Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Feliz Thanksgiving...?

I teach my students one or two Spanish phrases at the end of each school day and they always try to come up with some crazy word or phrase to stump Miss Henderson.

Well. Yesterday, one sweet child asked me if we could learn how to say "Happy Thanksgiving"...
I replied that there is not an exact Spanish phrase because the Thanksgiving holiday and tradition began in America.

Their faces turned to gloom. It was as if I just told them that they would never have recess again, as long as they lived.

Perturbed and reflecting on how we had been discussing the importance of the Thanksgiving holiday and origin, I reiterated to the class that other countries do not celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. And...then I taught them the Spanish word for turkey. El pavo.

The bell rang as I was shaking my head, in disbelief, that my students were heart broken over the fact that the Pilgrims did not sail to Mexico. Or Spain. Or Ecuador.

Whew. I am ready for Thanksgiving break with my family and Grant!

2 comments:

Stately Lady said...

That's too cute! I just love it.

Ashlyn Stallings said...

Haha, what a good story :) My cousin is doing Teach for America and I love her stories about this kind of thing. Keep 'em coming!