2010's Best Holiday Gifts: Línea Descubriendo

Here come the holidays and like most of you, I have been scouring the web for the perfect gifts for my children. This year, we are avoiding frivolous and mindless toys in favor of those that are beneficial to our kid's overall development. I am focusing on educational products that improve literacy, creativity, and/or other valuable skills.

At the top of my recommendation list is Línea Descubriendo by Witty Planet. This exceptional line of products for children was created in Argentina and has been embrace by many Latin American countries for its educational properties. And now, for the first time, it is available in the United States. (Yay!)

I had a chance to review some of their products, including one of their DVDs - Descubriendo mi Cuerpo - last month and they were an INSTANT hit with my children. The DVD, especially, quickly became my children's current favorite, and they have been singing and dancing to the songs ever since. The video is divided up into segments about the different body parts and how to care for them. The original songs are full of information about each topic along with images of real children preparing to take a bath, playing in the bubbles, brushing their hair, etc. The songs are separated by short skits involving the cast of puppets from Línea Descubriendo, including its host, Bubba (pronounced BOO-bah). This adorable monkey had my kids in stitches a number of times with his silly antics and facial expressions.

The DVD is more than just a video, though, and includes interactive games, which both of my kids really enjoy. I was really happy with this product, and the way that it supplemented my kid's Spanish curriculum perfectly.

A lot of thought has gone into this line of products - and it shows. Developed by professionals in childhood development, Línea Descubriendo invites children to learn through play, song, and dance. Their goal is to stimulate a child’s curiosity, interest in learning, and communication skills. The entire line was developed by keeping in mind children's visual preferences and pedagogical requirements for early childhood. Even the puppets were developed by Roberto Docampo, Director of the Puppetry School at the San Martin Theater, in Argentina.

You can see a sample of Descubriendo mi Cuerpo here.

If you are a fan of the Baby Einstein and Brainy Baby lines, and are trying to raise your children bilingually, then you will absolutely LOVE Línea Descubriendo. But though it is similar to these American products, that is only on the surface. As you explore the products you will discover a much richer Spanish-only line with songs that are original pieces, specific to the topic, with additional information about each subject.

If you'd like to examine the line a little more thoroughly, take a look at their adorable, interactive site, El Mundo de Bubba, for additional games, art, and much, much more. You won't be disappointed.

To go ahead and order your own Línea Descubriendo products, visit Witty Planet. Their website is available in both English and Spanish. Don't forget to type in the promo code LATINBABY for an additional 10% off your purchase!


Disclosure: I was compensated for this review. However, the opinions expressed in this post are sincere and true. Mi Cielito Lindo will not endorse products that it does not approve of or that we feel will not interest our readers.

A New Adventure

Things have been very quiet here on this blog. I have been busy focusing on our sister blog, the Latin Baby Book Club. But what has taken up most of my time lately, has been a new adventure with my children: homeschooling.

The decision to homeschool was a difficult one for me because I had no desire to teach. Unfortunately, the county in which we live has been officially labeled a "failed school district". So for now, because our children's education is so terribly important to us, I have chosen to go the route that seems best for them at this time.

When I began this journey last year, I was frustrated to discover a limited amount of materials and resources available for bilingual or bicultural families. Occasionally, I stumble upon some great resources through my work on the LBBC, but it really has taken a lot of digging to find good information.

As you know from reading this blog, the education of our Latino children is very important to me. I firmly believe in supporting other familias who are dedicated to helping their children excel in school. As I've stated before, parents must take an active role in their child's learning in order for that child to succeed.

So as a result, my latest gift to share with all of you is my new blog, Mommy Maestra, which I officially launch today. The goal of this blog is not how to teach your children Spanish (there are already plenty of blogs and websites for that), but rather to share with you ideas and educational resources in English and Spanish that are available for those of you raising bilingual children.

Regardless of whether or not you are homeschooling your children, I hope that you will find information and ideas that help you to encourage their love of learning or to supplement their education. No one will care more for your children than you will. So take their futures seriously and get involved now!

I hope you will visit me over at Mommy Maestra and share your thoughts and ideas.

Con mucho cariño,

~Monica

Celebrate Día with the LBBC

All this month, our sister site, the Latin Baby Book Club will be celebrating El día de los niños, El día de los libros/Day of the Child, Book Day with daily posts on literacy and diversity within the Latino culture.

In addition to their regular reviews of bilingual and bicultural books like those seen here, they have and will be discussing many resources for Spanish and English-speaking parents and educators. These resources are great for developing a child's or student's literacy skills.

Various professionals in the Latino children's literature field have also contributed, including authors Pat Mora, Samantha R Vamos, René Colato Laínez, and Amy Costales.

Parents and teachers will also enjoy the many giveaways scheduled for this month. Educational videos and toys like the bilingual alphabet puzzle by Ingenio Toys, as well as bilingual and bicultural books like A Gift of Gracias by Julia Alvarez will be given away throughout the month.

Don't miss out on all the fun!

Quality Educational Preschool Programming...in Spanish!

It is good to know that all the discussion over the Latino drop-out rate and the paucity of Latinos going to college is beginning to result in some serious focus on Latino children and early education. A trumpet has been sounded and bilingual schools, while still fighting discrimination and misunderstanding, are starting to be recognized for their many benefits. Bilingual teachers are being recognized for their important role and some are even being treated as heroes. More and more companies are turning their attention to creating products and services for bilingual and Spanish-speaking families... and new ones are emerging with overwhelming success.

