Cheese!

This week, along with finishing up teaching and preparing materials to leave for the teachers, I've been taking photos of all the students and classes. I've taught them the phrase "Cheese!", and now everywhere I go in the school, I hear the word. At least the students will know that and "Good morning" if nothing else.

I've been encountering a bit of machismo in my classes lately, and I'm really not down with machismo. Some of the male students come to class and do nothing but goof off and disregard my redirection. Last week the director had to come to one of my Freshman classes (damn Freshman!!!) because they were so disrespectful. The part that facinated me was when the director asked the offending students to stand up and identify themselves--and they did. Apparently this is a badge of honor--disrespect a female and be proud that you did it. One of my Sophomore classes showed me similar disrespect yesterday, so I've decided that I'll give them one warning, then I send them back to their regular teacher. It's a privilege for them to leave the classroom and come with me to play Bingo and sing songs, so I don't have to deal with students who don't feel like "comportándose". It worked--the students get written up, and I don't see them anymore.

The other classes are really good. I especially like the little ones, who run up and hug me wherever I am, and shout "Hello, Miss!" and "Good Morning!" and "How are you?" The older ones all want my Messenger address--I don't chat in English, I don't know how I'm going to do it in Spanish. I'm thinking about setting up an email-penpal program between the students here and my students in the U.S.

It's still cold, and the closer I get to leaving the less I want to tolerate it...But I will be warm soon.