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Help from HS parents - 9/12/2008 11:49:22 PM
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MrsTracy72
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Ok, this has to be so totally God because a few weeks ago, I had questions about Homeschooling, and now I am practically Homeschooling my exchange student. He was basically given a backwards schedule. The put the hardest classes in the first semester and saved English class and his electives for second semester. So now I have to teach him his American Government at least for now because he just simply doesn't have the vocabulary to keep up in the class.
So far what I have been doing is going through the book page by page and just focusing on the vocabulary. We have him write the book's definition, then we do a "what does this mean?" section and we write down every word in the definition in order, that he didn't understand, then we come up with words to use instead of that word, or to help him remember that word.
So far, that seems to be a good approach, but it takes hours a day and this is AFTER he gets home from school. So while he is being educated in school, he really isn't getting anything until I do it at home with him. We are on like page 4 and his class is already in the second chapter.
Now I realize this is much different than what you guys are doing with your own kids because not only are they yours, but you don't have the language barrier. I do have to say that I am learning alot of American government that either I never learned, or simply forgot. But any suggestions would be helpful because I think the only way he is going to get through this first semester is if I am working with him on it. But I also think that three hours a day is kind of alot of time to spend on one subject. He has four subjects and I also have three other kids to help out with homework.
So is this an ok place to post this???? I posted in the Homeschool folder because in a sense, that is what I am doing at least for the moment. All he is getting out of his class is what we are doing at home. But he is starting to pick up on the vocabulary and is going to be better able to read the book when he knows it.
HELP?????
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RE: Help from HS parents - 9/13/2008 1:06:26 AM
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Jenny-Fair
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quote:
I do have to say that I am learning alot of American government that either I never learned, or simply forgot
That is one of my favorite parts of homeschooling.
Can he tape the class?
Or, could you make him an outline or main point list and only work on those instead of the whole text?
Can he do any of this without your help?
What is his native language?
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RE: Help from HS parents - 9/13/2008 4:52:17 AM
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goodnsimple
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You might try going to the school with him and getting him help there. Do they have an ESL class.
find out from his teacher what help they can give him.
also your organization should be able to help too.
I feel for you, we had a girl from Argentina last year, who did not feel like school or learning was why she was here.
BOYS was why she was here.
She got B's in ESL and Spanish...and failed everything else...
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RE: Help from HS parents - 9/13/2008 8:52:03 AM
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MrsTracy72
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Jenny-Fair
quote:
I do have to say that I am learning alot of American government that either I never learned, or simply forgot
That is one of my favorite parts of homeschooling.
Can he tape the class?
Or, could you make him an outline or main point list and only work on those instead of the whole text?
Can he do any of this without your help?
What is his native language?
He speaks Chinese and that is so different from English that he is not going to pick up on things as quickly as the Europen students. I never thought of having him tape the class. He doing things on his own in other classes, but in his government class, the vocabulary is the biggest stumbling block. He can write down the definitions and even memorize them, but has no clue what the words mean. I have been working with him, but it is hours per day and I still have the other three that bring home work. I know that as the year goes on, it will get easier and he will be doing everything on his own, but I have to do this with him because he cannot. I tried to write a letter in Chinese. I first wrote it in English, had it translated to Chinese, then transleated the Chinese back to English and I don't care how basic I was, the words translated so different, I can see why this is a problem. Like I wrote, he is eating well. That translated as "he is delicious"
SoI can see why he has problems understanding.
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RE: Help from HS parents - 9/13/2008 9:00:45 AM
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MrsTracy72
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quote:
ORIGINAL: goodnsimple
You might try going to the school with him and getting him help there. Do they have an ESL class.
find out from his teacher what help they can give him.
also your organization should be able to help too.
I feel for you, we had a girl from Argentina last year, who did not feel like school or learning was why she was here.
BOYS was why she was here.
She got B's in ESL and Spanish...and failed everything else...
Well, the school is not too receptive of him in that regard. We were told that eventhough he is funded the same as other students are, we are not to "drain them of their resources" with our student. We were also told outright that he is NOT allowed to use the ESL room and the superintendant even went as far as to tell me that daily e:mail to the two teachers that he is having problems with are considered "draining the resources" So that means after school help.
The teachers have not had a problem with the e:mail. We had it down to each week, we will get an e:mail from them as to what they are covering so that we can work with him, but those stopped since we talked to the superintendant.
Our state law says that is against the law, but apparently my high school is above them. I did this because I love the school system here and have never had a problem. As for the resources he told me I am not allowed to use, I am one of them. I go in and help read with kids and do work with them when they couldn't get it. I am thinking that I am not going to do that anymore and I am going to tell the principal that since the superintendant told me I can't use the resources for my ONE student, I no longer have the time to be a resource to the MANY students I helped out last year. He has been supportive of me through this and I think that he will understand.
