"Our class was feeling very negative about Spanish class, so I thought I would say a few words to them in Spanish this morning to make them feel more positive. How do you say this?" the teacher implored, pushing a half translated piece of paper in front of me. So, the kids don't like Spanish. But they will like Spanish if you do it with them, right? I guess I am the problem here. It wasn't even eight o'clock in the morning. "I told them this would be a different year. Your schedule was really bad last year and it was your first year...". I appreciate that, I really do. Do say that to the kids. I have more than two additional instructional hours on my schedule than I had last year. I would prefer last year's schedule. "I told them that you have to be impatient with them. There isn't a lot of time!". Exactly. The class looks like a most wanted list of who is a behavioral problem, but you know, it's my fault. Parents have pulled their kids from the school to avoid that class. Teachers have been fired for not being able to tame them. But wow, I guess it was me all along.
The late night teeth grinding has already begun.
I have been forced to lead a song in Spanish during our morning meetings all week. I was horrified by the prospect. I can be a real ham when I am alone with the kids in my room, but not in front of more than four hundred people. Singing. It has been going remarkably well. I have too many student volunteers to sing it for me, and the kids high five me when I leave the stage. I may do it again.
I left Atlanta's most wanted elementary class, angry. Four or five kids managed to really fuck it up, and I had only a ten minute break before I had to teach for another two hours and fifteen minutes straight. I had already taught an hour and a half. I went to buy a Coke. "Hey..." a teacher called to me in the hall, insinuating that the lovely little boy to her left had a question. "Doesn't the end of the song say 'turn to the other side' in Spanish?". "Yes" I answered. "The kids aren't doing it when you lead them in the meeting. You need to teach them that!". Thanks for that. Anything else? I have a few suggestions for you too.
"How can we show respect for each other in Spanish class?" I asked the second graders, late on Friday afternoon. "Don't say 'I don't like Spanish'" Julio announced. "Wow, thanks Julio. We don't say hurtful words in here, do we? Those words hurt me" I responded. "And ME too!" he answered. I was surprised. "Why Julio?" I asked. "Because I am Mexican and THAT is my language".
The problems of the week slowly slid away...
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