The Kids Are Alright

Yesterday Max hit a milestone.  He took an oral exam in front of his class in Spanish and did well.  He was not even very nervous.  Here is how it happened.

A few weeks ago Max was surprised to learn that the next day he had to hand in a report on a Oaxacan ethnic group.  He knew nothing about the assignment, even though it had been assigned a few weeks earlier.  Natalie and I already had asked the teacher several times to make sure Max knows what the homework is, so we were a little frustrated when we learned about the report.  The next morning I told the teacher there was no way he could do the report in one night.  He should have the same amount of time as the other students.  She said that would be fine.  And as a special concession – because I think she felt badly about having forgotten to tell him about the report – she said he could do it orally instead of having to write it down.

The teacher might have intended to make it easier on Max, but he did not look forward to having to answer questions in Spanish in front of his whole class.  Fortunately for Max, the father of the person who is teaching me to make hammocks comes from a very interesting community in the mountainous northern part of Oaxaca state, San Pablo de Yaganiza.  Alfredo (my hammock instructor) has spent hours telling me stories about the town and the customs of the mostly Zapotec population.  Working together, Max and I converted these stories into a one-page outline that formed the basis of Max’s presentation.

The first thing Max’s teacher told him when he stood up to take the test was that he could not use his notes.  Lucky for him he has a good memory.  Then she asked him to tell the class about the group.  And off he went.  Although Natalie and I were not there, we gather from what Max told us and from the way his teacher seems to have taken a greater interest in him that the presentation was fascinating.  Max said that once he started talking the teacher did not ask any more questions.  When it was over, she gave him a 10.

Two months ago, Max would not have believed us if we told him that in early March he would give an oral report in Spanish and do so well.  We would not have believed it ourselves.  It was a proud moment for all of us.

There are a couple of things that have been particularly helpful for Max to learn Spanish.  The first has been spending time with kids his age.  Besides school and soccer practice, we try to arrange play dates – although they are not as common here as they are at home.  Last Sunday was a fun one.  Max’s friend Alonso came over for a couple of hours, then we met a couple of other friends at a paintball park for an impromptu battle.  On the way we stopped for ice cream.  Max and Alonso look so mature in the picture of them eating ice cream, but I am pretty sure they were talking about something trivial like how best to stage a paintball raid.

Discussing Neitzsche or paintballs?

Paintball warriors.  Max (second from left), three friends, and two other kids they met there.

The second helpful thing has been working with a tutor three days a week after school.  The tutor, Mercedes, is amazing.  She helps Max with his homework, and then, time permitting, she spends some time going over Spanish grammar.  (I also take a class from Mercedes once a week, and Helen meets with her twice a week.)  The combination of being immersed in Spanish all day and then going over some of the rules with Mercedes has been perfect.

Last week on our way to Mercedes' house, Max and I stumbled upon a powerful installation by Mexican artist Helen Escobedo, called "Éxodos."

Meanwhile, Helen is hitting her own milestones at school.  She is learning to write in cursive, and to read.  The words she is reading and writing are in Spanish, which makes it especially amusing for us to observe.  Mostly, however, Helen writes one-letter and two-letter sounds, which she is just starting to string together into words.

Helen loves her homework.  Last week she stayed home from school for two days with a cold.  She made us get her homework book from school, and she used the time to catch up on the pages she missed from last semester.

A homework assignment.  Why copy it off the board when you can snap a picture?

Three days a week Helen takes an after-school dance class at the school.  Although Oaxaca is rich in folkloric dances, they teach Hawaiian, Tahitian, and tap.  At first we were disappointed, but not any more since Helen loves the class.

Buying tap shoes under Batman's watchful eye.

Sadly, the same rule that prevents parents from sneaking peaks of their kids in their regular classes applies to the dance class.  We look forward to a performance in May or June.  Until then, we must be satisfied with the frequent previews we get at home.  --Harrison