One of these is V-me, the largest and most widely distributed block of world-class educational pre-school content in Spanish TV from international leaders in quality, including Sesame Workshop, Thirteen/WNET, LazyTown Entertainment and Cromosoma.

This month, V-me began airing PEEP and the Big Wide World, on the Spanish-language network Monday through Friday from 9:15-9:30am. The Emmy Award-winning animated science series, bring its animated stories, science, and the wonders of everyday life for the first time to Spanish-speaking and bilingual preschoolers.

It is produced by WGBH and 9 Story Entertainment in association with TVOntario and Discovery Kids. Given WGBH Boston’s pioneering legacy in the production of children’s programming, this new partnership strengthens V-me’s commitment to education, information and quality entertainment for Latino families.

Young viewers join Peep, a newly-hatched chicken, Chirp, a smart and sassy robin, and an endearingly, egotistical duck named Quack on all their wide-eyed adventures—from discovering shadows, to investigating mysterious tracks, to learning about gravity. Underlying the series is a comprehensive science curriculum that uses humor, entertaining plotlines, and lovable characters to engage viewers in a way that allows them to learn about science without even realizing it. Each episode contains one animated PEEP story that highlights a specific science concept and one live-action video that presents real kids playing and experimenting with this same concept in their own “big wide worlds.”

“PEEP is a wonderful vehicle for fostering early science exploration and understanding, presenting science in a way that tickles the fancy and funny bones of our young preschool audience. We are thrilled that V-me—which represents the best educational preschool programming on Spanish TV—is adding PEEP to their children’s lineup and introducing the characters and real world science concepts of the series to Latino families,” says executive producer, Kate Taylor.

“On the educational landscape, there are tremendous gaps for Latinos and science, and research has demonstrated that PEEP effectively brings meaningful science experiences to preschoolers,” said Guillermo Sierra, Vice President of Programming at V-me. “By bringing Peep to V-me, we are able to expose our young viewers to science exploration early and foster an understanding that lasts them a lifetime.”

A Spanish section of the PEEP and the Big Wide World Web site is also being launched at http://www.peepandthebigwideworld.org/. Here, families can access numerous animated PEEP stories and their related live-action videos featuring real kids playing at home and outdoors. Additional online resources in Spanish provide Latino parents and caregivers with ideas for fun, educational hands-on activities that extend their child’s science learning beyond the show.

Our amigas over at Spanglish Baby are giving away SIX baskets full of PEEP Goodies. So head on over and throw in your comments for a chance to win!

Who knows, by introducing your child to science early, you may be molding the next José Moreno Hernández or Elsa Salazar Cade.

Literacy Developing Products for Babies and Toddlers

As we’ve mentioned, literacy begins at birth. Babies are full of wonder and are carefully exploring the world around them from the moment that they open their eyes. Shapes and sounds are being absorbed and categorized, filed away to help them begin speaking, learning, and - eventually - reading. Play is essential to a child’s development. Babies and children learn about concepts and relationships through play.

I’ve listed below some products that are very useful for Latino parents looking to develop their child’s love of learning and literacy. Not only do these products develop letter recognition, but they also develop fine motor skills. I’ve already mentioned a few of these on this blog, but it is nice to have them all in one post related to this topic. To purchase any of these products, simply click on the name of the product to be directed to the appropriate website.

Spanish Alphabet Blocks

A Spanish language set comprised of 28 blocks that provide 4 complete alphabets, 3 sets of numerals, and 28 different animal pictures. The set includes the Spanish letters "CH", "Ñ", and "LL". Made from Michigan basswood, brightly colored with child-safe inks, and handcrafted with attention to detail. The blocks are a generous1 ¾” (44mm) cubed a perfect size for small hands!

Spanish ABC Puzzle Blocks

From Learning Resources. "Help children learn the Spanish alphabet (A through Z, plus ch, ll and n) with these two-piece wooden puzzles. Each kid-friendly puzzle features a fun picture of something beginning with a given letter and unique die cuts that match the shape of that letter. The wooden storage box with a plastic lid contains 29 two-piece solid wood puzzle blocks measuring 2" x 3.75" each. Box measures approximately 12" x 4.5"." To purchase your set, click here.

Easy Alphabet/¡Abecedario fácil!

This set is SO MUCH FUN! Packaged in a sturdy keepsake box with a magnetic closure, Easy Alphabet is made up of 27 cards plus a guide for parents. The guide is in both English and Spanish and describes different ways in which to use the cards with your child. An excellent product for developing your child’s early literacy skills, this set is geared for children ages 1 year and older. Even better, it grows with your child as you’ll see by the different activities listed in the parent’s guide. Like the board books described above, these cards are nice and thick with rounded corners. As an additional bonus, parents can visit BilingualReaders.com to find free audio files and extra activities to supplement these products.

My First Spanish ABC Picture Coloring Book

Entertaining, educational book introduces Spanish-speaking preschoolers and English-speaking youngsters to the 28 letters of the Spanish alphabet and almost 225 everyday Spanish words. Each letter is accompanied by illustrations of common objects whose names begin with that letter. A low-priced, entertaining and effective introduction to Spanish language skills.

29 Spanish Alphabet Mini-books

Easy-to-make reproducible books that promote literacy build letter and sound recognition. Just reproduce, fold, and snip! Students practice handwriting, begin letter collections, and make personalized Spanish word banks.

