Interruptions

I had two class interruptions today.  The first came during second grade (before they decided to go ape on me).  It was before recreo.  I had been looking for Prof. Roberto during my free time (since the assessors were there) to discuss his thoughts on the Open Class.  He has intentionally stayed hands off, I think to show that he respects my teaching and to not make me nervous.  This was his first time to see me teach.

Afterwards, I was interested in his thoughts.  I felt good about it, so I didn't really necessarily need positive feedback (but it never hurts, right?), but I was truly interested in his impressions having never (I was certain) seen a class like that.  He was nowhere to be found, so I asked a few teachers who said he had left for a bit.  Who knows why.  

In the middle of 2nd grade, Hernán came in and asked me how to say "the principal needs to see you."  I told him, repeated it slowly, wrote it on the board, and then asked if that were true.

It was, so I gave them some work to do (enter "unsupervision" here, probably leading to lunacy).  I went to the office and Prof Roberto says, "You were looking for me?"

I realized this was not urgent and totally could've waited until recreo.  Oh, well.

So, I asked him what he thought about class and he said it was very good.  He was sorry more moms hadn't come but that I did a good job and the kids seemed to be understanding and listening and participating.  He was pleased.

I was pleased.

In my third grade class, my right cheek was vibrating, so I pulled my celular out of my back pocket and answered.  It was Maribel calling to tell me she had a gift for me.

I had requested my reimbursement check (for my round trip flight down here and my round trip flight to DF- near $1500 US) months ago assuming I would get it in my hand in DF.  Ha!  Think again, Laura.  When will I learn?!

On Friday, the DF office had emailed me asking for an address.  I gave them the English in Elementary address since people would be there from 9-5 (more or less).  I didn't have the zip code, so I had to email Maribel, and she didn't respond until Saturday.  I emailed the office, fully expecting to get my check after the holidays.  I still think it might only be part of what they owe me, but we shall see.

Maribel is going to bring it with her to school the next time she comes (which could be as soon as Friday).

I hung up the phone and the kids started dying laughing and I asked what had happened.  Had my pants split?  Did I sit in something?  

In Nashville, when I speak in Spanish on the phone (or even just to Megan) in front of the kids, they get a big kick out of it.  But these kids were laughing way too hard for it to be just amusement at hearing fast English.

They all mimicked me.  When Mabel had told me about the check, I had shrieked.  (Brothers: make fun of me to yourself here, no need to post about any typical Laura shrieks of the past.)  They had a good time imitating me, and I had a good time being made fun of.  I really am starting to like them instead of just being okay with the fact that I have to teach them for the next 50 minutes!

Third grade

These little tyrants are winning me over.  They're doing very well (so I think) on their clothing vocabulary and are participating pretty well in class.  We listened to a song today to the tune of Rockin' Robin and we had a really good time.  I got to be silly with them and they didn't lose all their sense!  They were so good that I even let them get out of their seats (all 36 of them) and dance.

Once they were given permission, they suddenly lost the urge!

Time went quickly with them and I was proud of them.  With the successes of 6th grade TPRS, that was actually only pretend TPRS (I'll explain via email to anyone who is actually that interested-I'm doubtful), I want to try it with my other groups.  It's going to take some planning and pumping up, but maybe I'll be able to start with all of them in January.  Poco a poco (little by little) of course.  Maybe I'll add 4th and 5th before Christmas.

Maybe.

Recreo

With the weather like it is (I was almost chilly walking to the bus today in flip flops and short sleeves and saw many a person in sweaters!), recreo has become much more fun.  The typically air conditioned rooms turn off the air and use just fans, so we don't congregate in the computer room anymore.  We kind of congregate just wherever.

Today, I bought my ice cream (4 pesos, and probably all chemicals, but "home-made" by the selling ladies and delish) and sat outside the office in front of the PE area (multipurpose if you will) and watched Anabel sell the popsicles with her 1st graders.  These are the first graders who were using English in their math lesson.  We laughed about that for awhile.

