In this month’s installment of the Mister John Files, the unstoppable John Francisco tells us about his journey to becoming a bilingual teacher. We’re so happy to have him (and his Spanish skills) in Philadelphia.
Mister John teaches baby and toddler music classes in Queen Village in Philly. If you’d like to register for a free trial class, visit his website.
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I was co-teaching a guitar class with one of my favorite musician/teachers, Mr. Jonas. We’re completely different teachers but we complimented each other quite well, I think. One of us would direct the class of twelve students in an exercise or talk them through a new song or melody line, and the other would circle the room making adjustments to finger positions and making sure that each student understood the goal of the exercise. Each week there was an opening circle and “question of the day.” Then, we’d have music theory time, review our songs from the previous week, and work on new musical skills with a new song. Jonas would lead folk dances in the middle of the class to give the kids a chance to get out some of their energy and I would give individual challenges to each of the students to work on outside of class during the week. We had been teaching this particular class together for some time so we had amassed a group of awesome students who continued from session to session. It was a routine that Jonas and I had down pat.
And then one day, I’ll never forget this day of teaching, it was the second week of the fall session and right as class was about to start the door opened and two new students walked in. Boys, brothers, a five-year-old and a six-year-old, led in by their father, a hand on each of their shoulders. “This is Hector and Oscar.” he said. (Not their real names, of course.) I smiled at the boys as I tuned another student’s guitar, “Welcome!” Jonas called out to them, “Hi guys, come join our circle! I was just about to announce the question-of-the-day… What is your favorite dessert?” The boys looked from Jonas to me to their father, who was inching his way to the door of the classroom. Tears welled up in Hector’s eyes and his younger brother followed suit. Jonas looked to me confused. I was baffled myself. And then dad said, “Esta bien, muchachos. Voy estar esperando afuera del salon en el vestíbulo.” Jonas and I looked at each other. Subliminally I could see it through his eyes. He didn’t speak Spanish. This was going to be my challenge. I had no idea how I was going to do it, but I had to unlock the six years of Spanish classes I took in high school and college some thirteen years ago.
“Ah, yo veo!” I said in a terrible accent. “Bienvenidos a nuestro clase, chicos. Me llamo Mister John y él es Mr. Jonas. Vamos conmigo?”
The tears froze for a moment. The boys looked confused. Who was this grown man, speaking Spanish like a toddler? Again they looked to their dad, who by this point was halfway through the door. He smiled at me for trying. A part of me wondered if he had signed up for this particular class because he though I might speak Spanish. My last name is Francisco and it’s a common assumption that I’m Latino. Sometime it can be a real disappointment that I’m not fluent. But in this instance the poor attempt at speaking the boys’ language was sufficient. Dad gave the boys a double thumbs-up, waved to Jonas and me, and stepped out into the hall to wait.
Hector and Oscar joined the circle that day. When it came their turns to answer the question-of-the-day, I had to feed them answers like ‘helado’ or ‘chocolate.’ For weeks their eyes were glossy with tears at the beginning of class and though I taught them for over a year and they opened up considerably during that time, they were always reticent to taking solos or answering questions in class. Still, their talents emerged without words – Hector had an extraordinary sense of rhythm (I think he’s probably more suited to the drums) and Oscar is definitely a guitarist; his drive to perfect a melody line and his dexterity were clear right from the very start. And their personalities shone through their performance – Hector would sing with the other kids up until the moment someone noticed and Oscar would smile slyly to himself whenever he mastered an alternating bass line or a chord shape. They were excellent students.
And yet, as I said, I’ve never been able to shake that first day of class for them. Which is why, earlier this year, I traveled to Costa Rica to do a month-long immersion program in Spanish. I intend to continue the program next summer as well. I think it’s pretty clear that we are becoming a bilingual nation; I’m proud to be part of that.
On my first day in Costa Rica, I wrote the following email to Hector and Oscar’s father.
“Hector y Oscar,
Hola mis estudiantes! Espero que ustedes son felices y son contentos con sus clases en sus escuelas y en Old Town.
Estoy escribiendo ustedes porque quiero para decirse de mi programa de español en Costa Rica. Vine a Costa Rica cuatro dias pasadas y me gusto mucho. Hablé con la gente (mucho preguntas de la idioma y las paradas del autobús) y muchos tiempos me preguntaron por qué estoy estudiando español. Les dijo de los dos niños quien vieron a mi clase de guitarra en Chicago y como no hablaron inglés. Este fue el momento que yo sé que yo necesité a ser capaz de enseñar en inglés y español. Mañana voy a comenzar una programa en español por un mez – con clases de seis personas quien queremos aprender tambien – dos semanas en Heredia a lado de San Jose y una semana en un pueblo en una playa en el Pacifico y finalmente una semana más en Heredia. Estoy muy emociando!
Voy a visitar Chicago en Julio y espero que podremos réunir para almorzar y hablar de mis adventuras y sus vidas.
Por favor, perdonan mis errores en esta carta. Tengo la intención de escribirse más durante mi tiempo aquí.
Mucho amor,
Mister John”
(Hector and Oscar,
Hello, my students! I hope you are well and happy with your classes at school and at Old Town.
I am writing you because I want to tell you about my Spanish program in Costa Rica. I came to Costa Rica four days ago and I love it. I’ve spoken with many people (many questions about the language and about busstops) and many times they’ve asked me why I’m studying Spanish. I tell them of the two boys who came to my guitar class in Chicago and how they didn’t speak English. This was the moment that I knew that I needed to be able to teach in English AND Spanish. Tomorrow I’m going to begin the Spanish program for a month – with classes of six people who also want to learn – two weeks in Heredia, next to San Jose, one week in a beach town on the Pacific, and a final week back in Heredia. I’m very excited!
I’m going to visit Chicago in July and hope that we can meet for lunch and talk about my adventures and your lives.
Please pardon my mistakes in this letter. I intend to write you more during my time here.
Much love,
Mister John)
John Francisco is the new Musical Director at Philly PACK in Queen Village and offers baby and toddler music classes at that location as well. Previously, John was an instructor at the Old Town School of Folk Music– teaching Wiggleworms, kid’s guitar and piano, and elementary music instruction for the Northshore Academy Elementary, where he worked with children struggling with emotional, social, and behavioral demands of school. In addition, he was contracted through Old Town School to perform for children and families in Chicago-land hospitals, at large-scale events like the Square Roots Festival or the Milleneum Park Family Tent, and at countless birthday parties.
John has also worked extensively with children with special needs – including six years with the Red Kite Project at Chicago Children’s Theatre (CCT) where he was a performer and creative contributor of sensory-based interactive theatrical experiences for children with autism and their families. For four years, he served as Curriculum Developer, Camp Director and Lead Music/Drama Teacher for Camp Red Kite, CCT’s daycamp for children with autism. He also was a co-leader and developer of CCT’s Polk Workshops for Chicago Public School teachers and administrators– using drama in the classroom to promote the development of social skills, emotional recognition and expression, and as a tool in behavior modification for special needs students. Finally, in 2011, he was the lead teacher and administrator for CCT at HOPE Institute’s After-School Arts Program.
For many years, John worked in Student Services at Erikson Institute, the premier graduate school in child development. He has taught in early childhood settings (KC Academy of Early Childhood Education,) in arts organizations (Lifeline Theatre, House Theatre Chicago,) and in community organizations (Menomonee Club for Boys and Girls.)
John is a professional actor, is an Artistic Associate at About Face Theatre, and has performed in over 50 plays/musicals throughout his career. He also writes plays, stories, and songs for children and families.