Spanish Alphabet Big Book

PreK and up. Reinforce letter recognition, spelling, sounds, and beginning words with this unique pocket chart that uses color coded letters and pictures. Easy-to-clean nylon chart features three clear pocket rows for card displays. Measures 28 1/4"W x 37 3/4"H.

Literature on Latino Education Practices

Latino parents and educators may find the following books to be great resources for learning how to get involved in their children's education. Click on the title to read more reviews or to purchase your copy.

 

Involving Latino Families in Schools: Raising Student Achievement Through Home-School Partnerships by Concha Delgado Gaitan to be a wonderful resource. The book has received excellent reviews and is highly recommended. This updated edition of Setting Our Sights outlines the five stages for equity reform, while clearly explaining research findings and offering practical tools and examples.

Building Culturally Responsive Classrooms: A Guide for K-6 Teachers by Concha Delgado Gaitan. The author shows how teachers honoring real culture can transform the context and content within their classrooms while creating learning settings that challenge students academically.

Quality Education for Latinos and Latinas: Print and Oral Skills for All Students, K-College by Rita Portales and Marco Portales. As educators and legislators across the country debate how to improve public schools, the most vital factor often disappears from the equation--the relationship between the teacher and the student. According to veteran educators Rita and Marco Portales, this relationship is the central issue in the education of students, especially Latino/a students who often face serious barriers to school success because of the legacy of racism, insufficient English-language skills, and cultural differences with the educational establishment. To break down these barriers and help Latino/a students acquire a quality education, the Portaleses focus attention on the teacher-student relationship and offer a proven method that teachers can use to strengthen the print and oral skills of their students. They begin by analyzing the reasons why schools too often fail to educate Latino/a students, using eloquent comments from young Latinos/as and their parents to confirm how important the teacher-student relationship is to the student's success. Then they show how all educational stakeholders--teachers, administrators, state education agencies, legislators, and parents--can work together to facilitate the teacher-student relationship and improve student education. By demonstrating how teachers can improve students' reading, critical thinking, writing, and oral communication skills across the curriculum, they argue that learning can be made more relevant for students, keeping their interest levels high while preparing them for academically competitive colleges.

Educating our Latino Children

For years, this blog has been encouraging the education of our Latino children. Exposing them new experiences, ideas and opportunities is not only our right as citizens of this amazing country, but it is our responsibility as good parents.

Our job begins at the moment of conception; our bodies are no longer our own and we owe it to our children to eat right, exercise, and get regular check-ups. When our babies are born we must be prepared to provide them with more than just love. We have to arm ourselves with the knowledge on how to care for them physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally. We become consumed with cuddling, feeding, cleaning, doctor's visits, changing, sleeping, and much, much more. We have to become walking dictionaries, artists, nurses, coaches, nutritionists, mathematicians, scientists, fashionistas, mechanics, and audience.

For most Latinas, caring for a baby is second-nature. It's somehow programmed into our genes. Sure there are areas that many of us need to work harder at - like doctor's visits, vaccinations, and nutrition - but for the most part, we are superwomen.

But then the baby years end. And thus begins one area where Latinos are lagging just a bit behind. Latino children are the least likely to be enrolled in Pre-K or Kindergarten. That's not necessarily a bad thing in itself - provided that parents are working hard at home to prepare their children for school. The problem is that  many parents are not aware of  the myriad of ways to introduce their children to literacy, math, colors, shapes, critical thinking, and so much more. There is a growing number of web sites to introduce parents to these concepts, but few Latino parents have access to (or even knowledge of) these sites. For many, the language barrier is a major issue. So the goal of Mi Cielito Lindo for the next six months will be to share many of the resources in English and Spanish for parents seeking to raise curious, intelligent, compassionate, and logical children.

To successfully raise children who enjoy learning and commit to completing a college education, parents must be involved EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.  We are our children's support system and we must learn to encourage, help, explain, cheer and listen. Our child's success is dependent upon us. The alternative is not acceptable.

Along these lines, I am also extremely pleased to pass on that Univision has joined with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to launch Es El Momento, a national campaign to improve academic achievement among K-12 Hispanic students. Special emphasis is being placed on increasing the number of Latino high school graduates and college preparation.

In the words of Melinda French Gates, "A great education is not an honor or privilege—it’s a fundamental civil right. This partnership with Univision will not only inspire Hispanic students and their parents and community to aspire to a college education, it will give them access to the information and tools they need to make their dream a reality. Education is the best way to expand opportunity for all. We can’t think of a better partner to work with on Es El Momento than Univision, which shares this belief in the power of education."

4-H Programs Embrace Hispanic Youth in Illinois

Hola 4-H and Hispanic Teen Leaders Spanish-Speaking Clubs, Meet Fridays, 5:30 pm beginning March 5

There is a new 4-H opportunity especially designed for Hispanic families or students interested in advancing their Spanish. It's open to all youth with programs split between Hola 4-H for members ages 5 – 12 and Hispanic Teen Leaders for ages 13 – 18. The activities focus on citizenship, leadership and life skills. Fun activities, games and snacks, community service opportunities and more at each meeting. The first meeting is free, then the new member fee is $20 per year or free for existing 4-H club members. To join contact Jaime Aguilera at (309) 756-9978 Ext 16 or online at www.extension.uiuc.edu/rockisland.