But that is not the point. We are totally on our own with him. Our organization we went through to get him will offer help, but it just seems like by the time we get him to where he needs to go and back home, I could have spent that time working with him getting more done. But they have been supportive.
My church has a conversational English class that he is attending so we are going to stick with that. I am going to be working with him so I was looking for advice on how to approach this. I can hold a conversation with him and he understands. So we don't have any language barriers between the two of us. I think that once we get him up to speed on the vocabulary and some of the pop culture references, we will not have to help him out at all, but until then, we have to do this so any suggestions are apprciated.
But Jenny, I am going to see about recording the class. That will help me. Now I just need to find a recorder. Do they even make those anymore????
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RE: Help from HS parents - 9/13/2008 11:28:37 AM
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Jenny-Fair
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Yeah, but they are digital, lol.
Does he HAVE to have gov't class? He's going back home at the end of the year, right? So why does he need american gov't? I would see if he can have a free period to study or can take another, easier class.
Do you know any Chinese-Americans? I would try to find him someone who had lived here a while and was fluent in both languages, as I think that would speed up the class re-cap. If you were HERE I could help you, as I go to an Alliance church and we have a Chinese Alliance church in the same town. Chinese Alliance churches are common, you might want to check your phone book. There are probably some students in his school who would be happy to study with him.
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Tony: Ziva, did you kill Houdini?
Ziva: It is possible. I do not remember all their names.
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RE: Help from HS parents - 9/13/2008 2:32:20 PM
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MrsTracy72
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Government or U.S. History is a requirement. We were going to do the history, but that is a fresheman class and the guidance counselor said that he should be with his own age group. Plus, now that I think about it, the vocabulary is what is holding him back so either way we would be having this issue.
He is taking a conversational ESL class in church and we are well connected with Chinese Americans who do speak Manderin. They are willing to help him acclimate, but we have to teach him basically his government because they won't be able to help him much there. Although they can teach him the entire bible. Everybody I know is from church which is fine but we either need a tutor or do it ourselves.
Like I said before, I am kind of having fun doing this with him because I am learning and now I know that I CAN do it. So I want to do it on my own if possible. The organization he is with offers support, but that is just one more things to schedule so I want to avoid that if possible.
He is not to be using Chinese at all while he is getting used to being here so I am not sure if a Chinese American would help.
Jenny, is your church local, or are they throughout the country? I am asking because my cousin was looking for a church in her area and I sent her to one called Alliance and she was just baptised last week. Just wondering.
Ok, so anyway, do you think that the way we are doing vocab is a good way? He writes the definition as it is in the book, then we go word by word. Write down the words he doesn't understand, then put words he does understand next to them and go onto the next definition.
Do you think there is anything I can do different? I really think that if I can get him through the vocabulary and spelling, he will be ok. But like I said, we are spending hours a day doing this and it is slowgoing. But I did expect that.
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RE: Help from HS parents - 9/13/2008 2:43:39 PM
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Jenny-Fair
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Is he supposed to graduate from this high school, though? Because if not, then there really aren't any 'required' courses.
Yes, Alliance is worldwide. It's short for 'Christian & Missionary Alliance'.
I don't know what other way you could do this with him in order to save time. Frankly I think the school is being ridiculous.
_____________________________
Tony: Ziva, did you kill Houdini?
Ziva: It is possible. I do not remember all their names.
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RE: Help from HS parents - 9/13/2008 4:07:23 PM
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cindybode
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Frankly, I would just pull him out of the class. As Jen pointed out, if he's not going to be graduating from this school then there really are no requirements. If he's really interested in US government or history, you could keep on doing what you're doing with him at home.
I can't think of any other way to do this, either. Unfortunately foreign vocabulary is slow going for most people.
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RE: Help from HS parents - 9/13/2008 7:23:35 PM
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roligirl
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I'm not understanding the program, what is the organization that brought him over? Why would he come over with so little understanding of English? It would seem like an honor course to go to another country to study, why won't the school be more helpful? It shouldn't be the host family's responsibility unless that is part of the program.
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RE: Help from HS parents - 9/13/2008 11:20:50 PM
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MrsTracy72
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The organization he is with is called Youth for Understanding. So far they have been good to me. They are there when I call, and are willing to come any time day or night to resolve any conflicts, but I don't see that happening with my kid. He is just so laid back and easy going and wants to try EVERYTHING. Today he was fishing in the river and he and my husband spent the day together fishing and then they took a canoe on the river for a while and he had a good time. Then they got home and I got to be the mean one and say ok, let's study.
