I entered school just before my second hour class today, that begins at 8:20, ready to meet the group in the courtyard for Monday morning’s “Ceremonía”. When I punched my card in the office I slid by the five girls who carry the flag around and were dressed in the special blue and white crisp, clean and bright uniforms. So, I stood in the courtyard for a couple minutes, wondering where all of the students were and a teacher walked by and told me that we weren’t having “Ceremonía” today but this week it would be on Thursday – the day before Mexican Independence Day. We have school off on Friday, September 16.
Not long into the class period, the “prefecta” stuck her head in to tell us we would have a “simulacro” at 9:00 for just first year students. Strange that just yesterday I learned what the word “simulacro” – a drill, in this case for earthquakes. So, as we left the classroom I muttered to the students, “You’re going to have to show me what to do.” All I knew is to stand in a doorway – and I don’t even know if that’s for an earthquake. We went to the courtyard and stood in between the two buildings; I learned from another teacher that the students shouldn’t stand on the cracks in between the slabs of concrete. They should stand in the green painted rectangles that have written “Secure Area” in the middle. The drill was repeated during the next class period, with just first year students, and then again during the next period with all students. About three years ago was the last time there was a sizeable earthquake at the school.
While the principal addressed the 79 first year students, I made my way around, “putting out the fires” of students chatting, pushing or hugging someone and prompted them to pay attention. As bothersome as I found the students’ behavior, I was a little satisfied to find that they aren’t treating me any differently than how they treat their other teachers or even administrators.
The students, however, have been making great strides with their comportment in my class. Last Thursday and Friday I left school in a fairly upbeat mood – rather than my previous feelings of complete dejection since I was struggling to teach while fending off and sending problem students to the hallway or to the principal. Today, I already met my goal– to make it through a class period without having to send a student to the hall or principal’s office = Successful Day!!! Next goal – make it through a class period without anyone losing a point. That goal is going to be tough, but I have my “mordidas” (literally bites, but a word used in Mexico for bribes) all ready.
