The Teacher Student

It's interesting being a teacher-student. I'm hyper aware of teaching strategies, my learning style, the needs of the other students in the class, what's working, what's not.

Being in class has been a good reminder of how I must sometimes make my students feel (yes, including my native speakers). For example, the other day we had the most frustrating homework in which we had to arrange and conjugate the words of others into a specific sentence.

I understood the concept and the intention of the words and the sentence they would form, but I wanted to make something longer and more complete. However, that was incorrect. My understanding of the activity and my style of learning and comprehension didn't match the lesson's objective.

But, I'm not an objective. I'm a person.
So I expressed this concern to the teacher - This isn't what I would say. This doesn't show my understanding. This doesn't reinforce my knowledge. This isn't how I would write this.

Then, we commenced a writing exercise using the learned concepts in our own words.
It's so much more useful when you can exercise your own understanding of a concept and not be confined to a box or curriculum.

This has had me thinking about our terrible education system, and all the kids who sit and stare at their homework every night feeling inept and unable. They're capable kids, they just need the opportunity to show their knowledge and understanding in authentic ways.

We don't give people enough authentic chances.

It's interesting to be able to evaluate myself as student and teacher. And it's especially helpful to know how to advocate for myself. This week has been hard for me as I've really missed my original teacher. It's hard to give up someone who teaches to your learning style.

--- Anyway, today was another simple day. I woke up, ate fruit and beans and tortillas and went to school. On my way to school, I desperately hoped to come across a fruit stand so I could eat some grapefruit, and my wish came true! Not that it's a surprise. There are fruit people all over the place.

I was so happy to eat my grapefruit.

Then, there was class. It was class. Not great, not terrible. Just class. And I was really tired. And then I got hungry, so after class I went to look for food but the place I wanted to eat at was too expensive for what I had in my wallet...

So I ate at home. And then I did my dishes. And then I took El Principito (a book) and my things to school where I did my homework {I like studying near teachers} and read. I just look up and write down the words and phrases I don't know. While I was studying, my former teacher came over and I got a mini-lesson about the past-subjunctive.

I love school.

After studying, Francis, Chonita, Lisa, Billy, Trinedad, and myself went down the street to a bar. Inside, there was a wall with a waterfall. Chonita and Trinedad got drinks they didn't like that had tapioca pearls in them. We took turns being silly, saying silly things, and playing with wax lips.

You know, like adults do.

And then I went home. Oh, the groundskeeper at this place kills me. He's the funniest guy around. He's like something out of a sitcom. I hope to find the time and words to fully explain him. He's a riot.