But he is starting to get it. His English is not poor. He scored very high on the tests he had to take to qualify for the program and just a few more points would have put him at the highest. But he doesn't know the pop culture things and terms used in classes like government and marketing in America. It is just that he has not been exposed to the things that are in the classes like governement and the terms that go with it. It is required by his organization that he take a government class or history class, but the history class is for Freshmen and would have the same problems. It is just different vocabulary that he is not used to. Just to put it into a little perspective. I wrote a letter in English. Translated it to Chinese, then from Chinese back to English. One of the things I said was that "Sean is eating very well." When it translated to Chinese, it translated to "Sean is very delicious." So it is different than a European student comming over where the languages are similar in some ways. His is not.
But we can carry on a conversation with him and when he doesn't understand something he does not hesitate to ask. We do have him in a conversational ESL class, but after today, I think he doesn't need it, but will send him to it for a bit longer because he likes it and it can only help.
He knows when I am joking with him because I threaten to kick him out all of the time and he laughs so he even picks up on sarcastic humor. He is a good kid and just needs to get used to the language as it is spoken here and not in China. That is going to take a bit of time, but like I said, this weekend, I have seen huge changes and even quizzed him on his government and he was getting it. So I know I am doing something right. I just need for the school to back off.
But now they told me that they don't even want me e:mailing the teachers weekly so as not to "drain their resources" I was so insulted by that because I volunteer in the classrooms helping kids whose second language is English and they accept my free help, but are telling me that I can't communicate with the teachers as I would my own biological children?
But I am going to request any e:mail they have sent regarding my student under the open records laws and hopefully I won't see the teachers being told not to answer my e:mails, because suddenly they stopped. I am not happy.
So I kind of feel like it is up to me to teach him this stuff which I don't mind, but if I can't communicate with the teachers, then I might as well tell them that I might as well teach him that at home and he can hand in his homework at the end of each week, and take tests and quizzes at home also. I am doing all of the work. Not that the teacher isn't. They are doing their best to help him out, but they have a class full of kids to deal with and if the administration is going to tell me to stay out of it, then what more can I do?
I think that once we get the vocabulary, we are going to work on the structure of our government. I am using the internet more than the book so far, and that seems to be working too because I can give him visuals. But he is starting to get it and I am glad. I guess I just wanted to know that I am doing the right thing and if anyone had advice to offer, I would appreciate it. But taking him out of the class is not an option according to the organization.
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RE: Help from HS parents - 9/13/2008 11:23:40 PM
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Jenny-Fair
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Have you talked to the organization about this problem?
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Ziva: It is possible. I do not remember all their names.
My Blog
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RE: Help from HS parents - 9/13/2008 11:43:38 PM
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MrsTracy72
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Ok, I posted a response and it is gone. Unless I accidently posted in the wrong thread. I need sleep. I will have to go look.
Anyway, He has a great understanding of English. It is just that he is in classes like American Government and Marketing which not only have references to pop culture specific to here, but alot of vocabulary words that he has never seen before. I mean when they were teaching him English, they weren't teaching him the terms for different types of government here in the states and it is alot. I even had to go back and look alot up.
The organization we went through is very helpful and they do have tutoring available, but it is just easier that I do it myself so we don't have to wast time driving in the car there and back half an hour each way when we can spend that time working. Plus, I am doing it and he is getting it, but we are both on a learning curve here.
As for the school, they said that I am not to be using their resources on an exchange student. Never mind the fact that I spent alot of time last year in a different school in the district volunteering my time to do many things and one of them was to help the ESL students to write papers and read. Hmmmmm Doesn't that make ME a resource??? And I am not paid. I was kind of insulted that they will except my free time helping out their students, but won't give mine the same courtesy.
But the teachers have been great. It is just the administration that has a problem which quite frankly, I have no clue why they are involved when the guidance counselor has no clue any of this is happening.
So I was just looking for some advice on how to do this at home since that is the only way he is going to succeed in this class. He still can't understand when teachers talk really fast so he comes home and we have to re do everything. So I am on a learning curve here too because I am starting with him from page one and working to get him up to speed and I am thinking that by the end of the quater, he should be ok. But until then, I am his government teacher and his time in the classroom is just alot of confusion for him.
I think I am going to take I think it was Jenny's advice and see if they mind if he tapes the class so we can go back and get our questions answered if need be without bothering the school since it was made very clear to me that we were not to do that. Then I will have something to work off of because they are all over the pages in the first few chapters.
So thanks for the advice!!!!
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RE: Help from HS parents - 9/14/2008 9:57:30 PM
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Auben
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Taping the class is a must. You can analyze it together later.
Does he have to write definitions? Writing itself can slow things down. Can you go through them together verbally and have him take notes in Chinese for future reference?
