Speaking English Hardly Qualifies One to Teach it!

This week I began teaching side classes after school and this has forced the realization that just because I speak English on a regular basis does not mean that I am qualified to teach it. For me, English just is, I don't remember most of the rules about grammar and sentence structure I just go with what sounds right. Sometimes what sounds right is technically wrong, but I'm slowly working on that point. Lucky for me, one of the classes I teach is through Mosaic, the language school run by Maite. This means that they have a collection of books and activities that I can use, most of which explain the rational behind what is right and what is wrong.

Yesterday while I was preparing for Carlota's class I read through the directions to many activities; this was eye-opening because it was the first time in a while that I had to think about why we speak the way we do. She specifically needed to work on the words yet, already and since. I just know when to use yet or already, so it was difficult to explain how we use them. Thankfully the sheet had some examples and I could make up a few more on my own. I think Carlota understood me, but that is probably because she speaks a good amount of English. My next lesson was not as easy.

I also teach a family in their home. This family consists of a 12 year old boy, a seven year old girl and their mother. The boy has been taking English for a while, but he speaks about as well as my 4th graders here at school. The girl also takes classes in school, but since they are little kids it is mostly playing games and a little bit of vocabulary. The mom took English 20 years ago and wants to re-learn the parts she needs to travel. She told me, in Spanish, about how she has ideas but doesn't know how to express them. She also told me that when she was in NYC she went shopping and thought a shirt was on sale, but when they rang it up the mark-down wasn't included and she had no idea how to ask about that.

This is a situation I can totally understand, seeing as my Spanish is functional, but no where near my level of English. It frustrates me that I can't be as articulate in Spanish as I am in English. I fancy myself quite funny and charming in English, but in Spanish I am reduced to simple tenses and facts, not jokes. I thought about what I would do if faced with a situation like hers, and I realized that I would probably end up paying more because I don't know how to argue that point. Maybe Maribel (the mom) can teach me how in Spanish, just in case I need to claim a discount!

I plan to spend some time on Friday in the Mosaic office plotting out the course of my lessons. Since they are after school I have to run from school to the office and only have enough time to really think about that afternoon's activities. I'm not sure how many of you knew about my near-meticulous planning for Boys & Girls Club, but I had activities planned for the whole six weeks by the start of week one. They gave us an empty calendar with the spaces we had for the different hours and I filled in those boxes with games and crafts and other things. I liked having a plan, flying by the seat of my pants did occur if someone suggested a good idea or activity, but I liked to have an idea what I was going to be doing. This time I want to make photocopies of pages, for not just Monday's lesson but maybe for the rest of the month. I also want to chart out what I am going to do with Maribel and her family. When are we going to talk about certain topics and what games am I going to play with her daughter.