Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Days six and seven!
On Tuesday, 6/6/06 (So much for doomsday predictions!), we met at the San Antonio Museum of Art to explore its Latin American collection and expose the students to some of what they'll see in Oaxaca. SAMA is one of my favorite places in our beautiful city. I've traveled quite a bit and have visited a truckload of museums, and I think our museum stacks up. (It and the McNay are definite jewels in our city's crown.) We have reason to be proud. The museum's Latin American collection is especially noteworthy. (Thank you Nelson Rockefeller and the Rockefeller family!)
The collection is subdivided into four sections: Pre-Columbian, Folk, Colonial and Modern Art. Karen had us "draw straws" to focus our attention on one section. I drew Modern, which ties with Folk as my favorite sections. Brendan also drew Modern, so we ambled up to the Modern section to choose our two favorite works in the collection. (Only two?!?) After much mental anguish, I settled on Diego Rivera's four watercolor, gouache and watercolor and ink on paper paintings/drawings titled "Mujer con pato" (Woman with duck), "Mujer cargando niño" (Woman carrying child), "Mujer cargando canasta" (Woman carrying basket), and "Leñero" (Wood Seller). The thing I like about Diego Rivera (1886-1957) is that he told the stories of Mexico's common people. He was, in a sense, a journalist. (Not a celebrity journalist, though! He didn't glorify the wealthy or the prominent. Instead, he glorified the average person.) He made the "invisible" visible.
I also chose "Les Aventures des Cannibales Modernistes" (The Adventures of the Modernist Cannibals) by Enrique Chagoya (b. 1953), who was born in Mexico City but emigrated to the U.S. in 1970. He re-interpreted the codices, the painted books of Mexico's indigenous pre-Columbian people. But, he used today's cartoon characters, like Superman, and inserted them into pre-Columbian settings, pyramids and all. This work of his pulls you in and makes you look at it. Each panel tells a different (and strange!) story.
We then gathered back in the pre-Columbian area, and Jewelette, Gail and Mila highlighted their favorite pieces. In the Folk Art area, Liz, Melissa and Alex covered their favorites. Then we went up to Modern. I shared my favorites, and Brendan shared his. Then, my husband and I had to race home to make sure we were there when our daughter was dropped off. (She'd been invited to go swimming with a friend.) I'm sorry we missed the Colonial section, and I'm looking forward to reading about it in the blogs. (I've been to that area many times, but I'm curious to see what the students chose as their favorites.) The museum, on Jones Avenue off of Broadway, is free from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Tuesdays. I encourage you to go and find your favorites in their collection!
Today, 6/7/06, we went to the Avance Carmen P. Cortez Family Center at 1103 S. San Jacinto off of Guadalupe on San Antonio's West Side. Avance's mission is to unlock "America's potential by strengthening families in at-risk communities through the most effective parent education and support program." Avance means "to advance" in Spanish, and this non-profit organization helps the children and the parents of children it serves to do just that.
This center, which serves eight housing properties (formerly known as housing projects) on the West Side, just graduated 92 parents and 148 children from a 9-month parenting program. While the parents are learning how to parent, the kids, ages 4 weeks to 36 months, are learning how to be kids in a loving, educational setting. The center is eight years old, and it has a good vibe: bright, airy, clean, colorful, and happy. Several of the employees we spoke to have worked with Avance for many, many years. The love they have for their job and the pride they have for what they have accomplished and are accomplishing came through in our tour of the facility.
One employee, who had worked for another child care facility for 22 years and has worked at Avance for the past three, said, "I learned we have more love, more care, for children. We get close up with each other. We get to know the parents. We get to know them very well. We make sure each child is loved and cared for."
Anna Aguilar, a child care specialist, walked us through each of the four classrooms: young infant (4 weeks through 6 months), infant (6 months-12 months), young toddler (12 months-23 months), and toddler (24 months-36 months). I was impressed that books were prominently featured in each classroom, even the young infants' classroom. I told the class that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under the age of two not watch any television at all. Kids need to be exploring, playing, and interacting with other kids and adults. That's how they learn.
