Back to Language School: A new class level for my boy!

So finally Language Stars started his classes again. I really do not like it when the kids are not at their Spanish classes, so I have been looking to this week for the whole summer.

As excited as I was, my son was not! you see he really fights the whole "learning a new language" thing. Since the last few weeks of last term he kept going on and on about not going to Language Stars, how he did not like it etc. As you know by now, not learning Spanish is not an option (I will write a post on the why soon!), so I spoke to the teachers at Language Star to find out what was going on and how can we get him to be more enthusiastic about Spanish.

You have to love the teachers and the staff at Language Stars, really. They were so nice! they told me my boy does enjoy the class (once he is there!! - he used to do the same to me with Gymnastics - complained and cried the whole way there only to do the whole class with a huge smile in his face!!) However, they say, he may be getting bored as he is 7.5 years old and he is attending the 5-8 class, which is more geared to younger children with songs, and games for small kids. He was also attending the same class as my daughter (who is 5) and the whole siblings dynamic was not working there (for neither of them).

So here was their suggestions: keep kids is separate classes and try your boy out on the 8-10 years old class, if he likes it we will move him.

So I did, and oh my! what a difference! I on purpose stayed the whole class so I could see his reaction to it. Here is how it went:

The class started with the teacher introducing the new set up to the kids (only 3 kids hurray!!!) as they are all new to the 8-10 year old group. The first thing she said was " you are now big kids so no more singing silly songs for you". You should have seen these kids, they all clapped and shouted yuppy!!! She told them they will do more reading and writing in this class - to which my son frowned and I smiled with happiness!

They quickly went on to do a couple of tongue twisters (Trabalenguas). To my amazement, my son could read Spanish!! Who new that? it was such a joy for me to hear him reading the words and getting his tongue all twisted. The kids enjoyed asking me to say them as fast as I could..... it was so fun.

After that, they sat down and did lesson 1 on their book. All about introductions, hello, how are you?, my name is, etc. however, even though it sounds basic, what was cool is that they were not only saying these things (which they all knew) but they were writing!! yes writing in Spanish!!! My son did his work, but I could see his "not another school like homework, really?" face.

Soon they were on the floor again, this time to play. This was by far my son's favorite part. He had soooo much fun!!1 They first did Simon says, then they said the days of the weeks passing a ball from child to child as they shouted the day, whomever did not catch the ball or said the wrong day went to the middle.

And finally, my favorite game, the teacher read 2 long paragraphs about 2 kids explaining what their names were, how old they were, their names of their parents, their favorite color, their favorite sport and the city they live in. All 3 kids were sitting in chairs equidistant to a bell. The teacher then proceeded to ask a question like "what was Carlos' favorite color?" if the kids knew the answer, they had to run to the bell and ring it first, then say the answer correctly. Very competitive (which my son LOVES).

All in all I think we found the right class for my boy. He did like this class and told me so and I liked it too, so there it is, a win-win change for this year's language school!!

Disclosure: I will receive discounted tuition from Language Stars as compensation for this post. However, all facts and opinions expressed in this post are true and my own. Language Stars have not asked me to write about anything in particular, only my true and honest opinion about my experience with their program.  This post have not been edited by a third person.