Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1500904
Poems Deeply Personal and Universal Hanford Secondary Edu- cators Association member Genevieve Galvan Frenes is a 26-year teacher who has just published Hearts In The Classroom. The book is a poetry collection of student and teacher images before, during and after COVID, and offers genuine reflections of everyday students from an educator 's perspective. Hearts is dedicated to working and retired teachers in the Central Valley and to Frenes' colleagues at Hanford High and throughout the school district. On Amazon. Excerpt at right: A Teacher's Heart A teacher's heart Gathers the remnants of each child. She tucks the stories, the smiles, And many times, the sorrows, Into the layers of a delicate organ: Her heart, To warm her and remind her That she is gifted by each child Making them an added blessing To her soul. Delving into the vast chambers of her heart, She finds everlasting joys, Which surpassed exceeding obstacles And still remain strong. She witnesses the ragged edges of muscle, Torn and tattered in spots, Where harsh words of meanness caused suffering, Undeservingly. She sees the strength Of the fast-moving beat of the pumping blood As it worked for endless hours, Unpaid and unseen. Her heart is a treasure, An amazing organ buried deep within her Holding its secret grail: To serve children in only her way. It has grown a thousand times over Since the first student Stepped into her room. A teacher's love Extends from its encompassing experiences, And its lifelong-learning mode. Resilience and courage Carry her through each year With a new set of students, Whom she chooses to love And guide in her unique way And method of teaching. Her heart, With its cherished memories, Will beat on enduringly In the lives Of her students. —Genevieve Galvan Frenes Fear the Dentist! What terrible secret does Dr. Sharp hide behind his shiny smile? Eleven- year-old Jase and his new friend Braxton come to believe the dentist and his assistant have kidnapped two young patients and brainwashed their parents into thinking their children have gone to "Colorado." But if the missing middle-schoolers aren't there, where could they be? UTLA member and author Evan Baughfman, a middle school theater and creative writing teacher, has published his first novel, Bad for Your Teeth. On Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 55 J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 2 3 Continued from Page 56 From Within C