East Palo Alto Academy

 

Stanford Spanish professors Citlalli Del Carpio, Maria Cristina Urruela and Vivian Brates have kindly invited EPAA Spanish teacher Misla Barco to teach and collaborate with them in couple of classes per quarter.  This year, the units were  Guatemala Contemporary Literature and Arts, Race and Identity and Genocide. The EPAA/AP students and the Stanford class read, analyzed and gave presentations on the same short stories and novellas. 

Ms. Barco utilized technology as well and was able to interview all writers on Skype. In the photograph above, Guatemalan writer Rafael Romero is  talking from Madrid to Stanford and EPAA/ AP students!

Ms. Barco described the experience in this way, "Last April, I was invited by a Stanford Spanish professor to teach and collaborate with her in couple of classes; the unit was Guatemala Contemporary Literature and Arts. I thought that if I was going to Stanford University, my entire AP class should go with me! My students don’t get many opportunities to visit colleges and experience what college life is all about. It was an amazing teaching and learning experience for myself and for the students who had the opportunity to learn, read and meet Guatemala's contemporary writer Rafael Romero who kindly spoke with the students from Madrid, Spain! One of my AP students, David says, “ I was happy to meet Rafael Romero and asked him questions about his book, El elegido which we read and analyzed in class. It was the first time ever that I got to meet and speak to an author.” The experience has enriched, impacted, empowered and supported the growth and cultural awareness that our students strive to develop."