Xavi Hernández dona premio de cien mil euros a la Cruz Roja/ Xavi Donates prize money to the Red Cross

Xavi Hernandez continues to inspire me with the choices he makes in his career.  A gentleman both on and off the soccer field, Xavi is co-captain and point of reference for a Barcelona team that is breaking records and changing the face of world football. 

Xavi Hernández continúa inspirándome con las decisiones que toma en su carrera. Un caballero dentro y fuera de la cancha de fútbol, Xavi es el co-capitán y punto de referencia para un equipo de Barcelona que está destrozando records y cambiando la cara del fútbol mundial.

In the Camp Nou stadium, where he has played every home game of his career, the 32 year old was presented with a 100,000 Euro check before the team’s record 7-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen. 

En el estadio Camp Nou, donde ha jugado todos los partidos de casa de su carrera, el jugador de años 32 recibió unos 100.000 euros antes del partido en que Barca golearon  un récord 7-1 ante el Bayer Leverkusen.

The check was presented to him as a result of winning the UEFA.com vote as captain of the “User’s team”. As he did before on the occasion of wining the prize in 2008, instead of keeping the money for personal use, Xavi decided to donate the money to the international Committee of the Red Cross that provides physical rehabilitation services in war-torn Afghanistan. The money will be used to help victims of land mines receive physical therapy, prosthetics, and vocational therapy so that they may one day walk—or even play soccer—again.

El UEFA le presentó el cheque a él por ganar el voto deUEFA.com como capitán del "equipo del usuario". Como lo había hecho antes, cuando ganó el premio en 2008, en lugar de quedarse con el dinero para uso personal, Xavi decidió donar el dinero al Comité Internacional de la Cruz Roja que presta servicios de rehabilitación física a victimas de la guerra en Afganistán. El dinero será utilizado para ayudar a las víctimas de las minas a recibir terapia física, prótesis y terapia vocacional para que puedan un día caminar, o incluso jugar al fútbol de nuevo.

In spite of being a highly- paid star of European soccer, Xavi continues to live at home with his parents, brothers, and sister.  He has chosen a simple personal life as a contrast and a complement to his status as one of the most respected footballers on the planet. His choice to donate this sum of money is in complete accord with the way he has chosen to live his life.

A pesar de ser un crack bien pagado del fútbol europeo, Xavi sigue en casa con sus padres, hermanos y hermana. Él ha elegido una vida personal sencilla como un contraste y  complemento a ser uno de los futbolistas más respetados del planeta. Su decisión de donar esta suma de dinero está en  acuerdo completo con la forma en que ha elegido vivir su vida.

 UEFA.com reports that the star said on the occasion, "It's an honour to be part of the team and also to be captain," said Xavi. "It's an honour to represent European and world football, and in this case we are helping people who are more vulnerable and who need it – so I am proud in that sense.”

Informes de UEFA.com reportan que el Crack dijo en la ocasión, "Es un honor ser parte de este equipo y además ser el capitán. Estoy muy contento por representar al fútbol europeo y mundial y en esta ocasión estamos ayudando a la gente que más lo necesita, algo que me hace sentir muy orgulloso". 

Native vs. Non-Native Language Teachers of Spanish: a brief review.

A Thorny Issue.

At my school this year, the language department, and particularly the

Spanish faculty, will see some significant changes. As a veteran

teacher enters her retirement or “Jubilation” (jubilación), we are compelled to find a teacher to replace

her who brings many of the same qualities and skills to the classroom.

As the department undergoes these changes, we

want to ensure that the quality of instruction across the language and

department remains strong. As the department evolves we must seek to

define our teaching of the Spanish language in ways that will lead to

increased student achievement and deep enjoyment and satisfaction in

language learning.

One significant language teaching component that we have enjoyed with

The retiring teacher  is that Spanish is her native language. In fact, she is only

teacher of Spanish at our school who speaks as

her first language the material that she teaches. Over the years, she has

been be an excellent resource both to students and colleagues. As her

understanding of the language is so complete, she has long been a point of

reference for the department. For this reason, as we lose this veteran

teacher this year, we must consider how best to replace what she has

brought to the teaching of Spanish as a second language.

This brought up for me an essential question: as a language instructor, is

the best teacher a native or non-native speaker?

Native speakers have levels of language competence themselves which is

seldom matched by non-native speakers. Native speakers by definition have

a fundamental mastery of pronunciation and an ear for what "sounds

right".  In other words, they hay a complete understanding of

descriptive, what Chomsky calls Deep, grammar.  Truly great

native-speaking language teachers also develop in their professional

practice an understanding of Proscriptive grammar, as well, that is, what

the Real Academia Espanola deems officially correct usage.

Certainly, simply being a native Spanish speaker does not automatically

make you a competent teacher in general, nor a competent teacher of the

language. Being a great teacher is a learned skill, not a fixed or innate

quality. As Robert Phillipson (1996) has explained, “Teachers are made

rather than born, whether they are natives or non-natives.”

