Mommy Maestra

Get Latino Teens Reading

2013-06-18T08:53:00.002-04:00

In case you missed it, yesterday Latinas 4 Latino Literature announce the Young Adult Challege portion of their Latino Children's Summer Reading Program. To motivate teens to read this summer, they're giving away 10 Chromebooks and 10 Nexus 7 tablets donated by the summer reading program's naming sponsor, Google.

To be eligible to win, the teens must read 8 books over the summer and submit a video book review on one Latino (children's) literature title that they've read. Easy, no?

So if you know or have a child between the ages of 12 and 18, it's time to get them reading!

Learn more here.

Gloria & Rosita Sing a Song on Sesame Street

2013-06-17T08:58:00.002-04:00

Happy Summer! Just a fun video today from Rosita y Gloria...

10-Year-Old Sebastien De La Cruz Sings National Anthem @ Game 3 of the NBA Finals

2013-06-12T21:04:00.001-04:00

I've been a fan of 10-year-old Sebastien de la Cruz ever since I saw him singing his heart out on America's Got Talent last year. He won my heart instantly - and no doubt thousands of others - with his amazing voice, charm, and sincere face.

Last night, Sebastien took his turn singing the national anthem at game 3 of the NBA Finals in his hometown of San Antonio. Once again, his beautiful voice has moved me to tears. He seems to be embody the hope and possibility found within all of our children. A bright future where their talents are supported and applauded, and their amazing contributions are appreciated.

Even when the fears of the uneducated rears its ugly head, Sebastien responds with grace and confidence. I ask myself, would my kids respond in a similar fashion? Or would they be intimidated? Afraid? Too hurt to respond? Angry? Moments like this remind me to teach my kids to love and believe in themselves and their heritage.

Bravo, Sebastien. But more importantly, bravo to his parents.

And in case you missed his singing the national anthem, here you go! Sing it, M'ijo!

Teachers Re-Energize This Summer!

2013-06-12T07:58:00.000-04:00

Whether you are teaching one child at home or you are about to release 30 kids from your class for the summer, it is no doubt that all teachers need some personal time during the summer months to prepare for the next school year. Many of you will clean out and organize your rooms, some of you will continue to teach throughout the summer and or perhaps will attend conferences to continue to work on your own education. It is often forgotten that teachers need to recharge too. Some like to think teachers are lounging by the pool every day but most don't even get a chance to do that at all! I remember working my second and third jobs during the summers "off"! No matter what, teachers, you need to stop to take care of yourself. You give so much throughout the regular school year so it is necessary to take moments for yourself. How else can we become better educators, mothers, and students ourselves if we don't take a little time?

Here are 7 tips to help you organize some of your summer days for relaxation and inspiration to better prepare you for the upcoming school year:

1) Travel. If you get a chance to go to a beautiful island or to a foreign country, enjoy!! Disconnect and just relax. You never know what might inspire you to develop a lesson to take back to your students. If you are not able to go too far away, I find that day-trips across town or a couple of nights to a nearby city are just as relaxing. Museums in a nearby town are my favorite when I can't go too far. My children learn and I watch out for what peaks their interest.

2) Read. Anything! If you want to catch up on the latest thriller or dig into that historical-fiction novel that is too heavy to carry during your commute, just read. Sit back and relax. My mother is coming this summer for three weeks and she has promised to spend time with the kids so I can finish a couple of books I started months ago!

3) Take an art class. A music class or a dance class are good ideas as well. Taking classes outside of your teaching subject matter is great for the soul and your overwhelmed head! They also foster creativity and inspiration. I'm always looking for something new and I like classes that I don't have to commit to long-term. A fun, spontaneous, and different class where you are not the one teaching can be so beneficial.

4) Meet up with a different group of friends. You know what I love about my girlfriends? They are all SO different. I also like meeting their friends because women are so interesting, full of ideas and have unique work experiences. Hang with your teacher friends, of course! But don't be shy about meeting new friends too. I bet you'll learn something new.

5) Pamper yourself. Take a day (or a few for this one!) to give yourself a spa treatment. I know some friends who like to take care of their own manicures and pedicures. I suggest that if you can splurge a little, make an appointment at your favorite spa. You need a massage. You might need a facial too. Wink wink.

6) Get outside. Gardening, hiking, or running can be very relaxing and inspiring. Whatever your favorite outdoor activity may be, it is important to reconnect with nature. Our teaching jobs take place in the same room every day. Some teaching conditions are not always ideal. This is your time to take advantage of the weather and ground yourself a little to earth. Picnics under a tree are my favorite.

