Holiday Truth Tea

Dear Lovelies,

2016 has been a difficult year for me personally.

I unexpectedly lost my mother to an aggressive stage four form of breast cancer on May 30th of this year.  Her diagnosis to her death was a whopping 13 days.  Her death came five days after I turned 40 and on the same day my older sister turned 42.  I held my mom's left hand as she took her final breath; my sister held her right.  And in that moment - the moment I saw my mother die - my whole world shattered.

My mother was a warrior - a single mom who worked the night shift at the local police department in order to drive us to school.  She was a role model - an inspiration to her two children who saw hard work, compassion, and kindness every single day.  (I didn't know chewing gum came in long sticks until I was in college because everything we ever had was split in two and shared.) To put it simply: my mother was my giant, my rock, my everything.  

I share this with you not to garner sympathy or pity but to let you know that this is the first holiday without the anchor of my family.  It's been a few months of "firsts" - the first day of school without my champion, the first Thanksgiving without her voice in my ear, the first time I have come home with a truckload of gifts from my students and I can't call her to wax poetic about how lucky I am to be your teacher.

I don't think you know how truly thankful I am for the love and light you bestow upon me - and I'm not talking about the generous gifts many of you took the time to give me.  I'm talking about the willingness to give our class a chance, the courage to step out of your Circle Thingy every single day, the hello's and goodbye's you offer each moment we get to share.

I know I am not perfect and I'm not fool enough to think you all speak of me positively but I do know that my days are made better because I get to do what I love (teach) in a place I adore (Room 853) with human beings (you) who remind me that hope is not a lost cause.

I wish you ALL the happiest of holidays.  May the road rise to meet each of you and may you know you are loved.

Love and Light and Happy 2017,
Beltran

p.s. - No mandatory Daily Journals but write if you'd like.

One More Day

Yes!!!! Almost there. I'll see y'all tomorrow for the Create Something Finale. Make us proud, people. Shout out to the people in the PAC. Seriously?

Love and light,
Beltran

DAILY JOURNAL: How do you feel about presenting?

Create Something

STEFAN!!!!

There are no words.

Looking forward to tomorrow.

Xoxo


DAILY JOURNAL:  Is your project reflective of the almost 8 weeks you had to think, craft and create? Honestly.

Day Three

I'm rocking out to Beyonce's Halo (and despite my cold) I am smiling.  Y's flying snake that has a home on top of the 800 building to the entirety of period 2 to the cranes to the colors to the....ahhhhhh.  "You're everything I need and more...".  Yes.  Just yes. 

Free topic Daily Journal for the night.

xoxo,
Beltran

Ooh ohh ohh - Day Two

Today was great too.  From the soup to the videos to the "oh no biggie" but I converted my words into music and here's the song.  I am amazed and inspired and impressed with your efforts.  Thank you for sharing of yourselves in such a way...looking forward to Day 3 tomorrow.

Have a peaceful and relaxing afternoon and evening.  Daily Journal below.

xoxo

Daily Journal:  After watching two days of presentations, what have you been impressed with from your peers?  

Day One of Create Something 1.0

Day One is in the books and it was spectacular.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for your effort and energy (and patience with technology).  I am looking forward to next week.  

No Daily Journals for the weekend.  Why?  Because I said so and someone gave me awesome moisturizer and a wire tree and pressed flowers and a shirt and I got an iced tea and there were nose warmers in period 6 and then Patrick and flying and oh my gravy.  I am just in a place that needs no journals so there.  

Enjoy the weekend.  

Love and light,

Beltran  :)

Indiana is a Pretty Cool State

Thank you for an engaging final Outliers discussion.  It is fascinating to see cultural legacies at play in the classroom.  Say bye to Malcolm for now but don't forget his claims.  They will be of use if you choose to take the AP Language exam in May.

Tomorrow sees us entering into Create Something 1.0!  I am excited.  Hope you are too.  Make sure evidence (proof, pictures, etc.) are emailed or shown to me tomorrow.  And make sure you signed up for a presentation slot.  Be ready.

Daily Journal below.

xoxo,
Beltran

Daily Journal:  How does your Create Something 1.0 project reflect who you are?

Malcolm Gladwell Date #2

So, so, so great today.  I love that you spoke and used your voices.  YES!!!  For tonight, consider reading Gladwell's Chapter 3 from Blink - The Warren Harding Error.  You can find the pdf online via Columbia University.  Also, check out Kurt Vonnegut's 1998 Commencement Address at Rice University.  In it he asks for the audience to share the name of someone who positively impacted their lives.  It's a great read.  As for the mandatory assignment, answer the Daily Journal prompt below in preparation for tomorrow's final discussion.

Love and light,
Beltran

Daily Journal:  What is your cultural legacy?

TED Talk Tuesday #13

Malcolm Gladwell, how you make my mind churn!  Access his talk here to review and rewatch.  And be ready for tomorrow's Outliers discussion.  I am interested in your thoughts on the questions I posed yesterday as well as the one in the Daily Dournal below.  :)

Those Daily Dournals are monumentally important as well.  Don't neglect them as they have a tendency to haunt people second semester.  Darn Daily Dournals, so diggity dog dominant in determining D's.

See y'all tomorrow!

xoxo,
Beltran

Daily Dournal:  What are your thoughts on "embracing the diversity" of our society???

Discussion #1

Good job today - very interesting conversations and discussions...I wonder what will happen on Wednesday???  Before that time, consider if you think everyone has a natural ability and what do you think about the time/era you were born in?  How has this shaped you?

I'll see you tomorrow for our TED Talk...

Beltran

Daily Journal:  Write your answers to the 2 discussion questions above.  

Final 2016 SAS

We definitely went out with a bang...from stories about bees to learning new languages to "they were indecisive...kind of" to magic tricks and grass...it was a great day.  Thank you.

Be sure to prep for the Outliers discussion on Monday.  I am beyond excited to discuss and learn from you.  Also, be sure to email me at ybeltran@sandi.net with your 6 weeks grade reflection.

Daily Journals for the weekend below.

Have a wonderful 2 days away from school,
Beltran

Daily Journal (Friday):  If you could create a new course/class at PLHS, what would it be and why?
Daily Journal (Saturday): When you were younger, what do you recall as your favorite activity? Be sure to explain.
Daily Journal (Sunday): Imagine you are in charge of creating a new food truck for San Diego.  What would you call it and what would you serve?  

Two Stepping and Dead Moths in Flames

Thank you for all your effort today in all ways.  Truly.  We are all "enough" to be in the room, but sometimes it comes down to charm and personality and character and risk taking and making yourself stand out.

Tomorrow we will enjoy SAS #11.  No theme or requirements - just your usual awesome passion and sharing.  In addition to that, please keep in mind that I need a GRADE REFLECTION emailed to me at ybeltran@sandi.net.  I would like you to assign yourself a numerical grade as well as a citizenship score.  Justify your reason for asking for the grade and be sure the email is in my inbox by MIDNIGHT SATURDAY 12/3.  Thank you.

Daily Journal is below and our first Outliers discussion is on Monday.  I CANNOT WAIT!!!!

Love and light and bugs burning in flames,
Beltran

Daily Journal:  Do you think you are charming?