Teaching the Kiddos!

I put up posters in the Centre listing the days I would be teaching an art class for kids (clase de art para ninos). On Fridays there is a breakfast program. Breakfast gets served at 10am on Friday, so I got to the Centre early and taught an art activity to some of the kids who arrived early. Other volunteers were there to pass out paper and crayons too. So many people volunteer at the Centre, it's really fabulous! The women who run the kitchen and cook the food are volunteers. They get tokens for thier help and they can use the tokens to shop at the store right in the Centre. It is packed full of clothes and other small household items.
Today the kids made a simple craft of a butterfly. I am learning so much Spanish. The kids speak no English except for the name of the colors and they love to teach me the Spanish word for the colors! I draw out the activity step-by-step and then write down the words for fold, cut, glue, etc. I'm not sure how much some kids can read but I can glance at the board and remember the word. This is the only thing that I do different here. I've been teaching the way I teach any group of kids. No one gets the supplies until they watch me first. "Observame!" I do it first and you do it second. After the demo, they have to repeat back to me the steps. First, you fold.... Second you draw the... Third you cut it out the...

 
Once they can repeat back to me all the steps then they get the supplies. I will help anyone who needs it. I drew the butterfly for a little girl and then the older kids wanted me to draw theirs. "No, poquito." (pointing to the little one.) "Facil" (pointing to them.) They get it right away and smirk. "No, she's only little, it's easy for you guys, you have to do it."
I asked the kids what the Spanish word for antennae was, when I made a motion with my hands on my head. They all said it at once: "Antenae!"

The kids had a lot of fun. It is really obvious that some have had very little art instruction or at least very limited opportunity to make a craft. When the meals were delivered, they did not want to stop. But, the Mexican women insisted we stop the craft so they could eat. We took away the scissors and glue and pencils until they finished eating. And soon after the meal the volunteers began to clean up. Next time I will get there earlier and hopefully the kids will get there earlier too.
They all know I am teaching again tomorrow. "Hasta manana!" as they left with their mariposa (butterfly). "See you tomorrow."