7) Hang out with kids of different ages. I had the opportunity to teach preschoolers in Tokyo and what a difference from American middle-school kids! I found inspiration and ideas for my regular students from that experience. I never thought I could bring more picture books into the secondary classroom but little children taught me that I could. Borrow your nieces and nephews or attend family events and mingle with different ages a little more. Pick their brain or just listen to their conversations for some clues on what they are really into.

Teachers deserve a break! A little re-energizing and inspiration this summer is a must! Concentrating on just you for a few days or a few weeks will be very valuable to your students and to yourself. Enjoy!

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Betty Galvan, is helping her readers "find the positive and seek the benefits" over at her blog, MyFriendBettySays.com.

She is the mother of three beautiful little boys and a teacher.

Spanish Preschool Curriculum Review: Monarca Language & {PRINTABLE}

2013-06-09T23:56:00.001-04:00

If you have a 3- or 4-year-old child at home, then this summer is the perfect time to start preparing them for entering school and kindergarten. I want to emphasize once again, how important it is for children this age to either attend a preschool or be worked with at home to develop the skills they'll need when they enter kindergarten. I am reminded of a 2000 study by the department of education that showed that half of the Latino children starting kindergarten could not recognize all the letters of the alphabet, no surprise given that Latino kids are less likely to be enrolled in a preschool program than any other group.

I have written extensively about the importance of parents working with their children at home to teach them basic concepts such as letter and number recognition, shapes, colors, and more. You can find tons of bilingual resources here on MommyMaestra simply by searching for "preschool" in my sidebar.

And now I have a new one to add to the list! I recently had the opportunity to explore Monarca Language, an website with high-quality materials in Spanish for 3 and 4 year olds. The subscription-based site covers math logic and pre-literacy skills, as well as fine-motor coordination, reasoning and attention span.

With a subscription you can get access to the following themed printables and activities: Seasonal Materials, Reading & Writing Corner, Math Circle, and Coloring Activities. (The coloring pages are actually free to everyone.) And you don't have to worry that your kids will get bored with the same old worksheets because they are adding new materials every month. They even include phonetics instruction, in addition to letter recognition. I was impressed to read that 85% of the participating children finish the program reading and writing efficiently.

I really do like the easy and age-appropriate printables. They use many of the concepts my own children used when learning to recognize numbers and letters. Best of all, you can choose the level of difficulty and proceed at your child's own pace. All of them are in Spanish, with easy to understand directions in both English and Spanish for teachers and parents.

The fact that they include math is especially exciting as so often program focus on pre-literacy skills and forget or ignore early math skills. Really and truly, as I looked throughout this program I was very pleased to see that it covers all of the basic skills and concepts a child would learn in preschool.

I also love that there is no long-term commitment and you can cancel your subscription at any time. This makes me feel like Monarca Language is so confident in their materialsprintables, activities, and newsletter. You can even test it out with a one-month free trial.

FREE PRINTABLE

The kind people at Monarca Language have allowed me to share the following printable with MommyMaestra readers. It is part of their Seasonal Materials and features La Primavera: Animales de la Granja. Best suited for 3 year olds.

If you already subscribe to Monarca, leave some feedback in the comments to help other readers decide if this is a program for them.

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Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post, however, I did receive a one-month access to the site for review purposes.

Spanish App: Aprendes Con la Selva poderosa: ¡Los animales!

2013-06-07T00:41:00.001-04:00

Spanish app alert! Aprendes con just released their newest Spanish app: Aprendes Con la Selva poderosa: ¡Los animales! And yes, it is free. If you would prefer to play it in English, you can find that version here.

This app focuses on Life Science and is designed for children ages 3 - 6. It teaches them to recognize animals, identify their appropriate habitats, and associate key vocabulary words to describe each one.

You know we're big fans of iLearn With and all of their early education apps for children. We haven't played this one yet, but all of their apps are high quality, educational, and mostly FUN.

If you download and play it, let us know what you and your kids think of it!

Always Reading: Word Problem Resources

2013-06-05T07:05:00.000-04:00

As school lessons are coming to an end, I love that I am seeing so much encouragement for parents to support their children's acquired skills from the school year well into the summer months. Reading is fundamental for success in overall academic careers. Children who read outside the classroom (especially during summer months) can maintain or gain knowledge. Adding additional reading to other subjects such as math, is a bonus!

Our family has recently fallen in love with resources that encourage word problems. As a Language Arts and Reading teacher, you know what my passion is! My husband on the other hand, is a math guy and he is teaching our sons to love math right from the start. We have found a happy medium for our evening routines while working with our oldest who is finishing up kindergarten.

