Spanish

=Spanish!= //The method we use at Crefeld is TPRS, or Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling. This dynamic teaching method centers on the students, who have daily adventures created by the class in the moment.//

Here are a few links to more information about TPRS: [|Blaine Ray, the inventor of TPRS] [|Susan Gross, a TPRS educator in Colorado] [|Ben Slavic, another TPRS educator in Colorado] [|A great site for resources and classes, tprstorytelling.com]

Here is a video made by my 2008-2009 E block class based on a story by [|Amy Bachman Catania], called Paco Es Bueno: (video)

Here is a story the class wrote: (story)

Here is the link to the Spanish homework blog: http://funkyfreshspanish.edublogs.org

=Tomato Pickers of Immokalee, Florida =

Tomato Pickers' Press Release
Jory, Cam, Emma, Lexie

Growers/Owners' Press Release
Evan, Kyri, NIck, David, Max

Activists' Press Release
Jeff, Jermaine, Micah, Becca

__E Block: Survey Results__

 * <  ||< 1. Would you be willing to pay more for tomatoes if you knew the money was going to the workers? ||< 2. How much more would you be willing to pay -- 10%, 25%, or 50%? ||
 * < Cam ||<  ||<   ||
 * < Kyri ||<  ||<   ||
 * < Jermaine ||<  ||<   ||
 * < Max ||< I asked my family members and my friend Julian. Everyone agreed that they would gladly pay more. ||< My response was a universal 15% more ||
 * < Nick ||<  ||<   ||
 * < Micah ||<  ||<   ||
 * < Emma ||<  ||<   ||
 * < Lexie ||<  ||<   ||
 * < Jory ||< I asked a few my a few family members and friends and my cat, however my cat did not cooperate, so I am excluding her from this. The majority (8/10) said they would pay more while the other 2 said they would only pay more if they knew the exact situation and how it works out. ||< Everyone said they would pay no more than 15 - 25% more, which seems fairly reasonable. ||
 * < David ||<  ||<   ||
 * < Evan ||<  ||<   ||
 * < Jeff ||< I asked people from my family, and also friends' families. Everyone said they would pay more. ||< The percentages ranged between 5% and 25%, with the exception of one saying they would pay 100% more! Yay for that! ||
 * < Becca ||< I asked different people in my family, and no one said they would not pay more. ||< I got many different percentages. Between 10-15%. ||
 * < Dustin ||<  ||<   ||

__E Block: Extra Credit__
"Quien con esperanza vive, alegre muere." --a Mexican proverb. Do you agree or disagree with this proverb? Why? What does this proverb have to do with the Immokalee Workers?

"I do agree with this for the most part. If you live your life with a positive mindset, with the feeling that everything will be okay, then you will eventually die happy. Even if things do not end up getting better, the hope inside can make it feel better. "I think this relates to the tomato pickers, because many of them are suffering through terrible times, and if they live in hope, and keep faith, then their whole life will be much more positive until the day they die." -Jory

"Yes. I think hope is a very important thing to have in your life. Because theres always going to be times where your going through something hard, and the only way to get through it would be to have hope for better times. "I think that it would have to due with the hope that the people fighting for the tomatoe picker's rights would have to have, and the hope that the actual people being mistreated would have to have to be able to deal with the harsh conditions now until things change."  -Becca I agree with this statement. I feel that this relates to the Immokalee Workers because they need to live peaceful happy lives if they are to move onto the next world peacefully. I think these workers are always trying to better themselves and live easier lives, i believe that they are living by Quien con esperanza vive, alegre muere.

- Max

Tomato Pickers' Press Release
Andrew, Matt, Megan, Annie Contact Information Karey Bacon Tomatoes Rights 610-238-0413 215-806-0666 picking-tomatoes@gmail.com www.ripetomato.com Megan

Growers/Owners' Press Release
Gabe, Kashi, Trevor FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact Information:

Natural Freshness Company Mailbox 23 Happysunshine Road Immokalee, Florida


 * Natural Freshness Company Takes Revolutionary Step Forward**

People who like tomatoes and tomato-based products will be happy to hear that steps are being taken to ensure that workers in the tomato fields are treated fairly. We, the Natural Freshness Company in Immokalee, Florida, are forming a committee for the well being of our workers. Though we understand that the money we pay is not much, we are doing the best we can to improve conditions for them. Under the leadership of Harold Farmer, Gerald Grower, and Patricia Painter, a group is being formed to make sure our workers are given the respect they deserve. The Workers' Respect and Welfare Committee (WRWC) will discuss ways to solidify equality and provide service to the tomato pickers we depend on. Starting on Saturday, December 12, 2009, the committee will hold meetings every month. At our headquarters, workers will be interviewed about how they feel about their pay and living conditions. We are doing this to ensure the happiness and well being of our hard working tomato pickers. We deeply understand the necessity for proper support for our farm workers. Without them, we would never be able make the tomato products you love. Our dependence on these dedicated people has not gone unnoticed by the leaders in our organization. The time to act is now, and it is critically important that we do so. Not only do we value the work of our employees, we also respect them as people. For additional information about the WRWC, you may contact its leaders. Harold Farmer can be found at 203, Magicwonder Ave. Gerald Grower lives at 39, Supergarden St. Patricia painter lives at 11, Lovelysweetflowers Lane. About the Company: Natural Freshness Company is dedicated to producing healthy food at affordable prices. We strive for excellent quality in everything we do. Our promise is that we will always provide wholesome nutritious food that is accessible to everyone. Our produce is 100% guaranteed to be mouthwateringly tasty, a delicious treat for all those who munch on it. We are working for your benefit, and the benefit of your stomach.

