Thread: Parents given a US Education primer

Parents given a U.S. education primer


April 13, 2008
By CATHERINE ANN VELASCO STAFF WRITER
PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP -- Sonya Gonzales wanted to volunteer in her son's classroom, but when she approached Creekside Elementary School, she froze.

"She got to the door and turned around. She forgot the words," explained teacher Diana Ayala.

Gonzales, who arrived from Mexico City eight months ago, forgot how to say in English that she was at the school to volunteer in her son's bilingual classroom when the secretary came on the intercom to buzz her into the school.


» Click to enlarge image Jazmin Esquivias, 5, listens to a story read by teacher Elida Razo in a bilingual kindergarten classroom at A.O. Marshall Elementary School in Joliet.

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"We practiced a bit," Ayala said.
So next time when Gonzales got to the front door, she knew what to say and what to do when she got to the office.


Life skills for parents

Since the fall, Gonzales is one of 15 parents taking a class at Creekside to learn the ins and outs of the public education and school procedures, such as how to decipher a report card, fill out a field trip permission form, and how to contact a teacher for a conference.
When Gonzales had to pick up her son during the school day, she wrote a note in English and then in Spanish, just in case she didn't write it correctly in English.

"She did perfect," Ayala said.

While the parents are taking their course, their children are in the media center, working on homework and getting extra help.

Ayala said she has one boy who is now excelling on his spelling tests while another student is completing homework.

"I've seen a big improvement," said Ayala, who teaches third grade in a transitional bilingual education classroom.

Ayala and teacher Christine Leicht took a two-day training course to learn how to teach the 40, two-hour classes. After getting through the lesson plan, they teach life skills, such as how to write a check and how to the say the parts of a car in English.

"We try to cover something that is in their everyday life," Leicht said. "We show them how to Mapquest" and how to use the Internet.


Program funding

This is the second year Plainfield School District offered Parents as Educational Partners (PEP) classes. The district received a $321,674 grant from the Immigrant Educational Fund and is using $64,000 to pay PEP teachers and tutors to teach the free classes.
This year, PEP classes were provided to about 160 parents at Central, Creekside, Charles Reed, Lakewood Falls, Ridge and Liberty elementary schools, as well as Plainfield Central and Plainfield South high schools. The district expects to expand the program to other schools, including Elizabeth Eichelberger Elementary School, which will open in the fall.

"We are teaching (English as a second language) to the parents who don't speak English so they can understand the public school system and how to be actively involved, and how to help the kids increase the language proficiency at home and to be more actively involved in the school," said Hilda Rivera, director of English Language Learners.

"The classes revolve around building language that parents can use to better communicate with the school and help their child academically," she said. "It also encompasses learning about the U.S. educational system since many were born outside of the United States.

"Our teachers have reported positive experiences and enthusiasm regarding coming back to teach next year," Rivera said. "The parents have asked for us to continue the program, so we anticipate growing."


Growing population

Currently, the district has 2,016 students in its English Language Learner (ELL) program and expects to serve 300 more students during the 2008-09 school year.
The district's students represent 68 languages, with the largest concentrations speaking Spanish, Polish, Urdu and Arabic. The school district's minority population has increased from about 3 percent in 1990 to about 35 percent this school year. About 19 percent are Hispanic.

The district also translates information to Spanish and sends home English/Spanish versions of communications and newsletters, said Tom Hernandez, director of community relations. The district also plans to convert its Web site to Spanish as well as translate its district newsletters into Spanish.

In addition to the PEP program, the district has hosted a Parent University and two Family Literacy nights.

Psychologist Dr. Ferney Ramirez spoke to parents about parenting with authority. He is coming back in May to talk about how to help children stay on track, how to help kids avoid gang involvement, and how to push children to reach higher education.

Creekside principal Kevin Slattery said he has seen more ELL parents come to the school's PTA functions, such as literacy night and the ice cream social.

"Parents feel more comfortable being part of their students' education here at Creekside. The (PEP) program eases that language barrier," he said.

Leicht said parents are chaperoning on school field trips.

"They are not afraid to go to the office," she said.

Reporter Catherine Ann Velasco can be reached at (815) 729-6051 or cvelasco@scn1.com

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/hera ... 2.article#

The district's students represent 68 languages, with the largest concentrations speaking Spanish, Polish, Urdu and Arabic.

All I'm reading here is that the bilingual program is ONLY in Spanish. Is the district ignoring the needs of the Polish, Urdu and Arabic students?

It's costing over $2400 to teach each of these adults! Taxpayer money, which should be going to taxpayers kids! Who is keeping track of the success of this program? Are taxpayers even aware of this program??? It's a total outrage!

"She did perfect," Ayala said.

Ayala, go back to school in your own country, actually, this is for both of you.

Adverbs answer the question, "How is something done?"

John went quickly. How did John go? He went quickly

Susan paints beautifully. How does Susan paint? She paints beautifully.

How did she do Ayala? She did perfectly.

A bilingual person who can't speak, read or write English is teaching, great.

All I'm reading here is that the bilingual program is ONLY in Spanish. Is the district ignoring the needs of the Polish, Urdu and Arabic students?

Exactly.....it is just the Spanish bi-lingual program. I mean how many people do you know who are fluent in Urdu and have a US teaching license? Heck....I never even heard of Urdu and it's not any choices for foreign languages in any school I've been in......college either. I've checked on becomming a teachers aid and it's "must speak Spanish". Guess they get stuck "sinking or swimming". Have to learn both English and Spanish or their chance for a job around here is nill. How promising is that for them?

The district also translates information to Spanish and sends home English/Spanish versions of communications and newsletters, said Tom Hernandez, director of community relations. The district also plans to convert its Web site to Spanish as well as translate its district newsletters into Spanish.

No English/Polish, English/Arabic, English and any of the other 60 something languages spoken.....

It's costing over $2400 to teach each of these adults! Taxpayer money, which should be going to taxpayers kids! Who is keeping track of the success of this program? Are taxpayers even aware of this program??? It's a total outrage!

Wasn't until today.....they already have FREE programs at the Jr. College etc as well. And our taxes are high already. Hasn't done squat for "gang activity" because it's growing. Hasn't made them speak the English they are supposidly learning either because more and more jobs you can't get unless you speak Spanish. Must speak Spanish is increasing dramatically. Yet I can't order a pound of bologna in English and get waited on without calling for an English speaker. No free program for displaced tax paying citizens to learn Spanish either. Not to mention the English tax paying students aren't being taught another language till they take an elective in highschool. I hesitate to say that before they change the whole school system to Spanish only. Funny though....they had the advanced Spanish class read to kindergartners and the kids didn't have a clue what they were saying.

Not to mention between the 2 articles I posted....the numbers don't jive. How can 47% of the students in a school be hispanic in one article and just 19% in this one? I live here and know full well they aren't 19%. ANYWHERE around here. They re-draw the school district almost every year to make sure the supposid minorities are the majority. We see good schools to go pot in a year when they re-draw the districts. All that happens is gangs keep spreading.....crimes and such as well. They just pass the problems and rotate it around. Haven't seen ANY proof what-so-ever it's working.....except for the hispanics.