Julio Maestas in Louisville got a note from his principal today. It’s a celebration:
Mr. Maestas –
Thank you for representing Irvin in fine fashion today. I am so proud of you and the work you do. I thoroughly enjoy watching you create a love for the French language in your students while also instilling moral value. You are an awesome teacher!!
Julio reports:
…I work in a super poor school where the over 75% of the kids have to retest for the state english exam. I did a lesson yesterday on love, being February and all. I was in target lang all the way and their responses were in eng. I would wish more french, but whatever. Midway through the “lesson,” my principal, AP and two other APs from an elementary and middle school walk in. We talk about love, what romance is, if it exists, etc. At the end I tell my kids that in our area of town we see things that shouldn’t be. Alcoholism, domestic violence, mistreatment of significant others, bad examples at home, etc… and how it was their responsibilty to change that. To not accept it as normal. I had kids crying. I struck a cord. It just reaffirms what I beleive you tell us, teach a subject, not necessarily a “language,” but get to these kids. Get them where it counts. I love teaching French, but sometimes I’ve gotta see the big picture. I don’t know. I love what you tell us. It’s more than a subject or a lesson or a theme….