Shopping for Navidad: Bilingual Toys for Toddlers

North America Bilingual Map Puzzle

Ingenio Toys are THE biggest thing to hit the bilingual toys market. They have a great selection of educational products that parents raising bilingual children will love, like this N. A. puzzle. "Children will love to play with this colorful & informative puzzle while gaining an early appreciation for geography. Helps you teach your child about your heritage and all the wonderful places that you have been to. Includes illustrations of all 50 U.S states, 32 Mexican states and all other North American countries. Learn country & state names in English & Spanish (if different). This puzzle is BIG -over six square feet (0.55 sq. m) when fully assembled! The puzzle pieces are extra thick and sturdy to last a long time . There are 48 large & easy to grasp pieces and store easily in the re-usable box." To check out their other great products, click here.

Bilingual Zingo!

For ages 4 years and up. Bingo with a twist, this game encourages pre-readers and early readers to match pictures and words on game tiles to the pictures and words on their challenge cards. First child with a full card yells "Zingo!" Find these and many other bilingual board games, here.

Magnetic Poetry Kids Spanish Kit

Fun, fun, fun! Magnetic Poetry has the neatest little pack of double-sided magnets for the refrigerator. With a Spanish word on one side and the English equivalent on the other, these little magnets are a great teaching tool. Created with the help of native speakers and language educators, the kit comes with over 200 bilingual tiles! I would definitely recommend this for older kids and adults. If you are concerned about buying magnets for your children and want more information on the type that Magnetic Poetry uses, check out their Safety Info page. Ages 5 and up. Find out more here.

Spanish ABC Puzzle Blocks

From Learning Resources. "Help children learn the Spanish alphabet (A through Z, plus ch, ll and n) with these two-piece wooden puzzles. Each kid-friendly puzzle features a fun picture of something beginning with a given letter and unique die cuts that match the shape of that letter. The wooden storage box with a plastic lid contains 29 two-piece solid wood puzzle blocks measuring 2" x 3.75" each. Box measures approximately 12" x 4.5"." To purchase your set, click here.

Loteria The King of Things/El Rey de las Cosas

From La Mano Press. This awesome boxed set includes beautifully illustrated cards that introduce both Spanish and English words. This fun and educational game can be enjoyed by everyone in the familia. You can find it here.

Shopping for Navidad: Bilingual Toys for Bebés

I am happy to see so many bilingual toys hitting the market. They are creating many opportunities for learning, acceptance and help to foster a healthy self image. Here are a few of MCL's favorite educational toys for the bilingual baby...

Spanish Alphabet Blocks

Piomu offers a Spanish language set comprised of 28 blocks that provide 4 complete alphabets, 3 sets of numerals, and 28 different animal pictures. The set includes the Spanish letters "CH", "Ñ", and "LL". Made from Michigan basswood, brightly colored with child-safe inks, and handcrafted with attention to detail. The blocks are a generous1 ¾” (44mm) cubed a perfect size for small hands! Check out these and other fine products here.

Bilingual Board Books

New on the market this year, are several products by Bilingual Readers, a new publishing company based out of Madrid. They have released some neat bilingual books and flashcards that are perfect for children learning Spanish or English. We love their set of animal books, which come nicely packaged in their own sturdy slipcase. Sea Animals/Animales del mar and Jungle Animals/Animales de la selva are perfect for children ages newborn to 3 years. The emphasis is on simple vocabulary, and each page focuses on one animal with the name in English above and the name in Spanish below. Parents will love how both board books come with rounded corners and washable pages (Wooohoo!) Learn more about Bilingual Readers here.

¡Bebé Baby! by Sassy

Well, at least someone's trying, no? And I have to admit that this little Piñata Burro Take Along is lindisimo! According to their site, Bebé Baby products combine significant traditional icons of Hispanic culture with fun and innovative attributes of today’s toys, giving parents a unique way to teach their children about the culture and traditions of their home country. Hmmm. Take a look and see what you think...

Baby Abuelita

This company has been around a while now, but their products are still just as good today as they were when they first launched. They feature five soft dolls each of which sings several traditional Spanish lullabies (the favorite in our house is Baby Tita). The best part is that each doll sings a different set of songs, so you can collect them all! Baby Abuelita also carries musical books and has released their first DVD. To learn about all their products, click here.

Día de los Muertos Activities & Lesson Plans for Children

Día de los Muertos is just a few days away. So for all of you mamis and papis out there looking for a few good ideas on how to educate your children about the holiday, here are a few of my favorite sites that are full of videos, activities, arts and crafts for children.

Once again, AZCentral.com takes first place. They have put together a most excellent site on Day of the Dead, which includes articles, videos and slideshows on everything from José Guadalupe Posada to Día de los Muertos flashcards. They also have one of the most comprehensive downloadable education packages for students on the internet. It is filled with great activities for children that teachers or parents can use to celebrate the holiday, and includes word finds, mix and match puzzles, coloring pages, a papel picado template, etc.

Teachers will especially love MrDonn’s site. He has several lesson plans on it, but you should especially check out the free presentations in Power Point format!

And don’t forget Yuyi Morales’ site related to her book series featuring Señor Calavera. In addition to a downloadable lesson plan, the site also has several arts and craft projects for los niños, including how to make a mask, puppet and animation. So don’t skip SrCalavera.com!

Latino Arts & Crafts for Children

"Every child is an artist.
The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up."