Math word problems are more complex than common math problems. Reading and comprehension are required in word problems in addition to basic math skills. Also, in order to solve math word problems, kids must be able to understand the relationship between math equations and simple everyday situations. Diego loves to hear an interesting story right before a problem. It keeps him engaged and it also helps him understand that we use math every single day. Practicing math word problems helps children analyze, use logic, concentrate, listen or read attentively, and dissect a complex piece of information by reading something carefully.

Here are some of my recent finds to help us with our summer reading and math practice. All resources are available for all different grade or skill levels. I hope you and your family will be able to use some of these this summer. Enjoy!

Websites: Bedtime Math, Math Playground, Super Teacher Worksheets, and Kid Zone.

Apps: Bedtime Math, Banana Math, Ace Math, and App Tutor.

Workbooks: Math Basics: Story Problems, Brain Quest

Do you have other resources for word problems that you love? Please add in the comments below!

Disclaimer: Links to Amazon are my affiliate links. Thank you.

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Betty Galvan, is helping her readers "find the positive and seek the benefits" over at her blog, MyFriendBettySays.com.

She is the mother of three beautiful little boys and a teacher.

Summer Learning: Geography, Culture, & Reading

2013-06-04T13:07:00.000-04:00

For the next few months, I'll be focusing on summer learning and all the great activities you can do to keep your kids from experiencing the dreaded "Summer Brain Drain" where students forget and lose the equivalent of one to three months of learning.

So I was more than happy to accept the offer to be a Little Passports ambassador (this is an affiliate link). I had actually already just subscribed to their USA edition, where we get activities and information on two different states each month, and I plan to continue it.

As an ambassador, I get a subscription to their World Edition and updates that I am allowed to share with all of you. I'll just be writing about our experiences once a month so you can see how the program works and decide on your own if it will work for your family.

Signing up for the program is super easy: All you have to do is go to their website and select which edition you want (World Edition or USA Edition), then choose your subscription plan according to your budget. You have the option of a monthly, 3-month, 6-month, or 12-month plan.

On their site you can find a complete description of each package, including what materials your child will receive and which countries/states will be covered. You can even find samples of the montly adventures you'll receive.

We received our first World Edition last week. It came with a suitcase filled with goodies, including a world map, passport, activity sheet, stickers, boarding pass (with directions for going online and accessing the Little Passports interactive pages with additional learning resources), a disposable camera, and an introductory letter from Sofia and Sam, your young tour guides on your adventure around the world.

My kids loved having a child-sized suitcase they can keep all of their materials in and a passport to travel the world. The activity sheet was super fun requiring my kids to decode some numbers to learn how to say hello in different languages. At the bottom of the sheet, they had to use the map to locate the capitals of different countries in order to find the answer to another question. On the back they get to practice their math skills by counting flags to answer a different question.

I really love how this program gives my kids a chance to practice their reading, geography, and even math skills with the very first package. And it's fun for them! They loved looking through all of the materials, especially their little passport.

In a few weeks, I'll share more of our experience with the program.

And if you're already sold, you can go and sign up via my affiliate link here.

Disclosure: I am a Little Passports affiliate. All the links used in this post are affiliate links.

L4LL Launches Latino Children's Summer Reading Program

2013-06-03T00:08:00.000-04:00

In case you missed seeing it this weekend on my Facebook page, I just wanted to share with your the official launch of Latinas for Latino Literature's biggest project yet: The Latino Children's Summer Reading Program!

It's true that there are other summer reading programs by recognizable giants in the education world, and some even offer Spanish-language components to their program. But our program is the only one online designed specifically for Latino families with children who are newborns all the way up through high school. We know that parents are the key to success, and so we even provide those of you with children who are still too young to read a way to help them develop their pre-literacy skills so they can start school well prepared.

So I'm sure that you will forgive me for neglecting MommyMaestra last week. My dear amiga, Viviana (The Wise Latina Club), and I were "burning the morning, noon, afternoon, evening, and midnight oil" (as she likes to put it) while getting everything ready to launch on Saturday. We are especially thankful to Google, our naming sponsor, who has partnered with us to bring you additional tools and resources to help promote literacy in your home. And who spent hours patiently teaching us everything we needed to know to do things right. Their team is simply fabulous.

With the Latino Children's Summer Reading Program, we challenge Latino students and parents of young children to read a minimum of 8 books during the 10-week summer vacation period. We've created printables like pledges you and your child can print, sign, and hang up to help remind you to read every day this summer. You'll also be able to download reading logs, and even a certificate of achievement that you can present to your child at the end of the summer. All of our printables are available in English or Spanish.

And because we love to see Latino children's literature in the hands of our kids, we also put together three reading lists with some titles that we love and recommend. They are not mandatory, just fun suggestions.

In addition, we'll be revealing lots of great resources, more printables, as well as contests and prizes throughout the summer.

