Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Back in the Saddle

I felt really good when I landed in Mexico last night, like I was coming home. I passed through customs and was singing (in my head) the Mexican national anthem. I know about three of the words (I’m working on learning it) but was humming the tune – again, to myself and not out loud. Before exiting, I went to push the button at customs, literally crossed my fingers hoping for green and got it. I then stopped at a currency exchange and handed over my wad of U.S. dollars, that I took out of the ATM in Dallas. That way I was only charged a fee for taking money out of an ATM that is not my bank and wasn’t also fined for doing so out of the country. Then, exchanging the cash at a currency exchange in the airport gives one of the highest rates available. I walked out of Door 7 to meet Elisa’s dad. We threw my suitcases in the trunk, he handed the police officer 5 pesos (who knows for what exact reason, if there is one) and we were off.

I didn’t know how class would go today since I hadn’t seen the students in a week. I tried to bear in mind mom and dad’s advice to remember that the students may not remember the rules. So, I began class by reviewing them and class proceeded rather smoothly. I only had to send out a couple of students and my method of just asking them to come to the hallway to talk with me is still working. Rather than saying, “You have lost three points, go outside.” I ask, “Can I talk to you in the hallway for a moment?” The students come with me, and there I explain the reasons for having lost each point. I then decide if the student can just work out there or if I have to have someone fetch a “prefecto”.

When I asked Robby (one of the students with whom I met a couple of weeks ago with his mom and the principal) to go to the hallway so that we could speak, I couldn’t immediately get out there with him. When I glanced out there, I saw him hanging from the top of the door. I told him that if he could work diligently and independently in the hallway then I wouldn’t call a “prefecto”. Well, when I looked out there about 30 seconds later, his face was pressed against the glass, lips touching and he was breathing onto the window. I went out there, again, and looked down to the courtyard where the assistant principal was walking. I asked her to look for a “prefecto” and when Aurelio came up, I reviewed Robby’s card with both of them, showing how his day had gone. He first lost a point when he sat down, while everyone was on their feet at the beginning of class while I was giving instructions. He said that his feet hurt and I let him know that all he had to do was ask for permission to sit. Next, I asked for all of the students to look at the poster displaying the classroom rules and Robby had his head on his desk, facing the opposite direction. Finally, he was talking out loud. He wanted another chance (apparently they haven’t figured out yet that I stick to my guns and DO NOT change my mind), saying that he would be suspended. I explained that if that is the case, in the future he must think before acting and before speaking.

I was proud of myself for taking the day as it came and not getting overly emotional or frustrated. I continued to take it easy by meeting Andi for lunch around 3:15 at a pizza place in Condesa. After our excellent meal with perfect service, we headed to my old favorite, El Ocho, the café with wireless Internet. Rather than taking my computer out instead we sipped tea and battled it out in a game of Scrabble in Spanish.