1. U.S. Elementary Education : What Parents Need to Know
    Dismiss Notice

U.S. Elementary education - what parents need to be aware of

Discussion in 'General Discussions - USA & Canada' started by Rihana, May 12, 2015.

Page 4 of 10
  1. May 30, 2015 #31
    jskls

    jskls IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    6,896
    Likes Received:
    24,889
    Trophy Points:
    490
    Gender:
    Female
    @dimhere chk out Rosetta stone's Spanish course. Not sure about price or other option is to ask the school Spanish teacher for private coaching
     
    jskls, May 30, 2015
    jskls, May 30, 2015
    #31
  2. May 30, 2015 #32
    Rihana

    Rihana Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    12,509
    Likes Received:
    30,279
    Trophy Points:
    540
    Gender:
    Female
    For Spanish, or any foreign language child is studying in school - depends on child's grade and current performance in the class, plus child's style of study (self-motivated, relaxed....)

    Best resource is to ask the Spanish teacher herself. Though, evaluate the suggestions yourself too.

    We ourselves cannot teach child if we don't know it well enough.

    Craigslist seems to have some choices too in the 'lessons' category. Of course, never ever leave child alone with a tutor!

    Learning a language or any subject for that matter has vast scope. What child needs to focus on is the material of the upcoming grade.

    Personally, I would get the textbook of the coming year, find a student who is two or more grades older than my child, and set up some in-person tutoring classes. I might even join them and learn Spanish, so that next time someone mistakes me for a Latina and says 'habla español?' I can nod. :)
     
    Rihana, May 30, 2015
    Rihana, May 30, 2015
    #32
    1 person likes this.
  3. May 30, 2015 #33
    justanothergirl

    justanothergirl IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    3,915
    Likes Received:
    7,188
    Trophy Points:
    408
    Gender:
    Female
    And inspite of all the claims about "No once a child is placed in a class room with a specific teacher..he/she cannot be moved " . Not encouraged certainly but if u have strong reasons..why u think a teacher will not work for you /your child...the reason has to be better than..she doesnt give enough homework ..my friend said this teacher is not good ...it can be and is done . Put the request in writing . Stick to facts and why the teacher or class room will not work for your family. Follow it up .Do it early in the year.
     
    justanothergirl, May 30, 2015
    justanothergirl, May 30, 2015
    #33
    2 people like this.
  4. May 30, 2015 #34
    Rihana

    Rihana Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    12,509
    Likes Received:
    30,279
    Trophy Points:
    540
    Gender:
    Female
    True.

    "Stick to facts" and rehearse the speech.

    Go about it quietly, don't tell or take help from moms of all kids in same grade. :oops:
     
    Rihana, May 30, 2015
    Rihana, May 30, 2015
    #34
    1 person likes this.
  5. May 30, 2015 #35
    dimhere

    dimhere Gold IL'ite

    Messages:
    481
    Likes Received:
    890
    Trophy Points:
    173
    Gender:
    Female
    @Rihana, this makes complete sense! Will go about it, before the school closes for vacation. Thank you so much for the idea!
     
    dimhere, May 30, 2015
    dimhere, May 30, 2015
    #35
  6. Jun 4, 2015 #36
    Poetlatha

    Poetlatha Platinum IL'ite

    Messages:
    1,058
    Likes Received:
    1,944
    Trophy Points:
    290
    Gender:
    Female
    @Rhiana : congrats on commencing this wonderful post and winning along with @yellowmango. Awesome input. I think many people covered it all.

    Handwriting: good to work with your kids, here they don't really emphasize on compulsorily doing it perfectly in public schools. Private schools pay attention.

    parent-teacher conference : they always speak very sweetly, they never say anything, strongly negative even if the child does not do well. So we need to know better and maybe get advice.

    Volunteer in class and school activities, become PTA members, so you know what's going on in school.

    Languages : Spanish/ French/ German/ Chinese or so starts only in middle school.

    The cut off date for admission is usually September, if your child is born after, some parents can put them in private pre-school kindergarten - (Goddard School) and then mostly the schools give them a test and take them into first grade, the next year.

    My humble request is do a healthy comparison (eg: doctor comparing a growth chart)and not a strict comparison by forcing them, with how your child and other's child study. Encourage in what they are interested. Try various extra curricular activities, see what they are interested and continue in it.
     
    Poetlatha, Jun 4, 2015
    Poetlatha, Jun 4, 2015
    #36
    1 person likes this.
  7. Jul 1, 2015 #37
    Rihana

    Rihana Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    12,509
    Likes Received:
    30,279
    Trophy Points:
    540
    Gender:
    Female
    Recent news across the country, from the past year or two, show that racism is alive and kicking.

    Does racism of racial discrimination exist in schools? Mostly no. But, it is also a fact that schools _have_ children from many races. And while teachers and staff are trained and expected to treat all equally and fairly, they are human too, and sometimes their personal beliefs and prejudices can show through.

    Not something to worry about, but nice to be aware of the possibility. I used to think that no way will any teacher even mildly be impacted by race of student.

    You can ask yourself - if you are at an airport or an amusement park, and just have to trust your bag or toddler to a stranger for a few minutes... and all around are non-Indians of difference races/ethnicity, will you trust them all equally, or will you be more comfortable with some than the other...
     
    Rihana, Jul 1, 2015
    Rihana, Jul 1, 2015
    #37
  8. Jul 2, 2015 #38
    dimhere

    dimhere Gold IL'ite

    Messages:
    481
    Likes Received:
    890
    Trophy Points:
    173
    Gender:
    Female

    @Rihana, I agree completely. Though my daughter's kindergarten teacher was wonderful, she had a barely-visible aversion to any physical contact with my daughter. While other kids used to get a shoulder squeeze or a hug on their way out, she would wave bye to my DD.

    Last day of school, when everyone was taking pics with her, she sat on steps of the school with arms around every kid, but when my daughter requested her for a pic, she sat on a top step and leant towards her :D

    Didn't really feel offensive, but it was there, nevertheless...
     
    dimhere, Jul 2, 2015
    dimhere, Jul 2, 2015
    #38
    1 person likes this.
  9. Jul 2, 2015 #39
    Rihana

    Rihana Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    12,509
    Likes Received:
    30,279
    Trophy Points:
    540
    Gender:
    Female
    A general question, not just to you - shouldn't it feel offensive if the suspicion about teacher not putting arms around just one kid is correct?

    Often it is hard to know for sure sure... Maybe the teacher has experienced in the past that some kids don't like hugs.

    Thinking of it as 'there are children from many races' rather than 'there is racism' helps...

    dimhere - general observations, not particular to your description.
     
    Rihana, Jul 2, 2015
    Rihana, Jul 2, 2015
    #39
    1 person likes this.
  10. Jul 2, 2015 #40
    dimhere

    dimhere Gold IL'ite

    Messages:
    481
    Likes Received:
    890
    Trophy Points:
    173
    Gender:
    Female
    @Rihana,

    I just put it down to "we joined so late in the year, so she didn't build much of a bond to miss her"...
     
    dimhere, Jul 2, 2015
    dimhere, Jul 2, 2015
    #40
    1 person likes this.
Page 4 of 10

Share This Page