Then Carla, a "rough" fourth grade girl spent the whole time with me.  We chatted about little things: food, church: her cousins and sister at the school.  She took it upon herself to police the other kids.  I don't know if they always promote the big kids being an example and also explicitly correcting other students, but she was doing it.  Three (very well-behaved in English class) first grade girls were chasing a boy and I think they knocked him down.  She went over to them and told all of them to calm down and to leave each other alone.

I found that very interesting.  And helpful.  I'm still not sure my place when it comes to discipline because I'm not sure of the rules.  But seeing the older kids "teaching" the younger ones felt pretty good.

I enjoyed seeing them in their play time.  I think I'll be spending many more recreos as an observer!

2nd grade lunatics

This is the class I've been waiting for, though it was not that bad.  I shouldn't complain (and many of its difficult, bookless students were with the support teacher).

This lesson continued the use of "not" with professions, though it incorporated listening to the CD and writing.  It had some good activities and they performed relatively well.  I'm a sucker, though, for hearing the right answer from a star student and thinking they all get it.

We'll see when test time rolls around probably next week.

I resorted to yelling with them.  At the end, when the recess bell rang, I didn't let them leave.  I made them listen to me tell them how rude they'd been.  I told them that anyone could yell at them to be quiet.  But that I had studied for 7 years to be a teacher and that I was the one they needed to listen to.  I hadn't studied that long to stand in front of them and yell.  I think they were humbled a little, and I certainly felt better.

Open Class

It was set for 8am.  Prof. Roberto and I (principal) had decided to keep it low key.  I told the kids yesterday in class and they were to relay the message to their parents.  I think Prof. Roberto didn't want me to get too worked up and nervous, so it wasn't anything official.

I jammed to some new Kanye West on my bus ride and was excited that I'd be arriving earlier than expected and could set up the computer, etc.  Well, then our bus waited at one stop for over ten minutes!  I guess he had gotten there too quickly or something and had to make sure to arrive at the next (supervised) stop at the correct time.

I still arrived on time, and at a stop between the 15 minute layover and school, I saw Maribel getting on the bus.  Maribel is the one, mind you, who told me never to sit on the first seat of the bus (without giving me a reason) and where does she sit?  Seat número uno!  And the bus wasn't even close to full (because it was nearing the end of the route at school)!  She didn't see me when she got on, and I was jammin', so we didn't speak until we got off the bus.  I realized that she sat up front because she had to get her money out and count it in order to pay the driver.

As I was walking up the steps to school, I called out to her amidst cries of "Teacher!  Teacher!"  The elementary age is just like that, I guess, across the board.  They want attention and they want acknowledgement from the "important people" (teachers).

We signed in and went to the computer room to gather ourselves.  I had yet to see one parent.  Wouldn't that be interesting- a parent meeting with no parents. 

We made our way to the room, and I had two cameras- one for video and one for pictures.  I didn't give them away, so I got neither video footage nor photos.

I'm a failure.

When it comes to cameras. 

Teaching, however, is my forte.

I explained to the parents that it would look different from classes they've seen in the past.  And that my main goal, in the US as well as here, is that they enjoy their language class.  If they're not enjoying it, they won't learn it well.

Then I proceeded with Hello Kitty and her Thanksgiving adventures.

It was such a successful class.  There was noise, and David (who lived in the States briefly) was typically annoying, but overall I found it to be a success.  Once they were finished listening and acting out the story, I had them write some phrases they remembered from the story.  I wanted 4.  They were hesitant and nervous (most students want perfection and since this was not an easy task, they didn't want to do it), but eventually they came up with some sentences.  I started monitoring and Maribel asked me if I would be doing anything else with them.   I told her that I would solicit some responses, but that the moms could go.  She announced to the moms that she would meet with them outside to address any concerns or thoughts.

