A New Girl in Town

Carmen, the Crier, used to be her nickname that I gave her from the beginning of the year, but now she has a new self-proclaimed title. Yesterday my student really put a smile on my face. This girl came straight from Mexico not knowing a lick of English at the beginning of the year. She bawled and bawled and did NOT want to come into my classroom. I even told the mom that she should leave so that Carmen would have to come in. She cried every day for awhile at the drop of a hat: in the morning, when she had to do work, at lunch, if I looked at her or spoke to her. I guess in Mexico she wasn't use to going to school this much or doing any work.

Times have changed for Carmen. Her English has greatly improved and she LOVES school! She adores my aide, Mr. Carillo. She is so proud of the improvements she has made (and I am as well). Well, yesterday she wanted to help with the 5th grade Friday Store. Carmen has never asked to work in it but yesterday she wanted to. She told me she wanted to because she was now "bilange (or something to that effect)." I couldn't really make out what she said and I repeated, "Bilingual?" She said, "Yes, I'm bilange!"

Later that day she stayed in from recess to shoot the breeze with me. I wanted to make sure she knew what that word meant and to my surprise she did. Way to go, Carmen! I asked her who told her that and she said, "Mr. Carillo!" He laughed when I told him the story because he is the one that has helped her English improve the most. The whole rest of the day she would smile everytime I said that she was bilingual! She may have a long ways to go but no one wanted to burst her bubble. So, move over, there is a new girl in town...Carmen the Bilingual!