Book by David Palacios by Freestyle Academy

Avid for A Story of Ms. Miyahara and Her Life in AVID David Palacios

Dedication For my mom who has supported me though think and thin Thank you.

Angeles M, 2020

’m extremely grateful to the people who made this project possible. I’m deeply indebted to Ms. Miyahara and my sister Fernanda agreed to take some time out of her very busy schedule to conduct one and one interviews. Many thanks to my classmates at Freestyle Academy who gave me suggestions, and edits, and checked my writing before publishing this book. I’d also like to acknowledge the teachers at Freestyle Academy who pushed me to meet and even surpass my expectations, meet deadlines, and give me such a wonderful opportunity to express my creative self.

Sky G, 2022

Fernanda, 2022

ACKNOWLEDG-

Hector and Alex, 2022

Contents Conten ts

Preface 8 Intro To Story 10 Chapter 1 14 Chapter 2 18

Chapter 3 22 Conclusion 26 Works Cited 28 About Author 30

PREFACE

s I started to go deeper into high school life, I realized that teachers can have a profound effect on connecting with their students. They inspire students to push themselves, pursue their dreams, and know points and weaknesses to know how to get students to do things that they have never thought were possible. I’ve seen good and bad teachers, good and bad strategies for teaching, and teachers who are in a league of their own. I decided to write this book to help students and teachers know how teachers help students and how students use the tools that teachers have given them to persevere in the difficult environments of high school, university, and life in general. In this book, I got most of my information from one on one interviews with the teacher Ms. Miyahara, and my sister who has taken her class. I also got additional information through databases and the official AVID website. The book goes in further detail about AVID, with both the student’s and teachers’ perspectives on the current topic being discussed, with the student Fernanda talking about how Ms. Miyahara used the skills talked about in the book. Ms. Miyahara is a very interesting teacher, with lots of students speaking very highly of her, including my sister, who was a student of hers. I decided to talk to her and see why she is a great teacher. This book differs from many other books speaking highly on teachers, in which they state why they are important but don’t get into case studies about said teacher. In this book, I’ll present both the student’s and teacher’s points of view on what makes a good teacher and how the teacher shapes the student to be the best they possibly can.

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Ms. Miyahara, 2022

former student who had a challenging home life, particularly because a brother that she was super close to was involved in gangs”. Many teachers would not know how to handle the situation. Many teachers would send them to a school “Ment for these situations”. Many teachers would let this student become another statistic. Many teachers would have let the student be, letting her fall deeper into the whole that she is in. In this book, you will learn about what AVID( Advancement Via Individual Determination ) and Miyahara do differently from other classes and see why this is important. Many students across the world unfortunately do not have these types of teachers. A teacher which you could talk to, trust, and who has your back. It isn’t the teacher’s fault though, it is just a school system that prioritizes homework instead of individual achievements under their situation. You will also learn about how Miyahara came to be an AVID teacher and a leader to many students at Los altos. You will also hear about the struggles of these students and how they can overcome them. I started to write about Miyahara because I’ve only heard good things about her. And they all checkout. She is a one-of-a-kind teacher in a oneof-a-kind organization

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Intro To Story

Ms. Miyahara, 2022

that helps students that do not have the same opportunities as many others. I couldn’t let these stories pass and not be told. Having these types of teachers could be a game-changer for many students across the world. Teachers are important to the growth and development of a student during their early years such as in high school, college, and beyond. The first time I met Ms. Miyahara was during the school day during brunch. I walked into her classroom and saw four pears laughing and doing work at the same time, many pieces of paper on the right most wall of students want to achieve list, a big whiteboard to the left, with big bold letters of “Today’s Agenda,” a view of the outside which stood on the foot of a new building with a staircase leading upwards, and Ms. Miyahra helping a student who was diligently listening to every word she was saying. She didn’t notice when I came in. She seemed to put all her effort and attention into the girls’ problem, which was writing a letter of recommendation for college. I already knew when I walked in that students felt comfortable in this classroom, and with Ms. Miyahara. This was something I haven’t seen in my whole high school career. It is an uphill battle that many teachers with decades of experience don’t ever achieve. These teachers are critical to the current school system at this time and date. Unlike most programs that try to force students to a one size fits all style of education, AVID builds up their teachers to build relationships with their students, challenge them to their utmost

potential, and give room for the teachers at AVID to change how things are taught. Many other teachers are there to just teach and go about their day, There is nothing wrong with this. Many teachers might not be trained to do such tasks that AVID teachers do. But AVID teachers like Ms. Miyahara fill in the void,” Yeah, I think we have decided, you know, our real vision is that avid students, they are striving for academic excellence, leadership, and service that we see avid students as leaders of our future”, said Miyahara when asked what she wants AVID to be. And she builds them up like leaders. Challenging them, making them collaborate, doing the unconventional. These are all traits that a leader must possess, and Miyahara and AVID in general this is building the generation that will one day lead the future.

