Kindergarten is awesome.

As many of you know, I prefer working with older children. I've done my field experience in a middle school and my practicum in the high school. I work with 7-11th graders here in the morning, but I work with kindergarteners in the afternoon. Now, I have fond memories of my kindergarten experience, and I have a great respect for kindergarten teachers, but it's not for me. Yes, it's fun, yes, the kids are adorable, and, yes, the teacher has to know something about a lot of different subjects, but it's sometimes hard to communicate with kids so young, and I sometimes have a hard time breaking things down into the smallest part of the explanation. Nevertheless, I've learned a lot from Seño Jacqueline, and I adore the kids I work with here!

Today, Seño asked me how Spanish was taught in schools in the U.S., and so I told her that in high school, we learn how to present ourselves and how to greet people,  we watch short videos and write about them, read stories, write stories, and we listen to songs. I told her about how Don Carlos uses music in his English classes and how well his students speak, and so she asked if I could teach some English songs in her classes! I mean, the kids already know tons of songs in Spanish, and even some in Nahuat. She doesn't speak English at all, which is why I'm helping her out (for the 20 minutes out of three hours that the kinders learn English, haha). So, tomorrow or Wednesday, I'm going to teach "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider!" I'm actually really excited! I have the hand motions down and everything. I even wrote out the Spanish translation to help both Seño and the kids understand (although I don't think many of the kids can read very well, yet). It might take a while to teach, since I'll have to speak slowly for the kids to hear how to pronounce the words before I put it to song, but I think it will be fun! I'm so excited!

Also, I can now count my five fingers in Nahuat:

finger = mapipi (pronounced "mah- pee-pee". It was a huge effort on my part not to die laughing when I heard the kids counting these today. I learned what it meant only after I heard the word).

So, counting 1-5 fingers in Nahuat:

se mapipi
ume mapipi
yey mapipi
nawi mapipi
makwíl mapipi

I can also say "nikneki nikuni at", which means "I want to drink water," and "nikneki ni machichi" means "I have to go pee."

"Yek tunat" is good morning, and "tut-tut" (toot-toot, like the sound they make!) means bird.

I am totally not ashamed to be learning a 3rd language along with these kindergarten students! This is awesome. The older kids help me with Spanish, I learn Nahuatl with the little kids, and I "teach" English. This is working out well. :)