I continued with the sentences and even got several of them to speak.  I wrote their responses on the board and was really proud of what they could remember.

I finished with them and went to catch up with Maribel who was still talking to some moms.  As I walked up they were finishing up and I thanked them for coming and they went on their way. They noticed that my class was very different from the previous teacher's.  And that my English was faster and "more confusing" but Maribel assured them that the kids were understanding.  She told them that she didn't care if they (the moms) understood as long as the kids did, and that the kids were understanding.  She had been watching for that.  I assured her that they would easily acclimate themselves to my speech just like my students did to Yuri.

Maribel then followed me into the computer room and said she didn't want to leave.

Ha!

I know that it was because she didn't want to work, but it's funny because people who visit Lockeland don't want to leave, either.  Their reasoning, however is because it's such a happy place.

She also told me that I was her only school for today and that she had lots of teachers to visit, but could only visit them on Wednesdays.  She said that Wednesdays had been set aside for teachers in big trouble, and only Wednesdays.  So tomorrow, she'd be heading to several schools.  One teacher had been mistreating students and she had to go take care of that.

The assessing ladies were still there, so Anabel (the 1st grade class that I had missed, but that had been in assessment) asked if she could borrow my CD player to practice Christmas Carols for our upcoming concert (there will be some English carols, too!).  I gave it to her and then set off recording grades, organizing my file folders, and making lists.

Putting the pieces together...

Cosette's loot

Cosette racked up for sure on the Tucson trip.  When Mabel went to pick her up from her grandparents' house, she had set out her gifts for her (the toys that she got have all been left at Papá's house until Christmas).  There were three pairs of comfy pants and a pari of sparkly jeans.  Three t-shirts (Hannah Montana and High School Musical), Hannah Montana shoes, tights, socks of all sorts, a jacket with a furry hood, and a Disney Princess case with all kinds of colored pencils, markers, stamps, etc were also a part of the gift.

She immediately showered and changed into all things new.

I didn't see her for awhile.  

When I went downstairs to heat up my vegetables, Mabel was scouring the house.  I, needless to say, did not clean on Saturday, and I think she hadn't mopped the previous Saturday, so I really should've done something.  Next time.

In walks Cosette with her teddy bear (a free gift from Aeropostale if you spent a certain amount), a bag of churros, and swollen eyes.  She was very visibly sad.

She ran back outside to say goodbye to her dad and I asked Mabel if she always came back sad.  She said yes.  I asked her if she got to see him much.  She said that she had spent the whole weekend with him, but I clarified.  She said that his work (whatever that may be) requires him to travel, so he's gone for three months at a time.  When he's in Culiacán, it may be for several weeks, so she wants to get in as much Dad time as possible.

I still don't have the whole story, but I'm getting more and more of it.

Tucson and beyond

On my way home from school today, Mabel called me saying she and her dad were on their way to our house, could I be there to make sure the door was open?  She had left me all her keys when she left me her car.  I asked her if she needed me to pick her up at Walmart and she said she had gotten in at 10 and her dad had picked her up!  

I went inside and thought about walking and lunch.  A few seconds later, she called again.

"Plans changed," she said in her accented English (we're all like that, and destined to remain that way unless we gained a "native" accent before adolescence, so research says), "like always in Mexico."  Her dad had a patient (they just stop by without appointments-also very Mexican), and could I come pick her up there?

Why of course.

She had left me with an empty tank, and I was approaching empty, but I figured the least I could do was give her some gas.  I stopped for gas and then picked her up.  She was starving and I hadn't eaten, so we stopped at this little to-go buffet where we'd stopped one of my first days here (before I even had pesos).  I got some Chinese grub and a tamal de elote (the corn tamal that is YUMMY, like a dessert).  We journeyed home.

She gave me the minute by minute details of her trip and it was so fun listening to her.  She loved the US.  The mall was so clean and so big and there were so many shops and so many of each item.  You want a purse?  There's a thousand right there!  You want pants?  Too many to even look through!

