Maribel’s First Day is a narrative description of the first day of school experience for a teenage Mexican American high school student. During this one school day, Maribel Rivera goes to five teachers’ classrooms and describes what she sees, hears and determines how she will judge these experiences. She will assess and analyze the school, the staff, the teachers, and the instruction. As she discovers what is happening at the school for other students, she decides if the environment will contribute to her present search for identity and survival.

The purpose of this book is to offer insights for perceptions of school experiences through the lens of a Mexican American female student. The book provides vivid descriptions of teacher instruction and student interactions collected through a research study. Through the use of this student’s narrative perspective, teachers, teacher leaders, instructional coaches, and campus administrators can create common language for building congruence in a culturally dissonant environment to impact relational and academic achievement for students of color and those from poverty.