So I Came Here to Teach

More times than I'd like to admit, I forget that I have a job to do. Don't look at me like that. Ask 10 auxiliares why they came to Spain, and I would guess at least 9 of them will tell you something along the lines of: they're young people who wanted to live abroad for a while and learn Spanish. Almost none of us will say, "I really wanted to teach Spanish children how to speak English."

But, after all is said and done, that's what they're paying me to do. And I like to think of myself as a strong advocate for education, so let's do this.

The state of the public education system here is...less than perfect. Only in the last decade or two did they begin to require talking in the language courses. Before the 90s, my coworkers tell me that all their English classes were entirely written. They had no speaking or listening practice! Call me crazy, but speaking and listening seem like vital elements for a language class. But for them to say that their English classes used to be worse than they are now is saying a lot. Part of their educational reform was to install the auxiliares program, which is hiring native speakers like me to come help out in the classroom. They say it's improving, but I say it's improving slowly.

I came for my first day last Tuesday, and I had four classes. No one had given me any materials, and it seemed no one was really ready for me. I stopped one of the English teachers, Antía, when the first bell rang and asked her where my first class was located (because no one had told me). She looked at my schedule, and somewhat surprised, said "Oh, you're with me for the first hour...I haven't prepared anything for you, do you have anything?" I did not.

But fear not! I can think on my feet. I took my time introducing myself, explaining where I'm from and a few things about myself. Then I asked the class to go around and do the same. It was very clear that they don't know much English. They struggled with phrases like "My name is..." and "I am X years old..." and "I am from..." At one point, the teacher said that this is review for them. Review? Then what the hell were they doing all last year, I wonder??

After we were done with what I had come up with on the spot, Antía decided to work from the book. She clumsily went through what seemed to be a randomly selected activity from the workbook until there were about 5 minutes left of our 50 minute class, and said we were done for the day. So my first class of my first day of being a teacher was...clumsy. I don't blame the professor per se, but this was my first day. They had already been in school for three weeks. I would have expected them to be a little more organized and focused by now.

I had another class with Antía in hour three, but she told me she hadn't prepared anything for that class either and that I should just take the hour off in the teacher's lounge. Okay. Sure. For the second hour, I had information technology (as per a recent mandate, students are required to not only take English classes, but some of their other classes are also required to be "bilingual." For instance, art and technology are taught with both English and Spanish elements). I arrived, and the professor Chema immediately took me aside and said he wouldn't need me this year. Okay. ...Sure. So I took my two free hours and went to the teachers lounge.

After the break, the other English teacher approached me and said that she didn't have anything prepared for me this hour, and that I could have another free hour. My first day, if you could call it that, was a resounding failure.

The next morning I had class with Emilia first hour. This class was much larger than the one I had the previous day, and I didn't get the chance to learn everyone's names. This was a much younger group, and their level of English was also pretty low. I introduced myself as I did before, being careful to speak loudly and clearly. When I was finished, a girl toward the back immediately asked the teacher for a translation because she didn't understand any of that. Okay. Off to a great start.

I was really tempted to translate everything I said, but I was told to only speak in English, even if some don't understand. This is an excellent strategy for younger students, but I have my doubts with my students. After my bit, the professor picked an activity from the book and went through it. The best I can say for this class is that at least they thought it was really cool that I was there.

I had the next four hours free, and during the last hour of the day I had class with Calía. This was an upper level class, which was such a relief. I was able to talk more, and I always find that the upper level students are much more willing and able to participate because they want to be there. If they didn't want to be there, they would have quit taking English lessons when they fulfilled their requirements after two levels.

This class went much better than the others, and they thought it was an absolute laugh that I took the time to memorize all their names. Then they all went around and asked me something about myself in English, like "what's your favorite color?" or "how big is your hometown?" One girl asked me if I was a part of any fandoms. Fandoms! Is it appropriate to have a favorite student already?

Calía drove me home after class. Turns out he was moved to New York when he was a baby and lived there until he was 12, when he moved back to Spain, so he knows English just as well as I do, and he speaks it with the slightest hint of a northern accent. He told me he had volunteered to take me to Santiago the following Monday for the auxiliares meeting.

Santiago is the capital of Galicia, and it's about an hour away. There was a big orientation meeting for all the auxiliares of Galicia (if I didn't make it clear, Galicia is like a state of Spain). The meeting was, admittedly, really boring. The first half of the day was spent listening to "propaganda" as Calía calls it. Slides and videos talking about how great Galicia is and how much we're going to love the coming year. You understand why that's stupid, right? Everyone there had already accepted their position, whether they had selected Galicia as a preference or not. They didn't need to convince us anymore. Morale boosting, I suppose. Then we listened to some people talk about lessons plans and what we're expected to do in the classroom, which was somewhat interesting. It gave me a lot of ideas, anyway.

After a break for coffee, it was back in the auditorium to listen to logistical stuff. This was information about health insurance, becoming legal, opening a bank account, that kinda thing. Although this was important, much of this stuff had already been sent to the directors of our schools, meaning I didn't have to sit through any of it. I suppose it was all very useful for the auxiliares less fortunate than myself, who don't have directors who are as helpful as my Rosa.

As soon as the presentation was done, Calía jumped up and said "Let's get outta here." And off we went, to get to the car before the big rush to leave the parking lot prevented us from making a quick exit. He had to be back in As Neves for a parent-teacher conference somewhat soon, so we only had about an hour and a half, but he took the liberty of taking me around Santiago, which was an act of unwarranted kindness. We walked around the historic district, which looks a lot like Salamanca. It's mostly pedestrian streets with really old buildings and plazas.

We walked to the Cathedral, which is surrounded by big plazas on each side. When we walked to the front to see the facade, the square was full of resting backpackers and tourists. Oh. I'd forgotten those people existed. Indeed, I'm sure they become less frequent after the summer is over. But it was a beautiful day in a beautiful city, so there they were.

We went inside, and Calía pointed out a big metal container hanging from a pulley from the ceiling. He told me that they burn incense inside it, and use the pulley to swing it from side to side. It's a tradition, he says, that comes from when they would burn the incense on Sundays to get rid of the smell from all the vagrants and pilgrims and homeless people they would allow to sleep in the church during the week. Fun fact!

After the cathedral, we went to have lunch in the square outside, where Calía showed the correct way to prepare the typical Spanish salad. It's very important: salt first, then vinegar, then olive oil. In that order.

Santiago was great, even though I didn't get to see much of it or spend much time there. If I get the chance I'll go again for longer. Calía drove me back to the CRD and I prepared for my second week of teaching. That still sounds weird to say...I am a teacher. For a long time to come, I predict, I will think of myself as a student first. Anyway, I always will be, won't I?

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