Texting from my Boost Mobile Phone

Here I am, praising this glorious autumn day in my community of Tallahassee, Florida. Today, I accomplished the work of gardening, online writings, blog updating, participating in a conference, and taking ample time during and between these activities to send and receive text messages from my i335 Boost Mobile phone. Texting is valuable to me, and my favorite part of using a cell phone.

I like my phone, and the affordable, unlimited Boost Mobile plan that I have. I like to be free from contracts, credit checks, and postpaid arrangements. A prepaid plan gives me the liberty that I need, and deserve. I have unlimited talk, text, walkie talkie, and web, for only $50 a month, prepaid. I became smart when I left the costly postpaid Sprint, Tmobile, Cingular, and Alltel plans.

To me, the best plan, phone and service I have had yet, has been Boost Mobile. I am grateful for Boost Mobile and its unlimited prepaid plan. I am a happy, satisfied customer and user of this important cell phone tool. I will continue to text from my phone, and texting is the most important reason for having a cell phone, in my world. I text not only others, but, I text messages to myself. I text myself tasks that I need to complete, information I want to lock and save on my phone for ready reference, and ideas that I want to utilize. My texting world is big, and valuable to me. It is why I like my Boost Mobile cell phone unlimited plan.

How my garden is growing

There is a hymn that starts out like this: “A grateful heart a garden is, where there is always room for every lovely Godlike grace to come to perfect bloom.” CS Hymnal.

This morning, early, as I went into my backyard vegetable garden, outside of Tallahassee, Florida, I thought about the words of that spiritual song. I had a big, grateful heart. My heart was filled with gratitud for the beauty, and productivity of my garden, which has been blessing us with an abundant crop of pumpkin squash, which does not seem to have an end in sight. Other plants have given us an abundance of good as well, such as basil, peppers, mint, and so much more. My heart is filled with so much gratitude, which I have shared with others in the form of the results of my work in the garden, or rather, the rich soil of the garden allowing the element of abundance to occur.

What added to this grateful heart was the harmony of this autumn day, here in Tallahassee, Florida, with a crisp, coolness, in the air, and the purity of the blue in the sky. It was a day for walking, and admiring the beauty of surroundings. I did just that.

Now, I have prepared part of the garden soil for a new garden, a winter garden. Plants have come forth, and already, we have more results of the work done, and the gratitude expressed. Gratitude breeds more gratitude, and like a fountain, it keeps flowing forth. It is all good. A garden is a symbol of good. I feel that good when I am in my garden. It is a penetrating, inspiring good.

I have found the way. It is the way of the gardener. What a grateful heart the gardener has from season to season. Think of that grateful heart next time someone offers you some produce from a garden, or you walk or drive by someone’s home garden. The earth is filled with goodness, and blessings. I am grateful for the land that I live on here in north Florida, close to Tallahassee.

From one grateful heart to another! The kingdom is already here. We can say, “Thy kingdom come,” and mean it. That kingdom is in our heart of gratitude. I love the unfolding creation and the children of God who occupy it. It is heaven on earth, and I am reminded that the Guarani Indians of Paraguay have always believed that heaven on earth is a realistic possibility. The “land without evil” here on earth was a central element of their religious, moral, thought system.

My land without evil is right here, near Tallahassee, Florida, in a green spot in back of my home.

Will you tell me about your heaven on earth, as I would be very grateful to listen to other ideas.

¿Qué tienes mi hijo?

¿Qué tienes mi hijo? What is the matter my son?

¡Tengo frio! I am cold!

¡Tengo calor! I am hot!

¡Tengo hambre! I am hungry!

¡Tengo sed! I am thirsty!

¡Tengo miedo! I am scared!

¡Tengo sueño! I am sleepy!

¡Tengo suerte! I am lucky!

¡Tengo prisa! I am in a hurry!

¿Tienes frio? Are you cold?
No, no tengo frio. ¡Tengo hambre! No, I am not cold. I am hungry!

Uni in universe

I have been thinking about the word, “universe.” The “uni” part of that word inspires me. One universe only. Not two, or more. One verse provided. Therefore, universe inspires me with the idea of one Creator with one message. The message is in the universe. I have been contemplating what is that one verse in universe.

I go back to the book of Genesis in the Bible to read the creation account. “And God said…” Wow, God said something big, and it has to be big since God, the Creator, said it. “Let there be light.” Simple words. The universe has been enlightened, illuminated, brought forth to understanding, set forth as a system of lights. The universe is an orchestration of lights, whether daytime on Earth or the twinkling of stars in the night sky, the shining forth of many suns.

Light connotes many wonderful, healthy things, such as day, comfort, inspiration, an idea realized, activity, clearness, guidance, guiding, goodness, and so much more. These are qualities found in the Bible and elsewhere. We put light on the subject to make it clear. Something lights our path so we get to where we need to go, in the right direction. Light always takes away darkness. The scary unknown of darkness disappears with the emergence of the comforting light. Light tells the truth, since the view can now be seen where darkness appeared earlier.

The universe is one harmonious display, movement, adventure, experience of light, and lights in action.

Have an enlighted day, one with the all-encompassing universe. It is a joyous system to be one with.

Kenneth Fach teaching the unteachable

Yes, I teach a bunch of unteachable, unruly, discourteous middle school students in a Tallahassee, Leon County middle school.
Those in my class who want to learn Spanish, can’t learn because of the disruptive ones which are about 90% of the classes I teach.
You see, I have been all around the world, South American countries, Mexico, Germany, Italy, Spain, Canada, and other regions of the United States,
and never have I seen or experienced what I am experiencing at a Spanish teacher in Tallahassee. Students outside the United States are far more
eager to learn, are ready to learn and follow instructions, and do not have the puffed up, egocentric, ethnocentric drama plays that many
kids here have. There is little or no drama. Kids go to school knowing the consequences if they don’t do good. Punishment, and discipline is very
strict, and enforced as a society.

