Angelina Garcia Continues to Inspire Others

Angelina Garcia has been inspiring and motivating people for years.

Angleina Garcia at Valley Children’s Hospital

Her story starts at Reedley College where she was studying to complete her Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Studies. Angelina Garcia, 22 years of age, unfortunately discovered she had a brain tumor during her freshman year at Reedley College. Thankfully the tumor was not cancerous, however it grew rapidly forcing emergency surgery. The tumor paralyzed the right side of her body so she could not eat or speak.  She had to re-learn many things and drop out of college for two years.

Throughout this hurdle in her life she was able to return to Reedley College. Still recovering from her brain tumor, Angelina was walking  to and from classes with a cane. During this time back at Reedley College, she met a motivating teacher, her Child Development instructor, Amy Micu. At the end of the semester, Micu motivated Angelina to walk without her cane. Angelina showed hesitation and Micu said “Maybe not today but just try it over the summer, I think you’re ready.” The following semester, Angelina returned to Reedley College and saw Micu, excited to show her that she was walking to and from classes without her cane.

“I did it and then that following semester she saw me walking without my cane. I was like look, I did what you told me!” – Angelina Garcia

Angelina’s ability to return to school and graduate from Reedley College inspired many people. Her counselor and several other instructors nominated her for the State Center Community College District (SCCCD) Student of Note Award. ‘The Student of Note award is given to one graduating student from each Center who has overcome a significant obstacle in his/her pursuit of an education.” – SCCCD. Angelina was interviewed by Reedley College’s Vice President and was presented with the Student of Note Award award during the commencement ceremony, where she received the diploma for her Associate of Arts in Liberal Studies degree.

While Angelina has inspired and motivated many people over the past few years, she was motivated by another teacher, her 4th grade teacher at Indianola Elementary School in Selma. Her 4th grade teacher was able to make an impact that helped Angelina realize that she wants to become a teacher one day.

“My 4th grade teacher was really motivating and I thought, another way I can motivate people is by being a teacher.” – Angelina Garcia

When Angelina transferred to Fresno State, she came in full force taking 18 units. She entered the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies program’s STEP cohort with a concentration in history and she is minoring in Urban Civic Education. Angelina is very involved in school activities and is currently searching to join a student association or club.

During Angelina’s school experience, she has met many motivating people. Further driving her path to become a teacher. Her plan is to enter a credential program in Fall 2019, still deciding between becoming an elementary teacher or a history teacher. Angelina wants to teach in Reedley or Selma and continue motivating and inspiring others just as she was motivated by her 4th grade teacher.

Developing the Knowledge of Teaching Writing

Teachers from all grades and all subjects encounter writing in their classroom. Whether it is writing a formal report, research, note taking or a story, writing is present in all classrooms. But which teacher is responsible for teaching writing? Are teachers prepared to teach students how to write?

Dr. Juliet Wahleithner

Dr. Juliet Wahleithner, Co-Director of the San Joaquin Valley Writing Project and Assistant Professor for the Kremen School of Education and Human Development at Fresno State, is dedicated to preparing educators to teach writing.

Dr. Wahleithner did not have a traditional path to becoming a teacher. She was an English major with a passion for studying literature. Early in her teaching career, she realized that she didn’t know how to teach writing. Nor did she have any formal preparation on how to teach writing instruction.

Student’s need of having proficient writing skills is increasing. As technology becomes more dominant in the workplace, individuals need to be experienced writers. According to Writing: A Ticket to Work or Ticket Out (2004), “Writing is a threshold skill for both employment and promotion. Two-thirds of salaried employees in large American companies have some writing responsibility.”

San Joaquin Valley Writing Project

The San Joaquin Valley Writing Project (SJVWP), hosted at Fresno State, is making significant strides in its effort to educate teachers on the art of teaching writing. The SJVWP offers a variety of programs available to teachers, schools and students in the Central Valley. These programs provide professional development that serve educators at all grade levels, primary through university, and in all subjects.

One of the SJVWP programs is the New Teachers Writing Collaborative (NTWC). The NTWC, an annual two-week (eight day) workshop, is designed for participants to develop a deeper understanding of different genres of writing and how to teach those genres. In this workshop, SJVWP Teacher Leaders and teachers from the Central Valley, explore the idea of writing as research-based inquiry and think about how writing standards can translate to engaging classroom practice.

“The New Teachers Writing Collaborative taught me strategies to get creative with my instruction, empower my students with and through writing, and integrate inquiry and movement into various learning experiences. It reminded me that my students are capable of taking risks, and that I am capable of guiding them.”
– ELA Teacher, 2016 Participant

At the end of the workshop, participants are eager to teach writing in their classrooms. They are equipped with new strategies, rigorous and aligned lessons, and activities to lead their students to embrace the role of writer. Teachers come away with the understanding of the importance of teachers writing with their students and sharing their own writing with their class.

Sign up for the 2018 New Teachers Writing Collaborative here.

Questions? Contact Jackie Smith at jaclynsmith345@gmail.com.

Building Community For Our Future Teachers

When a student decides they want to become a teacher, their path ideally starts during their Bachelor’s degree. Prerequisites are needed for the teaching credentials and students must plan during their undergraduate coursework in order to appropriately pick their classes.

