Carrascolendas; In service programs

Karaskolendus in service number one. Karaskolendus in service number one. Karaskolendus in service number one. Karaskolendus in service number one.

Karaskolendus in service number one. Karaskolendus in service number one. Karaskolendus in service number one. I am Aida Barrera. We have been rehearsing a segment from our series Karaskolendus. some of the actors and some of the children that we bring in as guest participants. While everybody's taking a break,

I'd like to take a little time out to talk to you about Carras Colendas. The current series of Carras Colendas has 30 programs. Each program is half an hour long. The programs are designed for the five, six, and seven-year-old Mexican-American child. Carras Colendas is the first nationwide experiment in bilingual educational television. We have used ESIA Title VII bilingual educational guidelines. Spanish is presented as a native language and English as a second language. We tried to devote approximately half of the program to one language and half to the other. As I have indicated, the programs were designed for the Mexican-American child. Because our production facilities are in Texas, we naturally based linguistic and subject matter content and approach on research done with a child in this state. In our Spanish segments, we do use some regional vocabulary.

Although the majority of the Spanish is that which is widely used throughout the Spanish-speaking world. Now that interesting Carras Colendas is widened, we plan for future production to reflect a broader spectrum of Spanish speakers in the United States. Because of the segmented nature of our programs, we feel that this could be accomplished easily. Preliminary reports from educators who have previewed the series indicate that the programs could be used, certainly with Mexican-American children in other parts of the United States, and with some limited explanations with Puerto Rican and Cuban children. In the state of Texas, we have attracted a considerable English-speaking audience, and we certainly hope that the same will occur elsewhere. Some groups have been able to use the program as an aid to Spanish instruction, and of course, we encourage these viewers, but we don't pretend to be a series

for the teaching of Spanish as a second language. Any such benefits are incidental. The series is based on structured curriculum objectives. Rather than being a total instructional program, however, it is an introduction to concepts in curriculum areas which are deemed essential for children of this age level. These areas are listed as Spanish language skills, Spanish reading, English language skills, science, math, history, and culture. Teach is based on research and investigation, involving the input of linguists, bilingual education leaders, subject matter consultants, teachers, parents, principals, and of course, the children themselves. We do have available a very detailed study guide which follows the curriculum content of the programs, and which is accompanied by a complete kit

of visual aids for use in pre and post-viewing activities. It also gives valuable suggestions on how best to utilize the series. Literature, which has been mailed to your local educational television station, gives you the details on how to obtain these guides. But I didn't mean for this break to turn into one long monologue, before we go any further, let me give you an idea of just what you will be seen on Caras Colendas. The programs are composed of brief segments. We have some 16 or 17 segments in any one program. Because our time is limited, we are only going to show you pieces of these segments. I think, though, that you will be able to see how we handle the different curriculum areas. I'm Juanetín, Juanet de Cartintero de Prophecyón, con un clavo y un martillo les voy a dar una lección. Y este pedazo de vidrio yo lo voy a martillar,

con un clavo y un martillo, un trastazo le de dar. Miren cuidadosamente lo que acaba de pasar todas las cosas de vidrio muy fasciciante que bravo. Juanetín, mira, con cuidado, cuando vas a martillar este pedazo de vidrio no lo puede martillar. Si lo que quieres hacer es con un clavo clavar, un pedazo de madera vas a tener que usar. Soy Juanetín, Juanet de Cartintero de Prophecyón, ahora que ya se la cosa les daré una lección. Un pedazo de madera yo lo voy a martillar, con un clavo y un martillo, un trastazo le de dar.

Con un trastazo le de dar. OK. A, A, A, A, Espejo, A, A, A, Espanta Pájaros, E, E, E, Elefante, Espejo, Espanta Pájaros,

E, Elefante. ả Charlie Charlie, a Charlie has the blues. Charlie, Charlie shines as you. Or old Charlie has the blues. Charlie wants to go and play. Give that chance to the way. With your sunshine, shine, shine, and play. Shine, Johnny wants to play. Charlie, Charlie takes his shoes. Who's him on and on more blues?