Non-native teachers have advantages too.  Because they have gone through

the process of learning themselves, they have empathy for language

learners, and a very clear understanding of the problem areas for language

learners (such as using the “to be” verbs Ser and Estar in Spanish). They

also can present themselves as models to their students of successful

models of non-native speakers who have achieved language competence. A

great advantage of a non-native teacher is his language awareness. This

teacher, as a result of his or her own experience with learning the

language, can help language learners to think about the language and about

the process of  language learning itself.  Incidentally, these advantages

also apply to native Spanish speakers who have achieved a high level of

proficiency in English as language learners themselves.  Because they

understand the process of learning a second language, they are able to

bring that knowledge to bear in the classroom.

In the hiring of a non-native teacher, however, one must also be vigilant

to ensure that the candidate is in fact truly competent in the language.

Sadly, a university degree in the language, or the accident of place of

birth does not always ensure competence in the language.  Because not all

members of the hiring committee are necessarily experts in the language, it

is important that the candidates be vetted through an interview in the

native language by other department members who are known to be competent

in the language.  I vividly remember being interviewed by

members of the department in Spanish for over an hour before my hire

eight years ago.

Student perceptions are important too. Hertel and Sunderman administered a

questionnaire to 292 students of Spanish at Florida State University. The

results revealed that “students perceive native speaking instructors to

possess advantages over non-native speaking instructors with regard to

pronunciation and culture, but not with regard to the teaching of grammar

or vocabulary.” English language learner forums on Englishbaby.com also

revealed some interesting perceptions.   On this discussion board, the

overall consensus seemed to be that non-native teachers were often most

useful as lower-level classes because, “he can explain differences between

languages, he can clarify the basic rules, grammar etc. in you language.”

This same contributor also stated,  “But a native speaker can help you

with pronunciation more then non native speaker, because his ears are used

to listening his own language, so he can easily correct your pronunciation.

Then you must talk with him in English, so you practice your speaking too.”

Clearly being a native speaker or non-native speaker does not predict your

success or competence as a teacher. In this sense, the question has an

easy comparison in sports:  Who is the better coach:  A former

professional athlete or a professionally trained coach who has played the

game recreationally?  Certainly we can think of many examples where

successful coaches have come from either background (for example,

Barcelona’s Guardiola and Real Madrid’s Mourinho). In his work contrasting

Native and non-native English teachers, Medgyes (1992) has noted that both

native and non-native teachers bring different advantages and

disadvantages to the table, and in the end, they have essentially an equal

chance of becoming successful language instructors.

For me, the element that is most important in a teacher of any material,

be it language or anything else, is passion and enthusiasm.  For a

language teacher, I believe the best teachers seek ways to be involved in

the langauge.  Whether native speakers or not, these lifelong students

view the language in the context in which it most often appears: a life

skill and a pleasure. They make connections in music, friends, lifestyle,

entertainment, food that they can use to inspire their students to take a

true interest in the material.

In summary, the best language teachers have a combination of excellent

training, rich experience with the language, and enthusiasm about the

material, the culture, and learning itself. It is important that they love

the language they are teaching, whether they are native or non-native

speakers.

Phillipson, R. (1996). ELT: the native speaker’s burden ? Power, Pedagogy,

and Practice.

     Oxford: OUP.

Medgyes, P. (1992). Native or non-native: Who's worth more? ELT Journal,

46, 340-49.

Hertel and Sunderman accessed February 10, 2012 at:

http://mailer.fsu.edu/~gsunderm/Research/Hertel%20and%20Sunderman.pdf

Englishbaby.com Forum topic: Native speaking teacher vs. non native

speaker http://www.englishbaby.com/forum/AskEnglish/thread/434175

 

Effort / Esfuerzo

Teachers, coaches, parents, and managers take as our sacred charge the mission to foster growth and development in the people we influence. We hope to foster a productive work environment, a unified team, or a proficient student.

Maestros, entrenadores, padres y jefes tenemos como responsabilidad sagrada el crecimiento y desarrollo de las personas que influenciamos. Tenemos la esperanza, a través de nuestra dirección, de fomentar un ambiente de trabajo productivo, un equipo unido, o un estudiante competente.

As it turns out, one of the most valuable contributions these leaders can make to this end is not simply to praise the trophy, the medal, or the win. Instead, great influential figures show their appreciation of effort, and the ability to persevere in the face of adversity.

Como resultado, los aportes más valiosos de estos líderes en este sentido no es simplemente alabar el trofeo, la medalla, o la victoria. En cambio, las grandes figuras influyentes muestran su aprecio por el esfuerzo y la capacidad de perseverar ante la adversidad en la gente que influyen.

As Thomas Edison famously asserted, “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” Success, in this view, is largely determined by one’s commitment to his goal. When we encourage someone’s effort rather than results, we communicate our value of their determination and willingness to take risks.

Como afirmó Thomas Edison, "El genio es uno por ciento inspiración y noventa y nueve por ciento transpiración." El éxito, de este punto de vista, es en gran parte determinada por su compromiso con su objetivo. Cuando apoyamos a los esfuerzos de una persona y no simplemente alabamos sus resultados, comunicamos nuestro valor de su determinación y voluntad de asumir riesgos.

