I went to Cuidad Miguel Aleman, Tamaulipas, Mexico on January 5, 2008 to teach 2nd grade English. I never saw the 2nd grade. My first day at the school - Eagle College - I was placed in Third Grade. Third Grade had 17 students while 2nd Grade only had 8. The 3rd Grade teacher had left over the Christmas break.

The first thing I learned was that most of the students were well below the 3rd grade level of English. Yet the school had their parents buy A Beka books for U.S. Third Grade. I later learned the school was placing students based on their age rather than ability. If they were in 3rd Grade Spanish, they were in 3rd Grade English.

I managed to teach them English by more or less tossing the books aside much to the chagrin of the Administration. To them having the children finish the books was more important than whether the children learned English. In April I also picked up the 4th Grade when their English teacher did not return from Spring Break. I did with them what I had found to be successful with the 3rd Grade. They were actually behind my 3rd Grade students at this point in their English vocabulary. So I started teaching them the basic English vocabulary they had never learned. By the end of the school year (July 3, 2008), both classes had learned a lot of English. The administration though had a bilingual teacher spend one hour a day with each class the last month to have them copy the answers into their books so their books would also be done.

Well I decided to return this school year because I knew the students I left last year were still behind where they needed to be in their English, and one of their mothers had pleaded with me to return. So I did. And I found the situation to be almost identical to the year before. Students was placed in English based on their age. Even students who had failed English the year before were advanced one level since they advanced in their Spanish classes. I was assigned 3rd and 4th grades again. So I had one of my former classes (my 4th grade students being my 3rd grade students of the previous year) and new students - my 3rd Grade. 3rd Grade had about one-half returning students and about one-half new students who had never had any English.

Once again the school had the parents buy U.S. A Beka books as if the child was at the same U.S. level of English as they were of Spanish. Again it was not possible to simply work with the books. My 4th Grade class was closer to being able to function with U.S. level books than my 3rd Grade, but neither could independently work in the books. So again I supplemented and worked with materials I created on my computer and photocopies of material at their level.

Until February 4, 2009. At that time I was informed I could not use any photocopied material in my classes. I must teach only using the A Beka books. In other words, the administration wanted the books done whether the students were learning English or just copying answers. I said NO. I resigned and returned to Arkansas where I am once again substitute teaching.

For those who are wondering, I do not have a teacher's credential. I have a Bachelors Degree in Chemistry and a Juris Doctorate (law degree). I worked for the legal department of an international corporation for 13 years. In recent years I chose to stay "home" and work part-time to help take care of my father who has Alzheimer's. That is when I began substitute teaching and discovered I both liked it and was good at it.

Alzheimer's is an awful disease. My usefulness now to my father is limited, so I am expanding my options by teaching ESL - something I enjoy doing. Once again I am looking for jobs in either the ESL field or the legal field - hopefully working internationally.