Kashi

Activists' Press Release
Jessie, Isaac, Grace, David For Immediate Release: Field Laborers Working Under Unconstitutional Treatment. Rallies in June to Raise Awareness.

In order to raise awareness to the revolting work conditions, the CIW will be hosting a series of rallies nation wide on June 29, at 10:00 am. The rallies will be held in the following cities:
 * Immokalee, Florida, 12/10/09-** As stores fight to lower the cost of tomatoes, tomato field workers are taking devastating pay cuts. Being cheap in the stores is being cheap to the Immokalee workers. What’s going on in the fields is unconstitutional and disgraces American corporations. Denying the comfort of others in order to lower the cost for the over zealous consumer is wrong. Endorsing the illegal practices currently in use by large scale tomato operations is wrong.

Chicago, IL Houston, TX New York, NY Philadelphia, PA

__F Block: Survey Results__
3:10% 1:5% || 25%: 4 10%: 3 ||
 * || 1. Would you be willing to pay more money for tomatoes and tomato products if you knew the money went to the workers? || 2. How much more would you be willing to pay -- 10%, 25%, or 50%? ||
 * Annie ||  ||   ||
 * Grace || All but one said yes || 5:25%
 * Andrew ||  ||   ||
 * Matt ||  ||   ||
 * Isaac ||  ||   ||
 * Kashi || All said yes. || 50%: 3
 * David ||  ||   ||
 * Jessie ||  ||   ||
 * Gabe ||  ||   ||
 * Trevor ||  ||   ||
 * Megan || I asked friends, family, and teachers || i got 10-15% ||

__F Block: Extra Credit__
"Quien con esperanza vive, alegre muere." --a Mexican proverb. Do you agree or disagree with this proverb? Why? What does this proverb have to do with the Immokalee Workers?

"I agree that hope for the future is important, but it often takes more than that to get through something painful. A person must seek knowledge and seek to understand the problem. It takes great will and emotional strength to take action. Luck is also a contributing factor. " This proverb has to do with what we are studying because it takes a great deal of hope to have to live the way the tomato pickers do. -Kashi

Tomato Pickers' Press Release
Ben, Max, Taylor

**__MIGRANT WORKERS FINALLY SPEAK UP__**
The Migrant workers speak out against tomato growers in order to attain higher wages and better working conditions. It is not fair for the tomato workers to not get a good pay for all the hard work they put in picking these tomatoes. The Coalition of Immokalee Workers plans to begin a campaign of protest in order to make progress in attaining higher pay from tomato farmers. The brunt of the effort is being taken on by the field laborers themselves. A series of marches and demonstrations will be attended by workers and activists across Florida in order to demonstrate the need for change in the treatment of farm workers. Some points to be emphasized include the "Penny Per Pound" movement and the slave like conditions often encountered on these produce farms.

Growers/Owners' Press Release
Polly, Brittany, Malachi, Emily

The growers should be letting the tomato pickers know that they can leave whenever they want. They get paid terribly, work in the worst possible conditions, and face a lot of pain in their back and hands. The pickers are not being held against their will so they can leave whenever they want. I feel a lot of pain for these pickers and do not understand why they are doing this horrible job. It could be because they like manual labor or maybe even they just need some sort of money. - Polly

As a grower I would like every one that byes tomatoes to know that one measly little Penney might cost u a fortune over time. If we give the picker a raise we are going to be forced to raise the cost of ALL tomato products sold in stores. Also for all the stores that are trying to push us to give the pickers a raise, should think about how much money shoppers are willing to pay, because know one is going to want to pay more for tomato products. If no one wants to bye tomatoes, a lot will change and you will regret putting up this big unnecessary fight. If there are no tomatoes many people will not be able to enjoy their most favorite foods. Most of all thousands of people will be out of a job witch are the people you are fighting so hard for. The pickers wouldn’t have two pennies to rub together. Keep in mind, the pennies you want the pickers to get is going to have to come out of your pocket.~ Brittany Price

Activists' Press Release
Michele, Mark, Emmett, Heather

__G Block: Survey Results__

 * || 1. Would you be willing to pay more for tomatoes and tomato products if you knew the money went to the workers? || 2. How much more would you be willing to pay -- 10%, 25%, or 50%? ||
 * Emmett ||  ||   ||
 * Polly || 5 people say they would pay more. || They would be willing to pay 10% ||
 * Heather || 7 people said they might pay more, depending how much food went up. || Those who said they would pay more, between 10-14% ||
 * Malachi ||  ||   ||
 * Max ||  ||   ||
 * Mark || everyone said they would pay more. || several people said they would pay 100% more while some people only said 10 or 15%. mostly, the percentage they would be willing to pay was determined by how much a greater price would affect them if it occurred. ||
 * Emily ||  ||   ||
 * Brittany || 9 people said they would be willing to pay more, depending on the price. || The people who said they would be willing to pay more, would only be willing to pay between 1-10% more money. ||
 * Taylor || 6 people said they would be willing to pay more. || They would be willing to pay 10% ||
 * Michele ||  ||   ||
 * Ben || All said yes || Those who said yes would be willing to pay up to but not more then 25% ||

__G Block: Extra Credit__
"Quien con esperanza vive, alegre muere." --a Mexican proverb. Do you agree or disagree with this proverb? Why? What does this proverb have to do with the Immokalee Workers? "I don't know if I agree, Hope isn't good enough to me. If I 'Hope' to do something, It isn't good enough, until I accomlish it. Even if I don't get it, trying is also good to me. It has to do with tomato pickers. They are hoping to get more respect, money, and a happier life than they do. I think for them, as long as people are trying, all they can do it hope; which is good enough for/to them." -Heather