And the absolute bestest part ever? IT'S ALL FREE!

Just head right over here to register and start downloading all the free reading goodies.

Happy reading to all!

Con mucho cariño...

~Monica

Inspiring Latinos Series: Mariana Iranzi

2013-05-28T08:51:00.001-04:00

I just absolutely love discovering talented Latinas. Especially when they are using their talents to educate children. So when I listened to Mariana Iranzi's music this weekend, I knew immediately I was including her in my Inspiring Latinos Series.

The great granddaughter of the famous Tango composer, Julio de Caro, Mariana spent her childhood immersed in the world of music. Born and raised in Argentina, she studied recorder, Orff music classes and choir at the Collegium Musicum of Buenos Aires, and started her first piano lessons when she was 8 years old. Since that time she has developed her talent and explored different genres of music with some amazing experiences.

After many years of playing the Beatles, Bach sonatas, and her own compositions at house concerts and music schools, she was deeply driven by the sounds of rock music and decided to try the electric bass. Next thing you know she's touring Argentina in 2000 with the rock band Kro-Magnon, and then goes on to get her degree in bass performance in 2003.

But if all that isn't enough, Mariana decides to continue learning and decides on a new adventure. Two years later, Mariana received her Bachelors Degree in professional music (education & performance).

Over the next six years, Mariana played bass for the Dave Alpert Band, the Florencia Gonzalez Big Band and created her own children’s music band. She has taught in the public schools of Buenos Aires, as well as early childhood music education classes here in the U.S., private lessons and ensembles for the past 14 years.

Now a children's music composer and performer, Mariana's albums focus on bilingual and multicultural music for kids. Not surprisingly, her debut album, Aventura Collage, received a NAPPA Golden Award.

Mariana's latest project is her new album for children, Hola Hello. It was released this year.

Honestly? I absolutely love it! There are a lot of really great children's albums in Spanish available on the market. But Mariana's training and unique talent is obvious when you hear her songs. Her style is so distinct that I know I would immediately recognize her work. The best part is that her songs are just as appealing to adults as they are to children. In Hola Hello, she's taken traditional Latin American rhymes and songs and made them her own. In fact, I do believe her version of Los pollitos dicen may be the best one I've heard.

To learn more about Mariana, visit her website, www.marianairanzi.com.

To listen to samples of her songs or to purchase your own copies of her albums for children, you can find them here on Amazon.

Bilingual Mathematics

2013-05-24T07:30:00.000-04:00

Do you know about Bilingual Mathematics? A few weeks ago, the creator of the site sent me an email inviting me to take a look.

Carmen Ayala says she works with mostly Latino students in the Chicago area and has been creating resources to help them in school and life. She's most passionate about teaching math.

"What I noticed throughout my work is that students are able to solve simple arithmetic problems," Carmen says, "but struggle when it comes to problem solving, which often includes reading."

So she created a site called Bilingual Mathematics to help solve this problem. It offers math printables, all of which can be downloaded in both English and in Spanish. There is even a section on each resource that reinforces math vocabulary, which our students often struggle with. And all of the bilingual worksheets are common core aligned.

Bilingual Mathematics is a subscription-based service. It costs $29.95 a year. For those of you with children who are struggling in math, this might be worth a try.

I would, however, have preferred to download a few sample worksheets, though I could not find any on the site. If you have used Bilingual Mathematics before, or you sign up now, let us know what you think...

Cricket Magazine Launches Babybug...en español!

2013-05-23T07:30:00.000-04:00

Looking for an educational magazine in Spanish for your toddler? Well, I finally have one for you!

When my kids were little, we would get Babybug and other little magazines like it. At the time, I scoured the internet looking for the same type of magazine but in Spanish, and lamented over the fact that there weren't any. I even went so far as to play with the idea of doing it myself, but with a full plate, that idea never panned out.

Well, I am so pleased to share that Cricket Magazine, the leader in quality children's magazines, has embraced the idea and in a progressive move launched Babybug en español. Babybug is a boardbook style magazine made with nontoxic ink, rounded corners, and no staples. It is put together by the very talented Christianne Meneses Jacobs, creator of Iguana magazine, the only Spanish language magazine for kids ages 7 - 12. (Cricket Magazine now offers Iguana magazine as well.) Full of the highest quality content available from the world’s best children’s writers and artists, Babybug is available in a print or digital edition for your iPad!

With early learning a critical issue for Latino families that has a significant impact on academic performance, it is important for us to find the resources that we need to prepare our children for school. Babybug helps parents develop their children's pre-literacy and pre-math skills with fun but simple illustrations and activities. Inside you'll find stories and activities that teach them about the seasons, colors, number & letter recognition, ways to develop your child's vocabulary, and ones that teach them about the world around them and their own bodies. Poems and short stories prevail and make learning a lot of fun for you nenes.

