“What Subject Do You Teach?”

This seems to be the question most asked of me lately. I’ve attempted to answer it a dozen times already. The most recent was just yesterday. It was my landlord’s brother who asked me this time. After my jumbled up answer, I think he went away still not knowing what in the world I’m teaching here?!?


In the States, when someone asked me what I teach, a quick answer of, “Second Grade”, would be explanation enough. But, like was said in the awesomely awesome movie, The Wizard of Oz, “We’re not in Kansas anymore!” Besides the fact that I’m trying to communicate in a land where Spanish is spoken, I’ve found out that the levels of schooling are different here also.

For example, I found out the other day there are 3 years of Kindergarten here.  Essentially, it’s like preschool, pre-kindergarten, & kindergarten in the States…but still…it’s just different and requires an explanation to be understood by me, an American, now living in Oaxaca, Mexico!

So, when someone asks me the question, “What subject do you teach?” I need to carefully ponder my answer. I stand there, thinking of how to explain that

I am co-teaching in a 3rd & 4th grade classroom

where the students are children of missionaries,

where I am teaching 5 different subjects,

and the students in my class are between 7 to 10 years old…

Of course, it takes me much longer to think of how to explain it if I’m trying to say it in Spanish! So, meanwhile, I must look completely ridiculous to the person asking ~ they MUST be thinking ~ “Seriously, you don’t know what subject you teach?”

When the landlord’s brother asked me yesterday, I first thought, “Ok, this should work…he understands most of my English & I understand most of his English & what we don’t understand, then we try in simplified Spanish & hand motions & usually get each other to understand…” So, I tried explaining it to him in a few short, choppy sentences…but, he didn’t understand. I ended up saying that the kids are about 9 years old & I teach many subjects. He asked a few more specific questions & I answered them more quickly. I think he understood?

For anyone out there who is reading this & is interested ~ My name is Jennifer Noll. I am teaching the children of missionaries at Oaxaca Christian School. I am in a 3rd & 4th grade classroom with a seasoned teacher of missionary children. I am teaching the 3rd grade math class, the 4th grade reading class, the 3rd grade spelling class, Science for 3rd & 4th grade together, & writing for 3rd & 4th grade together. There are 7 students in our class. One is the age of a 2nd grader. Another is the age of a 5th grader & has multiple learning disabilities. Another has dyslexia. ALL of them are blessings!

Here are a couple pictures of the children that have captured my heart:

I am thrilled that God is using me here & I’m not ashamed to say that these kids have already captured my heart. But, we do need your prayers for wisdom on how to meet the needs of each individual student in our class.