- Though I found Olivarez” entire essay quite relatable. What I found most interesting was when he stated, “where teachers taught via the banking model of education: We were empty bank accounts, and it was our teachers’ responsibility to deposit facts.” This sums up what it felt like going to school for me. To me, High School was never where students could have truly and fully expressed themselves since most people were afraid to challenge their teachers and mostly because they were terrified of being judged. He then when on to state “when we sit in workshop together, we are all students. We are all trying to learn and grow.” Which is an ideal learning environment that is beneficial for everyone.Â
- “After I started writing, I stopped being interested in models of education that didn’t consider me an active participant. In class, I got in trouble for the first time. Some teachers complained that I talked too much. Other teachers reveled in my growth. It made school harder.” I am inspired by the fact he did not just let his circumstance consume him. He was very brave for challenging his teachers and standing up for what he believed in.Â
- “One story says the U.S. soldiers were heroes. One story says the United States was a winner and MĂ©xico was a loser. One story says Manifest Destiny. One story says MĂ©xico suffered terrorist aggression from an imperial state. One story says MĂ©xico didn’t lose—it was robbed.” I like how he expressed different perspectives to the same story while highlighting that the differences were caused by contrasting world views.Â
- “I didn’t want to write poems that moralized the issues of young people. I wanted to write poems that confronted the questions I felt as a teen. I wanted to write poems in a way that might give a young person in similar circumstances some comfort. I hoped my poems would be used to write new poems and to launch a million more stories.” The fact that he didn’t lose sight of his purpose was very reassuring even he had grown and learned from his experience. He still remembers the little boy in him and all the questions and concerns he had which drives him to make poems that reach teens in the same position he was in and provide some comfort.Â
- “I decided to find out. I would take my poems and ask young people for their feedback and advice.” I liked how he went to his intended audience directly to ask for feedback since they were the people he was trying to relate to.Â
Excellent annotations!