~ Pablo Picasso

I’ve been cruising through the web for a while trying to find Latino-inspired art projects for children to brighten up a rainy day. Let me tell you…it’s hard! The hardest part was trying to find projects that represent the variety of Latino cultures found throughout the world. Most of the activities seem to be centered around Mexican traditions (which is great and I’ve included them below) but I also wanted to find projects that reflect the diversity of our cultures.
So here for your creative pleasure, I’ve listed the art projects that I have found so far. I would REALLY welcome comments or links directing me to more so that we can somehow combine them all in one easy-to-find location. And to all you mamis out there…happy crafting!


SPAIN, MEXICO: TeachKidsArt.blogspot.com has some wonderful, fantastic art projects for children and their families. The whole blog is a mother’s delight if she is trying to nurture her child’s creative spirit. She also has some great posts dedicated to the artist, Pablo Picasso.

I was amazed to find out that as a teenager, he had mastered the ability to paint realistically like Renaissance painter Raphael. Can you believe he painted the top picture on the right? It is his mother, Maria Picasso Lopez. Hard to imagine, I know, considering what he is best known for is this abstract style picture on the bottom, Dora Maar Au Chat - which, incidentally, sold recently for over $95 million! ¡Que locura! I mean - Why?!?

In addition to interesting tidbits about his life, you’ll also find a few art projects to teach your children about this complex master artist.

You’ll also find a project based on Mexican Painter, Frida Kahlo.

And you should also check out this Mexican Bark Painting project that is perfect for children of any age.


PANAMA: From the islands of Panama comes the inspiration for this project: Mola Art.
KidsArt.com hasn’t posted many projects recently, but if you dig through their entries you’ll find some other fun stuff, too.
You can find another project and some great lesson plans for more Mola art here.


GUATEMALA, MEXICO: How cute is this Quetzal bird crafted from a toilet paper tube? This a great opportunity to talk about how the Quetzal is the national bird of Guatemala and though it is found in many countries throughout North (if you include Mexico), Central and South America, it’s numbers are dwindling. You can find out more information about this fascinating bird here. animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/quetzal.html

PUERTO RICO: Here are a bunch of crafts related to Puerto Rico, including a section on el coquí with froggy crafts for the kids to make. Lots of different frog projects that don’t seem very Latino-oriented per se, but the key is tying in the legend of el coquí.

URUGUAY, MEXICO, BRAZIL: I was totally delighted to stumble upon Ms. Evard’s Art Portal. She’s a teacher in Albany and let me tell you…I would have LOVED to have had her for an art teacher when I was a kid! She REALLY loves art – it is obvious by the way she introduces her students to art from all over the world. Such fantastic ideas! I really encourage you to look through her site. You’ll be inspired! Specifically, check out her second grade projects which include Joaquín Torres García Self-Portraits, Round Weaving, Mexican Talavera Suns, and Rodrigo Godá Good Bugs.


MEXICO: Without a doubt my favorite site is ArtistsHelpingChildren.org which lists a ton of projects for making not only piñatas and papel picado, but a whole section on Cinco de Mayo crafts that includes alebrijes, bark paintings, cascarones, banderas, guitarras, tissue paper flowers, castanets, lucha masks, maracas, mosaics, ponchos, rebozos, milagros and much, much more. And this is just the Latino section! The site is huge and goes on and on with activities and projects for kids. I give it 5 estrellitas.



KinderArt has this really neat project for making Aztec Tiles. This project is for older kids who will learn about Pre-Columbian art as they discover the Aztecs, Mayans and Incas. They also include links for suggested reading.




Unfortunately, there are very few books dedicated to Latino inspired art and crafts. However, the Latin Baby Book Club has a small section of books about Latino arts and crafts and they are always adding more...

Sam's Club Giveaway Benefiting Box Tops for Education

We’ve been reading about how schools all over the country have been suffering economic difficulties. Some have closed their doors, while others limp along using outdated equipment and with a shortage of teachers. Bilingual programs especially have struggled, many of them cut completely from schools due to lack of funding.

But there is one great way that you can help your school.

Twelve years ago, General Mills launched Box Tops for Education in California on Big G cereals like Cheerios®, Total®, Lucky Charms® and other family favorites. Since then, the number of participating products has grown by leaps and bounds. To date, Box Tops has helped America's schools earn over $250 million. Your school can earn up to $60,000 every year! Check out these easy ways to earn:

♥ You can clip 10¢ Box Tops coupons from hundreds of your favorite products such as Cheerios®, Betty Crocker®, Juicy Juice®, Ziploc®, Kleenex®, Hefty® and more!

♥ At the Box Tops Marketplace, you can shop at over 70 online stores like Oriental Trading Co., Office Depot and Lands' End. A percentage of purchases goes back to your school!

♥ You can earn cash for your school just by buying the books that you love! Begin your shopping at the Box Tops Reading Room to earn up to 6% on purchases made at Barnes & Noble.

♥ My Class Essentials is a new way to help classrooms get the learning tools and supplies students need while earning 2% cash back for your school with every purchase.

To make the process even more enjoyable for young children, you can print a collection worksheet for your niños to color and fill with Box Tops you clip, or help them make their very own collection container.

And to make mamás happy, the BoxTops4Education web site has a whole page of coupons for participating products that you can print off.

