Teecha Ahteeana

I got a call when I was in the Alhambra parking lot from a woman named Donna. She spoke english clearly and slowly, and said that she had a job opportunity for me , and had gotten my name from friends at the Escuela de Idiomas (where I work). I would be the lectora (that is my title) at a second school, if i was interested. She said she quit after a week, and needed to find a replacement. 'Gosh, quit after a week? What is this all about?' I thought. I was intrigued and we met for coffee a couple days later. I met a delightful, jubilant 60 year old woman from the US who has been living in Ronda for 7 years. Since then I have been to her house in the country, grown accustomed to her calling everyone darling and sweetie, and heard about both husbands, her photography business, her career as a professional masseuse, life without electricity in rural northern spain where she was stranded in her house for months when the water came up too high, her opinion on british travelers, tea and history... I could go on and on. She is a delight, and very generous.

As for the position, it is at Juan de la Rosa, a semi private/semi public school (families dont pay) that includes infantile (preschool), primaria (primary) and secundaria (secondary) school. Ages 3 through 16. I heard stories about 'wild indians' from Donna and how she had caught a cold by the end of the first week. But I decided to give it a whirl. The position is designed to expose all the school to a native english speaker. So I go to every class for a half hour. I would teach there 8 hours a week, mondays and tuesday, and the small stipend salary is certainly welcome. And boy, I can say i have never appreciated the job Elementary school teachers as much as I do now! Wow.

Day #1: last Monday. So Monday was not so bad. I came at 10:30, taught the 9 year olds, and we had a coffee and toast break at 11. Not so bad right? Then it was time for the kindergardeners..... 5/6 year olds, very nice. Well behaved. We colored in pumpkins and ghosts. Next was time for youngest preeschoolers - the 3 year olds. ..... only, really - half the class is 2 years old. TWO! How do you teach English to a child that cant sit in his chair for more than 5 minutes before he wets his pants, and his trousers are down to his knees as he trots to the bathroom? If you know the secret, please fill me in. Otherwise it was a half hour of blue, blue, blue, green, green, green, yellow, yellow, yellow. And the teacher in between would scold the children harshly for not sitting in their chair properly. 'They're two years old. They shouldn't even be sitting in chairs; they should be waddling around the playground!' But they did learn Teecha Ahteeana. The teachers at the school are called seno - short for senora/senor. As the token English teacher I get the special name of Teacher A.Tianna. Just two more classes that day, 8 year olds and 10 year olds. A little precocious, but attentive, engaged, and fun.

Day #2: I started off with the preschoolers again. First 5 year olds, and I was ready: blue, blue blue, green green green.... What I was not prepared for the 4 year olds. Their teacher was preparing for the Fall Breakfast (A deceiving title. It should be renamed the Fall Cake Fest... there were more pies, cakes, cookies, flans, and sweets piled on table after table than I had ever seen! and it was certainly one of the most delicious events I have been to). Anyways. Class of 20 four year olds - and me. Teecha Ahteena. When I walked in they were quietly coloring in their coloring books, but for the next half hour it was mayhem! I had cut out orange construction paper pumpkins to draw faces on, and between comparing them with their friends, running up to me to show me their, pulling on my shirt.."look at mine look at mine!" - I was spinning. Then i turned around and there is one playing with the toys in the corner, and by the time i get him back in his seat there were two more are arguing over a pen, while everyone else is jumping up and down from their seat, shouting, with their hands flying trying to get my attention. My new song.. "siiiiilent, siiiiilent, siiiiiilent" wasn't working. And as soon as I finally got the pumpkins out of their hands and onto the wall - it was time for the Fall Breakfast (I cant imagine those children with more sweets in them!) I literally RAN to the next class in the other part of school, and show up out of breath as I try to introduce myself to 35 ten year olds. More coloring and drawing of Halloween characters. This time I am more than ready for the 11 am coffee and toast break. Another tricky part of running class to class is that there is no time to make photocopies of your materials. And with one photocopy machine, i feel a little conspicuous making 300 copies while other teachers are waiting and watching. Teachers that teach 30 students each. So I always hope that we will have enough. A couple teachers teach English part-time, (one in secondary school and two in primary,) although their English is not at a very high level, and I quickly understood the value of my position. There are nuances to the language that they are not familiar with. For example, one teacher walked into class, set her papers down on the desk and shouted SHUT UP! to the class. Not something that translates exactly, right? After I got ahold of myself and closed my widely gaping mouth, I tried to explain that 'Be Quiet' might be a more appropriate phrase for a classroom. The afternoon I had the drill down. Show up, introduce myself, talk about Halloween, maintain order, and grab my books and bag and RUN to the next class. Catch my breath, introduce myself, and do it again. And again. Until it is 2:30 and I am beat! Especially with those witty teenagers. Phew! Quick lunch at the comedor cafeteria before I walk quickly to the other school and pull out my prepared lesson plans there. I am all worked up, sweating, and the other teachers are rolling in calmly from a leisurely lunch. The students were polite and well behaved. I can now appreciate my Language School and the splendid students even more now.

Now this is not to say that I didn't enjoy the school. I had a very good time! It was fun. And I feel like every week I will get a better handle on it. It is exciting, certainly fast paced, and a satisfying experience. Feeling like you are an active participant in the formation of a young person, and trying to serve as a good role model is both challenging and rewarding. And like i said, I am very thankful all those remarkable Ms Sandells, Ms Careys, Ms Ennis, Mr Hugh, Ms Mackie, Mr Carreto, and of course Senora Calderons. Especially being a drifter teacher is difficult. And I am continuously looking back on the memories I have from my elementary school experience and attempting to emulate the role models I was fortunate to have at such a young age. Teaching animated, enthusiastic, kind students is really a treat, and I am glad that I have a language that I am able to share with them. Everything from jack-o-lantern, blue and yellow, to the difference between beautiful and handsome (I corrected several young girls when I showed them a photo of my brother, and they said -" he very beautiful." giggling). I look forward to sharing more, and constantly have ideas churning about how I can engage them next time. In the language school I was able to tell scary story and have them fill in the verbs -lights off for ambiance, of course. And we made scary stories ourselves, going around the circle.

Halloween was a success as well. We had our first party at our piso. I had decorated the entire Language School with tons of paper pumpkins, bats, ghosts, and of course the spider web stuff covering the hallway, and for the party I borrowed some. Our house was decked out. I had a sign on the door that said enter if you dare... and tealights in the fire place, on the table and in the tv center on one wall. There were signs for the snacks, like - olives were eyes, and little pickles were little pinkies, carrot sticks were zombie fingers, and corn nuts were finger nails. salami was bat tounges, and bewitched cookies, etc. It was fun to do all that in Spanish since i had been teaching about Halloween in English all week. We had a very nice turn out of mostly my colleagues and friends. And for almost everyone it was their first Halloween party! There were vampires, superman, a pirate, a santa claus type. And I was Madre Tierra (Mother Earth) with a homemade wreath crown of leaves.

So all in all, I am learning a tremendous amount everyday. And enjoying all the aspects of my life that seems to be building itself. I am currently reading (very slowly) La Sombra del Viento and still eating my salads on the balcony. More and more time is being dedicated to lesson plans, teaching and most recently tutor. I am gather private students quickly. And now I teach approx 500 students a week, 700 students in total. More people to say 'hola' to on the streets of Ronda!