I need to VENT...

[OzFan]

My DD is a freshmen this year and is in honor classes. She came home today and told me about her Algebra teacher. He is from South Africa and speaks broken English. He sent home a letter saying he cannot read cursive writing, anything sent to him needs to be typed or printed. He points to objects and snaps his fingers, and can't pronounce my daughter's name (Elizabeth). My question is "How is she going to learn ANYTHING much less Algebra from him?"
How did he get his state certification for teaching if he can't read cursive writing? How do I approach tje school to get her out of there without sounding like a jerk? She is smart and I want her her to excel NOT fall behind.
Any thoughts or just some pixie dust would be nice. Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[floridaminnie]

Is she in HS or college? If it's college, she can change classes herself. If HS, go to guidance and ask for a change.

 

[Nancy]

Wow...that's a tough one. I would probably just tell the school that you don't think she will do well in his class since he doesn't speak English very well. They can't deny it, can they? I don't think you'll sound like a jerk at all.

 

[Beth76]

I wouldn't immediately dismiss him as a bad teacher just because he can't read cursive. He might be a really good math teacher.

 

[OzFan]

She is in HS. I'm going to go the counselor's office in the morning. I just don't want to come off as a jerk. She doesn't want to make waves, she likes to lay low. I guess it's best to get it her out early than to wait and have her grades fall or get behind.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

That is a tough one....

It would be easy to type or print out notes. Name pronunciation, not really a big deal either. Not really something to be transferred out of class for.

The question is how good is he at teaching? Will your dd gain or lose something valuable?

Is there a way you can find out of this teacher is worth his salt (for real)?

I am sure more experienced Disers will have better insight.

 

[floridaminnie]

And algebra is a very important foundatioln for math in the later years. I've had profs before that didn't speak English well, but never in HS.

 

[nativetxn]

I had an Algebra instructor when I was a freshman in college, who was from the Caribbean. His accent was very confusing.

Turns out that he was the best teacher I ever had (at least in Math) and I learned to understand him within a week or so. Aced his class, too

 

[Sparx]

Give him a chance. Math is universal. No matter where you are 2+2 always = 4. if he was teaching english that would be one thing, but give him a chance.

 

[clh2]

I had several foreign professors in college (primarily in math, science and engineering classes) and they were awful. You spend so much effort trying to just grasp what they are trying to say - not to mention the concept. Unfortunately, in college, there weren't always other options to switch classes.

How long has this teacher been teaching in your district? Can you find out this early in the year if he is one of those really great teachers? If so, she may want to stick it out.

How many different classes do they offer of honors math? What if you make the request for a different teacher, and then she would have to go to a regular math program?

While I do agree that math is math - and 2+2 will always equal 4, when you can't understand an instructor who is explaining quadratic equations, signs and cosigns etc, it does get a little more confusing.

From the cursive point of view, most algebra doesn't lend itself to using cursive, so that shouldn't be too much of a problem, unless he is looking at their notes.

Tough decision to make - good luck!

 

[foolishmortal]

Give him a chance. Math is universal. No matter where you are 2+2 always = 4. if he was teaching english that would be one thing, but give him a chance.

AGREE AGREE AGREE!!!!

I took alot of algebra classes and never seen cursive in any of them so I don't see where the issue is there. And his english may be broken, but I am highly doubting it's that bas as he wouldn't have been hired. Maybe she is used to an "american" teacher, but hey, not everyone in the real world speaks the same, maybe this will help her not only in math but also getting used to accepting others as well.

 

[OzFan]

This is his first year teaching. There are other classes, but her whole schedule would have to be changed. I'm just going to go and talk to her counselor tomorrow. A friend of mine's daughter is in the same class and she has come home crying 2 days in a row, she says she can't understand anything he says and it's frustrating. She has had many other teachers that weren't American, that isn't the problem, the problem is she can't understand him. I know there isn't much cursive writing in math, but I just thought it was strange. Giving him time to come around is fair, but is it fair that my daughter who gives 110% falls behind of the other students because she can't understand what she is being taught.

 

[canwegosoon]

Best teacher I ever had was a Polynesian(sp) a littly hard to understand in the beginning...but then fine...but easily the best teacher for math I have ever seen. I was lucky to have him...he made math fun.

 

[ksjayhawks]

It won't hurt to go and talk with the counselor. Depending on how full the classes are and when the other sections are scheduled, you may or may not be be able to get her whole schedule changed. There may not be room in other sections. She may have to take some different classes. Switching one or two classes usually isn't too bad, but a whole schedule can be tough.
Good luck and let us know what happens.

 

[4Cs]

Keep us updated.

 

[foolishmortal]

This is his first year teaching. There are other classes, but her whole schedule would have to be changed. I'm just going to go and talk to her counselor tomorrow. A friend of mine's daughter is in the same class and she has come home crying 2 days in a row, she says she can't understand anything he says and it's frustrating. She has had many other teachers that weren't American, that isn't the problem, the problem is she can't understand him. I know there isn't much cursive writing in math, but I just thought it was strange. Giving him time to come around is fair, but is it fair that my daughter who gives 110% falls behind of the other students because she can't understand what she is being taught.

I guess I don't understand what you mean by falling behind....If he is so hard to understand then they all should have the problem and she would fall behind noone, Unless of course the rest of the class is familiar with South African accents <----sorry attempt at a little humor, must be getting late.

To me this sounds more like freshman jitters than anything. New school, new kids, more pressure...and a non english speaking teacher..alot for a freshman to take in with all the other "high school" stuf they already have to deal with.
Maybe after she settles in she will realize it my very well be everything being taken in and this is just an obvious excuse(bad word but couldn't think of another right now) and since it was the most obvious she is running with that.

 

[Hermosa11]

Maybe you could ask to sit in on the class and observe, but a class in which your daughter is NOT in?

Just a thought............

 

[OzFan]

There are 2 other honors Algebra classes. There are some Juniors in the class and they can't understand him either. I thought about the possibility that it was jitters, but other students are saying the same thing, you can't understand him. How is he going to explain a math problem and the students understand. My DD is tough, she plays fast pitch softball, tennis and does cross country, she is by no means a meak kid. She takes her schooling very serious. She wants to be a vet and Algebra is VERY important, if it was social studies or geography I guess I wouldn't or she wouldn't care.

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

Give him a chance. Math is universal. No matter where you are 2+2 always = 4. if he was teaching english that would be one thing, but give him a chance.

I would talk to the teacher personally before making a judgement on his English. There is a big difference between "broken English" and an accent. My father in law was a college professor and has a wonderful grasp of the English language, but even after 50+ years in this country, has a very "heavy" accent.

I like the idea of saying I can't read cursive...many people's cursive is quite illegible.

 

[foolishmortal]

There are 2 other honors Algebra classes. There are some Juniors in the class and they can't understand him either. I thought about the possibility that it was jitters, but other students are saying the same thing, you can't understand him. How is he going to explain a math problem and the students understand. My DD is tough, she plays fast pitch softball, tennis and does cross country, she is by no means a meak kid. She takes her schooling very serious. She wants to be a vet and Algebra is VERY important, if it was social studies or geography I guess I wouldn't or she wouldn't care.

The others (higherclassmen), may not understand him as much also, but are they making the same deal about it? They may be just rolling with the punches until they get used to him. I say give him a little bit of time, maybe a month or so, and if it is still an issue then have her move out. If there are others I really see no problem with the school changing the classes to help her. No school wants to see a kid struggle and will help in all ways possible. And maybe if enough complain later in the year they will review him at the end of the year.