If you find the blues today. And shake the blues away. Charlie wants to go and play. Give that shake the blues away. With your sunshine, shine, and play. Shine, Johnny wants to play. Look, Agapito, don't worry. We'll have more ice in no time. Well, how are we going to get more ice, Millie? Well, I've taken this ice tray and filled it with water. Yeah. Well, maybe we'll turn to ice. You really think so, huh? Well.

Well, is it happening? It's still water. Hmm. If you want the water to turn to ice, you have to put the water in the freezer. Yeah. Four onions. One, two, three, four. Two onions. One, two. Four.

Two. Four is Majorke, two. Majorke. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four.

RECAMENTOS MÁR UN TRODOS RICIDOR MENOS EL YALTAS RAS RAS RAS RELOL SE LA SANTÍA SE LA DEJA DE L'ONTRO DÍA DÍA DÍA DÍA DÍA DÍSOS DÍSOS HALA UNA HALA UNA DÍSOS HALA UNA DÍSOS HALA UNA HALA UNA HALA UNA HALA UNA HALA UNA HALA UNA HALA UNA HALA UNA HALA UNA HALA UNA HALA UNA HALA UNA HALA UNA HALA UNA HALA UNA HALA UNA HALA UNA HALA UNA I suppose if we were to choose a single goal for the series, we would say that what we are trying to do through Rucarra Scolindas is to change attitudes. We want to change people's attitudes about the Mexican-American child.

But most important, we want to ensure that the Mexican-American child's attitude about himself is positive and confident. Those of you who have dealt with Spanish-speaking children know the problem involved. It is unfortunately true that a majority of Mexican-American and Puerto Rican children come to our schools with what professionally are labeled as educational handicaps. My interest here is not to go into professional labels of any sort. Rather, I do want to acknowledge the situation as most of you know it. Our children often speak little or no English. As with any five, six and seven-year-old child, there are areas of the native language which need further development. Frequently, the culture of the school in contrast with that of the home is unfamiliar and even conflictive. The child feels awkward, confused, and lost, and he simply does not know what to do. One of our teachers talks about the problem. Her situation may be familiar to many of you.

Our classroom is 60% Mexican-American. Her school is in the Austin, Texas area. Well, if I had to pinpoint one special problem, I would say that that would be the feeling, the negative feeling that Mexican-American children have about themselves. Now, this feeling is not one that they bring to school with them. It is one that has come about because of the conflict of the child and the school. For example, the Mexican-American child comes to school and many times it is the first time he has met with an unfamiliar culture with the Anglo-Culture and it's a shock many times and then unfortunately this feeling is reinforced. Its language is rejected. He is made to feel that he cannot do as well because he has all these problems and so he starts feeling that he just can't do very well at all and I would say that would be the most important problem. Now, this of course affects the child immensely throughout his school career. He feels that he is not as

good as the other children. He can't do as well. He starts having very negative feelings about himself. This is, for example, let me give you an example. At our school where I have taught, we had some children that would bring their lunch to school, that would bring tortillas and tacos and we found when I first started teaching these children were eating them, trying to hide them from the other children. They were very much ashamed of what they were eating. Now, this was because all the other children had sandwiches and they had tortillas. Now, at home it was perfectly okay but somehow somewhere they had been made to feel that what they ate was not good and therefore in rejecting what they had we were rejecting the school or whatever was rejecting them. Now, our problem as teachers is to try to convince the child of his personal worth. We can do this by making him realize

the worth of his language, the beauty of his language, what he has, the power of what he has and what he should do with it and develop all of this and convince him that he is a very worthy individual, that he brings to what he brings to the school even though it is in conflict with many times the school culture does not have to be rejected. It has to be accepted and it has to be developed and only when the child begins to feel very positively about himself that he can do well, that he is worthy, that he what he brings to his worth, then will we be able to stop these feelings of not being as good as the other children. This teacher tells us that many of our children have lost a sense of self-identity and self-concept. Many are overly inhibited. They have retreated within themselves because they simply can't relate to what they see around them. There is something wrong they think with people that speak Spanish. There is something wrong with being Mexican-American.

