vegas as a ‘redevelopment tool, and has suggested turning ‘old motels into beautiful brothels,” our Sisters and Associates are sponsoring a prayer campaign to stop this horrible situation in our city and around the world.

When are people trafficked?

Each year vulnerable women and children are lured, coerced, tricked, kidnapped and sold into the hands of those making billions in this sex trade.

And where are they trafficked to?

These women and children are obtained for sexual exploitation in direct prostitution, production of pornography, nude dancing or live sex shows.

1. People are trafficked to residential homes in expensive neighborhoods for prostitution.
2. People are trafficked to Massage parlors for prostitution.
3. Strip clubs and lap dance clubs.
4. Women and children are trafficked through Escort Services provided in Las Vegas.

We know this through police reports, FBI investigations, and ICE Immigration & Customs Enforcement. Investigative journalists like John Smith, and George Knapp also have written reports in our local newspapers. Victims are made to endure unspeakable acts of physical brutality, violence and humiliation including rape by so called customers. In their daily lives they acquire alcohol and drug dependencies, suffer major psychological trauma as a result of their extreme emotional and physical abuse.

We, the undersigned faith-based organizations, write to urge you to include legal immigrants in any national health care plan enacted by Congress.

While our organizations have other priorities in the health-care debate, we agree that any health-care plan should include legal immigrants and other vulnerable immigrant populations. It is our strongly-held view that the provision of health care is a shared responsibility grounded in the sacred act of creation and our common humanity. Universal teachings within the scriptural texts of our diverse faith communities call us to welcome strangers and compassionately care for their basic human needs – including health care.

Legal immigrants work hard, pay taxes, contribute to society, and pay into the Social Security and Medicare systems, as is required of U.S. citizens. We seek to rectify the injustice of denying them access to needed health care for them and their families.

Specifically, in any proposal that moves forward, we call for provisions that:

It is important that, as Congress considers health-care reform, legal and other vulnerable immigrants have access to health-care coverage. In such action, we are ensuring that they have what they need in order to live out the fullness of their sacred potential as individuals and as contributing members of our society.

~

Please send a version of this letter to your congress person. They need to hear from their constituents. Thank you!

Tri-City Elder Coalition, Pathways to Positive Aging has presented to Sister Therese Martineze a Certificate of Appreciation! Award ceremonty was held on May 29, 2009 with Suzanne Shenfil, Director of Human Services-City of Fremont and Mary Anderson Chair-woman of the Tri-City Elder Coalition. Keynote speaker was Mayor Bob Wasserman, City of Fremont. 

Sister has written with the 6th grade class of Mission San Jose Elementary School.

Sister Michaela’s Ministry

Good Afternoon, 

I would like to share some wonderful news with you.  At the most recent Hands Across the Valley Awards Luncheon, sponsored by HandsOn-Central California, several CASA volunteers were recognized for their work in our community.

HandsOn (formerly The Volunteer Center) is a local organization that encourages volunteerism and each year they sponsor this luncheon to recognize volunteers from Central California. This year over forty individuals and organizations were nominated for awards. 

I want to offer my heartfelt congratulations to the award winners as follows:

o     Advocates Christiana Sweeney and Brenda Watson-Hill were nominated for “Volunteer of the Year.”

o     Advocate Joan Litch, SHF  was awarded “Outstanding Senior of the Year.”

o     Board Member Dr. Dan Griffin was awarded the “Humanitarian” award.

Congratulations to each of you, we celebrate your dedicated advocacy for children in the foster care system.

Sincerely,

Nathan Lee, Executive Director 

Save the Date: Please mark your calendar for Voices of Hope, CASA’s own volunteer recognition event on Thursday, June 11 ^th

Sisters of the Holy Family Foundresses

In a day and age when we value credentials and certification for the teachers of young children, it is noteworthy to mention that the founding members of the Sisters of the Holy Family also valued preparatory training as they provided care for young children.

On August 24, 1884 Sr. Dolores and Sr. Theresa (pictured on this page with their certificates) received their Kindergarten Certification from the Pacific Kindergarten Normal School in San Francisco. Their instructor Emma Marwedel, is attributed to be the founder of the kindergarten movement in the U.S. and trained at the famed Froebel School in Hamburg, Germany.

