Anecdotes From My Amigitos

As my last post was somewhat negative, I wanted to point out some positive things about my internships, particularly the ones that involve Spanish-speaking kids. Two days a week I am at an early childhood center for children ages 3-4 where I only work with kids in the Spanish class. One day a week I am at an elementary school and work with bilingual kids. Let me just say that Spanish kids are adorable. Some of the things they do I would consider annoying or bratty but because they're being annoying and bratty while speaking Spanish, it's cute...most of the time. Here are some of my recent stories/highlights:

• My Spanish has improved EXPONENTIALLY. More than I thought possible. I really feel like I'm at the same level I was when I left Spain and that's saying something considering I studied abroad 3 years ago. The kids understand me and I understand them.*
• *One of my first days we had this kid and for the life of me I could not understand what he was saying except for a word or so in a long string of words. Then I found out that he speaks jargon most of the time. Mystery solved and self-confidence boosted.
  
• Today, I went over the goals I wrote for a child's IEP (individualized education plan for you non-education folks) and I did it in Spanish.
• Today I worked with a little girl on her initial /s/ sound and /l/ blends. /s/ is super hard for her and I made her work hard. Her /l/ blends were coming along nicely and I asked her if she had fun when I walked her back to her class. Her response: "lo encante!" = I loved it! Score one for maestra Jenna.
• I love that I can be called by my first name at these schools. I get called a myriad of things: Jenna, Seniorita Jenna, maestra (teacher), and maestra Jenna.
• The kids think I'm funny. I know I'm goofy with kids but I'm glad it translates across languages. They were quite amused by my fireman voice and telling of The 3 Little Pigs. I was also told that I was crazy.
  
• I have one kid that I just adore (there are plenty I love, but this kid especially) - he has a cute little faux hawk and doesn't have many words but for some reason, he responds really well to me and seems to like me. He usually tries to get me to play with him or sit by him when we come into the classroom.
  
• Last week, I was working on categorization with a little boy and I asked him where parrots live thinking he would say in the rain forest or in the jungle. Instead he responded with something unintelligible ending in "barco" which is boat. So I'm thinking, what the heck is this kid talking about and he kept telling me that parrots live on boats. Then I heard the word for pirate and realized that he was right. Apparently I'm not up on my pirate knowledge.
• Today, a kid was going on and on (in Spanish) about how sharks live in the water and they eat fish and people. The other kid looked afraid but it was an entertaining tale of all things sharks.
• Last but not least, I was in the classroom today playing with a child when another one looked at me weird and said "porque hablas espanol?" (Why do you speak Spanish?) I was wondering when one of these kids would point out that I was white. Not knowing what to say, I asked him why he spoke Spanish and then the SLP asked him if he asked me this question because I have lighter hair and skin. He said no but I think he lied.