Ok so I’ve been in Albatera since October 1st. It’s my 2nd week at the school, almost my 3rd. The first weeks were partial weeks due to the holidays and I had to just give the power point of who I am and where I come from (Texas). The power point was of what my life was like in Texas. I showed them my apartment, my car, (the boys all knew it was a “Nissan”) my family, my hobbies and my favorite foods etc.

They loved it. I spoke to grades 1- 6 ages 5-11. The only issue I had was every classroom had different older computers that most of the time would not connect to the screen with the USB or online. And several classes were so cramped the kids were unable to see the screen as it was on one side and near the floor. One class didn’t even have that. I had to turn the computer screen for them to see. Which is near impossible for 25 kids to see a 15 inch computer screen from the back of the class… Supposedly there may be a new building in the future. I hope so.

The school has 400 kids broken up into 2 small, 2 story buildings and one temporary trailer like building for overflow. They are dying for space and proper technology. I also discovered their computers used some other software not Microsoft word or Power point so that hampered my PowerPoint as well. I felt bad for the teachers and the kids as they need the technology and more room. It makes it stressful for everyone as it takes extra steps to accomplish what you need. And each class is only 45 minutes long with no break between. For example it ends at 10:30 and another starts at 10:30. But each in different rooms and buildings… And the kids move rooms as well…Talk about needing to move quickly to get things going! I wish I was rich, Ide order new computers for every class and more interactive TV screens as well…in the meantime I need better running shoes.

Anyway we made due. The kids were all great and made American flags and gave me little handmade gifts. (which I brought home and taped to my living room wall so I can see them every day).

Many asked me the same questions, ” How old are you? When I said 58 some acted shocked. One said “that is my padre’s age! Others wanted to know about the food the most. When I showed BBQ ribs from Texas they all yelled. It took a while to get them to say “ribs” instead of costillos. They all know what a hamburger is but not the green beans. When I showed them my parrot Lucy, that got them going to. At the end of each presentation I asked them questions to test their memory and English. Like what kind of pet did I have, or what was my favorite food? etc. and they got a pencil painted with the American flag colors for the right answer.

Well now I’m into my 3rd week and time to start doing the real thing, OMG now I feel some pressure as they are all at different levels, there is no time between each class and once the kids get in class and settle down you have already lost 10 -15 minutes and have only 30 minutes left to teach and speak to 25 kids! And I need to help the teachers as well as come up with some games etc. for them. I am now researching on U- tube “how to come up with games and things for grades: baby to 11 years of age!!” holy crap Batman!

So…today is Monday and I was in the classes of the 5-6th graders age 11-12. No teaching today only helping them with making a Halloween castle. I had to walk around and tell them instructions etc. in English. Phew…. It worked part of the time but getting them in groups then giving instructions was mayhem. They are all excited grabbing their stuff and zipping around the room.. the noise level was deafening at times. The teacher, whos nice to stare at… haha is a former policeman and is always very calm. But at times he would yell and lecture them about being quieter which worked maybe 5 minutes at a time. But he had the calmness of a policeman which I think helps. Most of the time. But he did say he has learned to meditate and do yoga in his spare time…. no wonder… I’m fixing to learn pretty soon myself at this rate.

Then wam! the 45 minutes was up and it was time to clean the brushes of paint etc. which is now splattered on half the desks…. off to the next class…

The last class was with the 1st graders. The babies I call them; 5 year olds… I walked to the building and as soon as I walked in they all yelled hi chiffon hi chiffon!!! in an ear piercing chorus.

The teacher, God love her, controls them pretty well… she starts the class with “good morning class” how are you? and they say Good morning teacher ! I am fine how are you? back to her…Then they say it to me..

So today she had flashcards for them as this is “name the classroom object” day for vocabulary building i.e. pencils crayons, etc….. so my job was to get with half the class ask them their names again then show the flashcards and have them say the objects in English. The they had to match what I said to their little cards from a plastic baggy that each was given. . Pencil, .. crayons…. back pack… then rubber.. what? rubbers I say to the teacher?? Yes that’s an “eraser” in the US I say….oh? in fact I whisper to her, “a rubber is slang for condoms in the US”…..oooohhh her eyes were wide at that one. But the kids are learning Oxford style English from the UK and rubbers are erasers in the the UK…… um so I kind of put that as my last flashcard…. it felt shocking to teach slang for condom as an eraser…oh my….

I went around the room and did my best to engage them, but each had maybe a 30 second attention span…. but when they said the word I always give a thumb’s up with a good job! One child I tried to engage just kept stacking her matching cards and did not say a word when I asked her what something was. I tried a few times and kept going. Then time was up and they all had to hand me their little zip lock bags with there matching cards in them.

One by one I tried to collect them and they are now running around like rabbits…I see a man a the the door all in red, with a red hat… the teacher says “comida comida!”: that’s the word for food as some go to the cafeteria for after-school lunch and the lunch man was there to take them. So a third of the class jumped up and pulling their roller back packs followed him out… apparently food makes them line up quicker than time to go home.

So I’m standing there organizing the baggies and the little girl who would not speak came up to me and said something. I leaned down and she said in my ear “can I help you?” I was like wow! I said no thank you but thank you for asking. …

I turned to the teacher and told her what the child said. She was flabbergasted, apparently the child is new and often does not say anything and does not follow the instructions. I said well she seemed to be interested in organizing her flashcards instead of listening to me yet when she saw me organizing mine she came up to me… so maybe she hears that at home and is mimicking someone saying it all the time?

So the kids then were told to line up to leave as the parents were all outside now at the gate waiting and it was time to go home. I stood at the back and helped move them along. I kept saying “lets go, lets go” trying to herd them along.. Again it was like rabbits, as they are darting everywhere grabbing their stuff. Eventually they fell into line and I stayed at the back and the teacher at the front to get them to the gate… lets go! lets go! I said again. Funny they are all trying to pull roller bags as big as they are…another reason they need more room in the classes, the bags are in the walkways next to their desks and everywhere… I nearly fell over one 2 times. Seeing how I still don’t have proof of health insurance I don’t need another trip to a doctor.

.Just as we reached the gate in the playground, I heard some of them say “lets go lets go!. mimicking me. I stood and watched while the teachers made sure each child waited then go to their parent so no one got lost….lets go lets go! bye bye chiffon! they yelled to me….See you tomorrow I yell. Hmmm what’s the Spanish word for rabbits and parrots? I need to look that up for my vocab today…..haha