La segunda semana

I can´t believe week two is over already it has gone by so fast. I had a good week with my students. They are forcing me to practice my Spanish because they insist on talking to me in Spanish outside of questions they ask during class. Some of the students got in a lot of trouble this week with the teachers and were suspended for a day for lying to the principal. Fortunately, most of them apologized to the teachers today when they returned for their behavior, when I told my host mom about what happened she said it was a good learning experience for me to see what students are capable of and how the school handled it, and I agree, it definitely taught me what the students are capable of. I have also learned that sitting in the back or observing while another teacher teaches can teach you alot about what to look for when you are in front of the classroom. I have seen more mischief from the back of the room in the last two weeks than some teachers notice in a month from the front. I definitely know which students to keep an eye on for note passing and for attempts at cheating. It also helps that I remember all the tricks my friends and I used to pull to pass notes in class, I remember one where you fold it up really small and tuck in the clip of pen and act like you are lending the pen to your friend, I haven´t seen that one yet, but these students aren´t as subtle, they like to just throw the note across the room. They are good kids though, some of them asked me if I want to go to bowling with them next Friday after school. I don´t know if I will be going but it was very nice of them to ask. They are always curious if I have a game for them too which tells me they are enjoying them. I have already pretty much taken over teaching math for my teacher and they seem to be getting it, which is definitely a good thing.
I have some fun things planned for the weekend, tomorrow my host family is taking me to see the lighting of the Cathedral which I´m told includes fireworks and music on Saturdays. On Sunday my host brother is going to take me to see some of the historical sites downtown, el centro. My teacher Miss Monica also tells me that there are trolley tours of the city and leyendas, legends that you can take tours of to learn about Morelian legends, and that is something I would love to hear. I will post pictures and tell all about my weekend on Monday or Tuesday.
I also made plans today to start taking salsa dancing lessons, and a jewelry making class. I´m so excited! El Baile, dance is very traditional for Mexico and other Latin American Countries, and I can´t wait to make my own traditional jewelry, and most of you know what a sucker I am for gorgeous earrings and necklaces, and to have made them myself in the traditional style will be great.
Things are going great at the school. The last few days I have been in the teachers lounge a little more and have been listening to the conversation and I am glad that I am actually understanding most of it. Hopefully soon I will feel confident enough to put my two cents in. Today they were talking about how the 6th graders are learning about puberty and reproduction in their Spanish class, and I sure am glad that I am not teaching that subject with these students, the questions they could come up with would probably make me blush. I think perhaps I will wait on teaching Middle school until I have a few more years between my age and that of my students because right now it would be like teaching it to a sibling or a cousin, and professionally speaking I don´t think I´m ready to teach that subject.
The teachers are really nice though and I hope to get to know them better as time goes on, they all seem to get along with each other very well which I think is important for a school to have teachers that get along and can work well together. I finally met the principal yesterday, I haven´t really seen him around the school, but maybe now that I know who he is I will see him more often. I´m sure I will see him next Friday when the kids have a half a day and the teachers stay to have meetings about what will be happening in the next months curriculum. It will be my first official teacher meeting! How exciting! (and no that´s not sarcasm at least not this time, future meetings maybe but the first one will actually be exciting :) )
Overall my stay so far has been great and I can´t believe how fast it´s going. I am so lucky to be here to work with the students at Varmond and to get to know so many wonderful people and such a beautiful city. More next week. Hasta luego!