¡Échale Ganas!

The meaning of this phrase, how it has made me the person that I am today, and why it is an important part of our classroom community!

What is the meaning of ¡Échale Ganas!?

¡Échale Ganas! is a popular phrase that a lot of Hispanic children hear from their parents and/or supporters.  The translation means to have the desire to "keep going."  I always associated this phrase with "Never Give Up!"  My husband (who is from Mexico) introduced me to this phrase and ever since then, it has become the motto of the classroom environment that I have with my students.

 

How has ¡Échale Ganas! made me the person that I am today?

Growing up, I have always been the underdog who had to WORK for what I had wanted to accomplish.  For the majority of my life, I was a competitive figure skater and that was my LIFE!  Skating did not come easy to me, I had to work at it and practice, but it was my PASSION.  I always remember the countless amounts of hours that my mom and I would spend at that rink, practicing and living what I loved to do, SKATE and perform!  I also remember being that girl that had to bring a pillow to school in order to sit down after the countless number of hours falling and bruising myself after trying to land that difficult jump.  However, my mom's famous words of "Don't Give up" and "I Believe in You!" stood out to me on a daily basis and those words are what has gotten me through any obstacles I had in the past or even have now within my life.

Having the constant support system of my mom has gotten me through the challenges that I faced within my life involving figure skating, school, and/or relationships.   Without her constant love and support and continuously reminding me of these words, I do not know if I would be the person I am today.  While I was an undergraduate student at Loyola University Chicago, I was fortunate to meet the man that I today call my husband.  There were times that became hard and I wanted to give up and that's when I heard, ¡Échale Ganas! for the first time.  When I asked him what it meant and he mentioned about "having the desire to keep going"...I automatically knew that I was fortunate enough to have another supporter on my side.  Both him and my mom were my cheerleaders in life and I officially knew that I could do anything I set out to do.  Unfortunately, my mom passed away in 2014, but I still have my husband reminding me of those words, as well as the memories of my mom and her ALWAYS believing in me.

 

Why is ¡Échale Ganas! an important part of our classroom community?

Nowadays, I know and understand how difficult school is...especially when it comes to testing and challenges, such as learning a second language (I learned Spanish as an adult and currently teach EL students).  I can relate to those students who do not perform well on tests or just come off as average (C's on their report cards) because I have been that child!  I can relate to my high school experience of when I told my counselor that I wanted to go to Loyola University and she laughed...telling me that my AVERAGE grades would never be enough.  I also remember being that student who could not understand math and almost failed Geometry.  However, I was fortunate enough to have a dedicated teacher (Ms. Ferguson) who never gave up on me.  She worked hours with me, trying to find a way for me to connect with and understand Geometry.  She was also the one who got so excited when I got a C on a Geometry test.  This teacher is also the reason why I am an educator today!  Having these experiences as a high school student made me want to work harder and prove myself, which I did by graduating from Loyola University Chicago with a BA in History.  These obstacles that I overcame is what I use to relate to my students...to make them realize that I too, have been in their shoes.  I am extremely fortunate to have had my cheerleaders in my corner, but not every child is that fortunate.  This is why I have been influenced by my High School Geometry teacher and have become that cheerleader for my students.  My mission is make sure that I create a classroom environment where my students know that if they do not get the best grade on an assignment or test, it's ok...go back and try again!  They also know that I am standing right there in their corner, believing in them and also celebrating with them when they finally do master that assignment or test.  We believe in having a Growth Mindset and using ¡Échale Ganas! with this mindset. 

 

¡Échale Ganas! is seen throughout our classroom in various ways.  There are posters hung around our classroom to motivate my students to "Keep Going!"  Students are also reminded of ¡Échale Ganas! within their goal setting/data tracking sheets that are kept inside of their classroom portfolios.  We use these with tracking important data points, such as pre/post test assessments, as well as tracking our NWEA MAP scores.  Students see ¡Échale Ganas! on a consistent basis as a student, but most importantly...they HEAR it on a daily basis from me!  My favorite part of teaching is when former students return and tell me that have always remembered  ¡Échale Ganas! and how it has pushed them through obstacles that have occurred at a later time within their lives. My mission as an educator and new passion is to go and be that cheerleader for my students, as my mom and husband are for me.  Whenever things get tough,  ¡Échale Ganas!