An excerpt from the Sisters Jubilee book states: “When however, the work developed, the efficiency of the Sisters increased. Several of the first members of the congregation received their diplomas for kindergarten work after systematic normal school training. So remarkable was their success that as early as 1886, the Sisters from Notre Dame Convent in San Jose visited [the day homes] to observe the methods in use and to adopt them in their own kindergarten.”

Seven years later, they won recognition at the Chicago World’s Fair for their display of kindergarten work.

As St. Elizabeth’s Day Home moves forward in its next century, we invite the current teachers and parents to follow the high standards set by the founders. Our present system stands on the shoulders of these women pioneers.

——————————————
1- The Holy Family Sisters of San Francisco, 1872-1922. Rev. D. J. Kavanagh, S.J., Gilmartin Co, San Francisco, CA 1922.

Week of the Young Child is April 19-25, 2009! 

Join us this April to celebrate the nationally acclaimed Week of the Young Child. This year’s theme is Bring Communities Together for Children–Children Bring Communities Together. St. Elizabeth’s Day Home has been bringing children, families, and communities together for over 101 years!  We all know how critically important the early years are if our children are to thrive and grow.

From the beginning, the Sisters of the Holy Family pioneered the vision that every child deserves a supportive environment in the context of family, community and society.

This work is, of course, never done alone. Family and child development requires sustained and focused community effort—with education at the core. Wonderful things happen when communities of people unite for the well-being of the family, for the healthy development of our communities, and for the success of our society.

The nation’s economic turmoil has struck many families, as well as the non-profit organizations which serve them. Every day, over 50% of the children who attend St. Elizabeth’s Day Home receive scholarship assistance. Our solid commitment to our families means that we carry a monthly scholarship subsidy of $8,000 — which must be raised through the help of people like you, local foundations, and corporations. In this economy, the financial struggle has been a challenge.  If you care about children, care about the future we are building together, please help support our scholarship program. About $140 per month gives a child the chance to learn, grow, and reach for an adult live of success and contribution.

Childhood is a valuable stage in the human life cycle. It is unique in that a child’s brain develops most dramatically in the first 5 years of their young lives. Help makes these early years count for all the children in our community by helping our scholarship program at St. Elizabeth’s Day Home. 

“I’m just so angry all the time!”

Those words, in a desperate plea for self understanding, often burst out from the men who turned up at my office door. As chaplain in a state prison, much of my time was spent in listening and counseling. At these times, all too often, a sad history would unfold. 

The themes which came to light generally included abandonment and/or abuse by parents or other caretakers, multiple foster homes, self medication with drugs and alcohol. Often a vicious cycle of senseless crime and self loathing led to imprisonments and eventually long or even life sentences.  Surprisingly, seldom had these men seen any connection between their situation and its roots in their early lives.

It was my experience with these stories, repeated in so many ways by so many men that initially drew me to volunteer as a CASA. For the men I came to know, the harm done to themselves and to others could not be undone. I was attracted by the possibility of in some way helping even one child through the labyrinth of traumatic situations at the time when that help was most needed.

I am so grateful for CASA!

I know of no other volunteer organization that can be so effective in helping the children who must face so many difficult challenges.

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Carolyn Whited has been an advocate for CASA for over five years; first in Tulare County and currently In Stanislaus County. Her passion and (compassion) for all of her clients is astounding … and reflects the same commitment of all of her fellow advocates.  

Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children [CASA] of Stanislaus County is a passionate community organization that provides every child received through the court system with personalized advocacy and support. Our goal is to provide a safe, permanent, nurturing environment for every child served.

This article was originally published in the CASA of Stanislaus County Newsletter for March-April, 2009

 

Enactment of Prop 1D will undermine one of the few efforts in California to fund prevention and early intervention strategies that eliminate long-term and costly problems, in spite of undisputable evidence of their cost effectiveness. When times are tough, prevention funding is the first to go. Prop 1D will only worsen future budget problems.

 

Prop 1D was intended to reflect the “Big 5’s” decision to divert 50% of First 5 funds for 5 years.  But poor drafting and lack of public review resulted in a flawed ballot measure that undermines the work of First 5 commissions way beyond the diversion of funds.

Prop 1D redirects $1.6 million over 5 years from local communities to the State Budget and gives the Legislature total control over how it is spent.  Prop 1D takes $268 million every year from First 5 Commissions.  That’s approximately 50% of their current revenue from the tobacco tax, but it’s a percentage that will quickly grow as tobacco sales continue to decline over the next five years.  By 2012-13, First 5 commissions will be left with as little as 35% – 40% of their current funds.

