¡Mi Nuevo Trabajo!

It's official.  I got my first paycheck so I am confident in saying I officially have a job!!!!  It took quite a few months to get here, but alas, I have arrived!

As of August 1st, I was hired as a teacher at a local Christian private school.  The school is bilingual so the fact that I am more English than Spanish speaking actually came to work in my favor!  So, there I was, a week before the kids started, preparing to take on 28 (yes, 28) 2nd - 4th graders (yes, all in one class).  Here, they group the kids together because this is a school where the kids essentially teach themselves with workbooks (that are all in English).  The teachers are there to serve as part tutor, part warden, part translator.  As the days went on in our "training", I realized that I knew nothing about what I was about to embark on,  there was no review of the system, no FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions), not even a teacher's manual available.  So while fighting a knot from forming in my stomach I reminded myself, Michelle, God will never give you anything that you can't handle...follow the path.  So, I talked excitedly about the opportunity with my family and eagerly shopped for supplies to help put the 'Misha Touch' on my classroom.  

While fighting back worried feelings of failure, I was also dealing with a significant language barrier.  Sure, the school is supposed to be a bilingual school, but the reality is everyone's native language here is Spanish (except for maybe the computer teacher).  Also, there were only four of us newbies and the rest are veterans...inside jokes, experts on how things run around here, etc.  The other three newbies were all assigned next door to each other (since they were all set to handle Kindergarten and First Grade) while I was sent way out yonder to my own individual area.  I love working alone, so that wasn't an issue but I was worried that I was giving the impression that I was anti-social...farthest thing from the truth but what I'm finding is that when you are "lost in translation" you somehow morph into two different people.  I, for example, in English am funny, social, and confident. In Spanish, I am quiet, nervous, awkward and maybe even come across as dumb.  It sucks.  I think I even caught the office secretary laughing behind my back.  Of course I can't be too sure, but my gut tells me she totally was.  My Spanish seems borderline great when I speak to Mama but when I'm in the work setting, I just go blank! 

A few days after I started my "training week", I was called into the boss' office.  I thought Already?!  as a list of things I could have done wrong ran through my mind.  As I sat there with one boss who speaks very little English and another that speaks a lot of English (but lets the other one speak for him), my heart began to beat really fast.  Then, my boss began to explain how they think my services would be useful elsewhere in the school.  Another one of their teachers unexpectedly quit and they feel that her position may be a better fit.  Pay is the same, I would still teach Conversational English on Mondays, I would just lose the 28 little ones and take on a more administrative role.  Initially, my ego was bruised, they don't think I can handle the kids.  They don't think I can do it.  I'm not good enough in Spanish.  They thought I was better.  They're giving me a crap job now.  Good job Michelle.  Then I smacked myself in the back of the head, He'll NEVER give you anything you can't handle.  You may have just been blessed.  Go where the path takes you and chill out!

So what was the job? I proctor all the exams for all the kids in the school.  I have my own classroom that only has kids in it sporadically.  Yes, the first week was crazy with filing paperwork, Saturday work days and figuring out how to organize chaos.  But, it was an opportunity to shine.  An opportunity to show I'm not a dummy, its just easier to recognize my intelligence in English...for now.

I am loving my new space.  I listen to music freely, bond with kids who curiously come in to meet the-new-teacher-from-New-York-with-really-short-hair...and I still have my two classes!  Oh, and I also dodged a MAJOR bullet!  That classroom that they were going to give me is now their problem class.  Lots of kids...currently two teachers and the principal are in there on a daily basis trying to get the kids in order.  2nd graders are just learning the system while 3rd and 4th graders have it down.  There are overly concerned parents, obnoxious grandmas, and busy body little siblings plaguing the classroom daily...along with the 28 children --- talk about a lot to handle.  Some speak English more than Spanish and some speak practically no English while they try to navigate and learn from English only workbooks.  Just thinking about it makes my head spin!  On the first day of classes the electricity blew just as the school doors were opening.  I walked into groups of hot, anxious children, parents with cameras, parents with grimaces, teachers with hot, bewildered faces and a level of semi-organized chaos.  I punched in and continued to walk to my new little classroom/office in the corner while breathing a sigh of relief and throwing up a great big THANK YOU JESUS!