Some of you might be wondering what school days are like for the kids; so are we. A. & J. gather in the school yard of Colegio Público Gómez Moreno around 9 a.m., Monday through Friday, with a horde of other kids, pre-school through sixth grade. They trot off into the building, and what happens between then and pick up, at around 3 or 4, is what the Spanish might term “el mysterio.”
Some days we get debriefings on walks home from school. This information is then corroborated through other ex-pat children we know who attend Gómez Moreno. However, we cannot fully verify the information we are about to present.
A.: A.’s teacher speaks excellent Spanish but no English. (Verified.) This means that when she yells at the children during class, A. does not understand a word, and that is good. She is also affectionate to the children and has a soft spot for A., also good.
Instruction is text-book dependent. Students read out loud from the text book about science or literature or social studies. The teacher also reads out loud from the text book. Then the students read out loud from the text book again. In music, the teacher reads out loud from the text book. Text books must be covered in plastico. The parents must prepare the books at home, after searching the city for the proper plastico; the plastico element is harder than it sounds.
So far, in art, the students have colored in a picture of Christopher Columbus. This is also harder than it sounds. There are specific colors that have to go in specific places and if they don’t go in those places, the students experience grief. (Note: use el color naranja for C.C.’s hair.)
There is no toilet paper in the bathrooms; students must ask the teacher for some if they need it. Consensus strategy: Hold it.
J.: J. plays soccer during recess. (Verified.)
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