Students who are rewarded for being “brilliant,” or athletes who are told they are “naturals” instead of “hard workers” are often sent the wrong message. As Carol Dweck asserts in The Secret to raising Smart Kids, “More than 30 years of scientific investigation suggests that an overemphasis on intellect or talent leaves people vulnerable to failure, fearful of challenges and unwilling to remedy their shortcomings.” Instead, Dweck asserts that those we influence should be encouraged to develop a “growth mindset” focusing more on effort than intelligence or talent.

Cuando premiamos estudiantes ​​por ser "brillantes", o alabamos a los atletas diciendo que son "naturales" en lugar de "muy trabajadores" enviamos el mensaje equivocado. Como Carol Dweck afirma en El secreto de la crianza de hijos inteligentes ", más de 30 años de investigación científica sugiere que un énfasis excesivo en la inteligencia o en el talento deja esas personas vulnerables al fracaso, miedo a retos y dispuesto a remediar sus deficiencias." En cambio, Dweck afirma que a los que influenciamos debemos ayudarles a desarrollar una "mentalidad de crecimiento", centrándose más en el esfuerzo que en la inteligencia o el talento.

Where there is effort, there is development. A growth mindset that rewards effort views improvement as a lifelong endless pursuit. In this way, the goal remains continuous improvement, not simply a material reward, a win, or a success. Keep making an effort, and you will be richly rewarded.

Donde hay esfuerzo, hay desarrollo. Una mentalidad de crecimiento premia el esfuerzo como una búsqueda sin fin para toda la vida. De esta manera, el objetivo sigue siendo el avance continuo, en lugar de una recompensa material o una ganancia. Cuando uno sigue esforzándose, se ve abundantemente recompensado.

Es

El Clásico December 10, 2011: Barcelona and Real Madrid both in stellar form

El Clásico December 10, 2011: Barcelona and Real Madrid both in stellar form leading up to the match

Both Barcelona and Real Madrid are in excellent form going into this Saturday’s Clasico.  Los Blancos have the best team the club has had since the 1950s, having earned 37 points from 14 games, a record for la Liga Española. Barcelona is also in top form, though a 1-0 defeat away to Sporting Gijon last week has left them three points behind the league leaders, having played one game more (15).

Over the weekend, Angel di Maria distinguished himself in a 3-0 win over Sporting Gijon. Meanwhile, Cesc Fábregas was instrumental in a 5-0 win for Barcelona over fourth place Levante. The superb form of both teams will set up this Saturday’s match for a tremendous encounter.

Real Madrid is no longer the clutch of anti-football schoolyard bullies that Barcelona thrashed and humiliated 5-0 at Camp Nou twelve months ago.  Madrid are playing attacking football and scoring plenty of goals, averaging just under four goals per game. They have played several games with skill and style this season against weaker teams, and it is possible that the ugly “win at all costs” and “park the bus” defend and counterattack style that the self-named “Special One” Mourinho had used to such great success in the past may be behind them.  It remains to be seen, however, if they will maintain the high road of the “beautiful game” and continue to play an open and attacking game against a team with the consummate skill and possession ability of Barcelona.

Barcelona is beyond all doubt the greatest team in the modern game.  Champions of Spain and champions of Europe, they play beautiful tiki-taka attacking football and remain true to their style no matter who they play.  There are no secrets when you play against Barcelona.  The team will keep possession with short passes on the ground and pass the ball into the back of your net.  The problem is not figuring out what they are going to do, but rather figuring out how to stop them. 

In the recent past, Madrid has been the team on the outside looking in as Barcelona collected the silverware.  But could the balance of power be changing?   Tune in this Saturday to find out!

The history of Mourinho's Real Madrid v Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona
Nov 29, 2010: La Liga, Barça 5, Real 0. Barcelona played with joy and pleasure while Mourinho’s side were brushed aside like schoolboys.
April 16, 2011: La Liga, Real 1, Barça 1. This draw ensures that Barca will keep the title of Spanish Champions at the Bernabeu.  
April 20, 2011: Copa del Rey final (Valencia), Barça 0, Real 1. The only trophy for Los Blancos was won by Ronaldo's header in extra time against the run of play.  
April 27, 2011: Champions League semi-final 1st leg, Real 0, Barça 2. Real Madrid was again humiliated at home as Barca proves to be the far superior side.
May 3, 2011: Champions league semi-final 2nd leg, Barça 1, Real 1. Real play a more even game, and are able to achieve a draw at the Nou Camp.
Aug 14, 2011: Spanish Supercup, Real 2, Barça 2. Real again play well, with Xabi Alonso scoring a late equalizer.  
Aug 17, 2011: Spanish Supercup, Barça 3, Real 2. Jose Mourinho  shows his ugly side once again by fighting on the sideline. Nevertheless, Barca get the win with a late goal from Lionel Messi to break the draw.
Dec. 10, 2011:  ???? 

