precious moments

I'm at the halfway mark of the Summer Institute in the Denver Teaching Fellows program!  I'm learning so much and loving my classes!  Though the days are long and rigorous.  In the mornings I am doing Student Teaching at a summer school that focuses on English Language Acquisition where I have 18 beautiful Hispanic 2nd graders, each with a unique set of talents and story.

This morning was a special day for my students.  We took them on a field trip to the nearby nursing home about 10 blocks from the school.  They have been there before and occasionally make cards for the ancianos there.  Today they had practiced really hard and had prepared to sing a handful of songs that they have been learning during summer school.  We walked the 10 blocks to the nursing home and were ushered into "the grand hall" where about 10 residents awaited us.  They were of mixed ages and varying levels of mental stability.  After the kids found their places and were getting reading to start, a resident in a wheel chair (who obviously had some serious issues) out of nowhere breaks the silence by shouting "F**k!"  We were stunned and it was all I and my teaching partner could do to not burst out laughing. We controlled ourselves, but I looked at my kids and they were looking around and I know exactly what was probably running through their heads - Did he just say what I think he said??!!  Then immediately another resident from across the room shouts back "Shut up!" by which the disturbed gentleman replies "A**hole!"  What an awkward moment!!!  And really hilarious.  The poor kids responded so well by not saying anything and immediately starting singing their songs. =)

After their presentation, they went around and introduced themselves to the residents and even a few of the girls taught some of them the hand games that we did as kids (Hannah and I could do "Miss Sue" really well). =)  They were shy and a bit scared to talk to the residents but they did it.  It warmed my heart to see my 2nd graders talking to the residents who looked (to them) a bit scary and different.  I was so proud of them. I have one more week left with them until my Student Teaching is over.  I'm really going to miss estos niños míos.