People
What is his name?
Teacher
Jaime Escalante
What was Mr. Escalante expected to teach at the school?
Computer science
Why does he end up teaching math instead of Computer Science?
He ended up teaching math because the school didn't have enough money to buy the computers.
What test do the students take?
Advanced placement Calculus
How does Mr. Escalante encourage them to learn fractions (2/3)?
He uses apples to teach them fractions.
What is his name?
Tall; a member of the gang; wants to study in secret; has ill grandma
Angel
What do they students have to do in order to get ready for the AP exam?
They have to agree to come in early, stay late, and even take classes over the summer. Mr. Escalante makes them sign a contract so that they know what he expects and that
he will accept absolutely nothing less.
What things make it hard for the students to study outside of class?
Some of them work, some of them take care of their siblings, and some even take careof their parents and/or grandparents. They have to turn out the lights early for people
in their family members.
Where does Escalante teach?
East L.A.
What accident happened to Mr. Escalante?
Mr. Escalante has a heart attack and ends up in the hospital.
What is her name?
Black curly hair; glasses; want to be a doctor; one of the smartest students in the class
Anita
Besides teaching high school, what other work does Mr. Escalante do?
Mr. Escalante is also teaching English classes at night to adults.
Why do the people at the testing company think that the students cheated during the exam?
Because their mistakes the students made were too similar to their fellow classmates.
What nickname did they give Escalante?
Kimo
How long do the students have to study to retake?
They only have one day. They go over to Mr. Escalante's house and study all night.
What is her name?
Red hair; has a boyfriend; 'chair'
Guadalupe "Lupe"
Do all of the students retake the test?
Yes
What do other math teachers think of Mr. Escalante?
The other math teachers seem tired and worn out. They do not seem to think their
students are capable of any better. They've tried, but they are giving up. They think Mr.
Escalante is a dreamer or a rebel. They do not like him very much.
What happened to his car the first day?
Window broken & radio stolen
How does Escalante help Angel?
Gives him 3 books
What is his name?
Mechanic; has a girlfriend
Francisco "Pancho"
What was the final outcome of the retake?
They all passed! (again) Mr. Escalante asked for their original scores to be reinstated.
Why does Mr. Escalante think the ETS is really investigating his students' scores?
He thinks their intelligence is being doubted because of the racial and economic status
of his students.
What was Escalante's job before teaching?
Computer company
How did Escalante help Anita?
He talked to her dad