I don’t blame these Tallahassee middle school kids as much as I blame their sorry, low class environment. They were probably never taught courtesy, and respect at home, and they
probably don’t have a decent, humane home life. They don’t know any better? Or do they? Should that be an excuse?

Trying to teach the students in an interactive, storytelling, and student participation way, a few react well, but most don’t. I even tried the old fashioned
way of teaching: textbooks, copying from the board, dictation, worksheets, filling in the blanks. Nothing seems to work with these kids who would
rather be out fighting each other, having sex, going to parties, running the streets. I suspect that is what many of them will end of doing if they are
not dead or in jail.

Anyway, all I can do is be there to babysit, and teach the few who care, and want to learn a second language. Amidst the noise, caos, I can make some
difference. The rest, I don’t care. They made up their minds to behave the way they do, and nothing accepted by society will make a difference. Of course the
Bible does discuss kids that are troubled, and disturbed. The book of Proverbs discusses the issue of respect, honor, obedience, and correct behavior.
It discusses what is appropriate punishment, too. The United States of America has drifted away from the earlier Biblical teachings, and the fundamentals
of liberty which this society was built upon. Unless the students change their ways, they will not have the right to complain when their liberty is taken
away from them.

There was a time when going to school meant something. Today, based on my observations, going to school means absolutely nothing. What you learn
at school you can learn online, or through private instructions.

Since 1994, I have been privately teaching Spanish and writing skills to children and adults in and around Tallahasssee, Florida. I like doing that since
I get students who want to learn Spanish. They are paying me the money and would not do that if they were not serious.

Who have I taught in Tallahassee and surrounding areas:
I have taught Spanish to families planning on traveling to Peru, Ecuador, Spain, Mexico and elsewhere.
I have taught Spanish to attorneys, and even two local judges.
I have taught Spanish to several dentists, and one MD.
I have taught Spanish to real estate agents, and real estate investors. I even gave Spanish classes in two real estate offices.
I have taught Spanish to employees in the Florida legislature. I even taugth their children.
I have taught retired folks who just wanted something else to do, and to learn.
I have taught students at FSU, FAMU, and TCC who needed extra help in their Spanish classes, and more conversation.
I have taught stay at home moms, and stay at home dads.

The list probably goes on, but I truly get inspired teaching Spanish to those who want to learn it.

Although, I struggle day in and day out in a classroom of students who are going the way of losers (that is the choice they make),
I know that I teach plenty outside the public school environment who are dedicated to learning Spanish, and are a pleasure to teach.

I can pray for them and for everyone, and know in my thoughts that there is a place even for those who are hell on earth.

My Spanish Employment in Tallahassee

I came to Tallahassee in 1994 to work in my Master’s degree in Spanish, at Florida State University. I did not expect to stay on after I graduated, but I did, my wife, son and I. We soon felt comfortable in this city of many trees, parks, and friendly people.

I found a position in a State of Florida call center, which required the use of my Spanish communication. I liked the position, and spoke with hispanics from all over Florida and elsewhere, even Spain. I alway like meeting Spanish-speakers both native and non-native, and helping Spanish-speakers in ways I know how. In this position with the State of Florida, I was able to direct hispanics in need to appropriate social and community services, and received my share of thank yous. It was satisfying to me to know I was helpful.

After a few years of doing this kind of work, I went into another line of work, but found myself at another call center, MyFloridaMarketPlace. Again, I was hired there because I am fluent in Spanish. I was needed to handle incoming calls from Spanish speakers all over the world wanting to do business with state agencies of Florida, and needing assistance with registering their business online, as required for vendors wanting opportunities to sell their services, or products to Florida.

For those who think that learning Spanish is a waste of time, believe me, from personal experiences I can say that is is valuable to learn Spanish. Not just learn, but make it truly your second or third language. Adopt it as another way you can commuicate.

I have been in the following situations in which it was important that I knew Spanish. Here they are:

Several hispanics who did not know English, were traveling through Tallahassee, Florida, on the way to a job. I gave them direction, and advice in Spanish. I told them what to look out for and what to do in certain situations. I told them where to go for further assistance. I knew their language. There was no communication wall between us.

In another occasion, I was at the coastline near Tallahassee, Florida. A boat came in with only Spanish speakers. They needed a place to stay. I had a contact on the coast, and after being in cell phone communication with the contact, I found these individuals a place to stay, hide, or whatever. I will help any Spanish-speaker regardless if they are illegal or legal. I have helped many illegals, and will continue to do so.

I have volunteered time, teaching English to migrant workers, and teaching them their rights. I teach them to take advantage of anything in the United States system. Taking advantage is often a good thing.

In other situations, I have been asked to discuss God in Spanish to Spanish speakers interested in my religion, and in spiritual prayer. I always pray in Spanish, and study spirituality in Spanish.

I have helped hispanic children learn how to write their Spanish language. I have helped adults learn how to write in Spanish.

a Florida junior college called on me to teach Spanish to a group of Army Reservists, in a community education program. In that position, I heard a lot about the United States military operations in South American, and even was given manuals about operation procedures in both English, and Spanish. I was asked to translate certain classified and unclassified documents from English to Spanish, and from Spanish to English.

A law office called on me to give Spanish lessons to them. That was fun, and the group of 11 or 12 attorneys were very motivated.

I often hear Spanish in Walmart, the malls, and in the parks, in and outside of Tallahassee, Florida. I can greet them, converse with them, and show them that I am not a ethnocentric, monolingual citizen of the United States. I am a world citizen. I am a citizen of God’s creation. I am God’s child, just like each individual is. God knows all languages. Language is an expression of God’s diversity, and goodness. It is always a pleasure for me to be able to use my Spanish in any place I find myself.