Everyone there spoke Spanish.  All Mexicans everywhere, shopping and working!

The streets were so clean!  I just wanted to throw one piece of trash onto the ground.  I saw one bus and one taxi the whole weekend.

I kept looking for houses and never saw any.  Where are the people?  Don't people live here?

Everything was so cheap!  And all the sales!  And the lines!  There were a hundred people shopping in the store and a hundred more in line!

She had an amazing time and was startled to be eating eggs from a box.

:)

I didn't even go into the quality of food thing.  It's hopeless.

It was great listening to her stories.  

Then when we got home, I made her show me everything.  She got some great stuff!  She's ready to start saving (unheard of for a Mexican) for next year.  She loved it.  I would love to find a way to bring her with me at Christmas or in July just to show her around and say thank you.  We'll see how serious she is about saving...

Maria Fernanda

I have three first graders by this name.  One in my first class and two in my second class.  In the pictures where there is more than one student, the Maria Fernanda is on your left.  

The first two are from my second group (I can never predict the order blogger will input my pictures!), Martha's class.  The last picture is from my first group, Anabel's.

The first MF is my star student.  She's an amazing listener, speaker, and learner.  She's always paying attention, helping those around her, excited about her tests, etc.  She's a semi-ideal student.

The other two are good unassuming students.  They listen.  When I call attention to them (like when I'm asking a question and no one answers it, but I can see their mouths moving to form the right words) in a positive way, a smile breaks free on their faces.  They love English (and probably me), but in a very subdued, overlooked way.  They're a lot like Rosita, the 3rd grader who drew the picture for me.

All three of these girls have books.

At the beginning of the year, I didn't know anyone's name.  I didn't even know I had three Maria Fernandas!  About three or four weeks into the year, MF #1's mom asked me about her book.  She said she had paid and MF still didn't have her book.

Uh oh.

I realized my mistake.  I had given her book to one of the others.  I think I gave it to MF #3, but at this point, I can't be sure.

Now, in December, they all have books.  One of them did not pay for it.

Either one (#2 or #3) deserves it and I'm not sad to be out the 140 pesos in order to see that rewarding smile.

I wish I could've done it for all of them.

Hernán and the mom

Last Friday, after school, a mom asked if she could talk to me.  She's from Phoenix and we had spoken about a week earlier.  She's in the middle of a separation and divorce and is looking for work as an English teacher, so she asked how I got my job.

Anyway, this day she came to talk about books.  She had not bought books because she was not working and her husband was only paying for necessities (food).  She asked if she could have a copy of the books to get a copy made (since that would be so much cheaper).  I of course obliged since there is no copyright law here and since my heartstrings were being tugged.  Christian is in first grade and Michael is in 4th.  

Hernán had to wait to lock up the room on Friday as she was giving me the whole spiel (more than I wanted to know, but I don't think she has anyone to talk to).  Her third child, a baby, was born early, so she didn't make it back to Phoenix to have her.  She is a Mexican citizen.  Her other two were born in Phoenix.  She wants desperately to go back, but she'd have to leave the baby here and of course the husband is not willing to go to Hermosillo (not sure how far away, but in our state of Sinaloa) to get all the paperwork signed, keeping her here.  

Today during recreo, the women who were from supervision that had come to school to do the reading testing/teaching were chatting at the table.  I was listening and Hernán asked me if I understood.  He talks so often with his mouth closed.  Then wonders why I don't understand.  Then he takes the sentence apart, word for word and asks me if I know what those words mean.

Of course if you say it slowly, clearly, word for word I know what it is.  But when you mumble it, it's a bit harder.  So he asked if I understood the ladies and I told him the truth.  "Yes.  I understand."  "Everything?" he asks.  "No, but I get the main idea.  I hardly ever understand everything."  

Then he starts asking me about the woman I was talking to on Friday.  Did she speak English?  How was her English?

