story by Valerie Halleen Orleans '80
image by Matt Brown
“Not only did I receive a wonderful education from the faculty at Cal State Fullerton, I received self-confidence, a greater understanding of how children learn and the desire to mentor student teachers,” said author and alumna Jane Medina of Orange.
Medina recently published her second children's book, “The Dream on Blanca's Wall, and dedicated it to the faculty in the College of Education.
An elementary school teacher for 28 years, Medina completed her master of science in education – elementary curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in diversity – in 1999. She has always taught in schools where the majority of her students came from low-income, Hispanic families, so Medina has always been aware of the needs and concerns of her students.
“Prior to starting my master's, I transferred to a school that segregated English learners into classes that only taught ESL... no other subjects. I was shocked that my 9- and 10-year-old students couldn't read,” she said.
A desire to “understand the injustice” these children suffered led Medina to earn her graduate degree. Around this time, she also began writing poetry about her students' struggles – as a means to “get out my emotions.”
Those experiences led to the publication of her first book, “My Name is Jorge: On Both Sides of the River,” the story of a young boy and his experiences of being an immigrant child in school.
Her second book focuses on the story of a sixth-grade girl, Blanca, who wants to be a teacher. However, she notices that none of the teachers in her school are brown-skinned like she is. The story culminates when a Hispanic student teacher arrives and Blanca learns that she can indeed follow her dream of becoming a teacher. Boyds Mill Press published both books.
“I wanted to dedicate this book to the faculty at Cal State Fullerton because of their belief in me,” she said. “I think every student deserves to be encouraged by at least one teacher. I was in my 40s before I found the teachers to encourage me. I am so thankful to them.”
Maggie Newsletter
Web Feed