Foreign Preshool Teachers
 

Most of DD's preschool teachers are Spanish speaking with a very strong
accent. I think that is fine and hope DD picks up some Spanish.

However, I do have a slight problem. DD is beginning to learn to read and
write. She can read simple words and can spell some words. If it catches
her fancy, she can read and spell some more difficult words (like
"princess"). The teachers simply are not fluent enough to be teaching
reading and writing. DD brought home a book she illustrated. It was a
series of blank pages with typing at the bottom that looked homemade. It
was titled _Go! Go! Go!_ The first page read, "I see a *plain*!" and DD
pasted a picture of an airplane.

I came to the school the other day and saw on the board a description of one
of her pictures. The teacher wrote what she said, that the "stars were
*shinning*."

They've even spelled her name incorrectly and once had her name spelled with
a capital letter right in the middle of her name. Fortunately, DD does know
how to spell her own name.

This happens regularly enough that it bothers me, because if DD is going to
be learning simple words like this, she should be learning them correctly.
I don't want to have to unteach her. She has been attending this school for
a very long time and I don't want to pull her out before graduation, which
will be in three months. Had I known this was going to be a problem, I
wouldn't have had her there, but DS attended that school before with a
teacher who was fluent in English and didn't have that problem.

What would you do? I think correcting the teachers constantly may just
alienate them. I really want her to learn reading and writing, so I don't
want that to stop. I just can't see how complaining would get a teacher who
can't read and write well to improve right away. It's a very small school
and there is not a lot of choice in classes. This is the only class at her
level. I don't see many options other than pulling her out, which I don't
want to do, so I am mostly venting.

Foreign Preshool Teachers
 

"toypup" wrote in message
...
Most of DD's preschool teachers are Spanish speaking with a very strong
accent. I think that is fine and hope DD picks up some Spanish.

However, I do have a slight problem. DD is beginning to learn to read and
write. She can read simple words and can spell some words. If it catches
her fancy, she can read and spell some more difficult words (like
"princess"). The teachers simply are not fluent enough to be teaching
reading and writing. DD brought home a book she illustrated. It was a
series of blank pages with typing at the bottom that looked homemade. It
was titled _Go! Go! Go!_ The first page read, "I see a *plain*!" and DD
pasted a picture of an airplane.

I came to the school the other day and saw on the board a description of
one of her pictures. The teacher wrote what she said, that the "stars
were *shinning*."

They've even spelled her name incorrectly and once had her name spelled
with a capital letter right in the middle of her name. Fortunately, DD
does know how to spell her own name.

This happens regularly enough that it bothers me, because if DD is going
to be learning simple words like this, she should be learning them
correctly. I don't want to have to unteach her. She has been attending
this school for a very long time and I don't want to pull her out before
graduation, which will be in three months. Had I known this was going to
be a problem, I wouldn't have had her there, but DS attended that school
before with a teacher who was fluent in English and didn't have that
problem.

What would you do? I think correcting the teachers constantly may just
alienate them. I really want her to learn reading and writing, so I don't
want that to stop. I just can't see how complaining would get a teacher
who can't read and write well to improve right away. It's a very small
school and there is not a lot of choice in classes. This is the only
class at her level. I don't see many options other than pulling her out,
which I don't want to do, so I am mostly venting.
How old's your dd? I'm guessing about 4yo (sorry I can't remember).
I'd use the incorrect spelling as a lesson.
"Oh look they've used the wrong sort of plane. Look you can spell it
different ways and it sounds the same but is different things". And find
further examples. (to, two: no know; etc)
#1 would have found that great fun. #2 would probably have repeated the
lesson back to the teachers, which could be funny..
Again with the capital letter/spelling her name wrong. "What's wrong here?"
"shinning" would irritate me the most though.
If it's only another three months then I wouldn't worry.
Debbie

Foreign Preshool Teachers
 

"Welches" wrote in message
...

How old's your dd? I'm guessing about 4yo (sorry I can't remember).

5.

I'd use the incorrect spelling as a lesson.
"Oh look they've used the wrong sort of plane. Look you can spell it
different ways and it sounds the same but is different things". And find
further examples. (to, two: no know; etc)
#1 would have found that great fun. #2 would probably have repeated the
lesson back to the teachers, which could be funny..
Again with the capital letter/spelling her name wrong. "What's wrong
here?"
"shinning" would irritate me the most though.
If it's only another three months then I wouldn't worry.

Thanks. You have good suggestions.

Foreign Preshool Teachers
 

Unfortunately that does sound like they don't have strong enough English
skills. DDs preschool teacher is Japanese, we find her accent hard to
understand and find it quite ironic when she's suggesting to us that we
need to work on DDs pronunciation! However, I've anything written I've
seen is of a high quality, not that DD is anywhere near that yet.

Cheers
Anne