Discussion posts Culture class

from Discussion #1-Introduction: “I Come From” Poem

Oct 3, 2021 12:23PM
Maria Camila Mejia
I come from Maria Camila.

I come from making forts with my siblings.

I come from creating endless imaginative games with my siblings.

I come from playing shark with my daddy in the water.

I come from a three bedroom apartment and sharing a room with my little sister in
Bogota, Colombia.

I come from the sun touching my skin and the ocean waves refreshing my body and
giving me life.

I come from spicy tacos full of flavor, and crunchy and soft textures.

I come from feeling scared that I was going to die from lice in first grade.

I come from my rescued dog playing and splashing in the water and feeling so happy that
all the trauma from the past was forgotten.

I come from a big family of party people exchanging gifts and eating my grandma’s
desserts in her Chinacota finca.

I come from Mejía Salazar.

from Discussion #1-Introduction: “I Come From” Poem
Oct 3, 2021 12:24PM
Maria Camila Mejia
I loved your poem and how you used Spanish to show your culture.  Very inspiring. 

Camila
from Discussion #1-Introduction: “I Come From” Poem
Oct 3, 2021 12:28PM
Maria Camila Mejia
Kathy,

Thank you for sharing.  Stand up comedy during the holidays sounds lovely.  I loved the
way you described the ceviche and thank you for sharing something so personal like the
substance abuse.
Camila 

from Discussion 1-Chimamanda Adichie’s “The Danger of a Single Narrative"

Oct 10, 2021 4:30PM
Maria Camila Mejia
It is important to look beyond the single story so that we can challenge stereotypes and our own
biases. It is important to know our student's stories/lives so that we are aware of their many
stories and not make assumptions about who they are, this way we can truly address their
learning needs by teaching the whole person.  By knowing our students our teaching becomes
more purposeful. 
By knowing our students we can design lessons that they can connect to so that they can truly
learn.  For example, during math time I create word problems in which I use my students' names
and activities that they are familiar with so that they understand the word problem with
something that is relevant to them and they are able to more easily apply the math skills they
know. 
Two things that I do to help students embrace their own ethnicity, race, and culture is that I
create many identity lessons for students to explore their many identities, and on Wednesdays, I
do what I call "Around the World Wednesday." One identity lesson that did this year was an
identity web.  We first read a picture book and created an identity web for the character.  An
identity web is a bubble map of words that we could use to describe our character.  Then I
modeled creating an identity web for me and then students created their own identity webs to
explore their many identities.  An activity that I plan on beginning in two weeks is a memory
box.  Students are going to be asked to bring a box with different items that remind them of
something important to them and they are going to have the opportunity to share their stories
with the whole class, it is a type of show and tell but with several items that have a special story.
For example, some of the items that I plan on bringing to share with my students are a
Colombian chiva (decorative bus), a photo album, a necklace my mother gave me, and my PADI
ID.   On Around the World Wednesday's we watch a video of a country around the world, we say
hello in the language that is spoken in that country, and we use Google Earth to find the country. 
from Discussion 1-Chimamanda Adichie’s “The Danger of a Single Narrative"
Oct 10, 2021 4:33PM
Maria Camila Mejia
Maria, 
I agree with you, each student has a story to share and it is our responsibility as educators to
build a safe classroom environment that allows students to be their whole selves. The more I
teach, the more I realize how important our job truly is.  We truly have the power to create a
more socially just and equitable world by what we do with our students. 
Camila
from Discussion 1-Chimamanda Adichie’s “The Danger of a Single Narrative"
Oct 13, 2021 6:30PM
Maria Camila Mejia
Thank you! That makes me happy, around the world Wednesday is one of my favorite times of
the week and I enjoy planning it too. 
from Discussion 1-Chimamanda Adichie’s “The Danger of a Single Narrative"
Oct 13, 2021 6:34PM
Maria Camila Mejia
Hi Kathy,

I totally relate to you, I’m also very teachable and always willing to learn from my students and
peers.  I think that the best teachers are reflective and very teachable, that’s how we grow.  If we
attempt to know it all we will stay the same.

