The principal and assistant principal came to address Group 1C towards the end of the class period, in response to the letter that I gave to the principal on Tuesday, September 27. Of course, of the six students who I referred to in the letter, two were absent and didn’t get to hear the principal’s pep talk. He explained that they are very lucky because no other school in the area has a teacher from the United States – not even Secundaria 117 – the New Trier of the area. He continued that when I return to the States the information that I share about Mexican students would largely be based on my experience with them. He encouraged them to ask me about the United States, and demonstrated by asking, “Chicago es la ciudad de los vientos, ¿verdad?” (Chicago is the “windy city”, right?) He asked them if they know of a sports team from Chicago and Cristian said, in his thick accent, “Los Bulls.” The principal concluded by telling them to be my friend – a different view of the teacher-student relationship than I am accustomed to.
“Parental Support” seems to be an oxymoron when referring to Secundaria 293. However, during my last class of the day with Group 1B a mother poked her head in the doorway and asked me how her daughter Mari was doing in my class. I was so overcome with joy and optimism that a parent wanted to know about her child’s academic performance, that for a second, I forgot I was in the middle of a class. I asked if she could come back after the class, in ten minutes. Mari joined her mom and me and we discussed the need for her to participate more in class, as she is capable of doing so. Her mom commented that she couldn’t help Mari with English, so I suggested that Mari teach her mom what we do in class each day. It was so refreshing meeting a parent who is truly invested in her daughter’s well-being and school performance.