I blog in Spanish, correspond with Spanish speakers all around the world via social media sites, and especially, Twitter. I am at http://Twitter.com/KenFach.

Florida Pest Control With its Benefits

I worked for about a year at an established pest control company in Tallahassee, called Florida Pest Control. I did a lot of tapping on peoples’ baseboards with the objective of inspecting for evidence of termites.

We used a long screwdriver and tapped in all the rooms. Tap, tap, tap. Yes, I woke up sleeping household members, and babies and irritated dogs and cats. The interesting thing about this, is that there is an electronic device on the market that more effectively sounds out what is going on inside the walls, but due to cost issues, we were not given this useful tool. Instead, we relied on the screwdriver to tap for hollow sounds in the wall, or softness in the wood. It did a job to my back while doing this line of work with Florida Pest Control company in Tallahassee, Florida. I finally gave up complaining about my back issues since that was an unwanted topic to management’s ears.

Yes, I had to call in sick sometimes, due to back pain. The back pain not only came from bending, and tapping so much, with the screwdriver, but also getting on and off the chemical truck I was using, and having fallen a couple times on the wet metal surface. On those cold winter mornings, the metal surface was icy and wet. We still had to climb up and check valves, and chemicals in the tanks. I was interrogated and offended when I had to call in due to back pain. I therefore, stopped calling in, and worked with back pain.

One benefit of working with Florida Pest Control was the opportunity to meet homeowners, share my real estate knowledge with them, and give them my real estate agent’s business card. I used my opportunity inspecting homes to sell my real estate services, and that I successfully did. I sold as well as listed real estate. That was the main reason I went to work for Florida Pest Control in the first place: to meet potential real estate buyers and sellers. I also did a good job as a termite inspector. Customers received good service in both areas: pest control and real estate.

While completing termite pretreatments on construction sites, I met many native Spanish speakers. I offered assistance in locating real estate for sale, and moved several people into their first homes. I also worked with investors who also were big time builders. Yes, some of the Tallahassee builders became good clients in my real estate business and I was their go to man for real estate investor deals.

Even though Florida Pest Control paid me very little in the course of that line of work, I made earnings in other areas, over and under the table. I even used my pest control truck to show people homes, and still was able to do my pest control work. I have always been good at multi-tasking.

Thanks Florida Pest Control for giving me some good real estate opportunities. Yeah, I know you paid me little, and resented any time off I needed to take to be with family, or to heal my back, but I did manage to get what I wanted to get out of my experience there. My back is getting better now.

Kenneth Fach Offers Expertise in Tallahassee

Hello Tallahassee, and others. I am offering a knowledge base, skills, and answers relating to the Spanish language, Teaching, Pest control, and Real Estate. I will explain my background in each of these areas.

I have been teaching Spanish in Tallahassee, Florida, as a private Spanish teacher or tutor since 1994. I go to offices, churches, and homes teaching my second language, Spanish. My goal in doing this is to promote the value of learning, acquiring Spanish, and the beauty of the Spanish language. I would like to see everyone learn Spanish or other languages. I have also taught in private and public schools. Currently, I have a challenging position at Nims Middle School in Tallahassee.

I have a background selling real estate here in Tallahassee, as well as elsewhere, such as Pensacola, Florida. have I sold, listed, and consulted on the subject of residential home sells. I worked with both buyers and selling, and often preferred the buyer over the seller, as sellers tend to be unrealistic and greedy. I have always been a deal maker favoring the buyer. I worked for Exit Realty, Keller Williams, and Weichert Realtors.

Here in Tallahassee, I worked for Florida Pest Control. I inspected homes, and provided termite treatments. I have knowledge in home inspections and what chemicals should or should not be used. I can advise on what termite systems are useful and which ones are not. My fees are probably less than what you would pay Florida Pest Control.

Busco un trabajo mejor en Tallahassee

Hola amigos, y los de otras partes que no conozco. He decidido que voy a escribir solamente en el español y no más inglés. Enseño el español a muchos muchachos de Tallahassee. ¡La vida es diversa! A mí me gusta mucha la diversidad. Hay nuevas cosas que se pueden aprender, y conocer. Hay gente con sus historias que quiero conocer. Hay palabras y sus formas de usar que me caen bien. La vida es corta, no larga, pero voy a hacer todo lo que puedo, para darme la satisfacción de conocer lo más posible de la creación de Dios.

Sobre todo, soy leal a Dios. Dios es mi vida ahora y para siempre. No puede hacer nada sin Dios. Dios es el bien, siempre presente. Me da beneficios, oportunidades, alegrías, conocimiento. El es todo para mí.

Vivo en una parte norte de la ciudad de Tallahassee, que esta rodeado de bosques, árboles, casas y lagos. A mi me gusta estar en la naturaleza, sacando fotos, rezando, caminando, y dando gratidud que hay lugares tranquilos que puedo ver y conocer.

Todos los días, miro la bondad de Dios. Su bondad, y belleza esta por todas partes. Por eso, soy un hombre muy agradecido, es decir, lleno de graditud.