I’m also a visual learner and knowing that about me helps me keep my students in mind for
differentiation.

Camila
from Discussion 1-Chimamanda Adichie’s “The Danger of a Single Narrative"
Oct 13, 2021 6:41PM
Maria Camila Mejia
Daisy,

I agree, the “Single Story” can be seen everywhere.  For me for example, as a Colombian
immigrant that grew up in a middle class family, have never seen anyone like me
represented in the media or literature.  One thing I am going to be developing is my
classroom library and have more books that represent various cultures.

I love the Day of the Dead altar activity, it is so fun and culturally inclusive.  

Camila

from Discussion 1-Ally versus Co-Conspirator

Oct 17, 2021 1:46PM
Maria Camila Mejia
1. The difference between an ally and a Co-conspirator is that an ally knows many facts and is
very well educated in social justice, and inequities.  An ally knows all the right things to say.  In
contrast, a co-conspirator is a doer.  A co-conspirator is willing to take chances to make a
difference. 
2. During summer 2020 I was becoming more of an ally.  I decided to read books, read articles,
and listen to podcasts. I definitely became more educated around some of the social justice issues
that we are facing.  I also began posting many awareness posts around the injustices we are and
have been living.  However, as the new school year began to approach it became my conviction
to start doing a lot more social justice work within my classroom.  I started realizing the power
that I have as a teacher, I began to realize that I truly can influence my students and inspire them
to care about culture, community, and the earth.  Therefore, I started creating units and facilitate
discussions centered around social justice, culture, and heritage.  I unknowingly started
becoming a co-conspirator. 
I taught about melanin through a lesson called "The Different Colors of Beauty" from the
Teaching Tolerance website.  I also did a unit based on the book, "Anti-Racist Baby."  I
celebrated culture during Hispanic Heritage Month and Black History Month.  In addition, I
began teaching about a different country on Wednesdays.  This year I have revised previous units
and I have created new units.  This year I have done more identity lessons, such as the Story of
Our Name and Identity Webs.  Next week we are doing another identity unit through a show and
tell of items that mean something special to us or remind us of something.  In two weeks we will
begin a three-week unit around recycling because I consider taking care of the earth a social
justice issue and I consider myself a co-conspirator for the earth. 
One way that I've been challenging myself to be a co-conspirator is by facilitating more
discussions around gender identity and sexual identity.  Next semester I want to create a unit to
celebrate Asian culture and Gay pride. 
Thank you for reading,
Camila.      
from Discussion 1-Ally versus Co-Conspirator
Oct 17, 2021 1:54PM
Maria Camila Mejia
Hi Maria,
In my opinion, your example of how you have been a co-conspirator is a great example of this. 
You speaking up for this student made all the difference.  On another note, it makes me very
upset that the school district wasn't proactive about placing this Bolivian student in the Dual-
Immersion class from the start.  I understand that the rule when it is an English Only student
trying to enter a Dual Immersion program, but did they forget that DI programs were created for
English Learners.  It should have been a no-brainer to place that student in your class, but
bureaucracy truly makes everything more difficult.  I'm glad you were around to advocate for
this student.
Thank you for sharing.
Camila.  
from Discussion 1-Ally versus Co-Conspirator
Oct 17, 2021 1:59PM
Maria Camila Mejia
Hi Kathy,
I had the same experience with the terms and video.  I initially was expecting ally to be a
positive thing and a co-conspirator as a negative thing and was surprised by what I
learned in the video.  Could you share something specific that you did to develop equity
through mental health?  I'm curious because I do think that this is something that is often
neglected.
Thank you. 
Camila.  

