What you didn't know about Spanish schools

I'd like to think I didn't start my first week on the job completely ignorant of what I may find. Through orientation and simple word-of-mouth, I knew that I could expect a more casual environment within the school, different methods of teaching and the school routine in general; but here's the deal...I was still blindsided. Here's a short list of "surprises" for me after working my first week as a language assistant at a bilingual school.

6. Bilingual schools are on a whole other playground

Yes, the children still learn what nouns and adverbs are. They learn about animals, geography, what carbon dioxide is and what "perspective" means in art class. But the catch is they're doing it in a language other than their mother tongue. It really hit me when I turned the corner in the hallway and witnessed a little boy about 7 years old run up to a teacher, pause to think and then confidently say, "I forgot my book out of my backpack in the cafeteria"--in English! I was so jealous. Growing up in a bilingual school will make all the difference in these children's lives.

5. There exists a food chain in bilingual schools

In bilingual schools, math and Spanish (equivalent to our English classes) are the only classes taught in the Spanish language. Everything else, including science, is in English. Therefore, you have to be on top of your game in order to follow along with class topics sometimes. The level between students even within the same class really took me by surprise. One student may excel because they grew up with an American dad who's family speaks only English on Sundays so the kids can practice; while another student's parents may have invested in English-speaking nannies since they were toddlers. Then there is the student in the back who just joined the bilingual school system this year. Or there may be the child who was on a farm in Ecuador with their family for 5 months and just returned to school (don't ask me how that's legal...) The teachers have to keep up with everyone's background in order to fully help the students, because everyone is different.

4. There's visible proof to the system's success

Like I said before, I work with 4th graders and 6th graders. With the way my schedule works, on my first day I started with the 6th graders. They pulled me aside and (still clumsily but successfully) told me stories about what they did last weekend and who they're favorite singer is, they asked clear questions to the teacher and learned what carbon dioxide was in Science class. As I moved on to the 4th graders in the afternoon, I walked in expecting the same thing, but woah was it different. Of course they are not going to be on the same level as 12 year olds, but it is clear that they are only in the first few years of the bilingual school system. They are not as confident in trying to speak English and talk in broken sentences and very contorted accents. I love seeing the difference between the grades because it really shows how much these kids are going to improve in just a couple of years.

3. There's a fine line between...wait no there's not.

This is one of those things that I had heard before I started on my first day, but really had to see it with my own eyes to fully comprehend. To put it short and sweet, Spanish schools come with a very, very casual environment. When I say this, it's everything from the way classes are taught to the relationship between the students and teachers. On my first day of school, I showed up about half an hour early, as though I should...if I were in America. The front office giggled at me with curious looks and just told me to wait until 9:30 when the bell rings. Then at exactly 9:29 a.m., the teachers strolled in. The teachers and students are very "touchy" with each other (as in hands on their shoulders walking by, hugs, etc.) Kids call out in class and teachers yell, "Shut up Edgar!" in English--this makes me laugh every time because they don't realize how harsh it sounds. Students call teachers by their first names. And if a teacher doesn't really feel like teaching a certain lesson plan that day, they may up and change it within a couple of minutes. On Friday science class quickly transformed into art class and sketching just based on the teacher's simple explanation: "It's Friday."

Don't get me wrong, the students still learn. I mean it is a school.

2. Boss is to employee as Fred Flinstone is to Barney Rubble

They work together, but they're best friends. Yep I think I hit this analogy on the head when it comes to Spanish schools and The Flinstones. This is probably one of the biggest things I'm going to have to get used to. In the U.S., a boss is a boss. Yes, you can grab a drink at Happy Hour (yet usually more often with co-workers) or talk about how the weekend was, but there is still a fine line between boss and employee. In Spain, it is a much more open and (here's that word again) casual relationship. The teachers expect you to ask them how their sister is doing and what their kids thought about the movie they went to on Friday night. They would love to grab a beer (or shot) with you at lunch. And they're no prude when it comes to gossip.

In fact, I already have a perfect example: On Friday, all of the young teachers asked another assistant and I to join them for lunch during the two-hour break. We all got beers and a ton of food, and then at the end they ordered shots. Yes, shots. Not to get wasted or anything before returning to work...they were more like a dessert shot. But still...if that's not crossing the line then the line just plainly doesn't exist.

1. Wait...I like teaching?

Biggest surpise, the big #1: I could get used to teaching. Don't sign me up for getting my teaching license or anything, but I will say that helping kids learn English is already way more rewarding than I thought. Even helping the teachers come up with efficient methods is fun, because I have different perspectives in what could really help the students since it's my native language. The teachers really rely on me and I like that. This job will be creative, eye-opening, rewarding, sometimes stressful, but all worth it. But hey it's only the first week. One day at a time...

#teaching #culture