Mis tweets en espanol My Spanish tweets

21. @trboogie ¿Por qué no te sientes bien? ¿Te duele el estómago o la cabeza? ¿Qué te duele?10:52 PM Sep 30th from web in reply to trboogie

22. @suziqpoet That is a very good sign of becoming fluent. Congratulations. Keep dreaming in Spanish.10:51 PM Sep 30th from web in reply to suziqpoet

23. @theonlydemifan My son forgot it to when we came from Paraguay, but, he is relearning it. I want a bilingual, or multilingual son.10:49 PM Sep 30th from web in reply to theonlydemifan

24. @innobound I made a goal when I was 8 years old that someday I would be fluent in Spanish. That some day came fast, as I lived Spanish.10:48 PM Sep 30th from web in reply to innobound

25. ¡Viva el español! ¡Viva! Fui a muchos paises, pero no conozco España, aunque pasé una semana en Barcelona hace muchos años.10:47 PM Sep 30th from web

26. Imaginese si Colombus podia hacer blogs.10:45 PM Sep 30th from web

27. @angelosearch Felicitaciones en cuanto a los verdes folders.10:43 PM Sep 30th from web in reply to angelosearch

28. @Cochapacha numeros nonees?10:35 PM Sep 30th from web in reply to Cochapacha

29. @perez2009 Estoy totalmente de acuerdo. Las palabras de espanol me suenan mejor, y hablan al corazon. ¡Viva el español! ¡Viva!10:34 PM Sep 30th from web in reply to perez2009

30. @Izarnotegui Hay lo bueno y lo malo en cuanto a China.10:32 PM Sep 30th from web in reply to Izarnotegui

31. Anyone in Tallahassee wanting to learn Spanish, improve their Spanish or needing a translator/interpreter?10:31 PM Sep 30th from web

32. Heard from a Leon County School board professional that the student population, and pop. in general will be drifting downward now.10:31 PM Sep 30th from web

33. I live in Tallahassee, and maybe you should too. Unfortunately, the forecast is for fewer students and a population decrease.10:30 PM Sep 30th from web

34. @vma06 Tallhassee is beautiful. Tallahassee es hermoso.10:29 PM Sep 30th from web in reply to vma06

35. @mela1908 What’s in Tallahassee? Too many florishing green trees everywhere.10:25 PM Sep 30th from web in reply to mela1908

36. Hola Tallahassee, Florida. Alguien necesita un hombre de habla espanol? Busco algo muy bueno, y que me puede cambiar la vida mia.10:23 PM Sep 30th from web

37. que viva America! Que viva la raza!10:20 PM Sep 30th from web

38. Quiero amigos que creen en el concepto de ¡Viva el español! ¡Viva!10:02 PM Sep 30th from web

39. @innobound Through Spanish radio, television, Spanish-speaking people in my life, living in LA, Mexico, and Paraguay, obsession with it.10:01 PM Sep 30th from web in reply to innobound

40. @DonPublius As a teacher, I am probably expected to join a union as well. I hear both sides about that.9:39 PM Sep 30th from web in reply to DonPublius

more

Los tweets en espanol My Spanish tweets

Here are some of my Spanish tweets from Tallahassee, Florida.

1. @jorgecoronel De nada. Tengas un buen fin de semana!less than 10 seconds ago from web in reply to jorgecoronel

2. El viernes, ¡Qué te quiero!about 7 hours ago from web

3. Hoy es viernes. ¡Tómalo con calma! Mañana es otro día. Siempre, ¡tómalo con calma!about 7 hours ago from web

4. Se le preguntó, -¿Cuantós helicópteros hay? El otro hombre le repondió, – eso que vuela. Jajajajajaabout 7 hours ago from web

5. Alguien por la radio dijo que México es un país de chistes. Tal vez es verdad.about 8 hours ago from web

6. http://www.twitter-links.com/ Este link en ingles para ellos que quieren aprender de Twitter.about 8 hours ago from web

7. @charlymaiz Yo pensé, que solamente los mexicanos usan, -¡Qué onda!about 8 hours ago from web in reply to charlymaiz

8. ¡Buenos días Tallahassee, Florida! ¿Qué vas a hacer hoy? Que dia para dar un paseo a pie, ¿no es verdad?about 8 hours ago from web

9. Quiero ir a acampar en uno de los parques estatales de Florida. Hay muchos, y son lindos. Hay muchos parques verdes cerca de Tallahassee.about 8 hours ago from web

10. Por fin hace fresco en Tallahassee, Florida. Ya se fue el calor, aunqué puede regresar.about 8 hours ago from web

11. ¡Buenos días Asunción, Paraguay! ¡Qué tengan un buen día! Quiero conocerte más la ciudad de las flores y la gente muy amable.about 8 hours ago from web

12. @Ri_co_ Desde mi ninez, cuando tenia mas o menos 15 anos.about 8 hours ago from web in reply to Ri_co_

13. what do you call a person who speaks two languages—–BILINGUAL. What do you call a person who only speaks one language—–AMERICAN”about 24 hours ago from web

14. Anyone want help with their Spanish? Hay alguien que quiere ayuda con el espanol? Te puedo ayudar. I can help you.about 24 hours ago from web

15. Buenas noches a todos. Duermanse bien, o en otras regiones, tengan un buen dia!11:04 PM Sep 30th from web

16. the underlying technology that makes the Internet run was developed by the US Department of Defense 40 years ago.11:03 PM Sep 30th from web

17. Siempre doy gracias a Dios en español.11:01 PM Sep 30th from web

18. @innobound Practice makes perfect is especially true in learning other languages. I lived it, breathed it, ate it, drank it, prayed in it.11:00 PM Sep 30th from web in reply to innobound

19. I know there are some Tallahassee business folks that need a Spanish speaker, teacher, translator, interpreter. Hola, les puedo servir!10:59 PM Sep 30th from web

20. Este mundo es para todos. La creación que El creó es hermosa. Estoy muy agradecido de tener ojos para verla.10:58 PM Sep 30th from web

* Name Kenneth Fach
* Location Tallahassee
* Bio Veo la bondad de Dios por todas partes. Spanish Tutor. Fluent in Spanish. M.A. in Spanish from Florida State University. I like organic gardening.

