Journey home entertainment, educacion infantil style!

Homeward bound!

There are several children from across the school that also get the same bus back as me, including some infantil (or early years) children. There is an adult specifically employed to supervise them. Like a chaperone I guess. And, the poor woman certainly earns her salary, as they are all lively and loud!

Out of the small group of infantil children that take the bus, are two boys who sit near us teachers right at the front. They often need to be separated as they will initiate play fights amongst themselves that get a bit out of hand at times! But they are quite sweet, if a little cheeky, boys! Each has the most adorable grin. And both LOVE to sing! They are two clear examples that children can learn a new language through the use of song and music.

Word for word!

They sing every word of every song they have learnt that day. Literally, word for word! And, at some point on the journey, there is usually ‘The Wheels on the Bus’ in their little set whether they have sung it in class that day or not. I’m guessing it’s one of their favourites! One of my personal favourites was ‘Rain, rain go away’ as we were driving along the roads of Spain on a gloriously hot Spanish afternoon!

The chaperone, one of my Spanish colleagues and myself all find this quite amusing as well as adorable and entertaining. Or, at least by their facial expressions and gestures, I assume they do, what with our communication limitations with language barriers!

Entertainment gold!

On one particular journey home the two boys had been separated due to another slightly over-excitable play-fighting session! So, they were placed adjacent to each other, but on either side of the bus on their separate seats. Throughout the bus journey, we are entertained by their learnt song of the day, the Hokey Cokey from either side of the aisles. And not necessarily always in cue, so also singing a bit of a canon round at points. Honestly, these two could quite easily be the next big thing on the X Factor!

I find this song particularly amusing as I haven’t heard it since helping out at the school disco at my last school. I think to myself, this was obviously the English infantil teacher’s choice of song today! A fun choice with all the dancing/actions that go with it! As soon as the bus pulls away from school one of the boys is in full swing. ‘Woah-oh, hokey cokey…put your left arm in…your left arm out…you do the hokey cokey and you turn around…’ Me and my Spanish colleague have an exchange of giggles as we listen. We are used to it now, and it is quite entertaining and sweet to listen to. He must be quite enjoying his little solo act as he’s getting louder and louder with each line!

Without really thinking, I turn around and smile at his efforts curious to see some of his actions as I’m getting the odd pug in the back of my seat! This inadvertently encourages his singing partner in the opposite aisle as I catch his eye with a grin whilst turning around. So he attempts to pick up from where his friend is, only trying to outdo him by being much louder! ‘Woah-oh, hokey cokey…knees bent, arms stretched, ra ra ra…’ Also with actions as best he can on a bus with a seat belt on!

I would have just loved to have been the English infantil teacher. She must have had an absolute ball teaching her class this song! By this point, both boys have drowned out the noise of the older children at the back of the bus as they compete with who can sing the hokey cokey the loudest! We are also treated to a canon round with one singing ‘You do the hokey cokey and you turn around…’ with the other one coming in at ‘woah oh, the hokey cokey. Woah-oh the hokey cokey…’

Light-hearted…

I turn back around and notice that my Spanish colleague is literally in fits of giggles, which sets me off, not that it usually takes a lot to set me off with the giggles! It’s funny how you can still have a bit of a giggle with someone who you can’t really have a conversation with!

I wonder what songs the English infantil teacher has in her planning for the following week? Perhaps we should start putting in our requests! But whatever they are, no doubt we will continue to be entertained on our journeys home!