While there, I got to do TWO Vacation Bible School Lessons totally in Spanish. While I am used to speaking Spanish in front of a bunch of kids that don't yet know the language, this was a little bit of new territory for me. It forced me to study and read up on different translations and think about best ways to communicate. In short, it was freaking awesome and something I cannot WAIT to tell my students about when we get back to school.
Now that I've been back a month and have had a bit of time to process, I realize how lucky I am to teach Spanish. To many people (including my past self 10 years ago - oops!) Spanish, or any language, is an elective that you just "get through." You don't actually have to do the work, and the subject is really not that important for your life. But when I see the way that I was able to use Spanish in Guatemala, my perspective totally changes. When you're able to use Spanish to communicate and care for people, well, that changes things. When you use Spanish to make a kid who has been through a WHOLE lot more than you have, well, then that makes the studying and the conjugations and the awkward practice on my study abroad trip worth it.
Putting a language in its context - seeing how it affects actual people who live in an actual country gives my job meaning. It allows me to view the subject of "Spanish" as MORE than just an elective that you "get through," but a language that breaks down barriers and creates smiles and builds bridges of hope and love. Let's, as world language teachers, as educators, as people, show our students, our friends, and our coworkers the deeper value in language, literature, science, and math. These subjects connect us as people, both in the United States and around the world. Show your students a passion for people and how your subject can connect your students to people, and you will give your students a gift far greater than being able to say "¿Dónde está el baño?" or find the square root of 121 or balance an equation. You will give your students the gift of love, which is very needed in our world today.
Speaking of love, watch this video. Does it not make you want you to cry your eyes out at the cuteness?! (Also please excuse my annoying, "MUY FUERTE" at the beginning of the video....I clearly was really excited about their singing....)