Macaco: "Tengo" con letra en dos idiomas

Tengo.. y lo que tengo lo mantengo a base de amor y fe.

I have—and what I have I keep based on love and faith

Siento--que si no estás no corre el viento-- quizás afuera si pero no dentro de mi..

I feel—that if you’re not here, the wind does not blow—perhaps outside, but not within me. 

Vengo sin maletas-- con lo puesto y esta canción-- mi remedio vitamina pal´vivir.

I come without suitcases—with just what I’m wearing, and this song—my cure, the vitamin that gives me strength to live

Vuelvo y a teneros si estás lejos como el trueno cuando pasas junto a mi.

I come—and having you—if you are far away--like thunder when you pass close to me

La melodía de una rumba me dijo,  "el secreto no está en la tumba sino en el vivir"

The melody of a rumba told me, "the secret is not in the tomb but rather in living"

y viviendo a todo trapo olvidé caminar despacio y las heridas de mis pies en ti.

And living at top speed I forgot to walk slowly, and (I saw) the injuries in my feet on you

No cantaré a lo que desconozco solo a lo que entro en el fondo como el pozo del vino que bebí

I will not sing about what I don’t understand, but only that of which I enter to the depths like the well of wine that I have consumed

y antes de emborracharme brindaré, mirando a tus ojos; y gritaré, "el secreto es el amor

que siento por ti."

And before drinking I will make a toast, looking you in the eyes; and I will cry out, "the secret is the love that I feel for you"

Tengo.. y lo que tengo lo mantengo a base de amor y fe.

I have—and what I have I keep based on love and faith

Siento--que si no estás no corre el viento-- quizás afuera si pero no dentro de mi..

I feel—that if you’re not here, the wind does not blow—perhaps outside, but not within me. 

Vengo… sin maletas-- con lo puesto y esta canción-- mi remedio vitamina pal´vivir.

I come without suitcases—with just what I’m wearing and this song—my cure, the vitamin that gives me the strength to live

Vuelvo.. y a teneros si estás lejos como el trueno cuando pasas junto a mi.

I come—and having you—if you are far away like thunder when you pass close to me

La primera lección aprendí pero olvidé el cuaderno al salir

I learned the first lesson, but I forgot my notebook upon leaving

en la escuela de la vida no se puede repetir

In the school of life, there's no repeating

así que voy lápiz en mano tomando notas y callando-- a veces es mejor no decir

That’s why I go along, pencil in hand, taking notes and keeping quiet—sometimes it’s better not to talk.

aprendí a alzar las velas aguantarle a la marea y a romper las olas del mal vivir

I learned to hoist the sails, withstand the seasickness, and break the waves of a hard life

y es que el vaso medio lleno medio vacío mi niña solo depende de ti y de mi.

And that whether the glass is half full or half empty all depends on you and me, my girl.

y no sé es mas rico el que mas lleva sino el que algo tiene y lo conserva

And I don’t know if it's the rich one who has the most, or the one who is able to keep the little that he has.

sin enfriarlo, sin olvidarlo en un cajón

Withhout letting it become cold, without stashing it away in a drawer

y no hay mayor tesoro que el que guardas en tu corazón

And there is no greater treasure than that which you hold in your heart

no en el bolsillo triste de un pantalón.

Not what's in the sad pocket of a pair of pants. 

What are you waiting for?

The streets are clogged with traffic. Your eyes slide nervously over the magazine rack as you wait your turn at the grocery store. The doctor is behind schedule…Too much waiting! 

But…I guess we don’t have to hunt and gather for our food, which took up a good portion of our ancestors’ time for millennia. Thanks to modern transportation and refrigeration, our kitchens are stocked with edible delights from thousands of miles away, every minute of the day, all year long.  So we’ve picked up some time there.  

Also, we don’t have to wait for the traveling minstrel or the pony express to get our news; it’s ticking down the screen. No more waiting there. And no more waiting anxiously by the mailbox for news from friends and family either.  The social networks on our mobile devices keep us in constant contact. More time saved. Parents outdo themselves and each other to fulfill and even anticipate their child’s every need before the kid even knows he’s hungry, or tired, or needs to be changed. No more time wasted with all that crying.

Yet, we are seeing today unprecedented numbers of children being diagnosed with attention deficit disorders, impulse control disorders and eating disorders. Many people today, across the spectrum of age and class and gender, struggle to focus their attention on long term goals.

Recently, I watched Joachim de Posada's fascinating TED talk on the marshmallow experiment, and I began to think about this concept: Joachim de Posada says "Don't eat the marshmallow!"

De Posada's study actually had its roots in an earlier experiment. In 1972, Walter Mischel, a Psychologist at Stanford University, performed the following experiment:  He sat a four year old child in a room and made the following offer:  “Here’s a marshmallow.  I have another one right here.  If you can sit in the room for fifteen minutes without eating the first one, you will get the second.”  About two thirds of the children ate the first marshmallow.  The other third did not.  

