Reply to Confused about what kids usually know entering Kindergarten

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I have seen plenty of kids coming into preschools, elementary schools and even middle schools act out and take 90% of the teacher's time because they don't speak English. The ESOL teacher above making claims they are perfect angels who just sit quietly in class is wrong. Kids are petrified, have no means of communication. The kid above was probably scared out of his mind. I would never move to another country and just plop my kid in a class where no one speaks English. It is a shame so many here do, especially when they are illegal. We should be teaching our kids another language in elementary school but instead we have to teach many basic English.  But I am sure I too will now be considered a racist.  [/quote]

I am the ESOL teacher PP you are referring to, although I never claimed my students are perfect angels. No child is a perfect angel. What I said was that my ESOL students could give some native English speakers a lesson or two on how to behave in class. My students come to school motivated to learn and ready to work hard.  I teach mostly K students, and while I have seen frustration in newcomer students, it usually stems from the fact that they want to keep up with their peers and do well in school, but they know they are not able to do so yet. Imagine you are new to the country and the language and in the third week of school you are expected to explain how you sorted objects in 3 different ways. This is why there are ESOL teachers. When a newcomer arrives, I am in their classroom first thing to show them how to sign in, choose lunch, and to show where the bathrooms are. I also give them picture cards to hold up for when they need to use the bathroom, get water or go to the health room. Those little things help to reduce anxiety in children who are unable to communicate in English. ESOL counselors are called in to help students with acculturation issues in their home language.  I also provide them with a binder full of activities they can complete independently, like matching colors, numbers and letters. If it can't be done independently, most of the children in the class can show them quickly what to do.  This is in addition to pulling them out 1-2 times per day for individual and small group instruction.

Like I said, have a little compassion.  Of course there is a silent period where students need time to learn basic communication skills and some children will act out in frustration, just like your child might if you dropped him/her in a new country,  but the PP who referenced the child from Korea is completely out of line. Adults, especially in this multicultural area, should know better than to attribute a child's behavior to where they are from. I sincerely hope the PPs are not passing their views on to their children. [/quote]

Sorry no compassion from me. I don't believe our taxes should go towards teaching legal and illegal immigrants English during school time with school resources/funding.  We have seen art, PE, music classes, para educators slashed to pay for the increasing ESOL teachers. Our curriculum continues to get easier and less challenging to make sure kids pass. Our test scores continue to diminish.  If you want to move here learn the language before or have separate classes where the whole family must learn English.  Maybe the PTA wouldn't have to send things out in 6 languages then. You can make the parents accountable too which is a non-issue as well. [/qoute]

You should go to private school.

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