Organism, Miss B.

Today as I was grading papers I came across something that made me grin from ear to ear. It is a prime example of why I love teaching & why I love someone named Stevie. 


My students' assignment was to "Make a drawing of an organism living in a biome that receives direct sunlight all year long. Label your organism's adaptations". Stevie decided to draw me (the organism) sitting in a beach chair soaking up the sun (my students are well aware of my love of the Mexican sun). Next to me are my "adaptations", in the form of a can of Coke (my constant companion in Mexi) and a bag of peanuts (which are my purchase of choice at the school snack shop). 

Organism, Miss B. 

This is classic Stevie. He nailed the assignment, proved he understood the concepts & was over the top creative to boot. About two years ago this assignment would have made me heave a huge sigh & write a paragraph on his paper about how he didn't understand the directions. 

I look so happy!

What two years, and this young man have taught me is that learning, understanding and creativity don't have to be exclusive entities. 

Other reasons why I (and you should) love Stevie...

1. He has a stuffed brown and white cow named Cafe con Leche that he brought to school most days last year. 

2. His Facebook name is Supertivi Babycow and he introduces himself at times as the MooLord. 

3. He signs his papers "TV" as a shortened version of Stevie. That is, when he remembers to put his name on papers at all. 

4. One day in class he began coughing violently, and persisted for about five minutes. Eventually, with a loud gagging sound he pulled a piece of peanut out of his mouth, studied it and then popped it back in and swallowed. Turning to a wide-eyed and utterly silent class he said, "I've been looking for that for days!"

MooLord, I'm going to miss you!

Blank Canvas.

Usually, when my students are finished with a test, I allow them to turn the test over and draw. Sometimes I'll ask them to write me a note about a specific subject. Once I asked for advice what I should bake for a party I was hosting. No matter what, the 'blank canvas' of the last sheet of a test usually proves to alluring not to christen with doodles for students who are finished early. 

Just yesterday my sixth grade Science class completed a test about cells and cell reproduction. They were given the instructions that they could turn the paper over and doodle on the back. My favorites by far are the following...

I like that the Mac computer is shining, in all it's glory. 

And yes, that's my name along the right hand side. This student has tried to forge my signature since fifth grade.   

 I think he still has work to do...don't you? :) 

 A plea from an older sister to know the placement of her younger sister for next year.

 High five! 

 Hello Little Shorts. 

(If you look closely, you'll notice that this behemoth even has hairy KNEES)

 So detailed! 

The only explanation for this one is that one of the answers on the test was 'sperm cells'. 

Perhaps these are happy sperm? Sad sperm? Determined sperm? 

Tears and Teleton.

About a week ago Clare, my middle school supervisor stopped me while I was outside with a class. She asked me with her winning smile and almost conspiratorial manner if I would like to accompany the eighth grade on a field trip to the Teleton. It is a complex devoted to the rehabilitation of children who have disabilities such as multiple sclerosis, pulmonary disease and a range of other handicaps. They offer their services of diagnosis, therapy and equipment completely free to those who are enrolled and can do so through generous donations from those throughout Mexico. It reminds me a lot of Unicef, the Red Cross and the Salvation Army in the United States. I agreed to chaperone the field trip, but was uncertain about why I was asked to go and what I would come across.

For the following week, when I thought about the upcoming trip, I would question...Why was I chosen? I've never taught these students. They don't really know me. I'm not the BEST person to pick in terms of management, Spanish ability or understanding of eighth graders. Up until this morning, five minutes before the trip, I was asking myself these same questions.

When I got to the front gate this morning, I saw four girls dressed in costumes with baskets of palletas. One was dressed like Snow White, the other Little Red Riding Hood, and two others were dressed as clowns (but cute ones, not creepy at all). They were bounding with energy (which might have been fueled by the candy in their baskets) and were talking nonstop. These students I was worried about controlling were a bundle of nerves, shyness and excitement. I got a hug when it was discovered that I would be coming with them!

As we walked into the airy waiting room of the the complex I was struck by the cleanliness, the friendly demeanor of the staff, the organization (which is so often lacking here) and the warmth of the staff towards us, their visitors. We were first taken on a tour of the complex, which is a right of any citizen of Mexico, if they simply call and make an appointment. From the tone of our tour guide's voice, not many people take that opportunity. They were excited that we had come, could not wait to tell us about the positive gains their patients were making and pointed out that everyone in the building had a smile on. Which was completely true. Parents. Nurses. Volunteers. Even the kids who were in therapy! There was one little boy who was walking on a machine that moved his legs in the natural rhythm of walking, despite his lack of strength. He had the BIGGEST smile on that inspired me to smile.

We were then directed to a room that looked like a classroom, with a projector and desks in rows. I was told by my eighth grade counterparts that the desks at Teleton were much more comfortable than those at Lincoln. There we were introduced to two little boys and their mothers. The eighth grade class prior to our trip had raised money with fundraisers at Lincoln and selling various things outside of school. With that money, Teleton was able to buy a respirator for the three year old we met who has a severe pulmonary disease as well as a walker for a sweet 8 year old named Santiago. The mothers were each asked to describe their son's disability, how much time they had spent at Teleton and how our gift would transform their child's life. Soon, there wasn't a dry eye in the room as the women shared their gratitude and the students realized their impact. Two students were chosen to present the gifts and it was a once in a lifetime experience for me to see these kids who have EVERYTHING in the world at their fingertips realize how they could so easily change someone's life. We then watched a video about a boy who was born without arms and how his therapy taught him to use his feet to color, to change his clothes, to wash himself and to eat. At one moment, there is a shot of him enjoying some sticky food and he instinctively licked his toes as if they were his fingers. The room erupted in laughter and I looked over to my seatmate, a big, tough eighth grade guy who smiled at me with tears in his eyes! There were lots of sniffs throughout the room.

