College English Association- Caribbean Chapter Annual Conference

     This week was the celebration of English Week in the public school system.  And coincidentally, today Friday was the  College English Association- Caribbean Chapter annual conference. This conference was held at the University of Puerto Rico Arecibo campus.  This year theme was  Technology and the Humanities. 
     I had the opportunity to present a paper related to Caribbean children's  literature on this first day of these conferences. The paper is titled "History through Technology: Discovering the Past".  The novels I discussed were Dale la Vuelta written by C.J. García and A Tumbling World... A Time of Fire written by the Jamaican writer Diane Browne.
     I truly enjoyed sharing with the audience composed of professors and students from the English courses offered at UPRA.  I presented my work in the first panel titled "Intersections: Interactivity & Technology in Art Spaces".  Ruben Mendoza of the University of California was also part of this panel presenting a paper titled "Technomediated Performance Rituals Games as Catalytic Pharmakon" which created a very interesting discussion among the persons present in this conference.  This panel was moderated by Dr. Jane Alberdeston- Coralín.
     This same morning I also participated as a moderator for the following panel.  This was the first time I have been invited to moderate a panel so I was very excited with this new academic experience.  It was a great honor moderating the panel "The New Democracy: Digital Inclusion in the Literary World".  Heri J. Albertorio of the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez discussed "The House that Kickstarter Built: A Look at How an Internet- Based Crowd- funding Service is Affecting and Reshaping the Publishing of Graphic Novels". Jeffrey Herlihy of the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez presented a paper titled "An Open Source Peer-Review and its Democratization of Scholarly Publishing". These two papers caused such interest and discussion that many asked to have copies of these works.
     The morning sessions which I attended were full of excellent information about how technology is seen in the light of Humanities.  Dr. Elsa Luciano Feal, president of the CEA Caribbean Chapter  opened the day's conference with a very relevant view of technology within the university world.  Her talk ended with a very dynamic conversation where those present as well as Dr. Luciano Feal talked about how they perceived technology in their lives.
     I am very happy and grateful of having the opportunity of presenting my paper in this annual conference.  Not only was I able to share my love for children's literature, but I also had the opportunity to meet other professionals and students who share the same academic interests.  I continued this academic dialogue during lunchtime discovering the many diverse projects the people that I shared with are involved in. And these are the priceless moments within the academic world, the sharing of our passions and dreams.
     We also received as a gift a copy of the journal Forum, published at UPRA.  The 30th anniversary edition includes literary works  by Dr. Jane Alberdeston- Coralín, Rosa Montero, Ana Lydia Vega, Daniel R. Altschuler Stern and Fernando Picó.  It also published research works from Waldemiro Vélez Cardona, Luis A. González Pérez, José J. Rodríguez Vázquez, Rebeca Franqui Rosario, Dinorah Cortés Vélez and Rey Emmanuel Andújar.  Wanda Delgado Rodríguez reviewed the novel Instrucciones para Salvar el Mundo.
     While I enjoyed of the conferences related to technology and Humanities, Dr. Anibal Muñoz and Dr. Giovanna Balaguer were the keynote speakers in the closing of the English Week of Fajardo District.  A post will soon be published about this great activity.

A Week after Read Aloud Day

     Last Wednesday, March 6, 2013, Read Aloud Day was celebrated throughout the globe.  LitWorld sponsored this event inviting  people to join them in promoting global literacy and the right for children to read.

     In my courses of Introduction to Literature II and Children's Literature, we joined LitWorld in sharing our love of reading.  Students of Introduction to Literature II, had a poetry sharing activity.  Students read a poem that was significant for them and explained why this poem was chosen.  It was a wonderful moment where well- known poems, new discovered poems as well as original poems were read to the group.  One of the students, Ruben, was the master of ceremony, introducing all those that were participating with their poems.

     In Children's Literature, students brought a picture book to read to the class.  Here we enjoyed the love of reading children's book.  There were well- known stories like Toy Story and an abridged version of one of the scenes of Tom Sawyer.  Also we were able to enjoy of new stories like The Perfect Nest by Katherine Friend.  It was another unforgettable experience of sharing the love for reading.

     Read Aloud Day was a special event that hopefully will be part of the courses I teach. Celebrating the love for books in an esential part of the world of teaching.