from Discussion 2-Cultural Collage

Oct 17, 2021 12:43PM
Maria Camila Mejia
Maria,
I love your collage and all your personal pictures.  I can see the pride you have in your culture
and I can feel your empowerment through the "Here to stay" sign and your DACA picture. 
Thank you for sharing your story. 
Camila 
from Discussion 2-Cultural Collage
Oct 17, 2021 12:48PM
Maria Camila Mejia
Hi Kathy,
Thank you for sharing your story.  I found it interesting how the identity you are sharing is
centered around religion and loss.  Religion was also a big part of my life growing up.  Luckily, I
haven't experienced much loss.  I am curious about your ethnicity, do you follow any cultural
traditions? 
Camila
from Discussion 2-Cultural Collage
Oct 17, 2021 12:50PM
Maria Camila Mejia
I created my collage while following my own life timeline, and the collage is meant to be
read in a circle, starting from my name.  However, the one piece that is not part of the
story following the circle is the gender symbol.
            First, I am a woman.  Then, I was named Maria Camila.  For short you can call me
Camila, but my name is not Maria. I was born in Colombia and I immigrated to the United
States when I was thirteen.  I grew up in a struggling middle-class family, which is why
we immigrated, but we flew to this country with a visa, and this factor has made my life
very easy in comparison to other immigrants.  I have had privilege.  I immigrated to
Albuquerque, New Mexico, which is a state with a very unique culture that now I
consider part of my own.  I am Colombian, I am an immigrant, I am also New Mexican,
and I am very proud of it all.  I got my BA in Media Arts from the University of New
Mexico.  I consider myself an artist and I use my creativity in my lessons.  I consider
myself straight.  I got a MA in Bilingual Education from LMU.  I am bilingual in English
and Spanish, and I teach in a dual immersion school.  I am a visual learner. I have had a
religious and spiritual journey and currently consider myself Pegan. I love the earth and
believe in honoring and respecting it.  The heart represents my spiritual and mental
health journey and my discovery of what love means and how I try to live what I preach
within my classroom and daily life.   
Attached File: Screen Shot 2021-10-17 at 12.05.22 PM-1.png

from Discussion 1-Translanguaging: How to Support Language Learners in the Classroom

Oct 28, 2021 8:19PM
Maria Camila Mejia
#1: Explain your own experiences learning another language and/or maintaining your native
language.
My first language is Spanish, but I began learning English since I was a baby.  My mom is
bilingual, she attended a bilingual school in Colombia, so she used to sing and read to me in
English and Spanish.  I also studied in a bilingual school while I lived in Colombia, therefore
when I moved to the United States, at 13, I already knew the language and this made my
transition into a new school system much easier.  However, to this day the cultural part of
language is still a challenge.  I am always learning new slang and expressions and more often
than not I don't understand jokes or cultural references, even though I've been living in this
country for 21 years.  I will always be a language learner.  
#2: Did fear or discomfort ever play a role in your language learning or lack thereof? If not, what
was it that motivated or inspired you to drop the fear and find the confidence to learn the
language?
I have one memory of being afraid to speak English when I was still learning it.  This one
memory is of a time that I went on vacation to the United States, while still living in Colombia. I
remember a girl my age started speaking to me about squirrels and even though I thought I knew
what squirrels were, I felt very nervous and doubted myself and what I knew so I just smiled and
didn't engage.  However, I don't remember ever feeling afraid again and I think it is because
when I was learning English I was learning along with my peers, which were all Colombian
learning English, so this sense of equality gave me courage.  Once I immigrated I already knew
English, and in many ways, the English I knew was more academic than the ones my peers
spoke, and this allowed me to be very successful throughout my academic experience in the
United States. Therefore, I didn't experience much fear of discomfort as I was learning academic
English. However, I do feel discomfort in social situations when colloquial English is spoken.  I
don't understand many cultural references and this often makes me feel like an outsider, many
times people laugh and I nod and smile because I don't understand the jokes, so this still gives
me discomfort. 
#3: Knowing what translanguaging is, how might you go about supporting the language needs of
your students in your classroom? If you are currently teaching, be specific about what you can
implement immediately. If you are not yet teaching, what do you plan to implement in the
future?
I knew a little bit about translanguaging and this year I began having a translanguaging time in
my class, which is during our Social Emotional Learning time.  During our SEL time I have a
daily morning meeting, which is composed of a message, greeting, sharing, and activity, and
since this is a time to develop social and emotional skills I allow students to speak in whichever
language they chose.  However, learning a little bit more about translanguaging is making me
think about ways that I can be more purposeful about implementing translaguaging practices in
my class. I really like the idea of allowing students to learn some content in their preferred
language and having them present what they learned in English.   
from Discussion 1-Translanguaging: How to Support Language Learners in the Classroom
Oct 28, 2021 8:24PM
Maria Camila Mejia
Maria,
I relate to you in many ways.  I also grew up thinking it was normal to speak two languages and
didn't experience fear or discomfort while learning the language.
I like your idea about supporting our student's comprehension in reading and writing through
translanguaging.
Camila
 