I especially love how they incorporate cultural folklore and fingerplays that allow us to pass down the traditional stories of our heritage. So many of them are not only fun, but educational, too.

Check out this introductory video to the app...

Learn more about Cricket's Spanish Magazines for children here.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of Babybug en español for review purposes.

End of the School Year Lessons and Activities

2013-05-22T07:30:00.000-04:00

Whether you are teaching in a classroom or at home, summer is quickly approaching and lesson plans are coming to an end. After the units are completed and the testing is done, we have to find ways to continue to motivate our students during the home stretch. I remember being in the classroom and the final weeks in May became more challenging as the kids (and teachers) developed a bad case of "summer-itis".

It can happen at home as well. On a daily basis, I supplement my son's education by teaching Spanish, working on math word problems, reading, spelling and sometimes even religious education. In addition, I make sure music lesson assignments are completed and chess is enjoyed at home too. As the school year is wrapping up, I realize that we stop staying on schedule (some days have been so nice outside)! Although, I believe in just relaxing on some days and enjoying lots of free time, there are enough hours in the day to continue our job! Here are some ideas for you to help end the school year with assignments and ideas that are educational and fun! These can be applied to all grades too and can be carried on to the summer months as well.

If you use your smart phone as much as I do to take pictures of your little ones all day long, review the photos with your students to do the following:

Talk about the big moments/projects done this year and make your own yearbook or picture album.

Have your students journal about their favorite part of the school year.

Have your students journal about the most challenging part of the year.

Think ahead:

Journal goals for the next year.

Journal plans for the summer.

Creative writing:

Objects in a beach bag. Pack a bag with summer essentials such as a beach ball, sunscreen, and sand toys and have your students write a story using the contents in the bag. Get creative yourself! Throw in an odd object (a serving spoon or a thermometer) to help add humor or drama to the story.

Write a letter to a character of your favorite book. If your students could say anything to their favorite fiction characters, what would it be?

Organization:

Clean the classroom! Organize supplies, books, and paper clutter. File, recycle, wash down and dust. Have your students help you make a list of the supplies needed for next year. They might surprise you with a great request!

Having fun while still learning:

Play games: Sorry!, Matching, Loteria, Chess, Chinese Checkers, UNO, Quirkle...just to name a few of our favorites, are great educational games to play during down time.

Field trip! A trip to your local firehouse or post office can still be educational! Or take a simple nature walk. Have students write or illustrate what they saw on the way to their destination. Maybe bring a camera along?

Special lunch or dinner. Some home schooled students go year round and some don't. Regardless, make time to celebrate! Even if a graduation is not taking place, take your kids out for a special meal and reward yourself too!

Do you have any educational end-of-the-year ideas? Please share in the comments below! image via

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Betty Galvan, is helping her readers "find the positive and seek the benefits" over at her blog, MyFriendBettySays.com.

She is the mother of three beautiful little boys and a teacher.

Scholastic's Digital Math Magazines

2013-05-21T11:40:00.000-04:00

With summer quickly approaching, it's time to start thinking about how to help your kids keep their reading and math skills sharp so they can avoid the dreaded Summer Learning Loss. But kids don't want to think they're doing school, so we have to get creative and find fun ways to keep them learning.

One of my favorite resources is Scholastic's digital magazines, and especially, their Math Magazine which takes real news stories about current events and turns them into math problems. From Iron Man to cicadas, their problems are fun, challenging, and engaging. Math Magazine is for students in grades 6 - 9. If you have younger children, you might consider DynaMath for kids in grades 3 - 6.

We've been looking at the digital online magazines (my kids LOVE them), but if you want to order print copies, just click here. The digital mags are full of information including articles, videos, and downloads.

Enjoy!

Aprendes Con Launches Educational Program in Spanish (With a Giveaway!)

2013-05-19T22:42:00.001-04:00

To celebrate the launch of their Educational Program in Spanish, Aprendes Con is having a special giveaway on their Facebook page: You can enter to win one of four $50 Amazon gift cards!

Aprendes Con/i Learn With is a fantastic developer who already has English educational apps in place and are now launching those same apps in Spanish. I've written about them before here and here. Their apps focus on early education and developing those skills needed by Pre-K and elementary-aged students. So many of you have asked me over and over for quality apps in Spanish that teach subjects and concepts, not just how to speak the language. Here's your opportunity to follow this company. Take a look at their website in English and now in Spanish.

You can enter their giveaway on their Aprendes Con Facebook page.

