“When I Was a Puerto Rican”

Discussion Questions:
1. Based on what criteria does the principal place Esmeralda? Do you think this decision is reasonable?
The principal places Esmeralda based on the criteria that Esmeralda doesn’t know any English; therefore he wants to place her a year back not caring about how good her report card is. No, I don’t think his decision is reasonable, she shouldn’t be place in the wrong place only because she doesn’t know English, it should be based on her potential, for example her grades were only A’s and B’s.
2. What is the writer’s reaction to her initial placement? Would you do the same if you were in her situation?
The writer’s reaction to her initial placement was very upsetting, she was going to be placed one grade back, she argued with the principal and told him that she was a good student and that she wanted to be placed were she belonged. I would definitely do the same if I was in her situation. I would fight for my rights because it wouldn’t be fare that I’m a good student and just because I don’t know English I would be placed a grade back.
3. Why was her mother worried about her daughters outspoken?
Her mother was worried about her daughters outspoken because in her country she would’ve been called a “malcriada” which means that she is a person who doesn’t have manners, Esmeralda is not supposed to talk back to an adult, that’s disrespectful and her mom was worried because Esmeralda was speaking English to the principal and she didn’t understand what they were talking about.
4. How could her placement have been handled differently?
Her placement could have been handled differently, by the principal showing that he was interested in her, but he wasn’t and he showed it by placing her in one of the worst classes were students didn’t really pay attention in class and sometimes they will just go to sleep in class.
5. How Esmeralda and Miss Brown relate to one another?
Esmeralda and Miss Brown relate to one another by Esmeralda participating in her class, she will always go to the blackboard and as time went by she was reading books and became better at writing in English rather then speaking it.
6. What lesson does Esmeralda learn when she persuades the principal to put her in the eight grade?
The lesson that Esmeralda learns when she persuades the principal to put her in eight grade is that she gets way with what she wanted also that she was able to speak in English and now that she did that she thought that if she is not able to do the deal that her and the principal made, she will be a failure.
7. Do you think placement affects later academic performance?
I do think that her placement affects later academics performance because if she wanted to attend to a good school the placement the she was on will make her look as if she was a bad student not able to accomplish anything and even if she had good grades it was probably because the class was to easy, since it was for students that had academic problems.