Prop 1D changes how First 5 Commissions receive their funding, filling the State’s coffers before any money goes to the counties.  Currently First 5 Commissions receive and spend tobacco tax revenue on a monthly basis.  Prop 1D will radically alter commission operations, potentially closing commission doors for months while they await their portion of the funds.

In an effort to win Sen. Cox’s vote for the budget (which did not succeed), language was inserted that limits the use of First 5 funds to “direct services” even though direct services are only one aspect of First 5’s investment in children — and not necessarily the investment that promises the greatest return.  Among First 5 programs at risk:

• Developing and renovating facilities for preschools in underserved communities.  First 5 provides one of the few sources for upgrading facilities to expand access to preschool and quality child care in urban and rural communities alike.
• Training preschool teachers and child care providers.  First 5’s investments in quality preschool and child care have resulted in some of the highest quality early education in the nation.  Communities could lose critical support for training educators, developing curriculum, and assisting in licensing and program quality improvement.  
• Children’s Health Initiatives, which provide the state’s largest and most stable source of health insurance to low income children ineligible for other programs.  Because of CHIs, more than 80,000 children have obtained access to insurance and regular health care, nearly a fourth of them under the age of 6.
• Training and recruiting dentists and other providers.  First 5 addresses the dearth of pediatric dentists and other medical specialists by funding training programs and recruitment strategies. First 5 also funds facilities – from mobile vans to multi-county clinics – to meet pediatric health and dental needs. None of these investments are “direct services.”
• Leveraging funds and coordinating services for young children. First 5 revenues leverage millions of dollars statewide in federal Medicaid funds for planning and administrative activities that increase access to health care for low income children.  These activities – and these federal dollars — will be eradicated by Prop 1D.

What Proponents of Prop 1D Are Saying: Misleading and Inaccurate Claims

Proponents of Prop 1D claim that the radical diversion of funds from First 5 to the state budget will have no negative impact because First 5 commissions “are sitting on unspent billions.”  This cynically twists commissions’ responsible stewardship of precious dollars into a claim that is unfair and inaccurate. The facts:

• Nearly 57% of First 5’s statewide fund balance is tied up in multi-year initiatives. When First 5 commissions start a project, they believe in ensuring they have the funds to complete it.
• Nearly 38% is reserved for new initiatives and to sustain programs as tobacco revenues decline. 
• Less than 6% is undesignated.  These are the funds that make possible emergency expenditures, such as responding to natural disasters like last year’s fires in southern California, keeping provider organizations in business during state and county fiscal cut-backs, and expanding and stabilizing safety net programs to assist families suffering from the failing economy.

Unlike the State of California, First 5 Commissions are responsible stewards of their funds, planning and investing for the long term.  Enactment of Prop 1D will punish children and communities for First 5’s conscientious management of public dollars.

Enactment of Prop 1D will undermine one of the few efforts in California to fund prevention and early intervention strategies that eliminate long-term and costly problems, in spite of undisputable evidence of their cost effectiveness.  When times are tough, prevention funding is the first to go.  Prop 1D will only worsen future budget problems.

If Prop 1D passes, what’s to keep the Legislature from taking the rest next time the State needs cash?Enactment of Prop 1D will undermine one of the few efforts in California to fund prevention and early intervention strategies that eliminate long-term and costly problems, in spite of undisputable evidence of their cost effectiveness.  When times are tough, prevention funding is the first to go.  Prop 1D will only worsen future budget problems.

Protect Children and Families: Vote No on Prop 1D

Join the No on Prop 1D Campaign. Go to www.NoOnProposition1D.com

Reprinted

I passed the information on to several friends who work with children and have contacts that I don’t. Rita Bohling, who teaches at St. Perpetua and works on Social Justice projects at St. John Vianney, ran with it. 

Through Rita’s efforts, Red Hands were sent in from St. Perpetua’s School. Rita teamed up with Glenna Benton at St. John Vianney and the Red Hand Project was done in the CCD classes as well as at several of the Masses on Sunday.  SJV showed the older children a short film on children soldiers that stirred up some very good discussion.  It didn’t end there. 

The Principal of St. Francis School learned about the Red Hands Project when it was done after Mass. She took the information and planned to do it at St. Francis. 

I would have never known about the project if it hadn’t been for SHF…a seed that was planted grew!

