"And where are you from?"

So, I’ve started teaching and one of the first things we’ve done is introduce ourselves to each other. I was lucky enough to meet about 6 (8?) Alvaros, 5 Manuels, 15 Marias, 4 Diegos, 5 Albertos, 3 Javiers, 2 Miguels, 2 Lauras and 4 Paulas. (I’m probably exaggerating, but I still take comfort in the fact that I can yell out one of these names and I have a good probability of being correct)

I really love hearing the students introduce themselves in their broken English. They try so hard! It’s very endearing. Their introductions usually go something like this:

“Hello. My name…ees Alvaro. I leeve in…Haro. I have….[teacher interjects: I am or I’m] I’m 10 years old. I have got….one seester (sister) and..one doug (dog). My favorite food ees…hot doug (hot dog)” etc, etc, etc.

“Hello. My name ees Ishmael/Whitney/Cynthia/Sarah. I’m 10..” and so on and so forth.

Except this time, after the student finished his/her speech, a prompt would follow from the teacher: “And where are you from?”

I heard a range of countries from Portugal, Morocco, Pakistan, Cuba, Ecuador (this Ecuadorian boy was the cutest thing I’ve EVER seen) to India, China and Romania. These kids were coming from all over. Hearing the places some of these children traveled from was fascinating, but what really struck me was the way the teachers would subconsciously (hopefully not consciously) single them out. He/she never once asked a Spaniard child where they were from. It was almost understood that the Spaniards didn’t need to be asked, because they belonged.

It bothered me because I can’t recall witnessing that in the States, at least not in any elementary school classroom that I’ve been in. If anything we stressed assimilation, where you come from doesn’t matter, you’re in America now. Besides, race was always more important. After all it is a quick and easy label/box: Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, Other.

But now, after playing around with this idea, perhaps the “where are you from” question isn’t so bad. At least now your cultural/national identity is recognized, right? And you have no need to stop practicing your culture, because everyone acknowledges the difference and keeps it moving. No need to be ashamed. Hmmm….

I could very well be thinking optimistically, but I guess I won’t be able to tell until I spend more time in the classroom.

I heard that about 15 different times each class. And then I heard a different script.