“WHAT THE FUNCTION’S GOING ON HERE?”

If you’ve had Mr. Montenegro as a teacher, the intensity of that phrase definitely means something to you.

Most of his colleagues say “He’s a nice guy” or “What an interesting person” to quote Mr. C and Mr. Nguyen, but what do students have to say about the English department chair? And how truly difficult is his class?

“When you get to his class be sure to have an open mind, open soul, and be open to change,” says former AP Literature student, Mía Guaraz. She admits it’s a very engaging class, in which he keeps you alert, making it very intense in comparison to Great Books. She reminds you to bring your work because he won’t let that slide.

She said the following was a direct quote: “LEXICON IS A MUST.” So yes, remember your lexicon (for those of you who don’t know what that is, it’s a dictionary) because vocabulary is a very important part of the class.

“It’s essential for you to disagree, even if you agree…forces you to see the other side’s argument,” said Mia. “And keep up; it’s a college class so take that weight on your shoulders.”

As a newbie to the dynamic of Mr. Montenegro’s classroom, I can testify that being a mouthbreather and doing the bare minimum will not cut it. It’s a college class, so adapt your thinking as if you’re a college student already.

“Take notes even when he doesn’t ask you to.”

Pretty much a given for any AP class ever, the constant flow of information can be overwhelming. During attendance, you have to be paying attention. Either say “Here!” or wave (or both in some cases), since he’s testing to see if you’re listening from the very beginning.

To quote Mr. Montenegro himself, “If you’re not paying attention, you’re comiendo lo que pica el pollo.”

So to not be part of that 10% that didn’t pass the AP exam, “shut the frack up”, understand that Creep by Radiohead is a literary masterpiece, and “follow the trail” that Montenegro gives his students.

“Just because he’s a teacher he’s not a dictator; he’s a facilitator of all ideas. And you will learn to apply the knowledge from his class to the real world,” said Mia.

It’s not enough to survive Mr. Montenegro’s class; you have to enjoy it. You’ll most likely only have him as a teacher once, and you didn’t hear it from me, but there’s a method to his craziness. All for the benefit of his students, not only in the classroom but anywhere else where critical thinking might be involved.

“It is the mark of an educated mind to entertain a thought without accepting it.- Aristotle”

That’s stated on the laminated copy paper on the southeastern wall of 506H–Mr. Montenegro’s room. So unless you’ve got a cognitive dysfunction, to indirectly quote Montenegro once again, you’re sure as heck gonna pass his class.