Ask Us A Question 'Cause Class Is In Session

Those who know me know and those who don’t yet soon will know that my loyalties are bought cheap. For a free lunch ever Friday afternoon I lead an English language conversation group 12 11-year-olds strong. Today being class numero uno I went in thinking that the kids would be ready and stoked to speak English, thusly making my Fridays from 13 o’clock-14 o’clock a breeeeze.

Rookie mistake.

Well let me start by saying that the kids were AMAZING and I left the class just proud and relieved as can be. They came up with the idea of doing little scenes in English that they presented in front of the class. Highlights included a conversation between a Paleontologist and a guy who “works at the poop-farm Mac-Do” as they read from an English magazine, and a party of 3 trying to order “3 beerz of Guiness” at a restaurant.

My actor heart nearly burst.

At one point, I said “That’s badass!” to a girl who had just told me she liked “to do ze circus…..trapeze?”. When I realized what I’d said, I looked out into their puzzled little faces and knew I was in the clear. “Ça veut dire ‘Super chouette!’ mais le dites pas.” (That means “Super swell!”....but don’t say it.)

But besides how great it all was, I’ve learned that as I have been an extroverted person from day 1, I really have little to no idea what to do with shy kids. One girl sat in class and just sort of looked at me terrified-like the entire session. I ended up spending the most time with their group, trying to give them ideas for a scene to do, but still it was like pulling teeth. I just simply didn’t understand where she was coming from, as much as I wanted to.

Ugh.

I fist-bumped a kid for his pronunciation of “paleontologist” and watched him work SO hard not to smile. So awesome.

I also taught a group of girls what “friggin’ awesome” meant.

We do what we can.