Today I led my first classes in Xena.  (Last week I just watched them dance for many hours in honor of their aniversario.) School starts at 1:30 PM.  I arrived at 1:15 and was the first person there.  One student – the smallest, most mischievous student of all – showed up soon after, so we hung out until a teacher arrived to unlock the school.  Classes got started maybe around 2, or whenever the teacher for the class arrived.  I take over the social science classes, the first of which was not until 2:30.  I taught each section for an hour (minus segundo which only went for 40 minutes because recess went over).  The teacher assigned to the class did show up after I started my first class with the primero students, and she sat in for the rest of the period.  I did the same getting-to-know you exercises with this group, as well as some review on what they’ve been learning, but I think things flowed a little better my second time around.  I assigned a page of writing for homework, but then just had the primero kids complete it in class and then share with each other.  For the segundo and tercero kids I was on my own.  The segundo class was large and rambunctious…a little out of control.  I just gave them the assignment as homework.  The tercero class is smaller and more mature, but by far the most fun.  The majority are aged 14-16.  Unlike the segundo students, they were thrilled to have their pictures taken.  They could not get in front of the camera enough.  The kids who dominated the dance performances last week are in this class.

I think I need to work on some classroom management.