Case
Always Late

Jorge is a new student to school. He has recently moved from Mexico with his family. When he arrived, he knew no English. He is slowly improving, but he is far behind his classmates. He receives ESOL services, and help from a bilingual assistant. However, the bilingual assistant cannot spend time doing her ESOL curriculum because she must help him catch up on his classroom. He misses at least 30 minutes of classroom time every morning, because his parents always drop him off late. His parents speak no English and are not accustomed to the concepts of early and late in the United States, since they recently moved from Mexico. What should the classroom teacher do?

Posted on: 02/17/15 | Views: 1109
Solution #1
Top Solution
It may be beneficial to ask the bilingual assistant to compose a letter for the parents informing them of the school rules. As the parents are not accustomed it is important to provide them with a translated copy of school rules and expectations. In addition, the parents may have transportation issues and have no way of communicating their concerns. The teacher should contact the administrators in order to explore other possible solutions.

It's important to remember that the parents might not be able to read in their native language.

I would exactly do this

If I were in this situation, I would exactly do this.

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Solution #2
As a student must report to the office each time they are tardy, there will be a record of the number of late times the student has arrived at school. Each district has services available not only for the ESOL student but for their families so there should be a translator available to speak to the parents. This situation calls for a conference in which the bilingual assistant, your administration, the parents, yourself, and any other district personnel must attend to determine what can best be done to benefit the student and his learning.

I would exactly do this

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Solution #3
I would not be so quick to judge the parents for not being accustomed to the concepts of early and late in the United States. The concept is held all around the world, especially if the parents had a job in Mexico. You might ask the student is there a particular reason he is consistently late to school. Perhaps the parents have to get other children ready and dropped off at a daycare or another school. Perhaps they work a night shift and often don't wake up in time to get the child to school. Perhaps it's a struggle to get the student to come to school if he does not enjoy schooling. There are many factors to consider that can play into the tardiness of the student. However, you would still want to find out that cause to help in any way you can. You can ask for help from the bilingual assistant to be there when you approach the parents about the issue or you can ask for her assistance in translating a note home about the issue. Either way, you want to be respectful as you do not want the parents to feel they are not welcome in the school community.
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Solution #4
A teacher should try to become more knowledgeable of the native culture of the ELL and find some way to contact and communicate with their caretakers. Find a way that will help you communicate with the care takers, and inform of being on time and be absent in the United States school system usual works. Also let them know specifics about transportation like the school bus and any reasons of absence such as the student being sick.
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Solution #5
I would have the bilingual assistant talk to the parents so Jorge is mot late anymore and getting set back further in his progress for education.
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Solution #6
I would set up a meeting with the parents and a bilingual assistant and express the importance of having their child arrive on time to school everyday.

I would try having the ESOL teacher set up some type of conference with the students parents to help this issue. Good luck.

I would exactly do this

I would never do this! This is wrong! More details are needed than just having a meeting, especially since the parents likely won't speak much, if any, English.

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