first day of school

* these entries from 5/26 *

Class Uno

The school house -- Jacinto Gordillo Escuela. The building -- cylindrical with wide windows. Green and yellow trapezoid desks are lined next to one another. Images of an axe, a bone, a Christmas tree, and Kevin are pasted to one wall. I wonder how frequent a sentence using those words might occur. An image of a sofa and a woman appears on a Nouns poster, in the Places column. Some of the décor raises a few other question marks.

The teacher introduces me to the class as Jessica; I correct him, and am greeted by the class as Yessica. We start with a simple game of hangman to test their usage of the English alphabet and some basic words. The kids go bananas -- hands shoot in air, students leaned out of their seats, letters shouted, tossed around the room.

A "C" is called out.

Yes.

"Candy Store!" they yell.

No.

An "H" is called out.

Yes.

"Candy Store!" they yell.

Not quite.

After a decent stick man with shoes, shoelaces, ears, hair and fingers is drawn, the students finally get the right answer -- children -- and begin chanting the discovered word. Their enthusiasm made me appreciate the alphabet and the joy of simple things.





Class Dos

The teacher brings me to the front of the class and introduces me as Jasmine. He sweeps his hand across the rows of colorful little desks dotted with little heads as though presenting the finale of a magic trick. Okay, go ahead, he says.

I feel like an image on the wall – a big question mark. Face feeling flush and a rising heat on ears; public speaking in front of a 4-year-old audience has made me rather nervous.

What is your name, I ask a small boy in the front row.

His expression -- also a question mark.

In a moment of impulse, I have the entire class stand up and turn around in circles until I say stop. I figure this will tire them out, but it has a adverse effect -- like a wind up toy, energy builds until they spin out of control.

Left with the task of restoring order was like trying to corral puppies in a small circle. There are types of puppies – the ones that escape, the ones that chew on each other’s ears, the ones that chase after their tails, the ones that run up to strangers and jump on their legs, the ones that sleep, the ones that disappear and are found chewing on some random thing like toilet paper... to illustrate.



hugs & puppy corralling


Class Tres

Use your hands, I say, pointing to my fingers.

He leans back in his chair, closes his eyes, shakes his head and exhales; his feet swing back and forth under him, I don't know.

The other students struggle with their assignment -- a set of five basic math equations: two addition, two subtraction, and one multiplication. One student has changed his minus signs to plus signs and resorted to addition. Another student has a blank page in her lap. A girl is helping a boy cheat; 4+5=18? The first person to answer all the questions correctly wins a bouncy ball. They are very excited about this.

The idea of seven year olds not comprehending basic math. This sleepy volcanic island of less than three thousand residents has been referred to as the end of the supply chain, a place where everything from ice cream to gasoline must be imported. But what about letters, numbers, and more education...