That which is a part of them and which should rightfully be a source of pride has all to often become a source of shame and so they look down at the floor and don't talk. The problems encountered by a minority culture are extremely complex and we certainly do not think that one television program has the answer to all the problems that are involved. But we do believe Carrascolendas can help. We do believe Carrascolendas can be yet another affirmative factor in helping our children establish a positive sense of self-identity and self-concept. But how can we accomplish this? How can we get to that orgullo de ser quinsoy? First of all, we present Spanish as a language that's natural and acceptable. Because television is essentially a dramatic medium, we rely heavily on dramatic techniques

to get our point across. We cannot duplicate the child's exact environment, but we can permeate our presentations with those things which are unique to the Spanish-speaking culture. We involve the child in situations dealing with foods, customs, jokes, jingles, sains, and lifestyles that are familiar to Mexican-Americans and to many other Spanish speakers. This brief preview will give you an idea of what some of these things are like. Carrascolendas. Carrascolendas. Now, here you have tortilla in a circle shape. Well, yes, it's very easy. And here you have tortilla after cooking. Very well. So we are in the table of wine, then with the pan of the pan.

Look, how it's being. Yes, it looks like a orange. Yes, it looks like a orange. What do you think? What do you think? Do you think it looks like a orange? I don't think so. What are these? They are carrots.

Yes, carrots. You don't know how to do the carrots. Well, look, I'm going to teach you. It's very easy. Now, look. First, we start with a egg. Now, we're going to add only the egg carrot. Yes, we're going to take out the egg. Yes. I made a little hole, and here the egg came out. Now, I'm going to put this box here so that it dries. And with this box, so that it dries, I'm going to make the box. Now, with these potatoes that I cut, this is called confetti. And I fill the box with confetti. Well, like this. It's very easy.

Now, with these scissors, I cut a piece of paper. Now, I'm going to add the egg carrot to the bowl. Like this. And I take it out. Well, it looks like a piece. Now, you can't leave the confetti. And now, I'm going to paint the carrot. I can paint what I want. I think I'm going to paint a face. I'm going to paint eyes, nose, and a mouth. Well? And now, I'm going to paint with the carrot. What are you doing with the carrot? Oh, the carrot!

Carras colendas! Carras colendas! Can you say Carras colendas? You can see that our format is essentially a dramatic one. We try to play up the comical aspects, and we try to do it in a picker-esque fashion. We feel the picker-esque is especially appropriate because the roots of this dramatic form are Spanish-speaking ones. We Spanish speakers love the picado. And that is why this type is so common in our literature, our films, our television programs.

Lasarillo, cantinflas, tintan, cachirulo, all our anti-heroes who live on the fringes of society and who survive by their wits. There are marginal negative beings who have no pretenses about themselves and who are not taken in by the pretenses of others. I grew up watching Mexican comedies. As a matter of fact, my first job when I was 13 years old was selling candy and popcorn at a Mexican theater in South Texas. I'm afraid I ate more candy than I sold. We delighted in watching the ragamuff and picado out with them all. Somehow the picado, with his silly jokes and his ragged clothes, held out a hope for us. Somehow he told us, if I can do it, so can you. That's the sort of feeling we want to convey in Carras Colendas. That's the sort of thing we want our characters, Agapito, Nacho, Nacho, and Juanitín to tell our children. We want them to hold out a hope.

We want them to say, perhaps not explicitly, but implicitly, if we can do it, so can you. But why the name Carras Colendas? And what does Carras Colendas mean? Again, at the risk of sounding too personal, I'll tell you why the name was chosen. I was born in a small South Texas town whose original name was Carnesto Lendas. Carnesto Lendas is an authentic Spanish name which means carnival. Soon after the founding of the town, the name was changed, but the townspeople delighted in remembering their origins and verbally transmitted the name from one generation to another. The verbal transmission got confused and soon the name Carras Colendas was being used. The new name had acquired an authenticity of its own. It was the authenticity given to it by the Mexican-American community that had wrought the change. We felt that for a number of reasons Carras Colendas was an appropriate name for our mythical television town. First of all, it had a fanciful ring that we felt would appeal to a child's imagination.

And second, but most important, was that in a sense it was truly a product of the Mexican-American situation. Carras Colendas shows us that language is a thing that is alive. It clearly indicates that both language and its accompanying culture root their authenticity in this very fact. We like Carras Colendas because it was truly a part of us. We hope you like it too. Thank you and see you in Carras Colendas. Thank you.

Thank you.