something i wrote while teaching...

A good teaching practice is to model for students during an assignment. I had students decorate a shoebox with pictures, etc. of what represented them. I then had them write a journal entry explaining their box.

This is what I began writing for mine...

I am metaphorically schizophrenic because I am split into many parts-- as a Chicana poet said, "My divisions are infinite."

Even my name feels like it keeps changing. I was born Myra Ivette Infante, but my mother taught me to say, " Mayra Ivette Infante Flores a sus ordenes (at your service.)" For years I thought " a sus ordenes" was also part of my last name. I used to love listing my ancestors last names as well-- Velasquez Quiroga-- not really realizing that they represented people who had lived before me who would help shape who I am today.

Although I've been using "Ms. Infante" with students to avoid confusing them, I chose "Mrs. Sheridan" as the title of my box because my husband was watching me as I chose the sticky letters. After we became engaged, I asked him if he cared whether I took his name or kept my maiden name. He said he would be happy with either and that he wanted it to be my decision. I know he was really pleased when I decided to take his name and I was decorating my box, I didn't want to hurt his feelings by putting "Ms. Infante" on it. Funnily, he thought I was making a box to ship a gift for his mother (some photos of our wedding and some souvenirs.)  So, I guess we're both getting used to my new name.

I have a wedding picture on the top of the box because it's one of the most important events in my life recently. People who hear our love story ooo and ahhh. As a character on show I watched said, "Our love is epic. It spans decades and continents." I smile when I think our love is one that could inspire the writing of books and movie scripts.

That is all I wrote, but I liked it enough to keep it here. I would like to turn it into a non-fiction piece.