from Discussion 1-Translanguaging: How to Support Language Learners in the Classroom
Oct 28, 2021 8:32PM
Maria Camila Mejia
Marcia,
Your experience as a language learner only continues to validate for me that the best
way to learn another language is by being fully immersed in it.  
I also like your idea about allowing students to have discussions about what they learned
in the language that they are most comfortable with.  I work in a Dual Immersion school,
and the only issue I am thinking about in regards to translanguaging is that my English
Learners often prefer to speak in English and it is Spanish that gets forgotten.  So for me
to allow a lot of translanguaging in my class would mean having a lot less Spanish
exposure.  
 
Camila

from Discussion 1-Sexual Orientation

Oct 31, 2021 6:21PM
Maria Camila Mejia
According to this video, some teachers are open about their sexual identity with their students
because they are simply sharing about their lives, not about sexuality.  However, other teachers
choose not to share their sexual identity because they believe that students expect their teachers
to be straight and if they find out that their teacher is not as traditional as they hoped they won't
want to learn from that teacher. 
1. To promote an inclusive classroom and challenge hetero-sexism, I can facilitate discussions
around this subject with my students, and I can read books with gay characters to normalize
diverse sexual identities. 
2. If I hear or see evidence of victimization of LGBTQ members I can speak up against that
victimization and I can also speak to the victim to show my support for who they are.
3. To help LGBTQ members know that their sexual orientation identity is not how I judge their
academic skills I can encourage my students to share their identities openly and create a safe
space for them to be who they want to be. And if they open up about their sexual identity, I can
choose to treat them fairly and show that I won't judge their academic skills based on their sexual
identity.  
from Discussion 1-Sexual Orientation
Oct 31, 2021 6:24PM
Maria Camila Mejia
Maria,
Thank you for the incredible idea to display a pride flag in the classroom, I had not thought about
this and to think it is a subtle way to create a safe space for our LGBTQ students.  I also like the
idea of knowing our rights and sharing our pronouns and creating a unit to teach about the
LGBTQ community.
 
Camila
from Discussion 1-Sexual Orientation
Oct 31, 2021 6:29PM
Maria Camila Mejia
Kathy,
Based on the different things you shared I agree that facilitating discussions around
diversity and including LGBTQ as part of this diversity is the first step to creating a safe
environment for LGBTQ students in our classrooms. This year I have told my students
that if any of them identify as part of the LGBTQ community they are in a safe space,
and for me, this is the first step to being more inclusive of this community. 
Camila

from Discussion 1-Photovoice Reflection 1

Nov 10, 2021 8:28PM
Maria Camila Mejia
This is my first nephew, Matias. Matias and I are having fun together. We love to make each
other laugh.  He has the best laugh and I love him very much.  This was Christmas time last year
and sadly I won't be seeing this upcoming Christmas season.  
 
