You are going to be wild and crazy!

First year of college

My parents sent me off to college with twenty dollars, a rice basket, food and some linens for my bed. I remember sitting there in my dorm thinking to myself, ” What do I do now?” My dorm mate would not arrive until a couple of days later since I was early. I had no friends there yet.Actually nobody was there in the dorms yet except the Resident Hall Assistants who was getting everything ready for the influx of students. Since my brother was the Resident Hall Assistant at Lincoln Hall, an all boys dorm next door to my dorm I was able to get into my dorm a day or two before the others.

On that first day of college I really did not know what I should do first because I was so used to following my parents’ order. So there I was all alone, with nobody telling me what to do and when to do things. It was exciting but frightening at the same time because I didn’t want to make the wrong choices or decisions that would effect my education efforts. Also I didn’t want to fulfill my friends and co-workers prediction that I was going to go wild and crazy in college and become a rabid sex fiend like they thought I would. You have to understand that I grew up in a very controlling, traditional Laotian household where dating was off limits, where interactions with boys were monitored and discouraged by my parents. My mom in particular was known in the community for her strict treatment of us girls. So because I grew up in a strict environment, my friends and co-workers always joked that I was going to let lose in college and party it up. Ironically, their “predictions” became of motivation for me to stay on course. Yes I did go to parties, dances and sporting events but I didn’t have the desire to act wild and crazy like said. I had fun without drinking or sleeping around or doing anything too outrageous.

Here’s several advice I have for a first year college student:
1. Surround yourself with the right kinds of friends and participate in activities that the college has to offer. For example intramurals sports, clubs, and sporting events.
2. Take at least 12 credit hours the first semester but no more than that to test out your ability to time manage.
3. Print out your degree plan so you can use that as a guide and to do list. This will save you so much time in the long run because it will stop you from taking random classes that does not count toward a degree. At the end of every semester I would highlight the classes that I completed.
4. Don’t sit in your dorm room studying all the time. Go out and have fun hanging out with people or explore the campus and town.
5. Go to parties with people whom you trust know for certain will not abandon you there.
6. If you qualify, do workstudy. There are plenty of jobs on campus. I worked at he museum on campus and at the boys dorms which was so easy.
7. Be careful about putting your job before your education. Yes, I know some of you will have to work to pay for your tuition but if it interferes in your studies, then you should reconsider. Get a student loan if you have to.

How you do during your freshmen depends on you making the right choices. My first semester I had four C’s not because I was not focus but because the classes I had was a little challenging except for music appreciation and slimnastic. Once I figure out how to balance my time, how to communicate with the professor and how to manage myself as a on independent young adult, my grades improved by the second semester. The bottom line is it is a trial and error. You will learn quickly what works and what don’t. Just hang in there and stay focus.

First year college transcript

Diego’s education profile

Diego is also half-Lao, half-Mexican.  He is Kylei’s older brother.  He is 14 years old. It is great to see another young person who is already thinking about the future.

1. What grade are you in?

I am in the 9th grade.

2. What is the hardest part of being a student?

The hardest part of being a student is focusing on grades and friends.

3. How do you stay motivated in school?    

I stay motivated by my grades.  If I see my grades dropping it motivates me to do better.

4.  Do you think kids your age value education?

I do not think they value education.  I think they value more on popularity and money.

5. What is your favorite subject? Why?

Math is my favorite subject because everyday is something new.  It’s never the same problems.

6. What is your hardest class? Why?

My hardest class is Civics because I have a hard time focusing because it confuses me between American History and American laws.

7. Are you involve in any extracurricular activities? ( sports, band, clubs etc)

I am in the SADD club. 

8.  What do you want to do when you grow up?

I am still deciding on whether to be a doctor or a lawyer.

9.  Who do you think is a good role model?

I think a teacher is a good role model because they teach the same thing over and over all day and they still stick to it.

10. What do you think is a big misconception adults have about kids your age?

The biggest misconception is that we are too focus on friends and not grades.