A Tallahassee teacher dealing with a middle school experience

A new school year has begun here in Tallahassee, Florida. I found a teaching position at a middle school in the area. I teach Spanish to six, seventh and eight graders. Many of my students come from less than appropriate living environments, with broken households, guardians, instead of parents, issues of poverty, gangs, street living, and an unsupportive learning environment at home. Many of my students have not been taught courtesy, respect for others, how to study, and how to behave properly. I have my hands full, that is for sure. So do all the other dedicated, good, teachers that I am surrounded with. I always admire teachers. They do earn their salary, as they spend so much of their time, at home, and on weekends working for their students.

My job is to teach Spanish. I have done this well on many occasion, to both children and adults, as a private Spanish teacher, and in schools. I have six years of experience teaching Spanish at high schools, and several years of experience teaching English at language institutes in Mexico and Paraguay. I have been providing private Spanish lessons in Tallahassee, Florida, to all age groups since 1994. You can say that is my secret under the table job. I have turned non-Spanish speakers into fluent Spanish speakers, and have a sense of pride and joy in knowing that.

Now, my task is much harder, since I am in a classroom with children who probably would rather be out on the streets like their buddies, or with their buddies. I really don’t know. Only a few of my students truly care or appear to care about learning Spanish. I know middle school has its challenges in general as the children are going through the hormonal period of their physical lives, however, at this particular school, the kids are in general troubles, retarded, gangsters, nervous, or carry other mental, physical issues with them. These are not what I or others would call a normal group of children to teach to. I have seen much better behaved young people. I do understand that they come into the classroom with issues from a sorry, inferior home environment. I cannot blame them for the defects of their parents/caregivers. The adults pass their issues on to the children, and the children pay the ultimate price by not taking their education seriously.

Now, does all of this background mean that I do not go into the classroom with high expectations that at least some of the students will learn, and get something out of a foreign language education? No, not at all. I have much hope. There are good students. I praise them, and help to lead them on, although they are surrounded by wolves. What goes on in the limited thought processes of the wolves? Certainly, not the way of righteousness. It is not a story of wolves united with lambs. The lambs are conscientious learners, the wolves just don’t care.

I go into the Spanish classroom speaking Spanish, and giving new vocabulary to the class. The lambs will acquire the vocabulary, and participate, while the wolves play away their illogical behaviors and sink in their own crap. My lesson will continue, and those who can swim will make the A grades, and those who do not get it, because they purposely stay off task, will make the low end grades, and will not even walk ashamed of their sin: not wanting understanding; not getting knowledge; not reaching for wisdom. The book of Proverbs would be a good manual for the wolves to read.

Of course, the good students do not want to study, nor are able to adequately learn in a room with those who don’t want to learn. They don’t understand why we as teacher, cannot remove those disruptive ones from the class, either temporarily or permanently. I have had children ask me that question. I really don’t have an answer, but I can say, that in most societies around the world, there is separation between those who want to learn, and those who want to be rude, disruptive, and don’t care about learning.
We make children get an academic education, but of course, we know that not all children will grow up and use their academic educational experience. Hence, we have all those people working in vocations, the blue collar workers. In other societies, not everyone gets to have an standard education. Some do, some don’t. Some are just not academically inclined. Children are sent into a vocational tract, or an academic tract. American education is quite different from the rest of the world. We want, and expect all our children to be great readers, writer and intellectuals. This is not reality, of course. Just look around at society.

Having lived and taught in other countries, I know that respect, courtesy and honor go much further. Children behave much better in other parts of the world, in general. They have an environment in which honor is super important. If they misbehave, or show disrespect to their teachers, they are acting dishonorably, and that hurts the family reputation, or family name in the community. They have strong supportive families, but oh yes, I have to remember, that in the United States of America, many kids come from broken homes, and do not have family support. There is no sense of obligatioin of honor. Teachers are not given the high standing that they are in most other lands around the world. In the Spanish speaking world, in which I have personal experience, teachers are respected, honored members of the community, and are respectfully treated by the children. No nonsense, classroom disruptions, or disrespect, such as you find in American public schools. Children in many cultures go to school in nice looking uniforms. Here in Tallahassee, they go to school looking like you know what. They play “cool.” For some reason, it is hard to get Americans to accept uniforms for all their children.

The solution as I see it for American education:
1. Require business like uniforms with boys wearing ties.
2. Remove troubled, disruptive kids from class instead of integrating them in the classroom with the good, hardworking students.
3. Have tougher punishments for children who disrupt. Bring back biblical principles into the educattional system.
4. Give teachers more staff support, and less bureacratic paperwork to complete, so that teachers can focus on teaching. Get rid of these ESE forms, and other paperwork that in the big picture serve for nothing except to please certain demographic groups.
5. Keep class sizes small, so each student gets better attention. Students crave my attention, but I can’t help them adequately since I have to help other students too. I feel so bad for them. Each teacher should have another adult helper in the room, especially in a system that requires integration of children in the same room. I am reminded that classroom integration is a recent phenomenon in history. How many hard working students have come forward and said that they do most of their learning outside class on the computer, or through other means? I hear this all the time. They do not learn in such a diverse classroom. I could not when I was a student! I was mostly self-taught.
6. We need government programs, like a public works program that will shuffle the kids that ought not be in a traditional school environment, into a trade route, a vocational tract.

As a Tallahassee Spanish teacher, I will do all I can to get the children interested in another language. I believe and always will believe in the importance of foreign languages started at the elementary school level and continuing ever year to the last year of the formal educational program. Foreign language education serves to strengthen our first language use, makes us appreciate other people, and their way of communicating, and makes us able to communicate with a wider global demographic. I know that I can go to over 30 countries and communicate in Spanish very well with the people. I would like my students to have that confidence some day.

