Let the Classes Begin

What a tiring but satisfying day! I had my first class with all the kinder classes and they got better each time I executed the class. My last few classes are going to be the most productive because I will have perfected my routine after performing for the first three classes.

I realized that I didn't plan enough so I went onto things that we were going to start tomorrow. I started asking them what feelings I was feeling by showing them different faces. It was a good way to gauge if they knew the feelings yet and most of them did which was great. Kinder C has the most fluent English speakers and Kinder E has the most resistant. They all kept asking me why I couldn't explain things to them in Spanish and if I could speak Spanish. I told them all that I understand Spanish but I don't speak it.

Hehe. I am not going to speak to any of the girls in Spanish. They will always get English responses from me. This includes my first grade class that I will be watching during lunch time on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I think everyone will benefit from it. Hopefully, the girls will start asking me questions in English too. The goal is to get them speaking in complete sentences and to work on pronunciation. I think I can do a good job on eliciting better pronunciation but unfortunately, the English that the girls will be getting from the rest of their teachers as they go through elementary school will have an accent of sorts. That is not to say the girls won't learn English or learn how to speak well. Actually, the English pronunciation skills they get at the pre-kinder and kinder levels will ultimately help them later on. It becomes increasingly more difficult for kids to pick up dialects after the age of 6 years old. I will do my part as best as I can!

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I just had a quick interruption from my step-son. He is living with us this year and he just started school as well. He had some homework and I helped him print out a picture of the parts of the skin. I will be serving as homework helper this year since Marco works late. It's fine by me and it will give me good practice for when I have adolescents of my own down the road. I am set on him learning English and I have started asking questions and responding to him in English and he got frustrated but I am determined. The more you hear it and have to deal with it on a daily basis, the easier it becomes. It is just a matter of patience. I am planning on doing the same for Marco. Neither one is going to get off the hook! I won't speak Spanish at work with the girls and I would like to speak less at home. I will get plenty of Spanish speaking time every where else. Wish me luck on this endeavor!