Well my class was AWESOME!! If the students were half as happy as me, they also thought it was awesome! It started Monday nite, and then nite 2 was Wednesday. The class is at 5:30pm to 7pm (an hour and a half) because some people work, unlike where I taught in Puerto Penasco where virtually everyone in the area was out of work, and the class was to help with English skills in order to find jobs on the other side of town where the tourists went- the hotels and restaurants, curio stands, etc. I think maybe half of my students this week had jobs, maybe less. I had only 5 students on Monday, but 11 on Wednesday, and everybody said they were coming back on Monday. Actually 5 was the perfect number for the first nite- I was nervous, and so were the students ha ha. But when they came back Wednesday they were much more comfortable, which was good for the new additions. I also expect to get a few more, then after that if it's anything like Penasco, a few more will come, then a couple will stop coming, in and out, with a core group that always comes. It's more women than men, also the same as before....but maybe more will come once they see they are not the only ones. Both men in this class know at least a few words in English, but come in contact with English speakers and want to learn more.
This is so cool to be able to add photos of my class! Anyway... it seems like an hour and a half is the right length for class- in fact at first (meaning right now) it's almost too long. There's just SO much information...and so many questions. The first nite I had a helper, a young woman who is going to be the office manager in this building, and she is biligual and helped me out alot. But nite #2 she was not there and that was ok as well. I told the students that my Spanish will get better as their English gets better. That at first I will try to speak Spanish with them, but slowly I will stop and do the class in English-AND they will understand! The most important thing is practice. They have to practice at home and we will do the same things over and over. So soon they will know- "ok-who knows....." and "ok who would like to go first?" ha ha ha ha! I like to review whatever we worked on previously and then add something new. And if I have a basic idea of an outline or lesson plan, well then the class really leads itself. We get onto a topic via somebody's question and it can be the evening's subject. Our first nite was days of the week, the 5 W's and the "bag". The bag is 10 items, like a coffee cup, a pair of sunglasses, a candle, a fork, etc., that I take out one by one and we identify them. Then we practice the words when all the pieces are lined up on the table. Finally I put them back one at a time and say "bye bye coffee cup, bye bye candle" and I told them we say "bye bye" because this stuff is comin' back! Until everybody remembers their names...then I'll put in some new stuff. The second nite I had a woman, Lupita- and she could name almost everything! The 5 W's are Who where what when and why. Then we built a little story around them. I ask and choose someone and it gets pretty funny- and will be funnier as they get the confidence to try new words.
I do have printed lessons from a book that I got for learning Spanish; it has a page of words, then a page with a paragraph, then a page with questions. I will probly introduce that in a couple of weeks, after we do some more stuff like I, you, he, she, it, we, they (personal pronouns). But I do not label words as nouns, pronouns, etc...This is not a formal class. I just give them the list, we talk about it, and for some things, my answer is "I don't know" which they also like. I told them alot of things they just have to memorize, to practice. One of the items in the bag is a knife. Uh oh- why does it start with a "k" and we don't hear it? Spanish is not like that- in Spanish you pronounce all the letters- I like that! And the truth is I don't know why we have crazy words with silent letters...
Anyway both nites we had fun. The class is lively. I make lots of mistakes in Spanish and they correct me. I encourage them to help each other with English. For the first time in months I had trouble sleeping though- I was so excited about the class I was busy forming lesson plans in my head and couldn't fall asleep after Monday's class and that lasted all week! I've decided what to do on Monday so hopefully tonite I will sleep!
The building is rented by a guy who is wrapped up in several projects and I have a feeling now that he is back in town I may have to take down the posters I have on the wall in between classes. The books in the bookshelf are for sale I think, and I guess the place is also part art gallery. He has a non profit that is supporting/trying to save a forest up in the hills above us; he has projects like making a campground up there, walking tours and education about the area, planting trees. He keeps an office there in the front - the opposite side from me. I know he came back to Mexico this week but I haven't seen him. He was probly there during the day this week, well hopefully I'll be able to touch base with him next week. I want to be sure I am not out of line taping up my posters over his stuff ha ha!