I told him at least four times that she was from Phoenix.  "Does she speak English like you?  Perfectly, like you?"

Yes, Hernán!

"Yes, she does.  Just like me.  She was born in Phoenix.  She grew up in Phoenix.  She has always spoken English."

"Oh, because her Spanish.  She sounds like you.  Her English is good, though?"

I wanted to drop him on any street in the US and ask him if he spoke English.  If he understood every word.  If he spoke flawlessly without accent.

He just doesn't get it.

I understand that he shouldn't since he's never traveled or tried to speak English in the US, but goodness, Hernán!

Amazing

I'm not tired of having amazing days.  I am, however, worried about just how bad the bad day will be if/when it comes.

This morning I drove to school again.  I wasn't sure when Mabel was getting back from Tucson, but I figured I'd have my phone on me and if she needed me to come get her she could call and I could leave.  That would be faster than leaving by bus and coming then picking her up anyhow.

I got to school and Hernán gave me the "look at you Miss Thang" as I pulled in to park.  I explained that it was not my car, but that I had enjoyed using it.  (I hope I remember in another entry to tell you about a strange conversation I had with him later.)

After signing in (early from driving), I decided to get some things in order in my space in the computer room.  I had lost a flash drive (and was BUMMED) last week, so I told Sandra about it.  She had just gotten in from Tucson last night at midnight!  She went with me to look through the burned trash all around the grounds.  No dice.  Or flash drive.

I notice the woman who was teaching the second grade class last week when I needed to give my test (when I had to wait over an hour) and her two colleagues.  I notice in one of her colleagues' hands an envelope that says "Anabel" with other information.  I realize that my first (troublesome) class is about to be cancelled.  Great.  Actually, I was excited to have the time and freedom, but as usual, would've loved some heads up.

I keep an eye out for that classroom in case she lets out early and I need to go.

Nope.

I assume that my second first grade class (who can be difficult, yet tend to do right) will follow the same issue since there were three women.  Fifth and sixth grade were at PE.  How you can have over 60 kids at a time and expect everyone to get a fair shot I'll never know.  They were playing 3 on 3 soccer.  For about 5 minutes a piece.  It was a sight seeing all the students lined up on the steps chatting, cheering and waiting their turn.  They were not perfectly behaved, but I think they were better since they haven't had PE in a very long time.  I don't know why, but Ramón has not been there for weeks.

I digress.

I went to check on my second group and Martha said to come on in.  The teacher was there, but she was doing what looked like MNPS's reading assessments.  She would call one child to her to read a strip of paper and then write some things down.  It was definitely not as intense or accurate as MNPS's technique, but it seemed to be along the same lines.

It was difficult teaching, as usual, with such a distraction at the front of the room, but I held their attention.  We read Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See? which this group had not read in detail like the other.  We then read a book called Garden Colors followed by I See Colors.  They did a good job remembering the colors.  We also sang a toy song to review the other vocabulary from the unit.  This is the group that loves the songs because I'm pretty silly with them.  I play a good bit of air guitar and air piano in this song and the love it of course.

It was a really good class that didn't accomplish much more than review, but that's okay.  I have realized there are 8 units with 8 lessons for first grade.  We supposedly meet 12 times a month so there's ample time for a unit per month, leaving extra days each month, and leaving an extra month for catch up.  With the other grades, I have nine units and I'm behind!  But I'll get there.  I'm getting in the groove of the book and how to teach from it effectively.

Again, I digress.

Recreo was low key, and shockingly ended exactly on time (maybe because we had visitors).  That meant I got almost 40 whole minutes with 3rd and 6th...

On my way to 3rd grade, one of the supervising teachers stopped me and asked about 3rd grade.  She said they always looked antsy and chatty and could never be still.  She asked me which group was the most difficult and I told her they were.  

