“Good morning Teacher”, fifth-grader Luis says to me every morning when he greets me in my new classroom and asks me how to say different random words in English. The truth, I'm discovering, is that these students, the ones above grade two at least, are interested in learning English. With all the difficulties I've had trying to manage a classroom, they are interested, and they have learned something.
Sure, many are intrigued by malas palabras (bad words) in English; I even indulge them sometimes to diffuse the novelty, explaining in a very academic way, the significance of these bad words that they already know. Although they are most excited by all things taboo, every once and awhile I'm able to provide a lesson that excites them.
Another day, some of the students in fourth grade were planning a baseball game for the next day's recess. They discussed uniforms, and then, because I was tired of disciplining at the end of the day, I let them play in the classroom—don't worry, it was Nerf. Even I could recognize that they had terrible form, so I taught them how to throw, catch, and swing a bat with what knowledge I have. I did all of this in English, and they demonstrated comprehension of basic verbs and nouns of baseball.
On that same day, a student in seventh grade tried to tickle me, but after years of being tickled by Uncle Travis, my nerves are apparently dead. I told my students that I was mostly robotic. They pulled on the skin of my arms and believed me for a solid five minutes. I taught them the words “gullible” and “liar.”
So two weeks ago I asked Eduardo if I could have the biblioteca (or library). He said “yes” and with swiftness he acquired for me a whiteboard (that is double-sided and flips around) a very large desk, and 22 student desks. Sure the floorboards are warped, the paint is dirty and chipped, the false wall is crooked, and it shares another wall with the bathroom, but it's my classroom, and it is so beneficial for their learning.
One area of frustration I am willing to go into more is the great difficulties I've had with my students and their collective work ethic. I mentioned that they are interested, yet it only seems to be when they don't have to do any work. It is nearly impossible to get about half of my students to do anything in class (not an exaggeration), yet when I send them home with work, it comes back in perfect handwriting, completed to perfection. I look at the paper and wonder what his/her mom's/dad's handwriting looks like. Many of the children spend 20 minutes of class sharpening their pencils and asking to go to the bathroom. When I get them seated and have work for them, they wear a bored expression and tap their VERY sharp pencils on their desks. I was talking to one of my adult clergy members about this observation. I believe he has observed some children and students from the United States, and his theory is that usually there is a complete lack of independence in children here compared to those in the States. Their parents cook and clean (chores don't exists much), everything is perfectly prepared for them (including their homework) and they aren't taught to have much of a work ethic until much later in life. Most children live with their parents through college and even a bit beyond, all the while being treated much the same way. It isn't until marriage that it changes, and even then, who knows? I believe this theory typifies what is called Arrested Development, of course this is from one conversation based on one man's opinion; so keep that in mind. This topic reminds me of a book I read not too long ago called Do Hard Things by two brothers who speak out against the idea that teenagers have to wait until they're older to make a difference. The forward is by Chuck Norris...how could it not be good?
This theory though, is starting to make me realize what my job might actually be here. I came to teach English, yet I think if I can improve my students' willingness to learn and put effort into school, then I will have done something. Because let's be honest about the English thing, I took two years of Spanish in high school and really didn't absorb much to any great extent, so what are they going to learn from me in one year? They'll retain some vocabulary and some basic sentence structures, but if I can prepare them for their other classes and the next English teacher, what a difference that will make!
Close to four months in and I'm finally starting to see where I might make a difference. It's a good feeling, and I hope to experience some of the benefits before I prepare to leave and have that cathartic experience I keep hearing about . . . i.e. I hope my students start putting more effort into my more structured lessons. Until then, their ability go to recess is greatly affected.