This year, Box Tops for Education and Sam’s Club are lending a hand with their BIG CLIP campaign. From now through September 4th, you can get more Box Top coupons on your favorite back-to-school brands at Sam’s Club to maximize the earnings for your school. In addition, BT4E is giving away 1 million Bonus Box Tops for America’s schools! You can also enter The Big Clip sweepstakes for a chance to win the Grand Prize of 500,000 Bonus Box Tops or one of two first prizes of 250,000 Bonus Box Tops.

Participating brands include: Cheerios, Ziploc containers & sandwich bags, Honey Nut Cheerios, Pillsbury Chocolate Chip Cookies, Fiber One Oats & Chocolate Bars, Nature Valley Bars, Scott Paper Towels, Huggies Baby Wipes and Kleenex Facial Tissues. For a complete look of Box Top products, click here.

Overall, what a great program! I do think they are missing a great opportunity, though by not marketing to Latinos. They should publish portions of their web site and box tops in Spanish!

THE GIVEAWAY:

To help your children’s school, Sam’s Club and Box Tops for Education are giving me FIVE one-day passes and one $25 Sam’s Club gift card. The first five readers to leave me a comment about their favorite product participating in the Box Top program will win a one-day pass and one of you will win the gift card!

The deadline is this Thursday, August 27th at 11:59 pm EST. I’ll announce the winners Friday morning.

¡Buenas suerte!

*Provided courtesy of MyBlogSpark.

Inspiring Latinos You Should Know

As a Latina mom, it upsets me that history books rarely discuss Latinos who have had an impact on our society. In fact, when I set out to research this for my own children, I was surprised at how many I knew nothing about. I have talked a number of times on this blog about the crisis that young Latinos and Latinas are experiencing in this country. They are in desperate need of inspiration and guidance. They are bombarded daily by media images that insist that Latinas must be sexy and wanton, which conflicts with their family’s more conservative values. One of the major factors identified in the success of young Latinas is their relationship with their mother: Latinitas with mamís that listen – even if they don’t agree – are far more likely to succeed and grow up to be healthy and happy adults.

A recent study by researchers at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill has shown that "Latino adolescents in the U.S. who maintain ties to their culture of origin are more likely to develop healthy behaviors than their peers who do not. Latino adolescents with strong awareness of their family’s culture reported higher self esteem, fewer social problems and less hopelessness, aggression and substance abuse."

So the question is: How do we engender in our children a respect and pride for our culture? Wow. This could take a LONG time to discuss. I think that it is never too early to show our children the beauty of our Latino culture. Exposing them to the elements of our heritage includes the language, food, dance, music, and HISTORY. Which brings me to the point of this particular post: It is so important to give our children role models with whom they can relate. There are so many inspirational Latinos out there that I could start an entire blog simply featuring them. (Hmmmm….) But for now, I thought I would share with you some of the stories and on-line resources for learning more about significant figures in our cultures. Here are a few that I thought would be great to get you started on the track of exposing your children to positive Latino role models. Some are well known, while others are not. But either way, their stories are moving and inspiring.

Gabriela Mistral - The Chilean born poet who began teaching at the young age of 15 and subsequently traveled all over the world in an effort to improve schools. She was inspired by her travels and wrote many stories during this time. Gabriela Mistral is her nom de plume. She was actually born Lucila de María del Perpetuo Socorro Godoy Alcayaga – Whew! Mistral is a wonderful role model for young children because she was so passionate about learning and writing. She is noted for the many contributions she made to the education system of Latin America. Mistral finally received the recognition she so richly deserved in 1945 when she became the first Latin American writer to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature. A prolific writer, she published more than 30 collections of poetry during her lifetime.
My Name is Gabriela/Me llamo Gabriela: The Life of Gabriela Mistral/la vida de Gabriela Mistral by Monica Brown
Nobel Prize Biographies

Poet Seers: Gabriela Mistral

César Chávez –Mexican American farm worker and founder of the United Farm Workers. This civil rights activist fought for the rights of migrant workers, including better pay and safer working conditions. He is noted for his nonviolent outlook and protests including strikes, pickets, fasting and a 300+ mile march. Though he never earned more than 5,000 a year in his life, he is remembered by millions for his determination to bring recognition and dignity to farm workers.
For more information about César Chávez, check out these books & websites:
Cesar: Si, Se Puede! / Yes, We Can! by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand
Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez by Kathleen Krull

The Fight in the Fields: Cesar Chavez and the Farmworkers Movement by Susan Ferriss and Ricardo Sandoval
The Cesar E Chavez Foundation

Las Culturas: The Story of Cesar Chavez

Celia Cruz – Cuban "Queen of Salsa." Originally studied to become a literature teacher, only to interrupt her studies to pursue singing opportunities that eventually led to stardom. She has become beloved by generations all over the world for her operatic voice, flamboyant costumes and intimate relation to the music of Salsa.
For more information about Celia Cruz, check out these books & websites:

Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa by Veronica Chambers

My Name is Celia/Me llamo Celia: The Life of Celia Cruz/la vida de Celia Cruz by Monica Brown

Celia: Mi Vida (Spanish Edition) by Celia Cruz and Ana Cristina Reymundo
Biggest Stars: Celia Cruz

Roberto Clemente – Puerto Rican baseball legend who transcended his reputation as a professional athlete to humanitarian and philanthropist. He is remembered for his efforts towards the recognition of his fellow Latino baseball players and for helping people in need across the United States and Central America. Clemente also held free baseball clinics for children in his homeland and created programs to help disadvantaged youth develop athletic skills and prevent illegal drug use. Clemente died in a plane crash while attempting to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
For more information about Roberto Clemente, check out these books & websites:
Beyond Baseball: The Life of Roberto Clemente
American Experience: Roberto Clemente

Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates by Jonah Winter

The Latin Baby Book Club is a Great Resource for Bilingual Families

In case you haven't heard, Mi Cielito Lindo's sister blog, the Latin Baby Book Club is celebrating its 1st anniversary by giving away fabulous prizes all week. You still have one chance left to enter to win one (or ALL!) of them. Prizes include an adult T-shirt by the wonderful company, MotherTongues; bilingual books for children; learning Spanish sets by Let's Play in Spanish; and even a $50.00 gift certificate to Latin Baby, our parent company!