Fourteen years later, Mischel’s team revisited these children. Those four-year-olds who ate the first marshmallow- the grabbers- tended to be young adults who were seen by others to be jealous and stubborn, prone to anger, and easily frustrated. In many cases they were poor students. Those who waited for the second marshmallow turned out to be more competent in several important areas. For the most part, they were socially well-adjusted, trustworthy, and emotionally buoyant. These young adults did well in school, and were effective learners who scored an average of 210 points higher on the SAT than their single-marshmallow eating counterparts.

 So the gambit is this:  if you wait, you get a greater reward. Or, you can take a short term gain at the expense of a long-term loss.  In Confucian philosophy, Junzi (君子), the “exemplary person” was distinguished by this very ability to put off the small gains to enjoy the greater rewards later. The concept of Xiaoren (小人), or small person, was distinguished by his inability to do the same.

Many developmental psychologists define maturity as the ability to move from the immature infant who is only able to see his or her immediate needs, to the mature adult who is able to delay gratification in favor of future rewards. Children, in a very real way, are not able to conceptualize time as adults do. Some people, however, exhibit the ability to delay gratification at the age of four, while others struggle to develop this skill throughout their lives.

Those who follow the “grabber” group, what Confucius called Xiaoren (小人), often struggle with various behavioral addictions as they age (nail-biting, skin-picking, gambling, drugs, compulsive shopping, eating disorders or alcoholism). These people fail to see the way that their actions play into the overall scheme of things.  When surrounded by others who are highly critical and judgmental, they may become depressed, and these tendencies are further exaggerated.

Conversely, those people who can exercise self-control, what Confucius called Junzi (君子), are often able to reap the rewards of their patience later, which leads to further successes.

So how can we develop these positive habits?

1-      Spend time with good friends. Seek out competitive yet non-judgmental environments and surround yourself with others who already have these skills in self-mastery. You should be challenged to become your best self through the positive example set by your peers. Change your scenery. Have fun.

2-      Distract yourself.  In Mischel’s study, the children who were most successful in this experiment were often able to distract themselves by singing songs, moving around the room, or looking away from the marshmallow.  Adults can do the same.  When you are temped to eat the marshmallow, engage your mind and body in something else that will bring you positive results: a game, a puzzle, a sport, or a club. B.F. Skinner called this “Changing the stimulus.” Hide the Marshmallow under the table where you can’t see it, and replace it with something else that’s interesting.

3-      Learn to wait.  Patience, like any skill or muscle, develops through repeated use. The more you practice patience, the more patient you will become. Though clearly this ability is heritable, it is also trainable. In recent years, the psychologist Roy F. Baumeister found that groups of people who lived in a disciplined way, engaging in activities such as monitoring their diet, exercising regularly, speaking in complete sentences, and avoiding profanity actually increased their ability to exercise greater control both in the lab and out. Keeping your bed made and standing up straight, as a habit, may actually help people to gain control over significant areas of their lives.

Good things come to those who wait, and tea makes the waiting nicer. Cheers!

 

Reflexiones sobre Journeys: An Artistic Exploration of the art of María Magdalena Campos-Pons

On Thursday, October 13, 2011, I had the opportunity to travel to Nashville to participate in an Educator Workshop presented through the auspices of the Vanderbilt University Center for Latin American Studies and the Frist Center for the Visual Arts. The guest for this Workshop was Boston based María Magdalena Campos-Pons, a multidimensional artist who uses sculpture, video, drawing, and photography to communicate complex ideas in simultaneously very personal and recognizably universal ways.

El Jueves, 13 de Octubre, 2011, tuve la oportunidad de viajar a Nashville para participar en un taller educador presentado a través del Centro de Estudios Latinoamericanos de la Universidad de Vanderbilt de y el Centro Frist de Artes Visuales. La invitada de este taller María Magdalena Campos-Pons. Cubana trasladada a Boston, ella es una artista multidimensional que utiliza la escultura, video, dibujo y fotografía para comunicar temas a la vez muy personales y universales.

Upon arriving, I found colleagues from various disciplines seating themselves around the large conference room representing both Art and Language teachers from schools in the area elementary and secondary, public and private. Soon after a brief introduction from Andrea Steele, Educator for the Frist center, and Claire Gonzalez, coordinator of outreach programs for Vanderbilt’s Center for Latin American Studies, María Magdalena Campos-Pons, or Magda, joined the meeting.

Al llegar, me encontré con colegas de diversas disciplinas sentándose alrededor de la gran sala de conferencias. Esos profesores representaron el arte y tambien idiomas de escuelas en el área primarias y secundarias, públicos y privados. Poco después de una breve introducción de Andrea Steele, educadora para el centro Frist, y Claire González, coordinadora de programas para el Centro Vanderbilt para Centro de Estudios Latinoamericanos, María Magdalena Campos-Pons, o Magda, se unió a la reunión.

