To Be

We are studying the verb "ser".   To Be. 

The most important verb in any language -

Being - and what we choose to be.

This so happens to be the first verb I learned - and the first attempt of pushing kids from their simple phrases and alphabet and make a personal connection - to think of themselves other than in their small, American boxes. 

Now they can be in a bigger world. - They can be in another language - even if it requires even more thinking and work and pushing their brain in a different way than they ever thought possible. 

Last week, I told them all the important reasons why they need to know another language... and when they brought up college - I stopped pacing - and said

"I hope you don't learn Spanish because it looks good on a college application.  Learn Spanish because you'll use it for the rest of your life. Think beyond college.  Your life is more than four years of college - Learn anything because learning is good for you; not because some teacher told you to memorize it."

I'm not quit sure where that came from - but I'm glad it popped out when it did.