We then left to enjoy lunch at the cafeteria and I assumed this was the end of the heart wrenching moments. I was right, until the moment we were about to leave. As we left the cafeteria, I caught sight of a boy about sixteen years old. He reminded me a lot of the boys I was on the trip with, with a trendy haircut, skinny jeans, Gap Tshirt and cool sneakers. The only difference was that he was sitting in a wheelchair. He had a disability that didn't allow him to control his hands or his facial muscles very well, but his eyes and demeanor perked up as my students went strolling past, oblivious to the young man near the door. The girls in costumes noticed him and offered him a lollipop. He laboriously reached into the basket, chose a pop and desperately tried to look them in the eye to say thank you. They smiled at him and walked on, unaffected. In that instant I was struck with the fact that the ONLY thing that separated this sweet boy and the boys who were now in the hallway was a debilitating disease. He had the same thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals, desires. He wanted to be noticed by girls. He wanted to succeed in life, just as these eighth graders. And he had so, so, so much more to overcome! As I walked out of the cafeteria, I started to weep, then sob, then bawl. I couldn't stop crying! A huge eighth grade guy saw me and started to hug me and I went right on crying. These were tears of compassion, of desperation for the situation, of thankfulness of my own situation and frustration that the students around me couldn't realize how blessed beyond belief they are.

In the cafeteria, I realized why I was supposed to go on this trip. To remind me that I have no right to complain about what God's given me. And to push me to remind my students of the same.

How do I love you? Let me count the ways.

In honor of Valentine's Day and all things amor, I thought I would share with you a list of things that I love about Mexico...

1. I'm sitting outside, in flip flops enjoying a gentle breeze and sun in JANUARY. New Jersey right now? Covered in snow.

2. Anything (fashion wise), turquoise nails, huge hair clips, multicolored cropped hair...that I think is too much, over the top or tacky is always met with 'Que guapa!' by my Mexican friends.

3. The close to the Equator sun.

4. People in my neighborhood look me in the eye, smile and greet me when I walk by.

5. One word...TACOS.

6. Family is super important. When I ask my 6th graders about weekend plans, they always seem to include family time. And my kids aren't embarrassed by this! (One drawback in this family-centric country, for me? My own family isn't here.)

7. Greetings include a side kiss. When you enter a room, Mexican culture says you kiss/greet all present. Ditto when you leave a room. The U.S. 'Okay, bye!' said from the door? The definition of rude.

8. Men carry their lady's bag for them. Even if it's a Hello Kitty backpack.

9. Boys are raised to be gentlemen. They let you go first, hold the door for you, carry heavy stuff for you, and are more than willing to help you.

10. Girls are raised to look for boys who are gentlemen. And accept the help offered them.

11. Mexican food is simple, with lots of fresh ingredients, but almost impossible to replicate.

12. People really do ride in the back of pickup trucks!

13. I have a market down the street that sells everything from fruit, vegetables, yogurt, cheese, chickens, flowers, hot meals, fruit smoothies (liquados) to bras and high heels.

14. Sitting in the glorietta (city or neighborhood center) and eating a paleta (ice pop) is perfectly normal evening entertainment. Add tacos? A night on the town!

15. Ice cream = year round treat.

16. You can visit the doctor for $3.00. No appointment needed. Prescriptions filled immediately afterwards, usually for less than $20.00.

17. Flip flops = year round shoe choice.

18. The student/teacher relationship is much more relaxed than in the U.S. I often forget I'm talking to students and feel like I'm with friends. Who I can give detentions to.

19. Comida. The 3 o'clock meal that is perfect for enjoying at a cafe with a friend after work. It also beats waiting until seven to eat dinner, like I used to.

20. Fruit stands that are on the corner and offer plastic containers of fresh watermelon, pina, cucumber, melon, jicama...all available with a squirt of limon, a sprinkle of chile and always under a $1.

21. Taxis are cheap, and usually easy to get. The only tradeoff is answering the taxista's questions about your nationality, job and relationship status.

22. ADORABLE children. Dora the Explorer does exist, and goes to Lincoln School!

23. Lush gardens, trees, flowers, all year.

24. Coke has real cane sugar. There is nothing like it.

25. Pan dulce. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

26. Everything is slower, or on 'Mexican time'. No one arrives to anything early, let alone on time. I'm perpetually 15 minutes late after three years of Mexican time.

27. Spicy food! Most things have chile added in, including Cheetos, Dorritos, lollipops, random candy, anything with mango, sandwiches, salads. I'm converted!

28. Cowboy boots.

29. Spanish. I have a love/hate relationship most days, but I am blown away by how much I can understand and interact with. I still think it's one of the most lovely languages out there.

30. Valentine's Day isn't a day of mushy love stuff here. It's more a dia de amistad (day of friendship), which is much better than singleness awareness day.