Dr. Frederick Nelson, Chair of the Liberal Studies Department, started a group called The Dog Park. This is a place for Fresno State undergraduate students who are interested in becoming teachers to come together and network with one another. The students learn about the teaching profession and get an opportunity to build community with other future teachers.

The group has hosted two Dog Park events this Spring and have three more planned throughout the semester. The events include information to help students with their path to being prepared for their credential and other authorizations and/or certificates they may want to get during their studies. The Dog Park events also include ice breaker games, grant information, giveaways/prizes and free food.

Through these events Dr. Nelson is able to build a community of future credential students and increase the number of juniors who enter the Strategic Teacher Education Partnership (STEP) cohorts. The STEP cohorts are an innovative way of preparing new teachers, where the students are provided guaranteed classes, ideal schedules and student-focused teacher preparation. If Liberal Studies students enter the STEP cohort during their junior year, their path to becoming a teacher becomes smoother with prerequisites met.

Learn more about The Dog Park and future events in their Facebook Group.

Fresno City Councilmember Congratulates The Hannigans

Fresno City Councilmember, Paul Caprioglio, recognized Drs. John and Jessica Hannigan at Fresno City Hall on February 8th.

Drs. John and Jessica Hannigan, Principal of Ronald W. Reagan Elementary and Assistant Professor at the Kremen School of Education and Human Development,  have written “Don’t Suspend Me!”. This best seller is a tool-kit for alternative discipline methods. Written by practitioners for practitioners, this book helps educators comply with new legal requirements, create meaningful change in the behavior of at-risk students, and helps educators ultimately develop more productive and empathetic citizens.

Councilmember Caprioglio congratulated the Hannigans on the success of their book. Stating his appreciation of the work they have done to further people’s understanding of effective instruction methods.

Learn more about the book here.

 

 

Compassion For The Street Children of India

Nayantara Rodrigues, Adjunct Faculty for the Department of Counselor Education and Rehabilitation, was born in India and traveled to the U.S. at a young age. Every year she returns to India to visit family and every year she is moved by the ‘Street Children of India’. These children are homeless and in dire need of basic resources. They travel the streets begging for money or food and are often the outcome of devastating situations.

Nayantara Rodrigues

Nayantara traveled home and decided that something needs to be done. Soon her and her husband started a group – Namaste for Compassion.

“Our mission is to partner with our local community and organizations who share our vision. We hope to empower and support Street Children in India, inspiring compassion in all who are touched with this purpose. Our group started our search to find a small organization which we could help; an organization which works to offer hope and change for the Street Children in India. Our search led us to Bal Pushpa Home in Mumbai, India.” – Nayantara Rodrigues

Nayantara first visited the orphanage to meet with Sr. Dharma Rodrigues (pictured below on the far left in all white). Sr. Dharma started the orphanage and has tirelessly supported children from ages 0 to young adults. Sr. Dharma hopes that one day the children will dream of better lives.

Sr. Dharma informed Nayantara of the food, medical and educational needs they had. Nayantara returned home and held fundraisers to raise money for the Bal Pushpa Home orphanage. In January of 2018 Nayantara returned to the orphanage where she delivered supplies and the money for their needs.

“Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It’s a relationship between equals. Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others. Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity.”― Pema Chödrön

If you would like to donate towards the Namaste for Compassion efforts, visit their GoFundMe page.

You can also stay connected by joining their Facebook Group.

1967 – A 10-Year-Old Boy and His Teacher

Being a teacher has many meanings. Educator. Mentor. Artist. Philosopher. Coach. Historian.

Every single day teachers are making a difference in someone’s life. Whether that be a small effect on one child or making an impact on an entire community. Teachers are the force that prepare the leaders of tomorrow.

Dr. Paul Beare, Dean of the Kremen School of Education and Human Development, was enjoying a Saturday morning when he received an email. The email was from a man he had never met before. A man that was once a student of Dr. Beare’s mother.

January 21, 2018

Dear Dr. Beare,

I am Keith Martin, an art teacher in Bartlett, Tennessee. In 1967 I was a fifth-grade student in Mrs. Virginia Beare’s class at Frank P. Tillman Elementary School in Kirkwood, Missouri. This morning I was reflecting (in thanks) on my influences and searched for information about my favorite school teacher of all time. It was with sadness this morning that I realized and acknowledged that she is no longer alive.

This message is sent in hopes that you are another person who was influenced by the same teacher. … please understand that her teaching and the climate of learning in her classroom had a profound effect on me.

Fifty years later I am still grateful to her for the contribution she made to the life of a ten-year-old child.

Sincerely,
Keith Martin
Art Teacher, Elmore Park Middle School
Bartlett, TN

Mrs. Virginia Beare

Over the years, we grow up thinking of who our favorite teachers were. Repeating those few favorite memories over and over in our head. Feeling the happiness and strength those teachers helped us gain. Mrs. Virginia Beare made an influence on Keith that lasted a lifetime.

Being a teacher is so much more than going over a curriculum or handing out tests and grades. It is about making a difference in students’ lives.

Every day counts. Every decision counts.