8.26.2004

La Escuela

Iz's school has the a color-coded card-based behavior tracking system. If you're good all day your card stays green, one warning and it's yellow, etc. Iz got a yellow card once last week for not listening, and was totally distraught.

She is figuring things out, though, and I think once the Spanish is more manageable she will be completely in her element. She comes home more pleased about what she's learned than angry about what she doesn't understand these days. A nice switch. Her tutor started yesterday, was totally impressed by her abilities and even called her teacher to let her know just what Iz's capabilities are (again, as far as Iz is concerned, her teacher speaks only Spanish). Things are rolling along.

The hardest part for me is the homework. I have zero patience with any kind of teaching. What is this shit? I don't have time for it! But it is leveled perfectly for her. If it was in English she would be wonky-bored, but in Spanish it's just challenging enough. And she's fast enough at it that if we skip a day she can make it up easily--especially since the homework is sent home on Friday and due the next Thursday.

Her pronunciation and sight-reading in Spanish are already really good. But she is aghast that almost no one in her class knows how to read in English. I had to explain to her about her school not teaching English reading until the end of grade 2, and that not only do many children not attend reading-friendly schools like her former preschool, many children don't attend preschool at all before going to Esperanza. And many of them come from Spanish-only households. There is no reason why any of her classmates should be reading in English.

We have to read at least one book a night to her in Spanish. Ay, mi cabeza.

This is flat and factual because I am again tired tired tired. More later.

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