Spanish Comprehension FAIL

Today was Teague's final parent-teacher conference of the school year. I braced myself for the sloppy Spanish conversations I would probably have, and headed over at 3. The aide showed me to the room, where we all crouched uncomfortably on toddler-sized benches. The director was polite enough to point me out to each arriving parent, "mama de Teague," which was met with a slightly pitiful, but knowing look, as if to say, "Oh...you're the freak that doesn't speak Spanish." Coincidentally, I have learned that it is referred to as "Castellano". They don't call what they speak "Espanol" in these parts.

So after about 20 of those looks, the teacher walked in with a legal sized paper full of notes and jumps into her spiel, which she spoke approximately 10 times faster than the speed of light. If that wasn't enough, we were in a tiny room which held way too many parents, and, due to the lack of air conditioning, we were all slowly cooking from the inside out. Because of the extreme heat, they had the windows opened, so the street noise and construction on a nearby building made listening even more impossible. Try deciphering words to an unknown song with the singer turned away from you, and a jackhammer and loud buses blaring outside your window. I may as well have been wearing earplugs.

The oven/room with teeny tiny seating and lots of noise.


Her speech, with no pause or break, went on for over an hour. My ears and brain had no idea what to do, and at one point I think I became delirious and was giving myself mental 'high-fives" when I heard a phrase or two that sounded familiar. Total Castellano overload! Then came all of the parent questions. At first I nodded along and tried to laugh at the appropriate times, but then panic set in. In addition to my extreme fear of speaking Spanish in front of a group, I worried that I had giant sweat stains on my shirt and that I might say brother instead of beautiful. As the teacher started looking more and more on our side of the room, I said little prayer that she and the other parents wouldn't ask me anything. No eye contact, no eye contact.

After what seemed like hours, and some awkward greetings and kisses amongst the parents, we were led into the school foyer to view their "Art Expo", which, like the concert, was incredibly well done. They were able to make hundreds of indescribable blobs look fantastic, with themed walls and decorations. Every day I am more impressed by this school and their dedicated teachers. I was so very excited to learn that Teague's current teacher will be his teacher next year when he begins "Kinder 4". In addition, the Sue Sylvester-like director must have sensed my knuckle sandwich plotting at the dress rehearsal, because Teague is now magically enrolled in next year's morning class, which I was told many times was completely full. Muy bueno!

After the meeting, I received a 6 page "evaluacion de Teague", which gave feedback on everything from his artwork (he uses many colors when he paints) to his futbol abilities (a professional futbol coach teaches them every Friday). I was surprised that they evaluated him on his counting, his ability to write letters and numbers and his listening skills. Very different than the laid-back unstructured program he came from in Tucson!

For the summer, we have a lady that will play with Teague twice a week, and, unbeknownst to him, will teach him more Spanish. I hope this improves his confidence in school and helps him communicate better with his friends when he returns for the new school year in March.

One mom did stop me and tell me that her son always comes home and says, "Teague speaks English well."

That he does.