The building is right along the main street in this tiny town called Cantu. It is the only paved road- actually it's the main road and goes out to the Bufadora. Dirt roads going up the hill have the homes of the people who live there...
Only 20-30 minutes south of Ensenada, Punta Banda and La Bufadora offer an ideal side trip and family excursion. After following Highway 1 through the "lower" section of the town of Maneadero, turn west at BCN23, the signed junction to "La Bufadora" (the Blowhole). The 14-mile, two-lane paved highway winds through fertile farmlands and scenic countryside as it leads onto the Punta Banda peninsula that forms the southern end of Todos Santos Bay. Roadside stands feature cured olives, honey, iced coconuts, firewood, seasonal fruits and vegetables, and delicious homemade tamales. Open during the summer, there are several recreation parks with pools, play areas and picnic grounds that cater to families.
This is so cool to be able to add photos of my class! Anyway... it seems like an hour and a half is the right length for class- in fact at first (meaning right now) it's almost too long. There's just SO much information...and so many questions. The first nite I had a helper, a young woman who is going to be the office manager in this building, and she is biligual and helped me out alot. But nite #2 she was not there and that was ok as well. I told the students that my Spanish will get better as their English gets better. That at first I will try to speak Spanish with them, but slowly I will stop and do the class in English-AND they will understand! The most important thing is practice. They have to practice at home and we will do the same things over and over. So soon they will know- "ok-who knows....." and "ok who would like to go first?" ha ha ha ha! I like to review whatever we worked on previously and then add something new. And if I have a basic idea of an outline or lesson plan, well then the class really leads itself. We get onto a topic via somebody's question and it can be the evening's subject. Our first nite was days of the week, the 5 W's and the "bag". The bag is 10 items, like a coffee cup, a pair of sunglasses, a candle, a fork, etc., that I take out one by one and we identify them. Then we practice the words when all the pieces are lined up on the table. Finally I put them back one at a time and say "bye bye coffee cup, bye bye candle" and I told them we say "bye bye" because this stuff is comin' back! Until everybody remembers their names...then I'll put in some new stuff. The second nite I had a woman, Lupita- and she could name almost everything! The 5 W's are Who where what when and why. Then we built a little story around them. I ask and choose someone and it gets pretty funny- and will be funnier as they get the confidence to try new words.
I do have printed lessons from a book that I got for learning Spanish; it has a page of words, then a page with a paragraph, then a page with questions. I will probly introduce that in a couple of weeks, after we do some more stuff like I, you, he, she, it, we, they (personal pronouns). But I do not label words as nouns, pronouns, etc...This is not a formal class. I just give them the list, we talk about it, and for some things, my answer is "I don't know" which they also like. I told them alot of things they just have to memorize, to practice. One of the items in the bag is a knife. Uh oh- why does it start with a "k" and we don't hear it? Spanish is not like that- in Spanish you pronounce all the letters- I like that! And the truth is I don't know why we have crazy words with silent letters...
Anyway both nites we had fun. The class is lively. I make lots of mistakes in Spanish and they correct me. I encourage them to help each other with English. For the first time in months I had trouble sleeping though- I was so excited about the class I was busy forming lesson plans in my head and couldn't fall asleep after Monday's class and that lasted all week! I've decided what to do on Monday so hopefully tonite I will sleep!
The building is rented by a guy who is wrapped up in several projects and I have a feeling now that he is back in town I may have to take down the posters I have on the wall in between classes. The books in the bookshelf are for sale I think, and I guess the place is also part art gallery. He has a non profit that is supporting/trying to save a forest up in the hills above us; he has projects like making a campground up there, walking tours and education about the area, planting trees. He keeps an office there in the front - the opposite side from me. I know he came back to Mexico this week but I haven't seen him. He was probly there during the day this week, well hopefully I'll be able to touch base with him next week. I want to be sure I am not out of line taping up my posters over his stuff ha ha!
