Chicken to Eagle

Wow! Grad School is more then I thought it would be and it is all-good. If all of my classes are this challenging yet this fulfilling I will be a redefined version of myself, better if possible. I am taking two courses this summer and I have learned so much in both of them and I have only had 5 class days. OK, Ok, so this is a synopsis and when I say synopsis I mean short not too many details, Basically things that make you go hmm . . . summary.

Foundations of Educational Leadership

Ok so this last week we have been talking about what a leader is and what kind of a leader we are? Two questions that are difficult to answer. As my brother said it is easier to identify one then to define one. So my Ah Ha! Moment this week was a clarification that occurred to me. When I was about 21 or so I remember coming home from the restaurant crying. I was so sad because some one had not done what I had told them to do. The specifics I don't remember. . . but the jest of the story is that I came home crying to complain to my grandfather. I told him the entire story and he started to laugh. WHAT?! Where was the sympathetic, I love you, you are my favorite granddaughter good advice that usually (and still does) sooth my soul. No, not any of that came out of his mouth. The louder he laughed the more I cried. I was hurt and felt that my one protector had turned his back on me. Once he was able to compose himself, He said in a stern voice that only he had "Belinda, eres tan tonta" for those of you who don't speak Spanish basically he told me "Belinda, you are so dumb". Well as you can imagine my already hurt ego just fell apart. He continued to give me some advice that I never understood. See, I insisted that he make me a manager. In my mind EVERYONE would do EVERYTHING that I said if I had the title thus making me the leader. He then explained to me that everyone who worked at the restaurant owned it and that I had no right to a title just because I was his granddaughter. Well, since I didn't get the warm fuzzy nor a title handed to me I was done, done with the conversation and outburst. I honestly never, never understood that until this last week. See my grandfather use to tell one of my aunts that he was not raising chickens, but that he was raising eagles. Eagles that could soar and see beyond what a chicken could see. As we spoke about the difference between a manager and a leader suddenly my grandfathers teaching became almost tangible for me. I am more convinced today then ever that my grandfather was a visionary man, a man with insight and wisdom that has and continues to bless my life. He was for every intent and purpose a leader. He was some one that inspired and motivated others to be better and do better for themselves. What a powerful legacy he has left for me to ponder as through life I go through the transformation of a chicken to an eagle.

My second class is Multicultural Education a Holistic Approach. Well for those of you who know me, you know that this is right up my alley. Had there been a multicultural program anywhere in the state of Utah . . . I would be there. Well my greatest Ah Ha! Moment in this class so far is how broad culture really is. I have always felt privileged to have such a rich culture as a Mexican-American. However, now I have learned that we all come from varied and rich cultures. I love the fact that last week after class, Rachel, Cassie and Mariah went out to dinner with me and we discussed our cultures. The cultures we spoke about included the obvious ones of ethnicity, language and food. Then we got into deeper ones like religion, age, gender, divorced children vs. traditional families, birth orders, and so many other things that I honestly feel guilty for thinking that I was so unique because I was bi-cultural. Yes! Being raised as one of only a handful of Latin families in Provo in the 80's & 90's was a cultural experience I will never forget or regret. However, we are all multi-cultural. We all bring different experiences to the table that should be looked upon as strengths and not weaknesses or a deficit such as my culture was perceived to me as a child.

Really this masters is making me think about things I had never thought about and it is worth every dang penny I do not have. . . and that is the truth.

April, May and June

I know . . . I know . . . before the rainbow comes the rain . . .
Yes the truth is that I am a loser blogger and have to look at my journal to see what has happened the last three months to write anything here. I will try to do a quick catch up since life has come at me fast. Not that it is an excuse for not blogging.

FEBRUARY

At the end of February my cousin JJ and his wife Jazmin were sealed in the SLC Temple with JJ's children Angel (9) and Alex(8). It was an amazing experience to share with them this kind and special moment. One unexpected thing that was a real treat was seeing President Boyd K. Packer walk by the sealing room in the temple. It was like is it really him . . . YES it really is him! The entire experience was well waiting for. We had all held it together until the kids walked in the room all dressed in white. Then it was like on cue everyone started just crying so much. We were honestly all overwhelmed at how beautiful they looked. Suddenly I realized

that we were crying so much that we had scared them so I tried to compose myself because Angel was looking right at me. I winked at him and then we were ok.

