Francisco Jimenez immigrated from Mexico to California as a child and worked picking crops in the fields. He details his experiences adapting to life as a migrant worker and student in his autobiographical novel The Circuit. The story follows Francisco and his family as they travel between farms for work and Francisco's efforts to learn English and succeed in school despite facing challenges like racism, balancing his education with helping his family in the fields, and more.

1. 11
The Circuit: Stories from the Life of aThe Circuit: Stories from the Life of a
Migrant ChildMigrant Child
 Kim SornKim Sorn
 Crystal EstradaCrystal Estrada
 David RodriguezDavid Rodriguez
 Andres OlmedoAndres Olmedo

2. 2
Francisco Jimenez
 Francisco Jiménez immigrated with his
family to California from Tlaquepaque,
Mexico. He worked in the fields of
California as a child, and his
autobiographical novel, The Circuit, tells
the story of those younger years…he
received both his master’s degree and his
Ph.D. from Columbia University and is
now the Fay Boyle Professor of modern
Languages and Literatures and director of
ethnic studies program at Santa Clara
University. He lives in Santa Clara,
California, with his wife and three children.
22

3. 3
Young Adolescent Issues
Learning/School
Family
Health (briefly)
33

4. 4
Family
 Strong Bond
 Major Role in Educational Achievement
 Needs of family supercede educational needs
(work often comes first)
 Messages at home and at school differ
(Breaking Through 78)
44

5. 5
Learning/School
 Chronicles his study of English
 Features fears, victories, techniques, and
humor of learning English
 Faced some racism
 Clear anxiety about peers
 In school and in public spaces
 Show his work in different subjects
 English hard but Math easy
 Tells his work with teachers
 Some had a huge positive impact 55

6. 66
Under the wireUnder the wire
 The Jimenez family lived in a small village inThe Jimenez family lived in a small village in
Mexico.Mexico.
 Their father always talked about a better life inTheir father always talked about a better life in
California.California.

7. 77
Under the WireUnder the Wire
 Papa opened a hole under the fence and began toPapa opened a hole under the fence and began to
crawl.crawl.
 Then they drove for hours until they reached theThen they drove for hours until they reached the
nearest camp.nearest camp.

8. 88
SoledadSoledad
 One day Francisco and his family went to work at aOne day Francisco and his family went to work at a
cotton field and every time they go work Franciscocotton field and every time they go work Francisco
had to take care of Trampita.had to take care of Trampita.
 So every time his family goes further and furtherSo every time his family goes further and further
through the cotton field, he will get on top of thethrough the cotton field, he will get on top of the
car and see them vanish.car and see them vanish.

9. 99
SoledadSoledad
 Francisco had an idea to help his family.Francisco had an idea to help his family.
 Francisco went outside to pick cotton whenFrancisco went outside to pick cotton when
he would pick cotton his hand would bleed.he would pick cotton his hand would bleed.

10. 1010
Inside Out
 Francisco started going to school. He went into the
classroom , and couldn’t understand any English so he started
to make his own stories in Spanish.