The LBBC is a wonderful resource for all families that are trying to raise bilingual children. We review bilingual-bicultural books and music for children of all ages, and even a few for parents, too! Over ten talented bloggers have contributed reviews, author/illustrator interviews, information on local events, videos and more.

So head over there ASAP to enter for your chance to win!

Latin Baby Book Club Issues 2009 Summer Reading List

Summer is almost here and many mamis are looking for activities to keep their niños busy. For some great literature ideas, be sure to check out the Latin Baby Book Club, which has just issued it's 2009 Summer Reading List. Divided into three categories, the list offers suggestions for bilingual and bicultural books appropriate for newborns all the way through high school. Parents trying to raise bilingual children will truly appreciate the efforts of the LBBC, which reviews books and music, interviews authors, announces upcoming events and more. Keep an eye out this summer as they describe activities and crafts that promote literacy in children.

With May being dubbed Latino Book Month, now is the best time to check out books written by and for Latinos. What kind of books are being recommended? Well, here are a few examples...

Quinito, Day and Night/Quinito, día y noche by Ina Cumpiano.

The story of opposites, Quinito describes simple concepts of messy and neat, old and young, happy and sad. A great bilingual book for introducing infants to words and their meanings.

Playing Loteria/El juego de la loteria by René Colato Lainez.

A beautiful story celebrating the relationship of an abuelita with her grandchild and the discovery of language through games. It even includes directions for playing the real Lotería!

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Animal Poems of the Iguazu/Animalario del Iguazu by Francisco X. Alarcón.

Acclaimed poet, Alarcón, brings to life the inhabitants of Iguazú National Park, by allowing the animals to speak for themselves in the Amerindian oral tradition. Illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez.

María, María, How does your Garden Grow?

I heard the other day on some morning program, that due to the struggling economy and the First Lady’s example, everyone is now planting a vegetable garden. Over the past 9 years or so, my husband and I have made an annual attempt at planting a garden – not always with much success. Rabbits, deer, drought, flood, and an occasional feral hog(!) are but a few of the anti-veggie garden challenges we have encountered.

And yet, we keep trying.

¡Oralé! This year, we said, things will be different. Since moving to NC 2 years ago, we are finally in our own home and actually have the acreage to plant a sizeable garden. My industrious husband and daughter carefully enclosed our side porch and converted it into their personal greenhouse. As if by magic, seed trays, potting soil, watering cans and fluorescent lights suddenly appeared. Trips to Lowe’s began to center around the seed section and I started finding seed packets in the dining room, kitchen and my daughter’s bed. Plant catalogs started multiplying next to the couch in the living room. And lately, every evening brings eager whispering floating into the house from the side porch as they monitor the seedlings’ growth.

Regardless of whether or not we actually successfully grow a single vegetable, this year is different. It is the first time both our kids have had the actual experience of "farming." Maybe not on a big scale, but they are learning about starting a project and following it through. The last few weeks has found them out in the garden picking out the roots, sticks and rocks as Daddy goes around with the tiller. My kids are fascinated by the differences in the seeds. Tiny, big, pointy, flat, round...seeds come in so many shapes and sizes. They’ve been learning about the effects of light, water, temperature on one little seed. The biology lesson is immense!

And today, for me, was the best day of all. Today we actually sewed seeds in straight(ish) little lines. Okra, gourds, tomatoes, corn, bell peppers, carrots – all planted in carefully marked rows. There is just something innately satisfying in feeling the dirt between your fingers. Watching mis niños staring intently into a hole, their tiny hands carefully dropping in a seed and then covering it up, brought such a feeling of satisfaction and contentment.

It reminds me of my abuelita, who used to plant rows of corn in the backyard of her Dallas home. Tomates y chiles of every shape and color tumbled out of pots scattered around her back porch. Roses, irises, canas and a variety of other flowering plants were there, too. But it is the corn that made the biggest impression on me. Probably because I spent hours sitting in the middle of the rows, staring up at the sky, their towering stalks like a green wall between me and the rest of the world.

How many of you, I wonder will be planting a garden this year? Why? To save money? To eat healthy? To teach your children? Maybe, for the sheer enjoyment?

On-line Magazine Targets Latina Youth

Not too long ago, I wrote about a great magazine for young girls that focuses on identifying and rejecting negative stereotypes in the media in order to help girls develop a positive body image and healthy relationships. As a mami with one daughter, I love reading about programs that help girls and young women develop inner strength and pride in themselves. Recently, I discovered another wonderful magazine, but this one is geared specifically for young Latinas.