With a unique passion and delight for sharing ideas, Magda engaged the group right away in a discussion of some of the issues most pertinent to teachers in their struggle to bring art and culture into the modern classroom in the United States. She reflected upon her own experience as a student growing up in Cuba and the tremendous impact that one particular teacher had on her as a young girl. This teacher lighted a flame in her that burns still by integrating masterworks of art and literature into the curriculum and caring for each student as an individual. For many, this struck a chord as the kind of impact every teacher hopes to make on the life of a student.

Con obvia pasión y encanto para el intercambio de ideas, Magda se puso a interactuar con el grupo de inmediato en una discusión de algunos de los temas más pertinentes a los maestros en su lucha por llevar el arte y la cultura al aula moderna en los Estados Unidos. Mientras hablamos, ella reflexionó sobre su propia experiencia como estudiante en Cuba y el tremendo impacto que una maestra en particular había hecho en su vida como niña. Esta maestra encendió una llama que arde aún con la mezcla de obras maestras de la literatura con el arte en el currículo y el tratamiento de cada estudiante como un individuo. Para muchos, este nos soñó con la verdad que ese impacto es lo que cada maestro espera hacer en la vida de un estudiante.

Next, we descended to the museum itself for a Gallery Talk in which Magda presented and discussed three installations that were currently on display in the museum.

The first installation that we had an opportunity to see was a very large collection of photographs called “De las Dos aguas”

luego, descendimos al propio museo para una charla en la que Magda presentó y discutió tres instalaciones que se encuentran actualmente en exhibición en el museo.
La primera instalación que tuvimos la oportunidad de ver fue una instalacion de fotografías  "De las Dos Aguas"




Though Magda was careful to remind us that each viewer understands the image in their own way, and the images that she creates are open to interpretation, it was wonderful to have an opportunity to understand the personal and historical antecedents that informed her development of the pieces.

Aunque Magda nos hizo recordar que cada espectador concibe la imagen a su manera, y las instalaciones que crea son abiertas a la interpretación, era maravilloso tener la oportunidad de comprender los antecedentes personales e históricas que le informó en el desarrollo de las piezas .

In the image “De Las Dos Aguas” we find two figures, captured in oversized polaroids of the artist herself. The faces of the figures are obscured so that, as Magda explained, the viewer may “fully construct the story.” The covered eyes also allow each figure to lose itself in introspection; centered within themselves as they close out all distractions.

En la fotografía de "De Las Dos Aguas" nos encontramos con dos figuras, capturado en polaroids gigantescas que son retratos de la propia artista. Las caras de las figuras están ocultas de manera que, como explicó Magda, el espectador puede "completar la construcción de la historia." Los ojos cubiertos también permiten que cada figura se pierda en la introspección, centradas en sí mismos, sin distracciones.

The two are connected by strings of hair which drip and flow like water itself (as the title of the work imples). This flowing hair is the same water that connects the continents of Africa and the Americas, a line which links the two aspects of the self in a state of simultaneous exile and rediscovery, in a state of constant ebb and flow, as with water itself.

Las dos mujeres están conectadas por hilos de cabello que gotean y fluyen como el agua (como el título de la obra implica). Este pelo que fluye es la misma agua que conecta los continentes de África y las Américas--una línea que une los dos aspectos del ser en un estado de exilio y redescubrimiento simultáneo, en un estado de constante flujo y reflujo, como ocurre con el agua.

These figures, in fact, recall the Afro-Cuban and Yoruba goddesses Oshun and Yemayá, two sisters who are in constant communication with one another. These two figures also represent anchors, a connection to earth, to groundedness. This grounding is both physical, in the case of the continents, as well as spiritual and historical, anchoring one another to the tradition of the ancestors which came before, even though their feet are lost in the blue space at the bottom of the image, as if the figures are themselves surrounded by water.

Estas figuras, de hecho, recuerdan las diosas Afro-Cubanas y Yorubas Oshún y Yemayá, dos hermanas que están en constante comunicación entre si. Estas dos figuras también representan anclas, en una conexión a la tierra firme, que se enraízan. Esta tierra es a la vez físico, en el caso de los continentes, y también es espiritual e histórico. Vemos aqui el anclaje a la tradición de los antepasados que vinieron antes. Sin embargo, sus pies se pierden en el espacio azul en la parte inferior de la imagen, como si las figuras estuvieran rodeadas por agua.

Magda reiterated the importance of the audience’s participation in the construction of the story itself: where are the men in the boat going? What is in the bags? These questions have as many answers as it has viewers. The viewer must decide for him or herself what the story might be.

Magda insistió la importancia de la participación del público en la construcción de la historia de sus obras: ¿Adónde van los hombres en el barco? ¿Qué hay en las bolsas? Estas preguntas tienen tantas respuestas como tiene espectadores. El espectador decide por sí mismo como termina la historia.

Next we had an opportunity to view “Sugar/Bittersweet”

La siguiente obra que vimos fue “Sugar/Bittersweet”:

This installation takes the concept of Sugar as bittersweet. Though the taste of the sugar is sweet, it becomes embittered by the history of tremendous suffering that it has produced on the island of Cuba over the course of its history.