 
This was a trip I took to the Scottish highlands. I went on a three-week trip to the UK with my
mom. We rode the Jacobite train, better known as the Hogwarts Express.  However, I am not a
Harry Potter fan. Up to this point, this was the longest I had ever spent with my mom without
fighting, this trip helped our relationship and now we have a great relationship.  We are planning
another mother-daughter trip soon.     
 
Attached File: IMG_8284.jpg
from Discussion 1-Photovoice Reflection 1
Nov 10, 2021 8:36PM
Maria Camila Mejia
Deisy,
I love the picture of you and your brother.  I'm also an older sister and I know the love.  Makes
me happy to see you both so proud and happy. 
I also love your road to Hana picture.  I love Hawaii. 
 
Camila
from Discussion 1-Photovoice Reflection 1
Nov 10, 2021 8:51PM
Maria Camila Mejia
Tamegnon,
Very different narratives.  Learned a lot from your second narrative. I'm glad to know your
perspective on this subject.  I hadn't thought about the power that this heritage has, you make
great points. Do you think that that should be the case for every country whose artifacts are
currently in colonizer countries? I ask because I'm thinking of countries that have had world
heritage sites destroyed by terrorist groups and I'm wondering if maybe some art or heritage is
better kept in the colonizer country for safety or do you think that since most of the art has been
stolen, then the country of origin should have the ultimate say regardless of the consequences?  
Thank you for sharing your picture, I truly enjoyed learning about Benin. 
 
Camila
from Discussion 1-Photovoice Reflection 1
Nov 11, 2021 8:40AM
Maria Camila Mejia
Carla,

Please let us know which beautiful island is this? Love the picture. 

Camila

from Discussion 2-Culturally Relevant Lesson Presentation

Nov 11, 2021 12:11PM
Maria Camila Mejia
This lesson was part of a two-week activity that I did with my students.  We all brought
anywhere from 3-5 items to share during a show and tell.  The items that the students shared
were artifacts that were special to them.  Some students shared stuffed animals they've had since
they were babies, others shared treasure boxes, pictures, and cultural artifacts.  This was a great
activity that helped our class bond and get to know each other better.  It is also an activity that
helped students see that we all have stories to share, that we are all unique and different, but that
we also share things in common with each other.  In the end, we played a game in which I asked
about different stories and they had to remember who shared what, this was a fun way to close

the sharing time.  Culture lesson.pdf   Download Culture lesson.pdf 

Attached File: Culture class lesson-1.mp4
from Discussion 2-Culturally Relevant Lesson Presentation
Nov 11, 2021 12:33PM
Maria Camila Mejia
Hi Kathy,
I love Halloween as well and enjoyed learning about it through your lesson. Some feedback I
could give you is at the beginning of the lesson ask students about what they already know about
Halloween and in general, give more chances for the students to participate.  I enjoyed your
enthusiasm and cheerful spirit, this will definitely make it enjoyable for the students to learn
from you.
Camila 
from Discussion 2-Culturally Relevant Lesson Presentation
Nov 11, 2021 12:43PM
Maria Camila Mejia
Amanda,
I feel your pain, the last few weeks of school have been quite chaotic, so no need to
apologize, it's a lot teaching and taking classes.
Great topic for your lesson, learning about what diversity means is so important and
powerful. Also, giving them opportunities to ask each other questions and share what
their partner shared is a great strategy to practice listening and asking questions
especially for emergent bilinguals.  Great lesson, thank you for sharing. 
Camila

from Discussion 1-Photovoice Reflection 1

Nov 18, 2021 1:39PM
Maria Camila Mejia
This is the building where I live in Baldwin Village, Los Angeles.  This day was street cleaning
day. Why is there always trash everywhere?
from Discussion 1-Photovoice Reflection 1
Nov 18, 2021 1:42PM
Maria Camila Mejia
Marcia,
Great photo and narration.  I think the last line is hinting at an issue that has gotten much worse
since the pandemic. LA is now tent city. 
 
