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Professor Manuel Hernández Essays Collection Email: mannyh32@puertoricans.com Website http://www.geocities.com/mannyh32/ or http://www.editorialplazamayor.com/autores/manuel_hernandez.htm http://groups.yahoo.com/group/latinoliterature (Yahoogroup for the discussion of literature and education) For additional: HC-O1, Box 8552, Luquillo, Puerto Rico 00773 or e-mail. mannyh32@puertoricans.com Dec 6, 2007 -New Book Presentation - The Birth of a Rican - By Manuel Hernandez-Carmona

Latino/a Literature Seminars

Manuel Hernandez has given seminars on how to integrate Latino/a Literature in the English Classroom in cities across the United States, Puerto Rico and Mexico. He is willing to visit your school, community center, corporation and institution and share his view on this new literature. The literature can serve as a bridge for further literary analysis and can help students improve their scores on city, national and state testing requirements.
(Click here for curriculum vitae)

Knowledge and Education: Keys to Latino Salvation

by Manuel Hernández

When I attended grade school at Winfield L. Morse in Tarrytown,
New York, my teachers, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Parker, Mrs. Biazzo and Mrs.
Russo emphasized and stressed the importance of education. As a typical
American boy, I learned to read and love the classics at a very young
age. Tarrytown, today called Sleepy Hollow, is small but rich in history
and pride. It is known for the setting of Washington Irving’s legendary
Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle. Tarrytown’s junior high school bore
the name of the influential American writer, and its high school is
named after the legendary headless horseman. In terms of language, I
spoke English at school, but Spanish was the primary language in my
house and at church. I lived in a household where two cultures and
languages became one. There was no fuss or discussion about when to use
English or Spanish. It was natural for me to speak English with my
friends and Spanish with my family. I was just another typical American
boy who spoke in two languages. My family, teachers, school and Pastor
Louie were instrumental in my up-bringing and education. They made sure
I did not perish because of lack of knowledge.

In Erika Robles last week’s article on hispanicvista.com, she
states that “Education is the only way to succeed in a competitive
country like the United States of America.” This is a blunt reality and
a cold truth. The sudden and unexpected growth of the United States
Latino population brings forth interesting yet unanswered questions. How
will the present and future governments address the educational crisis
in the Latino community? When will we Latino leaders unite as one to
create a public educational policy to present to both major American
parties? What specific projects and proposals will be created to empower
American Latinos to face critical social, economic and educational
issues? The importance of education is often underminded by Latinos and
those who have the power to attend the current high school drop out rate.
For Latinos and everyone in America, education and knowledge are the
key to salvation.

In crime, teenage pregnancy, domestic violence, drugs and other
areas, Latinos have high marks. The turn around and restoration must
come within the Latino community. In order to sustain themselves and
help out at home, many Latinos teens enter the workforce at a very young
age and do not continue higher education studies. Two of my students at
Monroe High School, Julio and Judith, left their household during their
last semester in school, attended classes during the day and worked
from 11:00 pm to 7:00 am to pay for rent, bills and food. Thanks to
support by teachers and friends, they graduated from high school. This
is the story of many of our teens today.

For Latinos to have an active role in the world of cyber-space,
high-tech and global entrepeneurship, the American educational system
must produce critical thinkers who can become pro-active participants.
However, for too many Latinos, our educational system is a hurdle to
high for them to jump. With the upgrading of SAT’s and high school state
exams, we Latino leaders must revise our priorities and prepare our
children for the present and future. While music and entertainment take
center role in our living rooms, our children fall behind in school. We
are the largest minority in population, but the smallest minority in
higher education. Like bears, Latinos hybernate and risk a voice and
place in American history.

Republicans and Democrats have shown interest in immigration,
health care, tax benefits and reducing the deficit. How about education?
We may have to do it ourselves. Wake-up Latino! Let us be spear-headed
about ways in which to improve interest in reading and writing. With two
Latino astronauts being trained for the next shuttle space mission, we
our in a position that we cannot take for granted. Academic standards
need to be enhanced with vision and knowledge on how to identify, tackle
and improve our children’s interest in all subject areas. We Latinos
need more role models to go back to school and talk and interact with
our children. It is time to design an educational agenda that will meet
the expectations of all within the Latino community. Only then will they
have an opportunity of growth to earn a degree and receive by grace
what has been already granted to us all, an education.

Manuel Hernandez, a contributing columnist to HispanicVista.com (www.hispanicvista.com), lives in Puerto Rico where he teaches school. He has a B.A. and MA Teaching English. He is candidate for a PhD. He has just published a textbook titled, Latino/a Literature in The English Classroom (Editorial Plaza Mayor, 2003). For more information, e-mail him at mannyh32@puertoricans.com For school orders, go to www.editorialplazamayor.com for more information or call 787-764-0455 For a complete bibliography: email me at mannyh32@puertoricans.com