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A Day in AVID

t the beginning of the day, students in AVID bring a tutorial request form that lays out their thinking on paper, like what they need to study for and what points of confusion might they behave in a class. This tutorial request sheet also allows them to hone in on okay what I have to prioritize during this class. Once the tutorial sheet is signed by Miyahara, there is a quick question to do with their table group. This is just meant to build a stronger relationship between pears. This leads to the actual tutorial. One person asks their question and gets up on a part of the board. Then the other students and the tutor (if there are any), go through the question that they are asking to develop a conceptual understanding of the said problem. The students should have been taking notes throughout the tutorial time, and later reflect on what they have just learned, and the main key insights that they could take away from their tutorial time. In AVID, there are different obstacles, challenges, and solutions than in other classes. Ms. Miyahara knows that every student has their priorities and sets knows how to challenge them in their way. For example, If a student is getting A+ and has perfect grades, Ms.Miyahara asks them if they are okay, do they get any sleep, do they need any emotional Jack C, 2022

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help,” it’s kind of depending on what the student needs kind of targeting just so they can one be successful so they have opportunities. But also, I think the whole wellness piece is important, just making sure that they have balanced lives, that they are taking good care of their health, and that I think many students just have so many different responsibilities, right?” said Ms.Miyahara. Many other teachers don’t put the time and effort into the aspect of mental health in our school system. They assume that if a student is only getting A’s, they are all good, but Ms. Miyahara knows that this is not the case. It is very hard to get good grades in such a competitive environment, in college-level classes, while you are still developing as a person and student. Miyahara also knows that school is not the only thing that life throws at you,” It’s not just school. They’re often taking care of siblings at home. They’re helping translate for families. They’re working right”. “Doing all that school offers and taking care of your responsibilities is hard ‘’ said Fernanda, a formal student of AVID and Miyahara. Fernanda during school and outside of it had many things to do. From doing hours of homework, practicing her singing, working, managing her club, and writing speeches. Many students nowadays do this, destroying their mental health, relationships, and physical health. Miyahara tackles this problem headon, knowing that many of these students are stressed out, depressed, suicidal, sleep-deprived, and many other symptoms that come with this. Doing the small things like talking to other teachers, or doing small mental exercises does make a difference to other people. But for a teacher like Miyahara to be, they need to be built up to be a leader and have the motivation and dedication to be so.

And so I remember my mom telling me, You can’t, you can’t. You know, you have to be tougher, right, you’re not going to make it if you’re that if you’re crying, when your students are in trouble and things like that. -Ms. Miyahara

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How Miyahara came to be

s. Miyahara was already growing up to be a future leader herself at a very early age. Trying to challenge herself, serve her community, and get real career experience. Many times thinking about her future, many times thinking about college, driving her parents crazy, choosing between two colleges. One was UC Davis, founded in 1905, which was and still is a very prestigious school with great teachers and a beautiful campus. Another thing that was also there was a friend who was also going to go to Davis. The other was Pomona college. A small liberal arts college, in the heart of southern California. A beautiful campus with Spanish influence. A place was so small that you could take your professor to lunch. This is what tipped Ms. Miyahara off to Pomona College. A Place where you could build a relationship with everybody. The choice was clear, but paying for it wasn’t. Although her family was comfortably middle class, going to a private school doesn’t come very cheap. She decided to get funding from the ROTC scholarship that the USA army gives , “ I’m not sure I knew what that entails, but then that did make it possible for me to go. So that’s kind of how it all started”, she later stated. This was a problem for Miyahara,” Los Altos, 2022

Pomona Collage, 2022

I struggled that summer after my freshman year because ,” And even though it wasn’t supposed to happen that way, I started teaching my first year of starting as a pacifist, I don’t think war is the right way to solve problems”. But a later conversation with her dad reassured teaching, added my first year teaching, usually avid, is supposed to be started by a veteran teacher”. And her that there might be some things that are worth although she might think this, she was already built fighting for,” He’s like, Well. Would you fight against someone like Hitler? And to me, that was clear I would. to be a leader, already to lead students whether she knew it or not, she has been building up to lead for And so I realized, OK, there are things that I would be willing to fight for”. The Experience was valuable for her, those past 2 decades +. gaining the experience of getting pushed to your absolute physical and emotional limit to see if you can function under the pressure that is war. “the biggest thing is that I think I’m a much I can handle that helped me become I think I’m much more grateful person”, said Ms. Miyahara, “So like when I’m miserable things a lot better because I think like I have, you know, hours and hours of grading and I’m that one of the things the army sleep deprived and all these things are not going right. I’m like, Well, but I get to take a real shower today. I get to does in training is they push you to the end of your physical and sleep in my bed, right? And I’m not out in the cold, you know, rain next to, you know, a four-foot anthill above emotional limits to see, you know, ground”. She was never the fastest or the strongest person so you can see how you act under but was one of few people in her group that pushed pressure, right? themselves which gained her respect among her peers, building her up to be a leader. Her time in the Army also -Ms. Miyahara taught her how to be disciplined. It showed when I walked into her classroom to interview her. When interviewing And although she did not feel confident to be an her I knew she was because she was always achieving AVID teacher right off the bat, she did have a mentor, her goals, even when the wind turned south, when the body was weak, and stress was building up. Building up a veteran teacher to guide her on the AVID program. All these events lead her to be one of the best teachers this discipline is a key factor to becoming a leader, and showing discipline inspired others to do the same. In 1991 that many people have had. she graduated and got her master’s degree and got a job at Los altos. She said

