Preschool Graduation

Yes, you heard that right.

Last week, Guerita had a preschool graduation. Not quite a formal cap and gown event - apparently that happens at the end of Year One!

Last year we had no idea what to expect from this end of year get-together at the school. They call it a Clasé Publica (Public Class) and it is basically a demonstration of the things they have learnt throughout the year. There’s a strong emphasis on how much English they have learnt, which is presumably more impressive to the other parents than us. Last year the kids had to pick a picture of an animal from the box and say its name in English. Funnily enough, we were the only ones who sniggered when one boy said the Equine creature he chose was called a “Hore”!

This year their main topics were countries of the world and parts of the body. They learnt about lots of different places, including Australia, where we have kangaroos and apparently eat a lot of pie! Each child was also required to give a little speech (in Spanish) on one part of the body - about 6 sentences they had memorised. Guerita’s was on bones and we spent several days practicing the sentences (with me hoping I was teaching her the correct pronunciation!).

The day before the Clasé Publica, however, Guerita came home from school with a sore tummy. She’s not the kind to get nervous at the thought of performing and she was uncharacteristically subdued so I was pretty sure she was actually sick. She showed me (and the doctor) just how sick she really was when she vomited all over the floor of the doctor’s waiting room that afternoon! The poor thing had a nasty combo of gastro and tonsillitis and her attendance at the Clasé Publica was looking dicey.

The gastro bug continued the next day and we seriously considered skipping the event, but she was determined to go. I convinced her that she should sit with me and just watch though, and not participate. Of course, when we got there she couldn’t hold herself back. She really was feeling unwell but she still managed to join in from the comfort of my lap in the audience and even to give her speech on the bones. What a trooper!

After the demonstration class is over they always have an awards ceremony. It’s one of those things where every child gets an award like “Most Creative” or ” Most Enthusiastic”. I was completely unprepared for this last year, though, and was amazed when they award Guerita the “Student of the Year” Prize! Of course, I was incredibly proud of her to do so well in her first year of proper school in a new country and in a new language, but part of me was thinking how ridiculous it was to be giving 4 year olds awards like that. In actual fact she had no idea that the award she got was any different to the others, so at least there wasn’t any pressure or expectation on her part when the awards were being handed out the other day.

This year her award was for “Most Improved Overall”. You can’t be unhappy with that, can you!

The funny thing too in these awards ceremony is that they usually give out a few awards to some of the mothers. Last year I actually got “Mother of the Year” award which was pretty amusing - I suspect it goes hand in hand with “Student of the Year”. This year my award was “Mama Detallista” which roughly translates as “Most Meticulous Mother”!! How funny - to be given an award for being anally retentive! I knew it was a valuable and highly regarded skill.

Here’s Guerita receiving her “Diploma” from her teacher and the teacher’s aide. Poor little thing - look how pale and wan she is!

She had the next 2 days off and has only just fully recovered, just in time for the last week of school, which is filled with parties!