I had a good lesson with them, too.  They're studying clothes and some of it is a review for them.  I decided to take along Mary Wore a Red Dress to their class today.  This is another kindergarten favorite (in English) at Lockeland.  I don't have it in Spanish, though I suppose I could just make my own, eh?

They were so cute reading the book.  I broke the news to them that it was a popular book for Kindergarteners in the US, but that they were like kindergarteners in their English career.  They didn't dig that.  My Lockeland students are used to hearing that from me.  I assured them that the first graders were more like babies, only spitting out a word or two here and there.

So we read the book and they loved it of course.  They were able to participate by telling me the clothing item and color, and since it is a sing-song book (it's actually adapted into a book from a song), they were also able to "read" with me on the second go-round.

Even though we had a longer than normal class (40ish minutes), we didn't get as far as I would've liked.  To me, however, that is a good sign.  When we get completely finished, it's usually because I didn't (or they didn't) like the lesson, or that they didn't understand.

I dropped off my 3rd grade stuff in the computer room, grabbed my flash drive (another, much smaller, much less cool), and headed to 6th grade.  I was very excited to have this much time with them.  As you know, I usually have 30 minutes max with them.  I would guess my typical 6th grade class is 20 minutes.  Good luck getting anything accomplished in that amount of time!

I got there and got the computer started (I think Guillermina- I finally figured out her name! never uses it...), which takes a solid three minutes.  We're down to 37.

The kids were all asking if we were going to do more with Hello Kitty.  They were practically begging!  Little did they know I had some major excitement in store for them.

Before I started, while the computer and projector were syncing, I reminded them that tomorrow would be an open class for their parents.  We would move English to morning time so their parents could just stay after having dropped them off.

The principal wanted me to do this for the parents' sake and asked me long ago.  Also, it went so well with the 2nd grade parents that I wanted to open up communication with all parents.  We begin tomorrow with 6th.

(I'm sorry this is much like an old school entry before I started chopping it up...)

I pulled up the Hello Kitty book and told the we would first review.  Mexican students are very resistant to reviews.  They're quick to tell me we've already done something instead of just listening.

I asked for volunteers and we acted out the story.  This was a weak attempt at TPRS, but it was a fun class no matter what.

No girls would volunteer, so boys were my first three Hello Kittys.  The first phrase they needed to learn was "got dressed."  I had my first Hello Kitty act like he was putting clothes on.  We all practiced saying "got dressed."  Then there was "smelled the yummy food."  HK #2 patted his belly as we all said the phrase.  It continued like this, each time adding a new student to learn the new phrase and repeating all the previous phrases.  Obviously, the kids learn very quickly without having to be "taught."  

We were all laughing and having a very good time and got through about half the book.

Of course, those who were participating were also distracted by looking out the window or hitting their neighbors, but I think I saw more participation than usual (more mouths moving in English and fewer in Spanish).

I explained furthermore that we would continue and hopefully finish tomorrow.  That after that, they would be expected to summarize in words what they had seen.  Eventually they would write and draw what they had seen.

I felt very successful and had no voice left (but it was great because they were engaged and having fun- my main goals).

Guillermina, however, must not have found it as successful...

She yelled at the kids for playing so much and at the girls for not volunteering.  She told them that tomorrow was a really big day for me and that they needed to be on their best behavior.  

I think part of it is that they don't respect my class like they do hers.  I think a bigger part of it is that we have different definitions of respect and the learning process.  As I have mentioned many times before, my classes in Nashville are very quiet and orderly.  But there is also a place for fun.  Since this is a year-long adventure, I figure the place for fun is most of the time (I'm guessing I'll take this theory back with me)!  Foreign language classrooms (or at least successful ones in my book) should have appropriate noise.  The level today was not something I could cope with everyday (or else I wouldn't be able to talk), but it is something that needs to be experiences for the sake of learning.

I was proud of them and excited for them.  We'll see, when they do their oral summaries and story boards, what they got out of it.  I think I'm in for 6 more months of a scratchy throat, but I'm okay with that!