https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 14 Apr 2026 07:26:39 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-have-school-age-kids-or-are-a-teacher-please-help#post-2057037 Fri, 06 Feb 2015 08:19:17 +0000 erwoo 2057037@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ineebee: Yeah, not too worried about math. I guess I will just learn the new math with him. Maybe he'll be teaching me math instead of the other way around. ;) It does sound like math isn't as big of a deal coming from another country. It's math and it's universal. :D Thanks again! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-have-school-age-kids-or-are-a-teacher-please-help#post-2057035 Fri, 06 Feb 2015 08:17:18 +0000 erwoo 2057035@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: Yeah, glad we more or less figured it out. When did sending your 6-year-old to school became so complicated. Haha! As for not knowing, luckily for us we will know so it makes it a little easier. They also have the European and Japanese school here all just down the street from each other. It's pretty wild. I know an American family here who sent their kids to the European school b/c there's less homework and a lot more fun learning. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-have-school-age-kids-or-are-a-teacher-please-help#post-2055310 Thu, 05 Feb 2015 09:32:01 +0000 ineebee 2055310@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@erwoo: You're right, the new math is very different. I don't have a lot of experience with it because I mostly focus on reading, writing and vocabulary with my students, but - my two cents - I wouldn't worry too much about it right now. If his computation and critical thinking skills are strong (in any language), he'll be able to put the two together to adapt to the new math system. </p> <p>An illustration to help: I have a fourth grader who came straight from Spain last month with very, very little English. His overall academic skills are super strong, and he's actually doing very well in math right now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-have-school-age-kids-or-are-a-teacher-please-help#post-2055285 Thu, 05 Feb 2015 09:21:21 +0000 looch 2055285@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@erwoo: I am glad you decided! I meant to come back and basically say that my husband and I decided that if we had stayed in Europe, we would have gone the local school route. </p> <p>I like the compromise you guys worked out, makes sense to me and I would have likely done the same thing with going to the American school the year before (although, it's not always possible, considering the moves back and forth could happen at any time, especially when the decision is made by your employer, you know? You might not have the time, so that's something to consider as well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-have-school-age-kids-or-are-a-teacher-please-help#post-2055259 Thu, 05 Feb 2015 09:03:29 +0000 erwoo 2055259@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ineebee: Thanks!! Makes me feel even better hearing it from you as well! I also think he'll be okay to go to a local school the entire time, but it was my compromise with my husband so that he can attend the American school here. So besides reading, is there anything else I would need to focus on to help him catch up? His math will probably be pretty good since he is already doing addition and subtraction in his Montessori school. I heard there is the new math in the U.S. I'm a little nervous about that. I looked at it once and went blank. Haha! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-have-school-age-kids-or-are-a-teacher-please-help#post-2055244 Thu, 05 Feb 2015 08:52:14 +0000 ineebee 2055244@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had a lot to say, but your last post sounds like you guys have it figured out! I'm an elementary ESL teacher, and I think going to a local school with extra support in English reading is the best idea. He'll gain his academic skills in Chinese, and he'll have a good basis in English reading. Those academic skills will most definitely transfer into English when the time comes. </p> <p>Transferring to an American school in China a year before you move back sounds fine, but IMO not necessary. Either way, he will be absolutely fine as long as he has strong academic skills in SOME language! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-have-school-age-kids-or-are-a-teacher-please-help#post-2055212 Thu, 05 Feb 2015 08:24:21 +0000 erwoo 2055212@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: @looch: @Anagram: @Mrs. Tricycle: @T-Mom: Thanks for all of your input. After talking to a friend of mine who taught elementary in NYC and also at a private local school here (that students have to test into) and some people from my husband's work, it sounds like I can work with him myself and hire a reading expert (had no idea there's such a profession, but I love it!) to help with him while he's going to the local school. My thoughts are to have him go to a local school for a year with tutoring after school and then send him to the American school to catch up the year before we move back. That way, he can catch up here rather than back when we move back to the states. It'll also help him acclimate to the U.S. school systems and routines. The local schools still nap in elementary school!!!! It's crazy! I can't even opt. out b/c that's what even the adults do at work after lunch. :O Anyway, I think I've more or less convinced my husband to go this route. I think he is also seeing improvement in our son's reading abilities as well now that he is also reading with him. I'm glad my son loves to read and do "work." I guess Montessori school has paid off in more ways than I thought! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-have-school-age-kids-or-are-a-teacher-please-help#post-2055206 Thu, 05 Feb 2015 08:17:59 +0000 erwoo 2055206@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T-Mom: I have the Bob series books and he can read a lot of it already. We're also doing those "I can read" books as well. He struggles with some words but can read the book all by himself with minimal help from me. He has the whole month of February off so I've been working with him daily on reading and just doing some exercises that helps with his reading as well. I ordered some Kumon reading books for him a while back and have been using those. It almost seems easy for him because he breezes through most of them by himself after I read him the instructions. It seems like a good thing?? But I'm no expert. Haha! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-have-school-age-kids-or-are-a-teacher-please-help#post-2055202 Thu, 05 Feb 2015 08:14:21 +0000 erwoo 2055202@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Tricycle: That's good to know that you're saying similar things to what @Anagram: said as well. A little more reassuring. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-have-school-age-kids-or-are-a-teacher-please-help#post-2045316 Thu, 29 Jan 2015 11:56:35 +0000 T-Mom 2045316@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DD is in 1st grade and reading well for her grade (ahead but still within her grade level). That's like easy chapter books, etc. There is a huge emphasis on reading at this age, though. If you put your DS in the local school, I definitely would continue to work with him on the reading. I think the major benefits of living overseas for the short amount of time would be the spoken language rather than written. He would be getting that no matter where he went to school. If I knew that I was coming back to the US shortly permanently, I might be inclined to think like your DH and favor the international school. Of course the experience of being in a local school would be so cool. Interesting predicament, but I'm sure he will be fine either way! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-have-school-age-kids-or-are-a-teacher-please-help#post-2045123 Thu, 29 Jan 2015 10:12:59 +0000 Mrs. Tricycle 2045123@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm a teacher in NY state, and I'd say they try to place international students in a grade appropriate to their age, regardless of ability. If their English isn't up to snuff, then they might get 40 minutes a week with an ESL (English as a special language) teacher, and they might have accommodations for testing -- maybe they get their tests read aloud or have someone scribe for them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-have-school-age-kids-or-are-a-teacher-please-help#post-2045107 Thu, 29 Jan 2015 10:05:30 +0000 erwoo 2045107@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: Wow, talk about diversity! That's awesome! Thanks! I think it will give my husband peace of mind to know this information. I will try to reach out to the counselor of the school since I know which school he will be attending. How long do international students stay in the ESL program or it depends on how quickly they learn the language? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-have-school-age-kids-or-are-a-teacher-please-help#post-2045089 Thu, 29 Jan 2015 09:56:35 +0000 Anagram 2045089@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@erwoo: I'm sure you could email a local school district in the US (try the counselor's email), and get some answers but really, I wouldn't worry at all. We get students from other countries all the time, none of which were in American schools, and they are fine! Just since Winter Break, we've had 3 new students start from Sweden, South Korea, and the UK--the first two have to take ESL as an elective, the 3rd of course doesn't--but they were all placed in the same grade level, despite the fact that all three say we are "behind" in math where they were in their home countries. The girl from South Korea is now in an advanced class...I think they moved her up after a couple of weeks. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-have-school-age-kids-or-are-a-teacher-please-help#post-2045077 Thu, 29 Jan 2015 09:53:52 +0000 erwoo 2045077@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: That is really good to know. Thanks! I think I will reach out to my neighbors back in the states since they do have kids in the k-5th grade in the elem. school our kids will be attending. I didn't think about it until now. Do you think the school officials would be willing to talk to me about this? Gosh, I never thought I would have to talk to so many people to make a decision about where to put my son for 1st grade. Haha! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-have-school-age-kids-or-are-a-teacher-please-help#post-2045059 Thu, 29 Jan 2015 09:44:39 +0000 erwoo 2045059@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: We will be returning to the states for sure in a few years, permanently. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-have-school-age-kids-or-are-a-teacher-please-help#post-2045057 Thu, 29 Jan 2015 09:44:20 +0000 erwoo 2045057@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: It really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us. I never thought I would ever live here again after leaving when I was a toddler. Yeah, I'm not as worried about written b/c one would have to write it almost daily to remember it. I've forgotten how to write a lot of words and don't feel as confident in writing them as I used to growing up. Thanks for reminding me about the common core guidelines! I forgot about that. See, that's why I needed to ask. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-have-school-age-kids-or-are-a-teacher-please-help#post-2045053 Thu, 29 Jan 2015 09:42:28 +0000 Anagram 2045053@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think they would ever opt to hold back a student in regular public school back in the US--generally speaking, (and this totally depends on the school district), they may at most require your son to take ESL (in some schools it's just a small class in place of an elective; in elementary schools it's usually a pull out program) to catch up on English level skills.</p> <p>Public school kids run the gamut in terms of ability--from the very low to the very high--and the current trends in education have moved away from holding back and more towards inclusion in classrooms of all ability types, with extra services or pull out programs/enrichment offered for the lower and the higher students. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-have-school-age-kids-or-are-a-teacher-please-help#post-2045042 Thu, 29 Jan 2015 09:38:50 +0000 looch 2045042@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For me, the answer depends on where you will live. Do you plan to return to the states or remain abroad? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-have-school-age-kids-or-are-a-teacher-please-help#post-2045026 Thu, 29 Jan 2015 09:30:40 +0000 mrbee 2045026@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've heard that if only one parent speaks another language at home, the kids still pick it up just fine! A bunch of parents have one parent speak one language and the other parent speak the other.</p> <p>I wouldn't worry as much about written Chinese. He can always pick that up later - at Chinese school in the States or in high school/college. Spoken English and Chinese + written English feels like the key priority, if you're gonna end up back in the states!</p> <p>As for Kindergarteners, my son's class can read pretty well now. Don't know much about third graders though! Can you get some Common Core guidelines and work backwards from there?</p> <p>Personally btw, I'd be really interested in the local school option because it's such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-have-school-age-kids-or-are-a-teacher-please-help#post-2044955 Thu, 29 Jan 2015 08:57:48 +0000 erwoo 2044955@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For those with older kids who are in kinder or 1st grade, what are your kids learning right now at school? Can they read really well now? What is expected of a 3rd grader by the time he starts school? If you're a teacher and have experience with international kids, were those kids held back a year because they were schooled internationally (not an American school)? Or do they get tested to see if they are on target for the grade level that they are suppose to be in based on their birth date? </p> <p>My husband and I are disagreeing about what to do with our oldest. I was born in Asia and currently are living here for a few years and I really want our oldest (turning 6 in a few months) to go to a local school here so he can continue to learn his native language (Chinese). It is going to be really hard to continue learning Chinese once we move back to the U.S. b/c it'll only be once a week for 2 hours. Right now, he is in kinder going to a bilingual Montessori school and is thriving there. He still speaks perfect English and can also speak his native tongue really well now too, and voluntarily! Anyway, this really good local school nearby (locals rave about it being that it's a public school), they offer English but so limited for 1st graders (2x a week for 40 minutes each - prob not enough). Also, he is probably going to be ahead in English as he starts 1st grade there. I don't think kids learn the alphabets until they are in 1st grade unless their parents teach them at home. My son can read really easy books now. I'm a little torn that I may have to either tutor him in English outside of school (and I'm not a teacher) or sign him up for English classes after school every day. I don't mind doing either as long as my husband is in agreement. But he is not.</p> <p>My husband really wants him to attend the American school here which is an excellent school. And only wealthy locals who can afford it send their kids there and it's really hard to get in. We'll get in without a problem. I have friends who graduated from here and all have gone on to attend ivy league colleges and are really successful in their careers now. So there is no doubt that it is a great school. All of my husband's colleagues' kids love it there. I know my son would too; but then there is the lack of Chinese classes there. And all the kids speak English there. It will be hard for my son to maintain his Chinese if I don't primarily speak it to him at home. I do speak more at home now, but it's hard since my husband can't speak as fluently as I do. He understands, but can't respond in a full sentence without needing help.</p> <p>I thought taking my husband to visit the school today would help but he wasn't convince AT ALL. I agree, the lack of English is concerning. But I also think he will catch up if he falls behind when we move back to the states. Worse case, he gets held back one year. It's really not that bad to me; but not to my husband. He doesn't want him to be held back at all. </p> <p>SO, here we are... I'd love to hear what would you do if you were in my situation? How would you convince your husband to have your son attend a local school? And, teachers, what are your thoughts. What level should a 3rd grader be expected to be at by the time he starts? What about a 2nd grader? Because, my compromise is to have him attend the local school first, and then attend the American school during our last year here so if he's behind, he can catch up here rather than back in the states.</p> <p>Thanks for reading this super long problem of mine! :D </p>