English BA Students and PCMAS

     Students from the English BA Program are in the process of taking their PCMAS exams.  These exams are offered by College Board as part of the requirements needed to be certified as English teachers to work in Puerto Rico educational system.
     The English Department with the collaboration of Dr. Anibal Munoz, English professors and the Education faculty offered  a series of review for these exams to our English BA students as well as those in the K-3 program. 
      English BA students took the PCMAS Review (English Specialization Component) on Saturday, February 9th, 2013 (8:00 -3:00 PM). The following Professors volunteered to help in the reviews Ad-Honorem: Dr. Nilsa Lugo, Dr. Larry Myers, Dr. Maritza Reyes, Dr. Denise Rodriguez, Dr. Anibal Munoz, and coming back from early retirement, Prof. Luz I. Vega. We thank them all!
      Similalry, our BA students joined their colleagues from K-3 to take the Basic Battery components of the PCMAS on three separate dates: February 26 and 28 from 10:30 to 12:00 P.M. and on Saturday March 2 from 8:00 to 3:30 PM.
     The PCMAS exams were offered on March 9 (Basic Battery) and  our students will be taking on March March 16 (English Specialization).

Book Fair in Alfonso Casta Martinez School



Mr. E. Burgos, Prof. S. Aponte and Ms. T. Santiago

     Last week, a BA student came to my office with an invitation to a Book Fair. For me, it was an invitation to heaven because after Borders closed their stores, there has been a great literary abysm for us book lovers. So this invitation was to me a continuation of the Library

Lovers Month celebration of the month of February.

     So yesterday, March 5th, I went to Alfonso Casta Martinez High School in Maunabo w here the book fair was being held. This activity was part of the practice teaching project that our English BA students develop; each project unique to fulfill needs of each school. I was welcomed by Ms. Tailisse Santiago Flores, the student who kindly invited me to this great event. The book fair held in the school's library was visited by students from this high school, as well as from visiting schools.

     It was very difficult in deciding what books to buy. There were books available for every young adult literary taste. I bought several books for myself and one for my daughter. I enjoyed the magic that books brought that morning. In addition to such special experience, I also saw a former student from our program, now a 10th grade teacher in this high school. I was able to share with the cooperating teacher Prof. Sonia N. Aponte also a former student from our BA program as well as Mr. Emmanuel Burgos another of the practice teaching students in Alfonso Casta Martinez High School.

     This Book Fair has been a great success. Students that visited the school library were able to acquire books of diverse genres and authors. It was an activity that joined together students from this and other schools as well as the community of Maunabo, for as I walked through town, an invitation of the book fair was displayed in the town's public library.

     Congratulations for such great initiative that helps young adults and the community as well!

Closing of "World Read Aloud Day

  

Prof. Artemio Peñalbert, students and English Department faculty

     Today, March 7, 2013 students and faculty members shared a scene of a book they like or an original literary work as part of the closing of "World Read Aloud Day" sponsored by LitWorld.  Prof. Artemio Peñalbert coordinated this event as part of the activities of the English Library Committee.  Dr. Anibal Muñoz, English BA Coordinator, Ms. Elizabeth Morales English BA Orientation Official and Prof. Carmen Milagros Torres attended this activity.

     The activity began with Prof. Peñalbert presenting information about LitWorld and their campaign to promote worldwide literacy.  A short video of students stating what reading means to them was presented where BA students Michele Aponte, Ashley Clemente, Larissa L. López, Frances E. Mangual and Iris N. Medina participated as well as students Ruben Flores and Kemberly Rodríguez and other talents.

     It was a very unique activity where students and faculty discussed the importance of a literary work in their lives.  Some students presented poems they had written.  The closing of this activity was with student Conchita who shared a very significant passage from the book Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Alboom.

      The activity was a success where students as well as faculty expressed their desire for another similar activity in a very near future.  Prof. Peñalbert is in process of coordinating another of these events before the semester ends.  The English Library Committee looks forward to sharing again with students, faculty and university community the wonderful world of literature.

Invitation to the Closing of the "World Read Aloud Day"

On Thursday, March 7, 2013 The English Department Library Committee will be celebrating the closing of the World Read Aloud Day which will be held on March 6th. The closing activity has been coordinated by Prof. Artemio Penalbert.
     In this activity the university community has been invited to come and read a scene from their favorite book.  The goal is to share our love for reading as well as to make all those present aware of the gift we have of being able to enjoy the written word, which is not the reality of many people around the world.
     World Read Aloud Day is sponsored by LitWorld which is a nonprofit organization that promotes literacy.  This organization is led by the renowed literacy educator Pam Allyn.  The goal of this organization is to promote and support literacy world wide.  The organizaton uses transformational literacy to obtain the goals of providing children the opportunity to learn to read and enjoy the magic of books.
     LitWorld was founded in 2007 and since then it has worked with different communities around the globe.  It has programs to develop literacy leaders who in turn will help their communities become literate.  The organization focuses on children for as stated in the Idealist site about LitWorld, "children will grow to be empowered, intelligent, healthy, and productive global citizens through the power of literacy."
     We will celebrate next Thursday the power of literacy and how it transforms lives, with the closing of the World Read Aloud Day that LitWorld has sponsored for six years.  We are counting the days to bring our books and begin sharing the beauty of words.