Ludoteca

Ludoteca

Author - Amy Kundinger

January 23rd, 2013

To live in San Pancho for four months took two years of active planning, saving, and goal setting.  One of my main goals was to volunteer at EntreAmigos, specially in the Ludoteca (toddler) area that has recently been added to the community center.  What I envisioned, was helping prep activities for Karin to lead.  But as I am learning, that isn't exactly how it's going ... yet ... but it will.

Karin is 16 years old and the mother of 7 month old boy, Nelson.  She is very sweet and kind-hearted.  She works in the Ludoteca from 2 pm until 6 pm Monday thru Friday.  She comes to work on time and does all her tasks, like washing down the toys 3 times a week; she does this very well.  She is also very shy and reserved.  In fact, I didn't notice until I got this picture that Karin sat up on the bench rather than down on the floor with the other mom's and children for the activity time. 

Nicole, the founder and director of EntreAmigos, requested that I work with Karin (who speaks no English and I speak no Spanish) to engage the children that come to the Ludoteca with organized activities.  She asked that I lead a few activities that Karin could watch and then start transitioning the activities for Karin to lead them. GULP.  Me lead?!?  There were no activities planned so I could choose what I wanted to do myself...which was both wonderful and scary.

Those of you that know what I do for Best Buy, know that I absolutely love my work in communications and supportive processes.  My role focuses on communications for the US Web (Dotcom) where I regularly get to present to large audiences, lead trainings, and assist the company's senior leaders with communications out to the massive network of our employees.  I've heard that public speaking is the #1 fear for most people, ahead of even dying!  For me, it ranks #1 for things I really enjoy doing but yesterday, I was sweating like I was in a hot yoga class rather than speaking in front of some toddlers.

Why so nervous? 

For starters, the  activity was to be in Spanish.  I don't speak Spanish.  Nada.  Since arriving in San Pancho, I have taken 3 of my 6 lessons in beginners Spanish where I have started to learn basic phrases and numbers.  But conversationally, I got nothing.  I gave myself one week to plan for the activity.  I wanted it to be simple:  provide an idea to the children, then ask them questions about it and get them engaged in an activity.  It involved reading the book Brown Bear, Brown Bear.  What do you see? And then doing a magnet board activity with colors and animals.  I thought to myself, this book isn't long and I already know it...in English. 

This is where my very involved relationship with Google Translate begins.  We are definitely BFF's!  I wrote out every line in my notebook (I love my notebooks!!) and then entered each sentence into Google translate to hear how the words were pronounced. Then, I rewrote the sentences phonically so I could wrap my brain around how to actually say the words.  Example:  Caballo (horse) is pronounce Ka-bye-yo.  I practiced reading out loud. A lot.  First to myself, then to Andy (who kept correcting my pronunciations in an annoying Alex Trebek voice) then to Arlo, then Alden.  I wrote out questions that corresponded to the story and practiced those.  I learned 20 animals and all my colors.  I tried to anticipate questions the kids would ask me so I could respond with some simple Spanish phrases.  I practiced hand motions for each animal.  I wanted the kids to think I really knew what I was doing and not clumsily getting through each line of the book sounding like Frankenstein.   To my surprise, this took me many hours.

As Tuesday approached, I got more anxious.  So many questions: What if no one showed up?  What if the kids couldn't understand me?  What if I blanked on the questions I had taught myself?  What if they weren't interested?  What if I said something I didn't mean to say, like the time a little boy introduced himself to me as Pedro and when I said it back it sounded like Perro to him....which means dog (still having trouble rolling my r's).  He cried.  His sister told me "He thinks you think he's a dog."  Not one of my finer moments in my three weeks of trying out Spanish.

As I pedaled up to EntreAmigos, I thought of my mom who taught for decades and rounded out her career dedicated to pre-schoolers at Mayflower Nursery school in Green Bay.  When I was in college, I would visit her classroom and marvel at how, seemingly without effort, she engaged twenty 3 years old's in three hours of learning & fun.  I thought about my sister-in-law who runs a delightful in-home daycare where she fills the days with creative and thoughtful art projects.  She moved to the States from the Philippines after marrying my brother.  She tackled English beyond the conversational aspects she knew, the Wisconsin cold, and started her own successful business.  They are very good at what they do because they love it.  Surely I could tackle Brown Bear, Brown Bear.  What do you see? en Espanol.  I began to relax, envisioning the fun of it rather than getting it "right."

And fun it was!!

To my delight, 12 children participated for the first activity time.  I introduced myself and instantly heard back a dozen little voices say "hola."   My heart sang.  I asked if they would help me read a book.   Again, the excited little voices piped out "Si! "

Encouraged, I opened the book and jumped in. 

I read "Oso pardo, oso pardo, que ves ahi?" (Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?) at a steady pace gaining confidence with each word.  I asked my first question "Se puede hacer un sodindo como un oso?"  And immediately a little boy and little girl stood up with their arms over their head and fingers pointed down like claws and growled at me.  I wanted to do a back flip I was so excited.  I just asked them if they could make a sound like a bear!!!  With each page, I asked a question of the kids and they were eager to participate.  After the book, I moved to the magnet wall and was instantly surrounded by the children!   They all wanted a chance to put an animal on the wall!

From start to finish it was just 20 minutes. 

20 minutes of pure fun.  One little girl even asked me if I was going to come back next week.  I told her "Si" and she did a little excited hop. Flattered, I did a little hop as well.  Karin also seemed excited and we are going to meet once a week to share ideas and begin the process of transitioning the activity time to her.  Activity time will be every Tuesday at 5 pm.

Volunteering has this funny way of giving back more than the giver provides.  It is a natural self-motivator.  Sharing with kids (your own and the millions of other kiddos out there) of your time and focused energy is beyond valuable, yet costs nothing.  It is the positive intent and eye contact that is more meaningful than getting every last detail perfect.  I was struck by the simplicity of a smile and how easily it translates in any language, inviting people to participate and partner. 

But most importantly, I see that if you put yourself out there you are much farther than where you were before.   Que ves ahi?