Ms. Sara, one of the child development associates, was an Avance baby herself. I asked her what was one thing she'd want people who'd never been to Avance to know, and she said, "There are opportunities. You just have to grasp them. You'll feel better about yourself. You'll have more respect."
Increased self-respect and increased self-esteem seemed to be two key elements that graduates of the Avance program attain, according to a video that we were shown that featured graduates' testimonials. Avance was started in 1973, and its legacy of helping familes become self-sufficient continues. Door-to-door recruiting is employed to reach hard-to-reach families--those with low education levels, who are isolated and don't have a lot of resources. The center provides transportation, parenting classes, and childcare for free. Also, the parents who attend classes realize they are not alone and they bond with the other parents, expanding their social circle.
Another Avance baby is Hector Ledesma, a TV sports journalist on Channel 29, KABB. He graduated from Central Catholic High School and Syracuse University.
According to Yesenia Gonzalez, crime, poverty, illiteracy, abuse and neglect set children up for failure. Dr. Gloria Rodriguez, the founder and president of Avance, started the program to give parents the necessary tools to achieve greater goals. There are now 42 family centers that help parents (mothers and fathers) create a better future for themselves and their children. Once the graduates complete the parenting classes, they are encouraged to continue their education (GED classes, ESL classes, literacy classes, college classes, etc.) Avance also partners with 15 to 20 agencies to help break the cycle of poverty.
"We don't give up on them. We keep working with them," said Ms. Gonzalez. "It's wonderful to see how much they've grown."
I thought it was wonderful to learn about this amazing oasis. I'd heard of Avance for years, primarily through their "star" visits (Hillary Clinton--who featured Avance in her "It takes a village to raise a child" book, Prince Charles, Barbara Bush, Jimmy and Roslyn Carter), but I'd never visited nor did I really know what their program accomplished. I was very impressed, and I hope that Palo Alto College can partner with Avance to offer classes there (Media Literacy, along with Math, Reading, Writing, and ESL--English as a Second Language).
If anyone (or any company!) has a chunk of change they'd like to donate, the children's playground could really use a shade pavillion. (It's too hot for the kids to play on the playground except for in the mornings.) Ms. Anna said she looked into the cost, and she thought it would be about $6,000. The center's phone number is (210) 223-3667, and I'm certain they'd love to hear from you! (If $6,000 is out of your range, there are other ways you may help: mentoring, teaching, volunteering with the kids, etc.)
The collection is subdivided into four sections: Pre-Columbian, Folk, Colonial and Modern Art. Karen had us "draw straws" to focus our attention on one section. I drew Modern, which ties with Folk as my favorite sections. Brendan also drew Modern, so we ambled up to the Modern section to choose our two favorite works in the collection. (Only two?!?) After much mental anguish, I settled on Diego Rivera's four watercolor, gouache and watercolor and ink on paper paintings/drawings titled "Mujer con pato" (Woman with duck), "Mujer cargando niño" (Woman carrying child), "Mujer cargando canasta" (Woman carrying basket), and "Leñero" (Wood Seller). The thing I like about Diego Rivera (1886-1957) is that he told the stories of Mexico's common people. He was, in a sense, a journalist. (Not a celebrity journalist, though! He didn't glorify the wealthy or the prominent. Instead, he glorified the average person.) He made the "invisible" visible.
I also chose "Les Aventures des Cannibales Modernistes" (The Adventures of the Modernist Cannibals) by Enrique Chagoya (b. 1953), who was born in Mexico City but emigrated to the U.S. in 1970. He re-interpreted the codices, the painted books of Mexico's indigenous pre-Columbian people. But, he used today's cartoon characters, like Superman, and inserted them into pre-Columbian settings, pyramids and all. This work of his pulls you in and makes you look at it. Each panel tells a different (and strange!) story.
We then gathered back in the pre-Columbian area, and Jewelette, Gail and Mila highlighted their favorite pieces. In the Folk Art area, Liz, Melissa and Alex covered their favorites. Then we went up to Modern. I shared my favorites, and Brendan shared his. Then, my husband and I had to race home to make sure we were there when our daughter was dropped off. (She'd been invited to go swimming with a friend.) I'm sorry we missed the Colonial section, and I'm looking forward to reading about it in the blogs. (I've been to that area many times, but I'm curious to see what the students chose as their favorites.) The museum, on Jones Avenue off of Broadway, is free from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Tuesdays. I encourage you to go and find your favorites in their collection!
