When I Was Puerto Rican

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What kinds of stories do we mean when we talk about “coming-of-age” stories? What examples have you read, watched, or played?

Teaching Suggestion: When I Was Puerto Rican is—at its heart—a coming-of-age story. Students have undoubtedly encountered many iterations of this story type; this prompt will allow you to gauge whether they are clear on the definition and whether they can accurately identify examples. After students make a preliminary attempt at answering, you might offer them one or both of the resources listed below to fill in any gaps in their understanding.

• This brief article explains the basic qualities of a coming-of-age story.
• This 7-minute video analyzes Toy Story as a coming-of-age film.

2. Create a three-column list. In the left column, write down any facts you know for sure about Puerto Rico. In the middle column, write down anything you think is probably true but that you do not know for sure. In the final column, write down at least one question you have about Puerto Rico.

Teaching Suggestion: One of Santiago’s primary challenges in When I Was Puerto Rican is adapting to her family’s move from Puerto Rico to New York City. She mourns the loss of her island home and has to redefine for herself what it means to be Puerto Rican in the new context of a large mainland city. This prompt, and the resources that follow it, are designed to ensure that students begin the book with background knowledge about the world of Santiago’s childhood, which will allow them to empathize with Santiago and understand the challenges she faces.

• This article discusses the history and culture of Puerto Rico.
• This 15-minute video features still photos of mid-century Puerto Rico, accompanied by traditional Puerto Rican music. Note that at about 9:30 the video transitions to more modern photos of the island, which are less applicable to the time period of Santiago’s story.
• This 3-minute video features drone footage of both the cities and countryside in Puerto Rico.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

What parts of your childhood do you miss? Do you think you would still enjoy these features of your childhood if they were part of your life today? Why or why not?

Teaching Suggestion: As Santiago acclimates to her life in New York, she gradually lets go of her dream of returning to the Puerto Rico of her childhood. This prompt asks students to consider what parts of their own childhoods they may miss to increase their empathy for Santiago and their understanding of how she is able to let go of her longing as she matures and changes. Students may think more deeply and reflect more honestly if they answer this question first in writing; afterward, they may enjoy sharing some of their ideas, provided that those who wrote about difficult memories are assured that they need not share their thoughts with the rest of the class.