When I worked at a major language school we often did advanced English classes by reading articles (often technical articles). We'd have the student read through and underline words or phrases they didn't understand and we would go over them together in class. Then we would discuss the article for comprehension.
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RE: Help from HS parents - 9/15/2008 2:11:38 PM
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MrsTracy72
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Auben
Taping the class is a must. You can analyze it together later.
I am going to ask the teachers permission for that because I think so too.
quote:
Does he have to write definitions? Writing itself can slow things down. Can you go through them together verbally and have him take notes in Chinese for future reference?
I think that the writing is a good exercise for him because he is not used to writing papers in English so he has to get used to writing more than just spelling words and doing worksheets which I think is how he learned in China. He learned the structure of the language, but not really how to use it from what we understand.
quote:
When I worked at a major language school we often did advanced English classes by reading articles (often technical articles). We'd have the student read through and underline words or phrases they didn't understand and we would go over them together in class. Then we would discuss the article for comprehension.
He is getting alot of articles in his marketing class, but is expected to know what they say because they do discuss the content but they do not really have time to slow down for him and work on his comprehension. So we are also doing those things at home too.
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RE: Help from HS parents - 9/15/2008 5:06:55 PM
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Auben
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I understand that he needs to work on his writing but for the reading load you are talking about I think writing out every single definition, and then the definitions of the defintion, is too much. I don't see how you can keep up with the reading load if you expect him to do that.
There are other ways you can have him practice writing his English but I think he will be doing plenty of that day to day without additional note-taking.
I think you would move forward in the text much quicker with verbal definitions and summaries of the information. Remember, he won't always need this much help, as the year goes on he should be able to do more and more on his own.
Then you can work on things like his writing and fine-tuning other things.
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RE: Help from HS parents - 9/16/2008 6:48:53 AM
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GobboMon
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Ah I had the same problem as a teenager. English was not my first language, so it was a challenge. It took a lot of encouragement from the people around me to keep me going. English is a hard language to learn, but with proper encouragement and a good environment to learn, it will not take all that long.
Good luck!
< Message edited by Kath -- 9/16/2008 10:53:33 AM >
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RE: Help from HS parents - 9/16/2008 7:39:01 AM
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Ellie-Mae
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I wouldn't think that you would need permission for your student to tape the class. When I was in High school, I just taped it.
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RE: Help from HS parents - 9/16/2008 11:33:36 AM
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Jenny-Fair
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There were things I wish I HAD taped in high school...like my geography teacher claiming we were being watched through the window by invisible aliens.
They might have rules about taping classes now, though.
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Tony: Ziva, did you kill Houdini?
Ziva: It is possible. I do not remember all their names.
My Blog
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RE: Help from HS parents - 9/16/2008 2:06:20 PM
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MrsTracy72
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Oh my gosh you guys thanks!
One teacher said that we could tape the lecture part of the class if we wanted. But he also sent me an e:mail that said communication was getting much better.
Auben. The only problem not going definition by definition is that they are all over the pages and when he gets to a word he doesn't understand, he has to stop everything to do it. But a friend of mine always says "scripture intrepts scripture" and I am finding the same in this book. The more he does his vocab words, the more he understands what is comming ahead and when he gets to new words, he is starting to be able to figure them out by the other vocab words and the extra definitions that we gave him for the words he didn't understand. So he is starting to get it and it is very very slow going, but I think that with this class, it is the only way we are going to get him through it. But the teachers aid was kind enough to send me a study guide for him for the unit test and it is all vocabulary and like 3 extra questions. Then the nerve of these teachers, they gave ME homework. (not angry about it though) I cannot believe that he came home with an assignment and I got the exact same one. But I did mine while he was out playing soccer with my husband and son and then when I showed him what I did, he did his and while I thought my way was a better way for him to do it from a practice standpoint, he found his own way to do it and did it by himself. Even wrote whether he would prefer the state to rule over all or the feds and why. I was proud!!!!!
So hopefully we are getting to the top of the hump and he can start to be a regular student soon. But until then, he goes to school during the day, then comes home and has two classes with me.
Now I said earlier that I KNOW I could do this, but I am not sure I could do it for as many years as you guys do. I am tired!!!!!
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RE: Help from HS parents - 9/16/2008 8:39:42 PM
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MrsTracy72
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Thanks, but you should go read it. It was an interesting time. But now we have to get ready for his unit test and the study guide is all vocabulary. He knows some of it and hopefully by the end of the week, he will have a general understaning of all of it. But then he is going to have to fill in blanks and multiple choice. I can't be there for that and it is a major test. sigh..... but he will have to learn. Thank you guys for all of your advice. I just feel bad because he is spending all day in class, and then comming home and having to basically learn it all over again. Yesterday the teacher of one class even sent me a copy of what to teach him. That was nice though. Now I have a clue.
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