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So I’m teaching theatre classes and directing plays at another new school in Cincinnati for the next 8 weeks. If you’re counting I’m up to 9 different classes of kids a week at 3 different schools. FYI. This does not include my other three jobs. I look forward to bedtime more than most people I know.

This newest school is the Academy of World Languages (AWL). I know. It’s awesome. While I really enjoy all the kids I work with at my other two schools and am really lucky to have such well-behaved, hard-working kids this semester, the five classes we’re working with at AWL are just so interesting!! It’s a multi-national PreK-8th grade magnet school in Cincinnati where, in addition to the standard Ohio core curriculum, the students learn and strengthen their skills in Russian, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, and Arabic. I have a feeling that German and Polish are not taught there because there are already German and Polish language schools for children in Cincinnati, and French and Spanish are taught at least to some extent in most area high schools. The kids come from hundreds of countries all over the world and English is the second language of approximately 40% of the students. Many are multi-lingual.

Most are completely fluent in English, with the exception of one little Nepalese boy in one of our classes who is new to the school and speaks very limited English. To make up for his lack of English comprehension and ability to express his thoughts in a language his peers and teacher can understand, he just smiles a whole lot, which is really sweet. Fortunately, one other girl in his class is Nepalese and can help translate for him. And another girl in the class, who is not Nepalese but is apparently fluent in several languages, can speak his language as well and she helps translate too. Another girl we work with is from a country where first and last names are reversed, so on the roll sheet instead of “last name, first name” her name appears as “first name, last name.” On the subject of names, I’m learning how to pronounce some very cool names from all around the world! They’re all so unique to me that pronouncing them correctly and keeping them straight among the five classes of students has been a wonderful challenge and learning experience. But they’re all very beautiful names. I’ll have to do a post soon of all the names I’ve learned since I started teaching in Ohio. Talk about diversity! I’ve taught students named with combinations of vowels and consonants I didn’t even know could be made into a sound when placed next to each other. I’m not saying it’s always easy to understand every word that everyone says, or that I get their names right even 50% of the time, but I’m really enjoying working with all of those sweet kids so far!

Many of the students wear scarves or turbans on their heads and a few wear gold nose rings, earrings, or other jewelry common in their culture. On every object around the school – doors, cabinets, bathrooms – a label for the English word appears, followed by the word written in Russian, Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic. Another cool thing I’ve noticed is how artistic and creative these kids are. The students’ artwork displayed in the hallways in absolutely phenomenal for their age. They learn all sorts of wonderful music and practice with musical instruments from countries all over the world. And the ideas they’ve given us for the plays they are writing are just so darn creative! I can’t wait to start rehearsals with them and to see how we can all interact onstage.

It’s just a very, very cool experience and I’m really loving being immersed in all the culture, creativity, and learning that goes on there. I’m so glad that Cincinnati has a school like this!

Do you have a part of your job that you’re particularly loving lately?