A New Hispanic Character for Sesame Street's 44th Season

2013-05-16T00:06:00.000-04:00

Monday afternoon, I had the most wonderful opportunity to sit down with Sesame Street's new Hispanic character, Armando, and his amiga, Rosita, who may well now be my favorite Sesame Street muppet of all time.

Armando - or Mando as he is called on the show - is played by the talented Ismael Cruz Córdova. Ismael is such a likeable guy with his energetic smile and infectious laugh, that I know children across the country will be immediately drawn to his character this fall. He brings a new face to the show that reflects the multiculturalism of modern-day Latinos in America. From the soles of his dancing feet to the tips of his vibrant hair, Ismael is a beautiful blend of his Puerto Rican, Taino, Afro-Caribbean, and European ancestry.

Latino families like ours, are in for a treat as Sesame Street's 44th season (which premieres on September 16th - Ummm, happy Mexican Independence Day, people!) will focus will be on both executive function skills and Hispanic Heritage. Of course we all know what Hispanic Heritage means, but if you're like me, you may be wondering what in the world executive function skills are and what they have to do with early education. It sounds more like something the CEO of a major company needs, no?

Pero, they are actually essential skills that together create the foundation of all core brain activity and are comprised of the ABC's of self regulation, including Affect (understanding that your actions have an affect), Behavioral (showing self control, curbing impulses), and Cognitive (understanding how your actions have an impact).

Part of Mando's role on the show will be to focus on self-expression. He is a writer who loves to write anything from poetry to songs and everything in between. During our interview, Rosita gave an example of how he helped her recently when she became upset after reading a book (she's learning to read) that she had been waiting for. It was called Hola, Lola and was about a little Mexican girl just like her...only she wasn't. The little girl in the book instead walked around wearing a sombrero, owned a burro, and took siestas all the time. Rosita was disappointed and frustrated, but Mando told her that instead of writing an angry letter to the publisher, she should write her own book. He inspired her to share her own story with others.

Ay! You know, right, that this is a guy after my own heart, no?

So Rosita did it. She actually wrote her own song. And she called her story Mi amiguita, Rosita. You'll be able to learn all about it this coming season on Sesame Street. (Did you catch the executive function skill Mando taught Rosita? To channel her frustration into something positive and productive?)

And, Mamis, you will love the fact that when I asked Ismael who his role model was growing up, he told me that it was his own Mami. Here's what he said in our interview...

"I was not influenced much by pop culture," Ismael said. "I was completely and directly influenced by my mom. She was always very clear about her struggle. Not in an accusing way or anything. Just very bare boned. 'This is it and this is what’s happening and your actions will affect you,' she said. She was very clear and open with us about her journey. Not condescending. She spoke to her children…"

"…Respectfully. I learned that from my parents," Rosita said.

"And she considered my opinions," said Ismael. "But always that impetus to move forward. Always the drive to continue no matter what happened."

"So did she place an emphasis on education?" I asked.

"Most definitely," he responded. "It was, 'This is your only option.' And it was your responsibility. We were never rewarded for good grades. It’s also your responsibility to educate yourself as a citizen. You shouldn’t be given a treat just to be the best. Just to do your part. She worked in a Mexican restaurant, and I used to wait for her and do my homework. Sadly, she wasn’t ever able to help us with it. So it was on us and that is very empowering for a child. That was the seedling at my core. I’m trying to keep from crying right now."

They did not, however, have a reading culture in their home. They were never really taught to read. In fact, he says he did not read his first entire book (cover to cover) until 7th grade. He bemoaned the fact that he had not developed better literacy skills early on as he had to work very hard and force himself to develop them when he was older.

Which made my gift to him that much sweeter. Since we knew I'd have the chance to interview Ismael in Maimi, my kids and I decided to present him with a little gift of Latino children's literature straight off of our bookshelves. Each of us chose a book and wrote a message on the inside. We hoped that maybe these books might provide a little bit of inspiration for future episodes. Maybe Mando could read one of the stories or poems to Rosita as one of the segments? Wouldn't that be awesome to feature Latino children's literature on Sesame Street? (It certainly doesn't hurt to try, no?) Either way, the smiles on his and Rosita's faces spoke volumes. And they were quite happy to pose for pictures as you can see above.

You can read more about our selections tomorrow on our sister blog, Latinas4LatinoLit.org.

I just want to end this post sharing his responses to my children's short questions:

My daughter wanted to know what his favorite food was. Ismael said vegetarian sushi! (Yes, he's a vegetarian.)

And my son wanted to know what his favorite color was. Any guesses? He said, ROJO.

The Search for Sesame Street's New Hispanic Character

2013-05-13T16:30:00.000-04:00

So first there was this:

Y luego:

And finally there is this...

