We are on campus this evening and we had a tremendous discussion about The American  Dream.  Our professor showed us examples of trailers for our next assignment to stimulate our creative buttons so we can produce an intro to our web-cast project to teach a lesson on a particular topic.  The imprint these videos left on me, especially the ones created by high school students at Francis Lewis High School, were compelling and reminded me of my family who came here from Italy so long ago.

It is truly amazing to forget living here as a third generation resident, why people came here to America to live.  Some of the reasons simply have not changed, war in their own countries, catastrophic changes from earthquakes, tidal waves, Tsunami's, etc.  My grandparents came to escape the perils of war from Mussolini who was partnering with Hitler to destroy and conquer the rest of the European world.  My grandparent's marriage was arranged by my great-grandfather who was a judge in Italy so that he and his daughters would not be in danger of dying.  They picked my grandfather who was a tailor and his daughter, Gaetana (Ann) to be wed and quickly put on a boat for America.  They passed through Ellis Island, like all the other immigrants and finally were allowed to go to Manhattan.  Story has it they lived in Harlem on 116th Street.  Imagine, new to the country, no English, just skills, hope and a dream. 

The struggle is the same today and the hope is here but somewhat clouded by disappointment and the economics.  But technology has opened the door for more people to connect and to find their way here.  In viewing the Francis Lewis High School trailer to prep for the making of our own trailer, they students were very frank about how it is not so important the connection to the American Dream is because it is no the same today as it was then.  Perhaps some of the reasons are the same why people come here, but it is not translating to our youth in the same way.  Some have to cling to the culture they are reared from and do dare shed their skin, if yo will and simply do the academic work to please their family only to be sent back home to their original land.  Others, come back and forth and never get a chance to really learn English and are limited in communicating here and then cannot get that idle job.  Still, some just sit back and ride the wave, never making waves or causing trouble to stand up and say that things in the politics of their new home are wrong or going in the wrong direction.  They become domicile. 

The American Dream is still alive for me, even though I am not directly from another country and I have been here only speaking English for a long time, because things like the Internet reinforce my idea that you can become and do whatever you put your mind to do.  Even if education is now under reform and that ride will get worse before getting better, I like to believe that when I complete my master's, I will make the Venetian difference and I will find my way to help resolve some of those issues and get everybody with the use of technology not as the enemy, but as a great tool, to improve and get back on track.  Eleanor Roosevelt was quoted, " All of life is a constant education."  I am always learning and in doing that i am always growing as a person, even from the days when my grandparents arrived here in America no knowing what would happen, how they would eat, where they would live, just the close on their back and some money great-grandpa gave them, they learned by doing, by trial and error.  They survived, raised three sons in Harlem, New York in the 30's.  My attitude is, if they did it with less than what I have, I certainly can continue the American Dream regardless of the corruption in education, in our politics, business and so on.  They moved forward and never looked back.  Technology is unlocking that closed door.  We as teacher's just need to continue facilitating and guiding.  Students will do the rest.