well, after reviewing the general attitude that i had brought forth to this blog, i figure i should counter it with something i like about latino culture.
i love that here you, as a teacher, are allowed to be affectionate with your students. you're allowed, and even expected, to make it personal. i have one student named Leandro that every day comes up and gives me a kiss on the cheek. many other students come up and hug me and greet me with a kiss. i get to offer hugs or an affectionate touch on the shoulder to let them know that i care about each of them personally. these kids are so special, even the ones that are royal pains. even the twins get excited when they are getting off the bus and see me. they run up and grab my hands and drag me to class telling me all about something that happened the night before.
i know that as a teacher in the States, i was sometimes afraid of getting too close because many people are skeptical of motives. as an ESL teacher there, i became familiar with the parents and they grew to trust me and i felt at ease to hug my students. it's part of the latino culture, and i don't like that our culture has had enough rotten apples to ruin the whole basket, be it perpetrators or lawmakers.
anyhow...there's a good side to the experience, too.
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