Teach Spanish through storytellling

I like to teach for language acquisition, and not just memorization of words, and book exercises. I use activities that enable students to acquire a lot of vocabulary that they will internalize. The tool I use is a simple, fun, little story in the Spanish language.Stories are vocabulary builders. I center acquisition activities around the stories. I use hand gestures, and body movements to teach vocabulary. This approach is TPR, total physical response which I am a big believer in. I also use TPR in my private Spanish classes I give to both children and adults. I see growth occuring in students as this approach takes away the stress of learning a foreign language, and allows for student experimentation.

Steps involved in teaching storytelling for language acquisition:

1. Teach story vocabulary using hand and body movements and have student do the same movements with me as I teach the words to them. Practice vocabulary with hand body movements until everyone is comfortable with the vocabulary. The vocabulary is on the white board, overhead, or chalkboard. The vocabulary is there until students have acquired language at the end of the story.

2. Present the story using hand and body movements. Then, ask simple yes, no questions. Call on individual students to act out the story as I tell the story without hand gestures. Then, the whole class, groups, and pairs practice the story. I focus on the story line, not the correctness of each literal word in the story.

3. Make novel commands. Students by this time know the vocabulary, but now, mix the words around to form other commands so students further acquire language.

4. Make personalized questions using the story’s vocabulary. Make the questions relevant to the students’ lives.

5. Make personalized mini-situations using students in the room, and exagerating descriptions and activities. This is fun for the students.

6. Evaluate for understanding by having students translate from Spanish to English, or have them complete written or verbal tests.

Before starting storytelling using hand and body movements for teaching vocabulary, I spend a few weeks with what is called traditional TPR. Students respond to the commands I give, and make the same physical movements that I make. Examples: stand up, sit down, walk to the door, touch the door, turn around, point to the wall, point to the floor, touch the floor, put the box under the table. I teach location words and body parts in the beginning lessons before doing stories with the children. I teach: touch you ear, touch your nose, touch your knee, and so forth. I teach, put the box in front of your head, under your head, under the table, in back of your head, next to your head. I use Spanish almost entirely, in my lessons, and after modeling how students are to respond to commands, i then give commands without my physical response to evaluate learning. I start all vocabulary practice with speaking the words or phrases and at the same time representing the vocabulary with a hand gesture or movement of the body. Students are engaged and are not just passive listeners, but they listen, make the same physical movements, and respond to the commands and phrases that i say.

That is my teaching style. There is a lot of energy going on in the room, and students are vital in this approach. I act as a coach or facilitator, or director of a play that the students perform. I have many stories for the children that offer the element of surprise to them as well as vocabulary.

–
Kenneth Fach
Tallahassee, Florida
Cell: 850-210-7425
Email: kennethfach@gmail.com
Blog: http://KennethFach.wordpress.com

Seeing the earth from different angles

There is more than one way of looking at the earth. There is more than one way to look at a classroom. There is more than one way to deliver a quality foreign language program in a school.

A number of years ago, I flew to Paraguay, and as the plane went lower I was able to observe the earth simbolized as Paraguay. What I noticed was the brilliance of the color red on the earth. The land was red out in the country, and in yards within the capital city of Asuncion. The red earth made a mark in my memory, and I acquired that characteristic of the Paraguayan land from on high.

The plane landed, I took a ride through the city of Asuncion to the residence where I would be staying. I observed not the red earth that I saw from the sky, but instead, a piece of Paraguayan land filled with green everywhere. There were so many trees, bushes, and shades of green. I felt so happy to be in this new land, and to see the beautiful display of colors and nature all around me. No red land from this perspective.

When entering the neighborhood and then the yard of the home I would be residing in, I could not help but notice the abundance of orange, grapefruit and banana trees everywhere. Now, I was not looking at just green trees, but specific kinds of green trees. I had an even different perspective. Still no red earth at this level of vision.

During the first several weeks in Paraguay, I visited the Paraguay River, and some big lakes. I saw some of the rural landscape around Asuncion, but did not see the red earth, that I saw from the sky. I saw rolling hills, covered in green vegetation, a big lake and white houses around it. I saw so many flowers of all kinds of shapes, sizes and colores. I never saw so many flowers so richly endowed in their plant kingdom. I saw women walking down streets with baskets of bread balancing on their heads. Still another perspective of the land.

As we teachers go into a classroom of students, ready to begin the tasks of acquiring knowledge and skills, we are able to experience the class, its talents, strengths, landscapes, from different perspectives. There is not such thing as a class filled with students. Rather, it is a class filled with learning styles, different motivations, strengths, weaknesses, and different skill sets. We are teaching to ideas, and talents, and bringing forth strengths and challenges in those ideas and talents. We are delivering reinforcements in old perspectives, and delivering content in new perspectives. Students are adaptable, but withing a balance of old and new abilities, and strategies. It is an art, and a science to see what works with what student. What perspective to take and how to see it from one angle or another.

In a foreign language classroom, there are so many opportunities to present to students using many different language acquisition strategies, or simple learning techniques. It make a foreign language classroom an adventurous place to be both for teacher, and for student.

My Philosophy of Education

There is no greater experience on earth than that of immersion in an educational environment, where learning is taking place, where students are free to acquire skills and talents, and where teachers are facilitating, coordinating, and coaching learning activities, sharing knowledge, and inspiring students in their course towards success.

Education consists of not just learning, but acquiring useful, necessary, practical, and intellectually stimulating skills that can be used throughout life. In order for success in education to occur, students should be taught to their style of learning, and a teacher should be familiar with different learning styles to set up the stage for students to be successful, and not fail in the course towards acquisition. Students should be giving hands-on, activities, thought provoking tasks, reading, speaking, writing, listening, and analytical assignments with constant teacher interaction, feedback, input, and demonstration. Both teacher and student should work together, each growing together. Students learn from each other and from teachers, and teachers learn from each other and from students. The team or community approach is so important in education. The student who sits at his/her desk, a being all alone, yet surrounded by other students, and not allowed to participate, be engaged, challenged, praised, and taught using creative teaching and learning styles, is often not going to be an achiever. Variety of topics and tasks, diversity of ideas, praise, constant practice, and a positive atmosphere, are the necessary concomitants to a successful student experience.