Ms. Miyahara, 2022

Advancement Via Individual

Determination

fter tutorial, Students have a chance to reflect on what they have learned, whether that be for math or English or whichever subject, helping them soak in all of what their classmates and presentation has said. Afterwards, they have a moment to do some mindfulness exercises. Ms. Miyahara acknowledges that they are probably stressed, and all school and all the things that they have to do on a daily basis can have a profound effect on them. Having just a bit of mindfulness exercises could go a long way to helping someone, even if it is just for a small amount of time. Miyahara also works part time at LAHS, but always tries to stay until the end of lunch, just in case a student comes in for any help that they might need, knowing that many of her students may need more help and use their lunch time to do this. “I am very proud of my students,” said Ms.Miyahara. Some of her favorite memories are how student’s persevered under circumstances that were stacked against them. One of these cases was when a student was struggling quite a bit. Her mother had drug problems, and had to go to her late at night. This was during finals, when most students are studying, this student had to go try to find her mother, worried and scared. Another student of Miyahara was struggling Fernanda, 2022

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to get good grades. Not because she wasn’t trying. She was very much in fact doing her best she could under her conditions. Her brother was a drug addict and in a gang. She was also helping to take care of the family. “They were about to send her to Alta Vista,” said Ms. Miyahara. But Miyahara pleaded with the principal not to do so, as although her attendance and grades were spotty at best, she knew that she was a good student and had great potential even though the states didn’t show so. In many cases the student would have become another statistic, but Miyahara definitely didn’t allow her to be so. She later on graduated from high school, and completed 4 years of college. “I want AVID to be life changing” said Miyahara. She wants them to build lifelong connections with their pears,” I still see people on facebook commenting on each other’s posts saying your baby looks so cute. I also see them hosting events and stuff like that”. When students walk out of AVID for the last time, they walk out with an experience like no other. It is a stepping stone to college, giving them new tactics and ways to take down challenges when they do go. They build lifelong relationships with their peers. “ AVID gave me a sense of confidence. I felt like anything I wanted to achieve was one game-plan away”, said Fernanda, referring to the tactics that AVID and Miyahara gave her. I see her using these tactics a lot when doing her homework, making her “game-plan” and setting a neat but yet effective schedule on how she is going to do all what demands from home and school. Miyahara passes down the discipline she has learned throughout her life to her students, which use it 24

for their work, collage life, and to achieve goals that they never thought possible. And I can say I have seen her students succeed because of individual determination. She is a one-of-a-kind teacher in a one-of-a-kind organization, that pushes high school students to Advance Via Individual Determination.

“One small action could have ripple effects for many peoples life, good or bad”. - Miyahara

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efinitely the students” she replied when asked what motivates her to come. She definitely cares about the outcome and the status of every avid student she has. Knowing that she has changed the lives of her students for the better makes her motivates her to come everyday and even stay longer than she has to, to support them on and guide them through every grilling, painful, depressing, taxing, brightest, most joyful steps on their very long journey ,”the ripple effect is really true. You know, and so sometimes, again, in the midst of the day to day of teaching, that you’re not always sure that you’re making an impact. But I think looking back now for it’s for me, it’s been over 30 years of teaching and being able to see that, you know, small things that I have done or, you know, I’ve been able to take actions or help people. And it hasn’t just helped that person. Right. That that person has gone on to help others”. She has great passion towards her job and pushes herself to be the best teacher she can be everyday.

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Conclusion

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Works cited WHAT IF EVERY TEACHER INSPIRED AND CONNECTED WITH THEIR STUDENTS?” Name of Site, AVID, https://www.avid.org/teacher-effectiveness. Date of access. “OUR BELIEFS”, AVID, https://www.avid.org/ourbeliefs. Miyahara, Joanne. Personal interview. 4 April 2022. Miyahara, Joanne. Personal interview. 25 April 2022. Palacios, Fernanda. Personal interview. 26 April 2022.

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About the Author My name is David Palacios, and I am currently a Freestyle Academy student. I love taking photos in my free time, traveling, and listening to random people’s stories while I’m doing so. Taking photos has kept me sane for a very long time. I want to use the skills that freestyle has taught me and become a better real estate agent, and attract more buyers.

David, 2022