Esta instalación desarrolla el concepto de Azúcar como un elemento en la cultura Cubana agridulce. Aunque el sabor del azúcar es dulce, se vuelve amargado por la historia del sufrimiento profundo que se ha producido en la isla de Cuba a lo largo de su historia.

The installation itself is a series of spears piercing orbs of sugar in various colors and manifestations. Providing a base for these are stools from both Africa and China, the places of origin of the ancestors of the artist herself. Here we see rising out of the “base” of history, the sharp “spear” of the sugar cane as it pierces the multicolored cakes of sugar. The stools act as bases for the pillars made of the cultural heritage of the immigrants upon which the empire of sugar was built, while the crystalized sugar represents the unique racial mixture that is the Cuban people today. The translucency of the glasslike sugar itself reminds us of the fragility of the material of memory.

La instalación presenta una serie de lanzas penetrando medallas de azúcar en varios colores y manifestaciones. Las lanzas se fundan en taburetes son de África y China, los lugares de origen de los antepasados de la artista. Aquí vemos surgiendo de la "base" de la historia, la "lanza" fuerte de la caña de azúcar que penetra las medallas de azúcar multicolores. Las taburetes funcionan como bases de los pilares hechos de la herencia cultural de los inmigrantes sobre los que se construyó el imperio de azúcar, mientras que el azúcar cristalizado representa la mezcla única de razas que es el pueblo cubano hoy. La translucidez del azúcar parece y a veces es mezclado con vidrio. Eso nos recuerda la fragilidad de la memoria.

This installation as a totality recalls a grove of sugar cane. As Magda reminded us, the experience of walking through a plantation of sugarcane flowing in the wind is a universal Cuban experience. Each Spear/Blade is different, even as each blade of sugarcane or each individual human being in this world is different, and each spear and stool were, before Magda, formed by the hands of an anonymous artist. Magda explained that the installation itself was originally conceived so that the viewer may walk among the blades so that she might best see the details and individuality of each one.

Esta instalación en su totalidad recuerda un campo lleno con caña de azúcar. Como nos recuerda Magda, la experiencia de caminar por la caña mientras flota con el viento es una experiencia cubana universal. Cada lanza/ hoja es diferente, como cada hoja de la caña de azúcar o de cada ser humano individual en este mundo es diferente, Cada uno de las lanzas y las taburetes eran, antes de la obra de Campos-Pons, formados por las manos de artistas anónimos. Magda explica que la instalación fue originalmente concebido para que el espectador puede caminar entre las hojas para que pudiera ver los detalles y la individualidad de cada pieza.

Next, we visited the installation “Spoken Softly with Mamá”

Perhaps the most personal of the three installations we saw at the Frist Center, “Spoken Softly with Mamá” is a series of sculptures mixed with textiles and videography. Across the back of the room are ranged seven structures in the shape and texture of ironing boards, while on the floor are various irons shaped out of what appears to be glass. On each of the ironing boards a separate story is taking place, of women in the familly of the artist who had an important impact on her life.

In the background a popular Cuban lullaby plays:

Arroz con leche,


se quiere casar


con una viudita de la capital;


que sepa coser,


que sepa bordar,


que ponga la aguija en su campanal . . . .

This children’s lullaby’s lyrics are important as well, reflecting the importance of marriage as a union which functions to strengthen and maintain a family in Cuban society. These functions are specifically material and practical “que sepa coser/que sepa bordar”: the woman to marry must know how to sew and embroider to be considered marriageable.

The image of the woman portraying the artist’s mother certainly met this standard. The ironing boards represent the importance of the work that she performed; washing and ironing clothes both for her family as well as for others. The artist recalled that her mother’s hands were calloused from the work that she did washing and neatly folding clothes each day, while she maintained a careful pride in her own personal presentation, always in a pristine white dress.

Other women in the installation defined themselves in other ways. One relative, Faustina, is portrayed as a traveller. She has the courage to leave her comfort zone in search of new experiences, perhaps returning to the family stories of adventure from beyond the world familiar to the others.

On the floor are arranged a starburst of glass irons. The act of putting these on the floor highlights that these objects have the same value as the objects on the walls, just as labor of differing social classes should be seen to have equal value. These irons being made of glass is no accident, as this glass, as with the sugar from “Sugar/Bittersweet”, is translucent and fragile. The artist further notes that this class can fall and break and be reassembled, just as our memory can be reassembled from its own fragments.

The videos portray a woman carefully folding sheets These sheets are embroidered with silk and organdy in an homage to the extreme value of the work that these women performed in what Magda called “a moment of celebration.” Embroidered on the edge of each is the name of its recipient, whether it be within or outside of the family: “para papá” or “para el alcalde.” The very last pile of folded sheets are embroidered with the words “Para que su hija alcanzara a lo que ella solo soñar” (So that her daughter may reach her very own dreams).

Clearly María Magdalena Campos-Pons has found a voice which can speak in a constant “Flow” with her ancestors. These themes pervade the three works in this fascinating workshop, as they inform the very fabric of each of our own lives. Though her work is intensely personal, María Magdalena Campos-Pons has given voice to the experience of being Cuban-American, Afro-Cuban, Cuban, African…and ultimately, simply human.