MARCH

The first week of March we had incredible opportunity to help Mamá Felicitas give the José M. Rubio Lifetime Achievement Award to Elia O. Ware of Provo, Utah. I was so happy to be a small part of this. She is an amazing woman that has taught in the public school system for many years here in Utah county. She is an inspirational teacher that deserves many more recognitions. One really neat thing about her is that she was the first citizen to carry the 2002 Olympic torch in Provo. Did you know that? A Mexican grandma that is as

sweet as can be held that torch high and proudly as she received it on Center Street in Provo. That was as amazing sight to see. Sharing this evening with the Ware's was really special.

In March I also applied to the Educational Leadership Program at BYU in other words I will be studying to be a school Administrator. Why Administration? Well there are several reasons. First of all I feel like our schools really need some representation. It is horrible to know that the school administrative system is similar to the old boys club. I feel that it is time to infuse that club with some color and flavor. . . and where ever I go my latin music will go with me! I also believe that as a bicultutural and bilingual product of the same system it is time for me to give back. As an administrator my influence for good will be able to reach more. At least that is the plan for now. Like I said I applied in March and had an interview at the end of April and I didn't know anything until almost May. It was craziness figure out for a while if I was or wasn't going back to school. I had a 2.5 hour interview process where we were in an interaction with other people and then had to interview with a BYU Professor and a local Administrator. It was a long process but when I left I felt confident that I had done well. My hope is to learn how to be a better leader, that my strengths will become stronger and that the weaknesses I have or don't recognize I have will become strengths.

APRIL

The best thing about April was Spring break. . . I'm not gonna lie. Truth be told usually the longest month for a school teacher is March. No breaks, no holidays, Nothing to make it

through. So when April 13 comes along we are all ready for a little break. I didn't do anything too eventful but I did start my garden. In April I just prepared the bed and I planted the first week of May. However, the cold freeze of May killed many plants and I had to start over. The picture is what my garden looks like right now. The soil is really sandy in the garden. However, I have conditioned it and I think that is why the veggies are doing so well. Basically what happens is that it rains or is watered and it sucks all the water to the roots. All you have to do is dig about half an inch and it is moist soil. As they say looks can be deceiving.

MAY

On May 8, 2009 I received the Outstanding Educator Award 2009 for Provo City School District. It was a real honor to receive the Award and to be recognized for 9 years (5 as an aide and 4 as a teacher) of fun. Honestly the hardest thing about being an administrator is not being in the classroom. I hope I can find a way to be there with and for the kids because I love my interaction with my students. That is why it was so hard for me to leave my job at DMS at the end of the school year. I have had an incredible opportunity that although I felt like I had no choice but to leave, I was able to start a new job at Mt. View High School the Monday after I ended at Dixon. It was an emotional goodbye as you can imagine. I am not one to do anything for too long and my job at DMS was the most stability I had found since . . . hmm. . . high school? So moving on was a big kick in the butt to try something different and at the end to grow and become a better teacher since, I will be teaching the opposite spectrum. At Dixon for the last few years I have taught Spanish 1. Now I will be teaching AP Spanish and Honors. Crazy I know but good. I already love my new students and my new school. I'm not gonna lie the room is a little bit smaller and NO WINDOWS . . . but the upside is that I have a door to the computer language lab in my classroom so no fighting!

JUNE

So as you can expect June has brought many new changes with a move in job, starting Grad school and life in general. So far the best thing that has happened in June was the birth of

Carmen Leticia Ayala who was born on June 7, 2009. She is my brother and sister-in-laws third baby girl. She is so beautiful and it is fun to have a new baby in the family.

Ok so I will try to be better and do better as the summer continues . . . there is still camping at Ghoblin Valley, Grad School, and my birthday plus lots of other fun family activities. Like the picture below shows the camera is always in the purse because you never know when a Kodak moment such as this may occur. (My mom with Rachel's kids and the kids with JJ's kids after lunch June 09).