The building is right along the main street in this tiny town called Cantu. It is the only paved road- actually it's the main road and goes out to the Bufadora. Dirt roads going up the hill have the homes of the people who live there...
Only 20-30 minutes south of Ensenada, Punta Banda and La Bufadora offer an ideal side trip and family excursion. After following Highway 1 through the "lower" section of the town of Maneadero, turn west at BCN23, the signed junction to "La Bufadora" (the Blowhole). The 14-mile, two-lane paved highway winds through fertile farmlands and scenic countryside as it leads onto the Punta Banda peninsula that forms the southern end of Todos Santos Bay. Roadside stands feature cured olives, honey, iced coconuts, firewood, seasonal fruits and vegetables, and delicious homemade tamales. Open during the summer, there are several recreation parks with pools, play areas and picnic grounds that cater to families.
The
tiny poblado of Esteban Cantu serves as the local business district with
small grocery stores, eateries, auto repair and tire shops, hardware and building supply
stores. Just past the poblado is the turnoff to the Punta Estero "sand
spit" with unspoiled beaches and the currently defunct Baja Beach Resort.
Hmm well I was trying to google and find some info about population of Cantu and only found this tourity thing. I like how it says small grocery stores....I wouldn't call them that! Tiny "abborotes" that are like tiny 7-11's (or here in Mexico OXXO) But these are not as big as Oxxo. Tiny stores that have cold drinks, munchy food...like a store at a campground, you know? The closest grocery store is in Maneadero...about 10 minutes away- but the first store is a Calimax and it's where all the Americans shop so it's the most expensive grocery store on earth ha ha!! We only stop there for emergency things...we shop in Ensenada for groceries. Ok I can't find anything more about Cantu, but it's about the size of Playa Ventura, so maybe 1000 people? Not counting Americans I mean. My point was going to be that the building holding my classroom is pretty close to everyone. I only saw one group of 3 show up in a car, a couple on bicycles, and the rest by foot.
So I am hoping that the students were sincere in saying they will be back and that the class moves forward. I will report here on my progress and what the class is like. As I said, I's just so excited about it! Oh and I forgot to mention- I pay no rent for my classroom and the tables you see in the photos were lent to me by a neighbor who had a restaurant in the area but closed it a few months ago. Across the street from class is a building called Open Air Fair and they open just on Friday and Saturday. It looks like an open restaurant; there are tables and chairs...but it's local people, expats who cook at home and then bring food in the morning for breakfast and lunch and sell it on Fridays & Saturdays. I walked over there last weekend when I was straightening up the classroom area and wondering what I would do for tables- I had posted in the local newsletter asking anyone for donations and gotten zero response...anyway I looked at the people sitting over there across the street, and walked over to talk. 3 old ladies (ha ha but they had to be 100 years old each!) were sitting at a small makeshift bar smoking cigarettes and at least one was drinking beer (I think it was noon) and one is named Baja Mama- well that was the name of her restaurant- I asked her- where do you guys get these tables? Then I told them what I was doing across the street- starting a free class to learn English, and well Baja Mama is an angel! She said ok I am not giving these to you- I'm loaning them to you 'cause I might be opening another restaurant someday...but take those 2 tables against the wall- and take the chairs as well! Ha! I gave her a big hug and a loud kiss on the cheek! I hadn't even see the really long table that was standing up against the wall! The other one was set up but she said unused for anything. The chairs are those white plastic beach chairs but she had put these blue bandana things on them and said oh just leave those. I had purchased blue plastic table clothes on a whim the week before when I was in the states, at the dollar store- so it all went together perfect! Can you believe how wonderful that all was, coming together like that?? Ain't life wonderful?? Viva!