11. Can you describe one show you watch or a movie you have seen where the depiction of kids your age in school is the most realistic?

I’m sorry I can’t think of one.  I don’t watch tv that often.

Lao and Proud: Teen activist

For most of us if we were asked to compile a list of the most profound activist we would more than likely list Gandhi, Nelson, Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King and the list goes on. These individuals without a doubt shaped our world with their tireless effort to make a difference. They set the standard for activism as well as show us why and how we should stand up for change.
One individual who is causing a ripple is Lori Phanachone, a Lao student from Iowa. This young lady may not be famous,or have a massive influence yet,  but her fight against what she sees as discrimination and injustice is noteworthy. She is an example of an ordinary person doing extraordinary things. She reminds us that we should fight for what is right.  Sometimes, doing the right thing is not the most popular, but necesary if we want to be the vehicle for change.

Lori is an honor student at Storm Lake High School. It is her senior year and instead of enjoying her last year, she is stressed out with her  fight against her school’s demand that she takes the English Language Development Assessment. This test is given to students who are identified as ELL(English LanguageLearner).  Usually students who are identified as ELL are place in a class specifically geared toward helping them with the acquisition of the English language. However, in Lori’s case, she has been been placed in any type of language class because she can speak and write English rather well.  According to Russ Oechslin, Journal correspondent for the Sioux City Journal, “…school officials have told her she is considered to be illiterate based on her refusal to satisfactorily complete the English Language Development Assessment, a test she says is demeaning and racist”. Lori was identified to take the test based on her response on her registration for school. She had put Lao as her primary language spoken at home instead of English so the school assumed that she was not proficient in English. Lori told the Sioux Journal, “”Someone told me I should have put English as my first language when I registered for school,” “But I refused. I will not deny who I am. And I will not disrespect my culture or my mother.”

I have to agree with Lori that her having to take the test is demeaning and racist because the school had assume that she is illiterate based on her response to that language question. So if all of us put our primary language as something else other than English, are we going to be called out and tested? What the school should have taken into consideration is that Lori is an honor student. If she was struggling with the English language then why did none of her teachers say anything? I know as a teacher, I can identify my students within the first week of my interaction with them. By looking at their writing samples as well as their verbal response, I can tell if they are proficient enough in English to stay in my class or be placed in SEI. I just want to know where were her teachers in the middle of all this?  Why did they not come to her defense and vouch that she does not need to take the test?http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2009/03/05/news/local/754d93a7a005ccb3862575700009cc99.txt or

If you would like to find out how you can show her your support go to the blog: http://www.angryasianman.com

Speaking from an educator’s stand point, I understand that the goal or purpose of the English Profiency Test is to identify the kids who do need help, but it is obvious that Lori is not one of those students. According to the Sioux Journal, “The school district’s curriculum coordinator, Lori Porsche, said taking the test is mandatory because Phanachone indicated on her school registration that English was not the first language spoken in her home. Her parents are Laotian and still speak little English.” Just because her parents speak very little English does not mean she is deficient. Are they saying that just because her parents struggle with the English language that she also has the same problem?  Is that not being a little presumptious? As an educator and immigrant, I see this assumption as very offensive and discrimatory because the implied message behind Ms. Porsche’s statement  is that if you do not speak English primarily at home, you are illiterate or stupid. This may not be her intended message, but her remark does have an negative connotation that only intelligent people speak English. In contrast, I think that being able to communicate in many languages shows that you ARE intelligent because it does take some effort to be able to switch back and forth between languages.

What I find very inappropriate and unprofessional is the remark made by Mr. Ruleaux , the Assistant Principal. In the interview with the Sioux Journal, Lori said, ” Mr. Ruleaux (assistant principal Beau Ruleaux) told me I was ‘no Rosa Parks’ — that I should give up because I would not succeed in my protest,” Phanachone said. I beg to differ because look at the positive ripple effect of Rosa Parks’ defiance and bravery to give up her seat on that bus.  Her action eventually led the Supreme Court to announced that segregation on city buses was against the law.
Lori’s protest and refusal to take the test is as admiral and significant because she is fighting against what she sees as injustice and discrimination. Her refusal to stay in her “seat” and take that test is momentous for all students not just Lao students. Any form of injustice suffered by any race is wrong and should not be accepted. We need to remember Eli Wiesel’s powerful words,” “There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.”

