Class updates from Caroline . . .

Literature & Composition

I cannot believe the last two weeks of the semester are here! My classes are busy as we work to turn in final projects and assignments and take final exams. Juggling a packed schedule of cultural immersion, community service projects and academics is a testament to what your girls have become: seasoned TTS pros! The Lit students are currently writing the final drafts of their persuasive essays and finishing Tortilla Curtain, T.C. Boyles’ novel about a the interconnected lives of two men in a Los Angeles suburb.(http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/02/08/home/boyle-tortilla.html) The novel debates questions of immigration and class, asking the reader to re-evaluate the concept of the American Dream. The girls will take a final exam on the novel next week as we transition to the Corn Islands. For their persuasive essays, the girls have chosen their own topic and evidence, using a variety of sources from the semester including personal experiences, guest speakers and conversations with people met on our travels, books and articles, class discussions, and personal observations. Mikaela is writing her essay on the topic of teen pregnancy and early motherhood in Central America. She argues that because the vast majority of young women in Central America marry and have children at a young age, young women miss out on education and other experiences, depriving many of the chance to form an identity outside this role or to reach their full potential.

History

The history students are wrapping up the semester by writing an apology letter for a wrong-doing they observed this semester. Abby is writing her apology to the indigenous Maya of Guatemala, apologizing for the lack of education and understanding in the United States regarding the genocide that happened during the Civil War in Guatemala. Emelia and Kat gave their oral presentation on the events and implications of the Iran-Contra Affair last week. To wrap up our semester, we will be reading articles about the current politics and affairs of Nicaragua as well as staying up to date on major events in Guatemala and Central America, including the recent ruling in the Rios Montt Trial (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/19/world/americas/judge-in-guatemala-annuls-genocide-trial.html?emc=eta1) and the major spike in immigration from Central American countries to Mexico and the US.

Elementary School near Playa Gigante

Travel Journalism

Travel Journalism is revving up to write and attempt to publish final articles. Kat is writing about volun-tourism, using Project WOO (http://www.projectwoo.org/) as an example of the benefits and importance of giving back to and interacting with the communities in which we travel.  (See Surfing For Change video: http://www.surfingforchange.com/portfolio/surfing-for-change-travel-guide-to-nicaragua-full-movie-2013/) Annalise is looking at the differences between learning a language in a classroom and learning a language while traveling. She is writing about how being able to communicate in the language of the countries where you travel enhances and changes the traveling experience. The girls are also hard at work organizing and choosing photos for their final photography portfolio – an amazing endeavor showcasing three and a half months’ worth of skill-building and experimenting with new methods of picture-taking.

Physical Education

In P.E., students recently completed teaching student-led classes. In pairs, the girls designed and led the group through a work-out. Mikaela and Kat organized a capture-the-flag game in a park in central Granada. While in “jail”, prisoners had to do squats, push-ups and sit-ups before they could re-join the game. Eliza and Ava created a fast-paced workout which included short, high-intensity arms, legs, and core work-outs. We are all looking forward to scuba diving next week on Little Corn Island, which we hear is a tropical island paradise, far off the beaten path, unspoiled and completely unaffected by tourism. They say there are no cars nor roads-just good ole walking and swimming. WOW!

Global Studies

The girls have written their last R, R and R (Reflection, Reaction and Response) for Global Studies class and are in the process of finishing Enrique's Journey, a non-fiction account of a young migrant's harrowing journey from Honduras to the United States, jumping onto and off the moving boxcars to evade Mexican police and immigration authorities (http://www.enriquesjourney.com/). Each class we have divided the girls into discussion groups to talk about different aspects of the text. Ruth, Emelia, Simone and Eliza discussed the various communities Enrique encountered on his journey north. They decided that the leadership (Government officials, priests, etc.) in each community often set the tone for how immigrants were viewed and treated. For their final reflection, the girls will choose a passage from the book and analyze if and how they have read or understood the passage differently after taking Global Studies at TTS given all their background knowledge about the historical, cultural and political implications of the issues raised by this book. (See New York Times recent article: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/27/world/americas/central-americans-pour-into-mexico-bound-for-us.html?emc=eta1&_r=0)

--Caroline 

**As an aside, today when checking in with Jen, she suggested the book Enrique's Journey has been  a powerful read for all the girls. This is a book, as a parent, you might want to read either before or after your daughter returns from the semester.