Saturday, July 05, 2008

My days as teacher, tutor and patient gardener at Escuela Normal

Yes, I finally got a job!!! My coming baby was not a problem to get it. I'm happy, I'm proud of myself, I want to scream, cry and laugh. I'm HAPPY!!!!
I have six groups, all different, but all adolescents. My favourite kind of students.
I've been working for a month and every day has been a blessing. Sometimes I have to tell them off because they don't want to do ANYTHING but in general terms they work with me without effort.
My pregnant belly is the star of the show. By touching it, they show me their feelings, by letting them touch it, I show them mine. I always try to keep my smile, in fact it's quite easy because I'm all the time enjoying my moment in front of the class, and my students seem to enjoy the same because our classes are a real learning experience. I don't have to yell at them, because when I stand in front without saying a word, they show me their respect by staying completely silent.
I've been teaching them only for a month, but I have already fallen in love with all my students, I still cannot make a distinction between the good ones and the bad ones, but honestly, I hope I never do it. I have to recognize that those who are bad in English are the cause of my worriment but only because I want all of them to learn.
I hate when I have to draw a cross by their names because they haven't done their homework or they haven't brought their material to work in my class, but I know that I have to do it...and I do it.
Yesterday I had my first unfriendly encounter with a mother that was resistant to accept the idea that her daughter is not doing anything more than talking with one of her classmates in my class. The woman was really upset and quite altered, I had to ask her to calm down because her daughter's situation wasn't my fault. Anyway, at some point I was afraid because I thought the mother would hit her daughter in front of me. She was really altered. Maybe if I hadn't had my pregancy she could have tried hitting me...
Anyway, I'm still extremely happy for this job, and I hope it lasts longer than it is supposed to.