Today, 6/7/06, we went to the Avance Carmen P. Cortez Family Center at 1103 S. San Jacinto off of Guadalupe on San Antonio's West Side. Avance's mission is to unlock "America's potential by strengthening families in at-risk communities through the most effective parent education and support program." Avance means "to advance" in Spanish, and this non-profit organization helps the children and the parents of children it serves to do just that.
This center, which serves eight housing properties (formerly known as housing projects) on the West Side, just graduated 92 parents and 148 children from a 9-month parenting program. While the parents are learning how to parent, the kids, ages 4 weeks to 36 months, are learning how to be kids in a loving, educational setting. The center is eight years old, and it has a good vibe: bright, airy, clean, colorful, and happy. Several of the employees we spoke to have worked with Avance for many, many years. The love they have for their job and the pride they have for what they have accomplished and are accomplishing came through in our tour of the facility.
One employee, who had worked for another child care facility for 22 years and has worked at Avance for the past three, said, "I learned we have more love, more care, for children. We get close up with each other. We get to know the parents. We get to know them very well. We make sure each child is loved and cared for."
Anna Aguilar, a child care specialist, walked us through each of the four classrooms: young infant (4 weeks through 6 months), infant (6 months-12 months), young toddler (12 months-23 months), and toddler (24 months-36 months). I was impressed that books were prominently featured in each classroom, even the young infants' classroom. I told the class that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under the age of two not watch any television at all. Kids need to be exploring, playing, and interacting with other kids and adults. That's how they learn.
Ms. Sara, one of the child development associates, was an Avance baby herself. I asked her what was one thing she'd want people who'd never been to Avance to know, and she said, "There are opportunities. You just have to grasp them. You'll feel better about yourself. You'll have more respect."
Increased self-respect and increased self-esteem seemed to be two key elements that graduates of the Avance program attain, according to a video that we were shown that featured graduates' testimonials. Avance was started in 1973, and its legacy of helping familes become self-sufficient continues. Door-to-door recruiting is employed to reach hard-to-reach families--those with low education levels, who are isolated and don't have a lot of resources. The center provides transportation, parenting classes, and childcare for free. Also, the parents who attend classes realize they are not alone and they bond with the other parents, expanding their social circle.
Another Avance baby is Hector Ledesma, a TV sports journalist on Channel 29, KABB. He graduated from Central Catholic High School and Syracuse University.
According to Yesenia Gonzalez, crime, poverty, illiteracy, abuse and neglect set children up for failure. Dr. Gloria Rodriguez, the founder and president of Avance, started the program to give parents the necessary tools to achieve greater goals. There are now 42 family centers that help parents (mothers and fathers) create a better future for themselves and their children. Once the graduates complete the parenting classes, they are encouraged to continue their education (GED classes, ESL classes, literacy classes, college classes, etc.) Avance also partners with 15 to 20 agencies to help break the cycle of poverty.
"We don't give up on them. We keep working with them," said Ms. Gonzalez. "It's wonderful to see how much they've grown."
I thought it was wonderful to learn about this amazing oasis. I'd heard of Avance for years, primarily through their "star" visits (Hillary Clinton--who featured Avance in her "It takes a village to raise a child" book, Prince Charles, Barbara Bush, Jimmy and Roslyn Carter), but I'd never visited nor did I really know what their program accomplished. I was very impressed, and I hope that Palo Alto College can partner with Avance to offer classes there (Media Literacy, along with Math, Reading, Writing, and ESL--English as a Second Language).
If anyone (or any company!) has a chunk of change they'd like to donate, the children's playground could really use a shade pavillion. (It's too hot for the kids to play on the playground except for in the mornings.) Ms. Anna said she looked into the cost, and she thought it would be about $6,000. The center's phone number is (210) 223-3667, and I'm certain they'd love to hear from you! (If $6,000 is out of your range, there are other ways you may help: mentoring, teaching, volunteering with the kids, etc.)