The classroom is just one facet within the educational community. This community the department, school as a whole, staff, parents, community resources, community experts, and the internet, all need to be included in a successful classroom educational experience.

In important purpose of education is to allow, and encourage students to experience, respond to, and see the value of other cultures, and a second or third language. Communication brings harmony, and in the realm of communication there exists different languages. Students should leave their formal education able to communicate in one or more foreign languages that are useful, and practical to the students future endeavors and community relationships. A strong foreign language curriculum should be a priority in every school. It is not possible to truly understand others and their cultures, without having acquired the necessary skills to communicate with them in their language. We live in a universe of words, and everything is about words. Students who are good at foreign language studies are often good in other life skills as well.

Education is a universe of creativity, possibility, and functionality. It is not a moment in time, but a process of moments working together with goals, objectives, and more goals and objectives. It goes on through life without stopping to rest. Each classroom student brings value to education, and when engaged, brings even more value. Education is engagement, and teachers are also engaged in the process of learning and acquiring knowledge and skills. Teachers within the educational center are also students.

Threefold success in Spanish class

I present my threefold plan of success with teaching vocabulary in a Spanish class. This does not come from my thoughts, but from others. Teachers are great acquirers of other teachers’ experiences and work in the classroom. I find that the threefold vocabulary acquisition plan does work. It works through a constant supply and use of stories, story lines, and story activities since through stories so much vocabulary is acquired.

I start with the premise that the whole purpose, and most important part of teaching Spanish or any foreign language, is to help the students acquire vocabulary. A good way to teach vocabulary for internalization is through the use of stories and mini-stories that the teacher can create or use from other teachers. I have done both, using my own stories, since i like to create stories, and using stories that other teachers have used.

Before presenting the story, I present vocabulary in the story. I
resent vocabulary using hand and body movements. Each word needs to be understood by the students using some gesture, or body movement. The students need to make the same movements as the teacher calls out the vocabulary, so that students can start to internalize the words and phrases. Students practice with teacher, in pairs, as a class, and in groups. Teacher tests students by callling on a few to respond to the vocabulary the teacher speaks forth, but this time without hand gestures.

Present a mini story or story using the vocabulary presented. Class, groups in the class, pairs, and individuals get to practice the story line using body and hand movements. Do not read the story. Tell the story line, and make it natural.

Next there are three essentials to help in language acquisition, that are done after each story.

First:

Create novel commands using the story’s vocabulary. Call on individuals to respond to these commands. Mix vocabulary around, and use new words with the old. Students are getting more practice with the vocabulary but in novel ways beyond what is in the story.

Second:

Create personalized questions based on what students like. Call on individual students. The questions use the vocabulary from the story, and the novel commands.

Third:

Create personalized mini-situations, using individual students in the class. Make the situations a surprise, use the names of the several students, and make it humorous, and entertaining. Students like to hear about themselves. Again, the purpose is to give more practice with the vocabulary. Exagerate a lot in these situations. Make something bigger than real life.

We can have fun with stories in the Spanish class. I have. Students acquire language, which is the whole point of using stories, besides the culture aspect, used in some stories. Grammar comes later after students acquire a lot of vocabulary.

Spanish is the language of corazon

The Spanish word, “corazon,” is a very beautiful word, and has made an impression on me. I hear the word over and over in Spanish songs, poems, and conversations. It is used is a more spiritual tone than the word “heart” is used in English.

In Spanish, “corazon” can metaphorically refer to love, sweetness, honey, baby, girlfriend, boyfriend, a more spiritual affection, the divine, unity, oneness, home, kindness. It can be repeated many times in the same song or poem.

When listening to Spanish language, such as a song, listen for the word “corazon” and see if you can feel its tone, warmth, beauty, as I do when I hear the word. It is a word that connotes a feeling of tranquility, peace, divine calmness, and stability.

What Kenneth Fach has done with his Spanish

What have I done with my Spanish? More than what you see listed below. Spanish has been my passion, as I have always been in love with the sounds, movements, and play of the words. Here are some things that I am proud of having accomplished with my Spanish.

I was called on to meet an Argentine botonist at the Pensacola Regional Airport. I took him to the plant laboratory, and plant fields to act as his personal interpreter while in the area for a couple weeks. He knew no English. I took hiim throughout laboratories, plant fields, and offices interpreting his observations, and directions given to him by other scientists nad staff. He thanked me, and my reward was admirable for an amateur interpreter. I have not done much interpreting.

I was called on by a British CEO of a small travel company, to translate travel brochures from Spanish into English. This was rewarding work.

I was called on to translate correspondence and reports about an agricultural project, and future agricultural projections with certain plant types. It was a detailed assignment, with the dictionary always at hand for those technical agricultural, and scientific words that I was not familiar with in any language.

I was called on by the police while living in Asuncion, Paraguay, to interpret a conversation between an American who did not speak Spanish, and a local Paraguayan citizen. The issue was concerning witness to some building demolition on private property. I felt like a heroe to both the American, and to the Paraguayan police.

I served as a volunteer English teacher to migrant farmers in a community outside Tallahassee. I was able to use my Spanish to establish rapport, and to be an effective teacher.

I have provided Spanish language lessons online to private individuals. I have been a private Spanish tutor/teacher since 1994. I am currently working on developing an entire Spanish language program on the web. It is in the making.