~ Pat Moran

As the internet has become more and more a part of everyday life, the conference presenters focused on two questions:

• How is the internet used as a tool for violence, for the trafficking and sexual exploitation of people, especially women and girls?
• How can it be a tool for social change to counter violence?

The internet is increasingly used to facilitate the trafficking of persons both within the U.S and globally. One of the examples given at the conference was “Craigslist” a popular website that posts housing, household items, etc. There is, however, a dark side. In the “Erotic” section, human traffickers have found Craigslist to be one of the most efficient, effective (and free!) ways to post children and women for sale.

A campaign has been organized by anti-human trafficking advocates to have this site implement stronger safeguards and monitoring procedures. Although Craigslist states via its feedback forum that it welcomes ideas for improvement, when confronted by anti-human trafficking advocates, the policy is to ignore or deny that it is a source of human trafficking and sexploitation of children. Presenters at the conference expressed that Craigslist is one of the prime offenders, and shared shocking stories of trafficking taking place on this site.

For more information regarding the ‘Craigslist Campaign’ and how you can join with other advocates go to: www.notforsalecampaign.org 

Opposition to internet trafficking is not opposition to the internet, but rather to its use as a conduit to trafficking human beings.

One of the conference presenters, Laura Lederer, said it well: “Our role is to make the harm visible.”

You can find more information on the conference and the work of the End Trafficking Coalition at:
www.eitcoalition.org

Hello, again! In our reading of the 29 books, many of the stories were stories of real animals. Way back, some years back, Walt Disney began his movies with book stories with animated animals. I believe “Felix The Cat” was one of his first characters.

Since  then many more animal stories have interested the public. Mickey Mouse and MinnieMouse still greet everyone at Disney Land. However, the following stories are stories of live animals and fictitious animals, who do something spectacular in the story. These are the titles of the books we have read and discussed and their authors.

                        Poetry that Rhymes, by Jack Prelutsky
                        Shep-the Belgian Shepherd, by Ed Shields
                        Anamalia, by Graeme Base
                        Black Crow, Black Crow, by Ginger F. Gay
                        Cat You Better Come Home, by Garrison Keiller
                        Wild Dogs, by Helen Humphreys
                        Our Animals Friends, by Alice Proseñsen
                        Shy Little Kitten, by Cathleen Shurr
                        Beware of Dragons, by Sarah Wilson

I must say, all of the above books engaged grand artist and illustrators. Beware of Dragons used vivid words in the story, so in the vocabulary review we read: smoky, gnats, warned, rambled, blows, gusting, bump, yell, rocked, scaring, mite hero. Without reading the story, don’t these words help you imagine the story?

Shep is a story of a beautiful Belgian shepherd, who lost his beloved master and owner and does not understand death. Every day he goes to the train station to wait for the train to see if his owner is one of the passengers. Many trains come and go, and the master never appears. Shep becomes so upset; won’t eat, sleep and will allow no one to love him or touch him. The time keeper at the station begins to notice the strange behavior of Shep and becomes very concerned. Finally, one day the train does roll into the station and returns the master’s dead body home for burial.

Now, Shep begins to feel better. Though his master is no longer alive, it is comforting to him to know that his master has returned. The finality of death is understood. Shep goes to the train station daily and greets all passengers. He becomes so famous, that when it is his turn to die, all of his friends take up a collection, and if you should visit, Fort Benson in Minnesota, you will see a beautiful statue of Shep, the Belgian Shepherd.

We learn from the story of Shep to respect and to show gratitude to our parents and to all who help us. Often, when I go shopping to the store or to the Mall, I see and hear some disrespectful children of all ages. Children should be taught as early as possible to be respectful and grateful and friendly to all. This type of living promotes healthy living and peace. Parents who spoil their children do them no favors. Children, who are spoiled grow up to be selfish, self centered and are unable to assimilate whatever will happen in their life.

All of the stories we read had good applicable lessons for daily living and for making us better persons. The books were well appreciated by my little friend and the mom.

I do think that cats and dog stories are the most popular animals that children choose for their pets. The next blog will be about interesting cats!!

So, until you read me, again. Do read at home!!

Sister Therese Martinez

An answer to my prayer is that your days have been sooo good!

Added to this prayer was the thought that we are in so much need of more rain, and yes we felt the wonderful flavors that rains always bring out to the grasses, flowers and the dusting it creates in trees. Everything looks green and fresh.