Stay tuned for more, Amigos!

¡Muévete Hoy! #FightLatinoObesity

2013-05-12T23:40:00.001-04:00

You may remember me sharing this video last year and the week I dedicated to fighting Latino children's obesity. But the reality is that a week isn't long enough. Obesity among Latino children has reached epidemic proportions. HALF of Latino newborns today will develop diabetes. Our children's weight has long-lasting affects, so it's time we become aware of the risks associated with our children's diet and physical activity levels and it's time for us to make wise choices.

So I hope that you will be seeing more posts here on MommyMaestra dedicated to sharing resources and ways for you to help your children get moving and eat right.

For those of you living in the middle of the city, if you don't have a local park that you feel safe taking your children to play in, and if your child's school does not offer daily PE classes, then maybe you need to think outside the box and get creative when it comes to getting your kids moving.

The new "Muévete Hoy!" exercise video infuses Latin dance moves and a catchy beat as a way to get people up and moving during a break at a conference, meeting, educational seminar, or after school and on the weekends.

To request a DVD copy to play at your meeting, e-mail alejandro.

The video below was produced by the Institute for Health Promotion Research at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. For more information, visit http://ihpr.uthscsa.edu or read their blog.

Get your kids moving!

Happy Mother's Day from Text4Baby

2013-05-10T14:27:00.000-04:00

Text4baby wants to wish all moms a Happy Mother's Day! To celebrate mothers and all of the wonderful things they do, the team over at text4baby created a word cloud as a way to highlight all of their special attributes.

Text4baby sends pregnant women & new moms FREE text messages with health information and baby care tips timed to their due date or baby's birth date. If you are pregnant or have a baby under age one, all you have to do is text BABY (or BEBE for Spanish) to 511 411, and you’ll begin to receive free health and safety messages timed to your due date or baby’s birth date. Text messages include information on topics such as labor signs and symptoms, prenatal care, developmental milestones, immunization, nutrition, safe sleep, and much more.

Feel free to join the conversation online at Twitter, @mytext4baby, or on Facebook at text4baby.

Disclosure: I was not compensated to share this information with you.

iLearn With Launches New Literacy App in Spanish

2013-05-09T12:27:00.001-04:00

Today, iLearn With has launched the Spanish version of their literacy app, Ice Land Adventures. The newest app, ¡Pingüinos!, is designed for children ages 3 to 6 and teaches letter recognition, phonics, reading and spelling.

You can read a complete description of the app (in Spanish) on their new Spanish website, or just go to their iTunes page to download the app FOR FREE.

And to follow along as they release more of their English learning apps in Spanish, you might prefer to follow the Aprendes con Facebook page.

REVIEW: VISUAL LEARNING BOOKS from Sunflower Education

2013-05-09T08:39:00.000-04:00

Today I was excited to have the chance to review one of the new visual learning books from Sunflower Education, and I have to say that I love these teacher resource books that provide blueprints and instructions for creating full-scale, actual-size drawings and diagrams with sidewalk chalk. Both of my kids are visual, hands-on learners. They learn best with projects or activities that establish in their minds whatever it is we're studying. So this book with its directions for making full-scale drawings is such a great resource for us. And teachers, homeschoolers, parents and kids alike will also enjoy drawing their own

Created by teachers, the Social Studies book is divided into seven categories: The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World (i.e., Lighthouse of Alexandria), iconic images of the Old World (like a Viking ship or medieval castle), Native America (e.g., an Iroquois Longhouse), U.S. History (like a prairie schooner), Historic Transportation (such as the Santa Maria!), Warfare (think modern tanks), and American Landmarks (remember the Alamo?).

Each category features the directions to drawing several different images most closely associated with it. This is such a fantastic tool for supplementing your child's social studies lessons and bringing them to life. The dimensions of each image have been thoroughly researched for accuracy. And each activity comes with four sections: Prepare gives you a rough estimate of how much time the project might take and lists the materials needed to complete the drawing; Focus talks about the history behind each project; Present gives you ideas about different ways to create the drawing; and Conclusion shares ways to bring the lesson to a close.

For kids who are artists at heart, this book helps develop their sense of proportion and reveals the intimate connection between math and art. What a treat to be able to cover such a variety of subjects (social studies/history, math, art, and reading) with one simple activity. We're headed to the library parking lot soon with some chalk and measuring tape. We just have to figure out what image we want to draw.

And these eBooks are now on sale for 32% off the original price over on Educents!

How much fun would it be to draw the Alamo?

Disclosure: The links above are affiliate links. Gracias for supporting MommyMaestra!