Latinitas is the first digital magazine created for and written by Latina youth. Their goal is to empower young Latinas through media and technology. The concept for the webzine began in 2002 by a group of University of Texas at Austin students who recognized the desperate need for a publication that focused on the experiences of Latina youth, and the monthly webzine officially launched in January of 2003. In 2004, they expanded to create another magazine geared for Latina teenagers. The purpose of the webzines is to provide a publication that reflects the interests and needs of young Latinas. According to their web site, Latinitas believes that young Latinas should be exposed to Latina role models and that they do, in fact, want to learn about their culture and history.

In addition, despite the fact that the Hispanic population is booming, statistics show that Latinos make up less than two percent of newsroom staff nationwide. And with the current media crisis (newspapers are quickly going belly-up nationwide!) this percentage is likely to drop even lower. Who then, I have to wonder, is writing about issues facing Latinos today? How many stories and issues are not being discussed because there aren’t enough reporters who care or are interested?

Fortunately, Latinitas (a non-profit) is also responsible for a number of programs that guide young girls interested in the field of journalism, including:

· Club Latinitas, an educational after-school newsroom where Hispanic girls learn the fundamentals of journalism through exciting hands-on activities. Girls in the 4th - 8th grade from local elementary and middle schools participate in the program.

· The Teen Reporter Intern Program, a journalism mentorship program where Latina high-school students are mentored and guided by experienced journalists. We have current openings for high school students who are interested in becoming teen reporters for our magazine.

· And, Camp Latinitas, which inspires girls in grades 4-8th to find their creative expression outlet by producing original media arts projects during the summer. In this 2-week-long day media divas camp program at the Mexican American Cultural Center, girls explore multimedia arts such as photography, writing, design, radio production and film-making.

It is no secret that Latinas today, face incredible challenges. Back in August I wrote about how 53% of Latinas will become pregnant at least once before the age of 20 and have the highest high school dropout rates in the country. But most disturbing to me is the fact that Latinas between the ages of 12-17 have the highest rates of attempted suicide than any other ethnic group. If you haven’t read this post, be sure to do so here.

The Latinitas web site states that, "Latinitas deserve to see their experiences reflected honestly and accurately." I say Hallelujah!

This past February, Latinitas printed and distributed their first paper edition to 30,000 households in Austin and San Antonio. The goal was to provide club members and other young Latinas (most of whom do not have internet access at home) with an example of the webzine that they would have access to on-line.

So for you mamis out there with niñas, I encourage you to visit the Latinitas web site. Both their magazines are available on-line. Check them out for yourself. Who knows? Maybe your daughter is the next Elizabeth Vargas or Sylvia Mendoza...

Trying to catch up!

It seems like time is just flying by and I'm running against it! These last few weeks have been extremely busy for me on the home front. Before I start babbling, allow me to give you a little insight as to why things get a little crazy for me and I go MIA. I have a six and a half year old son named Diego, with Asperger's Syndrome (which is associated to the autism spectrum). He was diagnosed officially on Nov. 1 of 2007. I say officially because as parents we always had a doubt and an instinct that told us there was something wrong and that he was simply just not going to "grow out of it". I remember always comparing my son to other "normal" kids and wondering if the things that he was doing were actually going to go away on their own. I would ask my sisters and my mom what they thought since they were mothers way before I was, and all they would say was "no te mortifiques, es niño! ya veras que cuando cresca un poco mas, el va a cambiar" {"don't worry, he's just a boy! you'll see, when he gets a little older he will change"}. Well, time went by and my husband and I worried even more. When Diego started kindergarten, it was absolute chaos. He had been attending Montessori school for the previous years and regular public school had a huge effect on him, so huge, that we realized then we had to do something. We had him diagnosed.

Some of Diego's symptoms are predominantly: Constant movement (hyperactivity), lack of eye contact (at times), impulsivity, frustration and anxiety. For the most part, a lot of these symptoms are controlled with therapy. There are days when you can't tell there's something wrong with Diego and other days when the symptoms are "a flor de piel" (very noticeable). That's just how life is, and believe me, if I could change anything about Diego, it would only be to help him out, because we love him just the way he is. He is extremely intelligent, loving, caring and articulate. He has been the biggest life lesson we've had so far, he has taught us how to be good parents.

So, with all of that said I can finally tell you why it's been crazy on the home front for me. My husband and I were preparing for our second annual IEP meeting with Diego's school, in which we asked for changes to be made. We stressed, prepared ourselves, did some research, stressed some more, did more research, asked a bunch of questions, stressed more... finally we had our meeting and things went pretty well. For those of you who are not familiar with these IEPs and the school districts, let me just say that it's not easy. If you have a child with special needs, the school district will give you what they want to give you and not necessarily what your child really needs! If you don't do your homework and prepare to ask for what your child needs, they will not even mention it to you. No offense to those who work in the education field, I have nothing against teachers at all! If anything, I believe that teachers are the ones who make a difference. I just think that as parents, if you are not prepared to ask for the right things the school district will not provide for you.

My advice, if you are a parent of a special needs child (in a public school) is: Do your homework, by that I mean do some research about your child's special needs. There are so many online sites these days where you could find great information. Don't be afraid to ask questions, if your school turns you down, go to the school district or the board of education. Once your child is set with a good IEP, do some follow ups to make sure he is getting what he needs. Remember that you as the parent know what's best for your child.

And last but not least, perhaps the best advice ever given to me: "When your child is at his/her worst, you have to be at your best."

Here are some helpful links:

http://www.ed.gov/index.jhtml?src=a
http://idea.ed.gov/
http://specialchildren.about.com/

XOXOXO
Claudia M.