Greetings

Today was a little exhausting and it's only 1:30pm... I had two classes with one counterpart at the beginning of school, went to my other school for a presentation and talked to the students about the importance of the class, etc., then went back home to grab a snack, and then back to the instituto to teach a double class (they have 45 min classes and 90 min double classes).  I got to the class a couple minutes early and looked through my notebook at the plans.  We have been studying "greetings" in 7th grade but today we were moving on to another topic.  As the students lined up outside the open door waiting to enter, several of them started eagerly saying "hi teacher" and "good morning teacher" and my heart melted.  These 7th graders are the cutest little ones.  They're in "high school", but they're so tiny and so willing to learn.  It's precious.  I wasn't too excited about a double class at the end of the school day and I was a little tired, but they made me smile and it made me feel so good that they were really trying to show me they has practiced their English. 

The older grades have their pros and cons.  I work with 7th, 8th, and 9th grade at the instituto (the kids in the Access program are 10th and 11th graders).  I can't really be sarcastic with the 7th graders because they take me too seriously, and the 9th graders are getting to that "too cool for school" stage so I can't be quite as silly as I am with the 7th graders.  8th graders usually enjoy a mix of both humor. 

Anyway, I think this 7th grade class is probably the best behaved class I've worked with so far.  They quiet down quickly, they participate (not everyone all the time), and they show me respect, which is huge in my book.  The greetings brought a little sparkle of joy to this somewhat gloomy (overcast) day, and encouraged me.  Who would have thought something that small could make such a difference?