Camila 
from Discussion 1-Photovoice Reflection 1
Nov 18, 2021 1:50PM
Maria Camila Mejia
Thanh,
Beautiful picture. I love how culture is being represented here and I'm definitely
intrigued to know more about what you are going to share.
Camila

from Discussion 2-Funds Of Knowledge

Nov 18, 2021 2:12PM
Maria Camila Mejia
The Funds of Knowledge that our students bring is a great asset in facilitating instruction. When
we use what we know about our students in our lessons it helps them make connections and
through that it facilitates learning.  One way I incorporate Funds of Knowledge in the classroom
is in math.  For math I create word problems in which I use my students' names and I create the
problems about stories that are familiar to them, I talk about games that they like or activities that
they participate in.  This helps them understand the problem and learn the math skills I want
them to learn. 
from Discussion 2-Funds Of Knowledge
Nov 18, 2021 2:14PM
Maria Camila Mejia
Kathy,
I agree, diversity is a tremendous asset in our classroom and by using what we know about our
students' culture we can incorporate it into our lessons to help engage them and also connect to
each other and broaden their view of the world.
Camila
from Discussion 2-Funds Of Knowledge
Nov 18, 2021 2:19PM
Maria Camila Mejia
Tamegnon,
I agree completely with several points you made.  One, it is impossible to get to know
the depth of funds of knowledge that our students bring because they are complex
individuals with much to share.  But by "tapping" into some of their funds of knowledge
it helps us tap into more. Getting to know our students is essential to help them make
connections and learn new things. 
Camila

from Discussion 1- Final Photovoice Project

Nov 21, 2021 10:39AM
Maria Camila Mejia
Kathy,
Great presentation. I learned about insecurities that people go through because of how they get
their food.  I agree, there shouldn't be any shame on needing help and no one should ever go
hungry.
Camila
from Discussion 1- Final Photovoice Project
Nov 24, 2021 7:43PM
Maria Camila Mejia
Marcia,
Homelessness is an increasing issue in our communities and it is something that Angelinos can
no longer avoid.  I learned a lot from your presentation.  One thing I learned is how the pandemic
has increased homelessness and how our perception of homeless has to change in order to
empower people experiencing homelessness.
Thank you for sharing,
Camila  
from Discussion 1- Final Photovoice Project
Nov 24, 2021 7:46PM
Maria Camila Mejia
Team,
Below you will find a link to my presentation and final project.
Thank you in advance for checking it out. 
Camila
Presentation (Links to an external site.) 
Final project pdf (Links to an external site.)
 
 
 
 
Attached File: Photovoice Final Project_ Plastics-2.pdf
from Discussion 1- Final Photovoice Project
Nov 28, 2021 8:39AM
Maria Camila Mejia
Amanda,
Thank you for your response.  I definitely agree with you that companies need to do their part.
From some of the research I did, giving higher taxes for plastic packaging is a way to hold
companies accountable.

Camila 
from Discussion 1- Final Photovoice Project
Nov 28, 2021 8:41AM
Maria Camila Mejia
Tanushree,

Thank you for your response.  I’m glad you found my presentation informative.  I definitely
think that planting a seed about sustainability and environmental awareness starts in the
classroom, even something as simple as not littering.

Camila 
from Discussion 1- Final Photovoice Project
Nov 28, 2021 8:46AM
Maria Camila Mejia
Marcia,

Thank you for reading and for your suggestions.  I agree that the changes we want to see have
to be initiated by empowered community members, which makes me realize that if I truly want
to see change Im going to have to do more.  I like your idea to present my project to local
officials and see what can be done to help bring awareness to my community.

Thank you,
Camila 
from Discussion 1- Final Photovoice Project
Nov 28, 2021 8:47AM
Maria Camila Mejia
Kathy,

Thank you for taking the time to read my project.  I’m glad the pictures helped make
connections for you and bring awareness.

Camila