Classroom News
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This week, I reread one of my favorite novels from one of my favorite writers: The Cry of the Owl by Patricia Highsmith. I spent much of 2025 picking novels off my shelves here in Mexicali. My goal was to read 50 novels in 50 weeks. I’m glad I did. They all seemed to be…
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For me, Frida’s personal story will forever be an inspiration. Unfortunately, I haven’t studied art to sufficiently recognize the genius of her painting, but in reading her story, I’m drawn to her strength and courage to live each day to the fullest. She lived a life on her terms. This semester, my students and I will…
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This spring I hope to incite Fridamania in a few of my classes. It is for this reason: many of my past students have (happily) chosen to base their research papers on the strength, courage, and creative genius of Frida Kahlo. IT WORKS. In her life and her art, they all seem to find something…
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In my Spring 2026 classes we will examine how images can make a visual argument. We are reading a fictional novel about Frida Kahlo that will lead us to a Mexico City research paper. My students will begin their semester writing journey by preparing a critical analysis of a visual image, advertisement or poster that relates…
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I’ve asked my students to share their MVP ( Most Valuable Part) of their Reading and Soundtrack Selection from their Fall Semester 2025. They will need to think back to the authors, short stories, and poems we have read. Here is the cool part: There is no right or wrong position in a student’s vote…
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SUMMER WAS FUN – FALL WILL BE A BLAST! This summer in ENGLISH 1000 we went to NEW YORK CITY – Come On! – In what other class doyou ever have the opportunity to do THAT? To supplement our PARADISE TRAVEL novel-reading experience, I asked each of my students to choose a JUICY…
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In the first or second week of each semester, I share Sandra Cisneros’s “Only Daughter,” with my composition classes. My students often connect with Sandra’s background. She beat the obstacles of racism, sexism, and poverty in her world to become both an influential writer and activist. Sandra’s childhood experience of being “the only daughter” proved…
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Fig. 1. "Caleña," I asked. I turned around and she planted a couple of kisses on my cheeks in greeting. [This is Marlon talking, from the novel Paradise Travel, meeting up with a traveling partner in NYC.] Holding on to my hands, she took a step backward to look at me, and I noticed…
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This Summer 2025, I have assigned a novel with my classes I recently plucked off my shelf here in Mexicali. It's called Paradise Travel, and it is written by Jorge Franco. I'm not giving any spoiler alerts, but it focuses upon the American Dream – two teen-age lovers, Marlon and Reina from Medellín, Colombia,…
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They told her not to come, but she came anyway. That's Bobby Kennedy on the left. That's President Kennedy on the right. And you know who that is in the middle – That's Marilyn Monroe. She had flown to New York to sing "Happy Birthday" to the president on his 45th birthday at Madison…