Scholastic Teacher Express' End of the Year Dollar Deals Sales

2013-05-08T07:30:00.000-04:00

It's here! Scholastic Teacher Express is holding their end of the year Dollar Deals Sales again.

You might remember me writing about it last year when I bought $187.60 worth of eBooks for $16.00!

I love this sale. As a homeschooling mom or teacher, the Dollar Deals are a treasure trove of over 1,000 eBooks for grades PreK-8 that are specially priced for $1, $3 and $5. You can find everything from activity books to lessons plans, and many other teaching resources. You can find downloads for almost any subject and they also have a large Spanish/ELL section.

It’s a really great way for teachers to stock up on resources for next year and for parents to stock up on activities for the children to practice reading and/or math skills during the summer. Avoid Summer Brain Drain with these fun and educational eBooks that keep your kid's skills sharp!

The sale officially starts tomorrow, but you can get a sneak peek today. This 3-day sale is their biggest sale of the year. And you can even pay with PayPal.

I shared my tips for taking advantage of the sale last year, but I'll share them again, because my 3-step process really is the most sensible way to shop!

First, set a price limit for yourself (i.e., $10, $15, $20, etc.).

Second, start on the first page and then just add whichever products you like to your shopping cart, OR look at your wish list (if you made one last year), and see which products you'd like to use now.

Finally, when you finish, go through your shopping cart and start thinning it out by moving products to your wish list. That way you won't loose them, but will be able to buy them later...or at next year's sale.

This 3-day sale ends at midnight on Sunday, May 12th.

Happy shopping!!

Appreciating Those Who Teach

2013-05-07T08:26:00.000-04:00

It really does take a village to help raise and to educate our children, doesn't it? Whether your kids are home schooled or attend a traditional school, there are a lot of people who take part in teaching our children. Some see them every day or maybe a couple times a month. This week is Teacher Appreciation Week but don't stress if you haven't gone out to pick something out for them. As the school year ends, you can also put together something as an end-of-the-year gift. Simply taking the time to say thank you is really the most important idea.

Preschool teachers, tutors, therapists, coaches, music teachers, art teachers, activity leaders, and religious education teachers are all helping our students become well-rounded individuals. They all deserve a little recognition- but that's a lot of people and it can get a little expensive to buy something for everyone.

Nevertheless, whatever your budget might be, little things really are the best. Here are a few inexpensive ideas:

Gift Cards. As low as $5! Teachers love a cup of coffee or a small contribution to help buy all types of books.

Chocolate! A small box of sweets still goes a long way! If I received too much, I always brought it out when guests arrived in my home.

Baked goods. Have your child get involved in baking a small batch of cookies, cupcakes or muffins. Kids love to participate in gift giving.

School supplies. Help your teacher replenish file folders, crayons, markers, tape, staples. Every little bit helps a teacher's

Flowers. Bonus if you have a garden! Freshly picked flowers by a child? So sweet.

Hand written cards and illustrations with your little ones sincere sentiments. And a great teachable-moment from you to your child.

Many kind and selfless teachers will tell you they don't want a gift but I promise you that they do want to be appreciated. When I was teaching, cards made me very happy, but I won't lie and say I didn't love the chocolates! Are there any other inexpensive ideas you might want to add? Please share!

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Betty Galvan, is helping her readers "find the positive and seek the benefits" over at her blog, MyFriendBettySays.com.

She is the mother of three beautiful little boys and a teacher.

image via

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

2013-05-05T08:40:00.004-04:00

Book Review: Mom Goes to War, Mamá se va a la guerra

2013-05-03T22:24:00.000-04:00

Mom Goes to War, Mamá se va a la guerra

written by Irene Aparici Martín
illustrated by Mónica Carretero

For every family that has ever had to battle cancer at some point in their history, this is a book that helps children to understand the experience in a less frightening way.

Mom Goes to War is about a queen who must explain to her two sons about her fight with breast cancer. In the story, she calls a the princes together and tells them about the rebellion happening in her body. She explains the many battles that she alone must fight, but emphasizes her need for an army of allies who will support and strengthen her. Children will learn about the human body, like the role of ganglions as watchtowers to announce the spread of the 'armed rebels,' or cancer cells. But there's no need to fear, because the General (a.k.a. doctor) has a plan of attack that he is putting into place to help defend the queen.

I love books that help children to understand real-life situations. This books is VERY well written and describes a woman's battle with breast cancer in such a way that children can understand the process with a minimal amount of fear. The illustrations enrich the text with soft watercolors that bring the whole story to life.

And do you know the best part? Mom Goes to War is published by the Spanish publisher, Cuento de Luz, and is available both in English or in Spanish. The English translation was done by Jon Brokenbrow and he does a great job.