mizz fleming.

"miiiiiizzzzz. miiiiizzzzz. MIIIIZZZZZ."
the voices you hear a million times per day as a teacher in mexico.

boy, do these kids know how to whine! they interupt conversations, demand immediate attention and are extremely impatient in waiting for help. however, they also worship the ground you walk on, give you hundreds of hugs per day and laugh at all your jokes.

teaching mexican children is very different than teaching canadian children. they have different routines, habits, academic standards and ways of looking at the world. they are (for the most part) privileged children who have not had to do a lot for themselves, living in the bubble of monterrey, completely unaware of the various religions and cultures around the world. in fact, it goes beyond being unaware - they cannot even comprehend the fact that life is different for other people.

here are my top five blessings and curses that my lovely children bring...

the good:

-they are incredibly touchy-feely. while in canada you can be put on trial for touching a child, in monterrey, they hug you, touch you, stroke your hair, hold your hand... after knowing you for only five minutes! today i was teaching the boys how to place their hands to dance with girls. it is actually considered an insult if you do not hug, kiss, and cuddle in return.

-teachers are valued. there is a constant debate as to whether north american teachers are properly valued and respected, but in monterrey, there is no question. we are looked upon as knowledgeable, professional experts in child development, discipline, language acquisition and child psychology. it is really quite an honour! almost all parents respect teachers and support us whole heartedly. we had parent-teacher interviews today and i was amazed at the parental support, involvement and general respect for teachers and their opinions. they really trust our opinions.

-they think the funniest things are cool. because anything 'different' is always cool, international teachers gain 'cool' status fairly quickly. i told them that when they are with miss. sarah they have to make sure they have their thinking caps on... and now anytime they hear the word 'think' they pretend to put their imaginary hats on. soo funny that something so potentially lame was a great success.

-outdoor education. literally. the school is all open concept, with hallways and courtyards open to the outside. when it is sunny it brings warmth and light into the school and when it is cold, apparently it gets really cold! the classrooms are not open to outside, but it is refreshing to have real plant life and gardens in the lobby.

-as a general rule, they take pride in their handwriting, and attempt to keep their work neat and tidy. their organizational skills on the other hand.....

the bad:

-these kids are enormously disorganized. they never know where their books are, they never have sharpened pencils, they always forget their homework (and have terrible excuses). it is important for them to take ownership and responsibility for their own actions, but this is not always a lesson they are learning at home.

-they are chatty cathy's. ooh boy. a room full of 20 talkers! they have little impulse control (both in spanish and in english) and they literally talk all the time. this is going to be a tough habit to break!

-the tortoise and the hare. coming from canada, i am fast-paced, energetic and move quickly during transitions. however, i teach a class full of turtles. it takes them forever to move anywhere, and switching from language to math seems to take 20 minutes! time is more fluid in mexico, and i don't think they have any concept of 'rushing'. i started a challenge with them today where we time how long it takes during transitions with a stop-watch, and it was the first time i have ever seen them run!

-they are very needy. before they properly read the instructions, review the questions or attempt to solve a problem on their own, i hear them continually calling "miiiiizzzzz". however, they have not developed the patience to wait for anything! at home, many of them have drivers and maids who they can boss around so they are not accustomed at school to have to wait their turn. we are going to aim towards more independence and being pro-active problem solvers.

-their food schedule. mexicans eat a late lunch, and a very late dinner. we give the students a break for lunch, but none of them actually use it to eat! they eat an unhealthy snack (chips, candy, pop), giving them just enough energy to jump off the walls in the afternoon... but they don't eat a balanced lunch until they get home at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. not exactly conducive to quality learning.

but, as per usual, through the good (a kid finally writing a small moment narrative), the bad (a kid standing on his chair to get my attention), and the ugly (cockroaches in the classroom), i adore them all the same.