I served as a classroom Spanish teacher in Milton, Florida, Sneads, Florida, Bainbridge, Georgia, and the Daycroft School in Connecticut. I also taught Florida State University undergraduates while working on my master’s degree in Spanish at that school.

Years ago, when working at Dollar Rent A Car, I was called on to provide interpretation to some visitors from Spain and elsewhere, from time to time.

While employed at Florida’s Dept of Children and Families Florida Abuse Hotline, I used my Spanish language skills to assist callers with and to refer callers to community services related to their issues. I was hired because of my ability to communicate in Spanish fluently.

When I worked at MyFloridaMarketPlace I used my Spanish to assist callers with technology issues with the eProcurement software used by the State of Florida, and was hired because of my Spanish.

I have organized Spanish meetup groups in which people came together to practice their Spanish and I acted as coach or facilitator.

I taught Spanish to a group of Army reservists who needed to acquire Spanish for their upcoming missions to Peru, and elsewhere where Spanish is the dominating language.

I was the first student at the University of West Florida to have gone to live in Paraguay, South America.

I was the first person in my family to have earned a master’s degree in a foreign language.

I had the fortunate situation of being the only Spanish teacher at Sneads High School, in Sneads, Florfida, and was at liberty to create the Spanish curriculum and put it into action.

I was the first and only Spanish teacher that I know of at Bainbridge High School, in Bainbridge, Georgia, to have used the teaching approach of TPR (Total Physical Response) to teach Spanish for acquisition, not just learning. I had done a lot of research in TPR, and became convinced that this method of teaching foreign language is the best. It works, and I was able to see the students’ growth in Spanish acquisition.

My Spanish has been useful in protecting me from interrogations, and sensitive situations along the Paraguayan and Argentine border, and in the country of northern Mexico. In the case of northern Mexico, I was stopped by a group of mean looking men with rifles and machine guns. I had to explain my mission for being in that location outside of Saltillo, Mexico.

I have participated in Spanish social media online, and helped Spanish speakers in their English studies.

I helped non-citizens from various parts of the Spanish world, complete their paperwork to become legal residents or citizens. I also helped individuals get to safety in the United States. I even helped locate jobs for illegal aliens. I will continue to do all I can to help people in need, or with good motivations.

I completed job applications, prepared resumes, translated birth and marriage certificates from Spanish into English, from individuals from Mexico and Central America, as well as elsewhere. I took them around to various locations of need and introduced them to the community, and community resources. I did all of this with and without remuneration.

While in real estate sales, I assisted non-English speakers in locating real estate, selling real estate, and completing sales contracts, and offers.

There are many benefits in learning and acquiring Spanish. You, like me, can be a help for the community, and for good individuals.

Fun little Spanish stories

Cuentito de la casa de hormiga

Kendi anda muy despacio hacia un arbol grande detras de su casa. El amigo de Kendi dice, “Que te duele? Por que’ andas muy despacio?” Kendi dice, “Me duele la pierna? Ay ay ay. El amigo de Kendi dice, “Entonces, sientate.” Kendi se sienta sobre la casa. Es la casa de hormigas. Kendi grita, “Me duele todo.”

Cuentito de Javi y la caja

Javi ve una caja debajo de la mesa. Javi anda rapido a la mesa. Se agacha, y extiende los brazos para recoger la caja. Javi tiene la caja. Javi anda rapido a la puerta, pero no se para. Se pega la cabeza en la puerta. El llora. El perro esta al lado de Javi, y salta encima de Javi.

Cuentito, El cesto, no la caja!

Mama’ le grita a Kendi, “busca el cesto, por favor.” Kendi busca el cesto. Ve debajo de la mesa, y no esta’. Ve sobre la mesa y no esta’. Ve detras de la mesa, y no esta’. ve al lado de la mesa y no esta’. Kendi da la vuelta y anda a la puerta. Ve a la izquierda de la puerta y ve la caja sobre el piso. Recoge la caja y le da la caja a su mama. La mama grita y dice, “el cesto, no la caja.”

Cuentito de La botella de agua debajo del arbol

Hace calor afuera. Kendi esta’ afuera. Kendi corre rapidamente con un amigo alrededor del arbol grande. El arbol grande esta’ detras de la casa. Kendi recoge una botella de agua debajo del arbol. Bebe agua. Se sienta, y se acuesta.

Useful Spanish Expressions

Abajo es una lista de palabras y frases utiles en castellano (espanol) para ustedes. Below is a list of useful words and phrases in Spanish for all of you.

Que bueno! Good! How nice! Great! Wonderful!
Que lindo! How pretty, beautiful!
Que bonito! How beautiful!
Que hermoso! How beautiful!
Es tan bello! It’s so beautiful!
No me digas! Your kidding! No way!
Pienso que… I think…
Opino que… In my opinion…
Me gustaría… I’d like to…
Me gusta… I like…
Preferiría… I’d prefer…
Sin duda… Without a doubt,…
Discrepar: Disagreeing:
No pienso que… I don’t think that…
No te parece que sería mejor… Don’t you think it would be better…
Que te parece? What do you think?
No estoy de acuerdo, I don’t agree,…
Pero que tal… But what about…
Dudo si… I doubt if…
Nombrar motivos: Giving Reasons:
Para empezar… To start with,…
La razón porque.. The reason why…
Es por eso que… That’s why…
Muchas personas piensan… Many people think…
Considerando… Considering…
Unir palabras: Linking words:
por ejemplo… for example…
tambien… also…
igualmente… similarly…
en contraste… in contrast…
sin embargo… however…
por otro lado… on the other hand…
claramente… clearly…
ya que… since…
No puedo. I can’t.
Si puedo. Yes, I can.

It is always good to have a list of useful Spanish words and phrases that you can turn to, or better yet, a list that you can internalize, and have at hand in thought when you need to use particular language in Spanish communication.