Well, in the story of Alexander, he caused people and situations to get and feel green. Besides the wad of gum in his hair, he wakes up early to get to the cereal box for the prize toy inside, but his two brothers arrive, grab the prize and all Alexander get is the box of cereal. At school he is disappointed because his teacher does not understand his art of the invisible castle; he get no dessert for lunch; goes to the dentist who finds cavities, ouch, ouch, does not get to pick the sneakers he likes, does not like to see people kissing on TV and has to wear his railroad pajamas to bed, which he hates. This is just too much!!

When this happens Alexander loves to say: “I will just go to Australia!” Alexander does not realize that all of the above could well happen in Australia.”  As I said in one of the other bogs, we cannot run away from situations. We must face them head on. Australia is far, far away, Alexander.

When I begin my lesson with the mom and my little friend, we greet. Each get a copy of the lesson plan, we exchange news of the week; we look at the book, we talk about the author and we go over the vocabulary words which. I think may be new to them. Remember, this family has been here for about a year and a half. They traveled from China to Canada to Fremont in a short span of time.

The vocabulary words which I picked from the book before we read the story are: tokens, New Jersey, lox, stinks, bury, stoop, ratty, crack smushed, dopey. We discuss each word and proceed to read the story.

My friend and mom take turns reading with expression and by paying attention to the punctuation marks. In my teaching experience, I found that girls tend to read better than boys. I guess it’s the actress in this world of females.

While the book appears to be funny it is really catastrophic, but then the applications for learning and living are evident. One of my best recommendations is to laugh at one self and try not to repeat the same mistake twice. Truthfully, I think this is so necessary in our world right now. Money in the billions is not the problem. The way money has been handled by some is a serious problem. Money is necessary but it is not the most important ingredient for true happiness.

Any creative person that works with children, of all ages, can put this book into a play; can create poetry; chants; write music; more blogs and use so many types of art media, and anything else that a creative person can do. This book was actually adopted for a great traveling performance by The Center of Performing Arts in Washington, DC sometime back and was most successful.

Before I close, I would like to say something about the author Judith Viorst is a creative writer and has more books, which I used while I was teaching. At the time of authoring Alexander, she had three young boys of her own, which I am sure were models for her characters portrayed in her books. Her books are wonderful!

Kids can be taught to eat better, play better, listen better, enjoy all that the world gives to us. They can be taught to get along with everyone and help everyone. Hopefully parents can do the above, too. We are really here to enjoy this beautiful planet we call earth. My next blogs will be on the books about animals. Which kids do not love animals??

 WRITE YOU REAL SOON
Sister Therese Martinez SHF

Books that are relative to the seasons, health, families, language  culture, history, family traditions, as well as many other topics, can help young readers develop a wide variety of interests, and  become accustomed to literary genres.  As children grow older, they can become avid readers and learners; I think this is so important in ones life. 

Unless children are exposed early in their life to hearing stories and are then taken to the library. and are exposed  to all of the advantages it offers, it will be difficult for children to acquire a taste for this important subject of reading.  There is no excuse for not having books at home for if you can’t get to the library the library van can come to you.  Simply check the van’s schedule

One book that I recently used for my class:  Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible No Good Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst is a humorous story about a little boy, who does have a terrible bad day and his experiences can be applied to any age. Alexander begins one day with a big wad of gum in his hair.  That does not sound so good, but wait until you hear or read the rest of story!

Some of us have great senses of humor; some have none; some of us can have a great day, when all goes so well; some of us, unfortunately, claim that no day is good.  I believe that there are many good days in our life, depending on how we handle the day.  I know from my experience that bad days can affect all of our being, but then if we did not know the difference we would not be human

Learning early in life how to handle situations and their consequences is a viable lesson. To face reality early in our childhood is so important.

Running from situations is never a solution.  Anyway, life is what we make it.

Please read the this book, because in my next blog I will describe the story more in detail.  Remember, everyday has Good in it!!

Let us look only for Good daily.  I believe that we can be much happier.

Until the next time!
Sister Therese
02/14/09

I believe the above situation is happening in so many homes. The children are, in one language mode and the parents are in another language mode. I believe that all educators must be aware of this situation and use all possible compassionate understanding.

In my next post, I will tell you more about this young mom and her first grade son, whom I teach here at our convent every Tuesday afternoon.

This is how I am helping, and this may give you some ideas as to what to do when you are retired.

Sister Therese Martinez