Lori is a role model for all people because she has the courage to stand up and fight against discrimination. She is an ordinary person doing extraordinary things. If you are interested in reading the rest of the story please go to:

Show Lao pride through education

As everybody knows, every New Year some of us make a New Year’s Resolution in an attempt to change our lives in some way, shape or form. Some of our resolution involves issues such as health, relationship, money, or personal goals. For the first couple of months, some of us will stick to our resolution or work as hard as hell to pretend like we are succeeding in our goals. However, half way through the year, the newness and excitement wears off and we start to forget what it is that we wanted to change and the reason behind it. I think the most important thing to remember when it comes to making a resolution is to make one about something you feel passionate about and is achieveable.

My most important resolution is to increase Lao pride through education. When it comes to college education, Southeast Asians meaning us, has the smallest number of college graduates as compared to other Asians. Also, Laotians has the highest high school drop out rates among other Asians. We have to stop this trend. We have to make education our number one priority among our group. We all love being Lao and say we have pride. If that is the case let us do it by getting our education and be positive role models for the younger Lao generations. Let them have more educated Lao people to look up to or aspire to be like instead of just seeing only a handful of Lao people who are doctors, lawyers, engineers, scientists, or inventors.

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to show what you are made of, not by how big your house is, how much money you have, how nice your car is or how much bling bling you wear. All those things can be lost, taken, sold, or barter away, but education is something that is yours forever.

Appreciating our educational opportunity

One of my teacher friend emailed me this story so I decided to copy and paste it here because I liked the message. I don’t know where she got it because it is one of those chain letter.  Normally, I don’t read chain letters, but the title caught my eye.  I’m glad I did, because this is a great story of how our students need to be reminded of how lucky they are to live in a country where they can get their education for free.  This story reminds me of the kids in Laos who are thankful for the educational opportunities given to them even though they sometimes do not necessarily have all the tools they need.  It is sad to see that some kids in America has to be forced, threatened and mandated to go to school. Of course, not all American students are like this, just some who are not appreciative. I am lucky to be teaching a group of awesome Advanced Placement kids who are excited to be in my class. Yes, I am overwhelmed sometimes being responsible for close to 200 kids and their education, but their enthusiasm is infectious. I don’t mind having 38 to 40 kids per class because their willingness to learn brings a smile to my face.

ONE WISE TEACHER

 In September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a Social Studies teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock, did something not to be forgotten.

On the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks from her classroom.  When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that there were no desks.

Looking around, confused, they asked, ‘Ms. Cothren, where’re our desks?’

She replied, ‘You can’t have a desk until you tell me what you have done to earn the right to sit at a desk.’They thought, ‘Well, maybe it’s our grades.’  ‘No,’ she said. ‘Maybe it’s our behavior.’  She told them, ‘No, it’s not even your behavior.’

And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period, still no desks in the classroom.  By early afternoon television news crews had started gathering in Ms. Cothren’s classroom to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room.

The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the desk-less classroom, Martha Cothren said, ‘Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he/she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.’

At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it.

Twenty-seven (27) U.S. Veterans, all in uniform, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. The Vets placed the school desks in rows, and then they walked over and stood along the wall.

By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place some of those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.

Martha said, ‘You didn’t earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you.  Now, it’s up to you to sit in them.  It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens.  They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education.  Don’t ever forget it.’

This is a true story….

A veteran – whether active duty, retired, national guard or reserve – is someone who, at one point in their life, signed a blank check made payable to ‘The United States of America’, for an amount of ‘up to and including my life.’

That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.