Things that make me smile...

Sometimes after a long day when I have had three classes of psico in a row, it is hard for me to think about coming back to school the next day with a smile on my face.  However I am working on staying positive and focusing on the positive, because that is what can make or break a day.  So here is a list of small things throughout the day that make me smile.


1. Talking with one boy during patio.
I may not understand the majority of what he says, but I do know his dad has a friend that speaks only English and basically half of what he says to me is about English.  Today he asked me how to say ballet in English... ballet. I explained to him that it is a French word and he was like "oh, so you know French?" Then I explained to him that no, I don't not know French, but I have taken many years of ballet.  His endless rambling might not be well communicated, but its nice to have the distraction from the chaos around me.

2. One student's goofiness.
Although most of the time it comes out when he is acting out in psico, I can't help but have a soft spot for him. He has had an English nanny for years, so he understands English very well.  So if anything I can use him as an example to the other kids, because they pay attention when he is up front.

3.  One of my five year old class.
Just everything about them. They are the best class that I work with and she is just the sweetest woman.  At the end of the day I basically have my choice of classes to go into until I have to take the 5 year olds down to their parents, but now I only go to her class, because, well they are my favorite.  Today I even brought an English book with me to read to them while they ate their sandwiches and their teacher said "que suerte tenemos que Kendall ha traido un cuento en ingles!" (How lucky are we the Kendall brought an English book to read).

4. "Help, please."
This is what I have taught the boys in the previously stated class to say when they need help tucking in their shirts.  It comes with many variations like, "hop please" and "hell please" and "holp peas" but regardless, they are starting to remember it all on their own which is really cute.

5. Helping one of the five year olds at the end of the day.
He is this goofy kid who always has something going on.  Whether his shoes are on the wrong feet, his shirt is tucked into his underwear, or his pants are on backwards, it is always something.  But he is loving life regardless.  Sometimes he give me big whopping kisses on the cheek, and despite how grubby his little face and hands probably are I can't help but smile.  Today after he used the bathroom and put his sweater on, he ask me to tuck in his shirt and I looked at it and said "mira" (look) because it was already tucked in, he then got this amazed look and said "es magico!" He was absolutely in awe that the shirt was already tucked in, it was hilarious.

6. The endless flow of "teechair" and then a hug.
My second name is really just teacher.  That what I am called most of the time, which is fine because it is generally followed by a hug.

7.  The kids have started calling me Kendall.
Even though teacher is basically my name, the kids sometimes do call me Kendall.  Especially one boy from the five year olds who calls me Kendall just as if we are good friends, its really funny.  And last week, the THREE year olds started calling me Kendall, which is a major accomplishment for them because I don't spend much time with them.  One student even told her mom my name was Kendall.

8. This one very special boy with autism.
Anything he does is precious.  He has autism and he is absolutely the sweetest child.  He is always just doing his own thing and having the time of his life and it makes me so happy.

9. When my problem child is on his good behavior. 
Recently that is few and far between but I just love his hugs and when he holds my hand.  He has something wrong with his bones or something, so he runs really funny, but it is so cute (kinda like watching a puppy run).

10. How the english teacher understands that nothing at the school makes sense.
She is one of the English teachers and she understands our pain and she doesn't hide the fact that she just thinks some things are so dumb.

11.  A different boy with autism.
Even though I rarely get to work with him, we seem to have a special bond.  He also has autism and because of this he has the incredible ability to speak English.  No one has taught him, he just knows it.  He also loves to copy everything you say and that he has heard ever which is cute.  One time he was standing beside me while we waited to get into the pool and I heard him say "find the lowercase b." Completely random but I like he had probably heard it from a toy that was in English.  Anyways, overtime he sees me he just watches everything I do and he will go out of the way to hold my hand.  I think it might have something to do with me being American and my accent is what he is used to hearing from where ever he is hearing his English (probably the TV).

12. Five year olds singing the Tooty Ta.
As I said before, they are obsessed and will just go about singing it.  It makes me happy knowing tat least I have taught them on thing.


I'm sure there are more, but that is all I can think of for now.
Hasta luego.