School, Week Three

Classroom: Some of my students have begun to "sacar las uñas," or bare their teeth, as we might say in English.  However, armed with my glare (which needs no translation) and my favorite phrase this week: "We have 6 problems.  We have 4 problems.  Now we only have one problem,"  we have managed to get along alright.  As usual, there is always one class that gives me the opportunity to run through all my tricks, and I trust eventually we will gel.  Wednesdays are my long days- 8 to 3 with just the 9:40 "breakfast" break, but I get a chance to perfect the lesson.  I got a few new students this week, we worked with numbers, the alphabe, and role-played "useful phrases" in the level one classes and finished the "I used to" presentations in the 3rd year class (whew!)  This weekend I am tackling the job of entering all of my 200-plus students into my grading program.  Since everyone has 4-6 names, I'll have to be creative in my entry method (or spend 2 days typing!)

         Strike: The strike came home to roost on Monday when classes were cancelled for 3 hours, starting at 9 am, for a union meeting.  I was surprised the kids stuck around, but when we finally got out, most of my students showed up for the classes I had left.  The meeting began with a presentation by the union representatives about the current situation with the Alianza document, but then (after about an hour) transitioned into complaints about union transparency, union hypocrisy, retirement issues, and the main concern, which is how and when people get placed in vacancies or are advanced within the system.  Most teachers are paid by the hour, and the system for being able to get more hours is perceived to be one of favoritism.  Like most meetings that get a little out-of-control, there was the constant vocal critic, the constant wisecracker, the measured critic, and the people who walked out.   It was really only part-way into the second hour that my mind started to drift into how I would like to be in my classroom teaching the verb "to be."

        The third hour was dedicated to deciding whether we were going to strike or not.  The union representative was very clear: I cannot make the decision for you.  I can only carry the message of what you decided to the union.  You need to do this on your own.  

    Final decision: we will make a sign to be carried during the marches by people on their non-teaching hours.  We have all paid 20 pesos to be used for the materials.  

    It was also decided to not cancel classes for the rest of the day (which, as I was told, is normal to do after union meetings), because the local town is having a feria, and there was concern the students would leave school and go drinking.  

    The next day classes were cancelled at 2 for another meeting dealing with administrative issues.  

        Social:  A colleague had Reg and I over to his house for lunch this afternoon (I forgot to warn her that lunch meant we wouldn't get home until 9 pm!) and we had an amazing meal and got to spend time with the best-behaved 1st and 6th graders in all of Cuernavaca!  We were sent home home with apple tamales and a salsa so spicy it probably makes your hair grow faster as it tries to distance itself from your mouth.