My heartfelt gratitude go to Andrea Steele, Claire Gonzalez, and María Magdalena Campos-Pons for taking the time to put this fascinating workshop together. It was an experience that I will always treasure, and it is one that I am confident will enrich my experience as a teacher and as a person.

Lemony Snickett y los Indignados

El Autor de los libros "A Series of Unfortunate Events" explica en un sitio web sus observaciones de los "eventos" recientes en Wall Street, en Nueva York.  Abajo comparto mi traducción al Castellano:


El texto original (en inglés) de Lemony Snickett se encuentra en: occupywriters.com

Trece observaciones hechas por Lemony Snicket sobre los indignados de “Occupy Wall Street” desde una distancia prudente




1. Si trabajas duro, y tienes éxito, no significa necesariamente que tienes éxito debido a que has trabajado duro. Igual que si eres alto con el pelo largo no quiere decir que sería un enano si estuvieras calvo.



2. "Fortuna" significa tener un montón de dinero y también significa tener mucha suerte, pero eso no quiere decir que la palabra tiene dos definiciones.



3. El dinero es como un niño—pocas veces anda solito. Cuando desaparece, busque a los que se suponía que lo iba a cuidar mientras estabas en el supermercado. También puedes buscar a alguien que tiene un montón de niños sentados a su alrededor, con largas explicaciones sospechosos de cómo es que habían llegado allí.



4. Gente que dice que el dinero no importa es como los que dicen que el pastel no importa: es probable que sea porque ya han consumido varios pedazos.



5. Puede ser que no haya una razón para compartir el pastel. Es, después de todo, el suyo. Es probable que se lo cocinaras a ti mismo, en un horno de su propia construcción con los ingredientes que te hayas cosechado. Tal vez sea posible mantener su torta entera al explicárselo razonablemente a tus ajenos que padecen hambre.



6. Nadie quiere caerse en una red de seguridad, porque significa que la estructura en la que ha estado viviendo esté en un estado de colapso y no tienen más remedio. Sin embargo, es mejor que la alternativa.



7. Alguien que se siente maltratado es como alguien que tiene sed. No les diga que no la tiene. Siéntese con el y toma una copa.



8. No te preguntes si algo es justo. Pregúntale a otro—un desconocido en la calle, por ejemplo.



9. Gente que se reúne en las calles sintiéndose agraviado suele ser ruidosa, ya que es difícil hacerse oído al otro lado de un edificio impresionante.



10. No siempre es la responsabilidad de la gente que grita fuera de los edificios impresionantes de resolver problemas. Suele ser el trabajo de la gente adentro, que tienen papeles, lápices, mesas, y una vista impresionante.



11. Históricamente, cuentos de personas dentro de edificios impresionantes burlándose de gente que grite fuera resultan en cuentos con finales infelices.



12. Si tienes una gran multitud gritando fuera de tu edificio, puede que no haya espacio para una red de seguridad si eres tu el que se caiga.



13. 99 por ciento es un porcentaje muy grande. Por ejemplo, fácilmente el 99 por ciento de la gente quiere un techo sobre la cabeza, comida en la mesa, y un pedazo de vez en cuando de la torta para el postre. Sin duda, podría hacer un arreglo se puede hacer con ese 1 por ciento que están en desacuerdo.

School: un poema

School

By Elijah Anderson Barrera 10-18-2011

When the time comes, we fill our satchels:

Mind, body, emotions, spirit,

And head off

Happy to see our friends, brothers, and sisters in the halls.

The teacher gives us a nod as each takes a chair,

And the lesson begins.

Some classes feel like play.

Some grind. Others hurt.

Sometimes we cry out it’s not fair, we’re not ready, it’s too much!

Some glide through the lessons,

While others repeat and repeat,

But, remarkably, we all manage to learn

With the humble tools we carry in our own satchels.

Each test pushes us to the edge of breaking,

But the teacher smiles kindly.

“Try this,” she says,

And lays another challenge on the table.

 

La Academia

Cuando llegue el momento, llenamos nuestras bolsas:

con mente, cuerpo, emociones, y espíritu,

Y salimos

Feliz de volver a ver a amigos, hermanos y hermanas en los pasillos.

La profesora nos guiña mientras nos ubicamos,

Y entabla la lección.

Algunas clases son como juegos.

Algunos nos muelen. Otros nos duelen.

A veces gritamos que no es justo, que no estamos preparados, que ¡no aguantamos más!

Para algunos la tarea es fácil, deslizándose de lección a lección,

Mientras otros, estancados, repiten y repiten,

Pero, incomprensiblemente, todos aprendemos

Con las herramientas humildes que llevamos en nuestras propias bolsas.

Cada prueba nos empuja al punto de quebrarnos,

Pero la maestra sonríe con cariño.

"Prueba esto", dice,

Y coloca otro desafío en la mesa.