Thursday, February 19, 2009

I'm back and I'm tired

I believe this is the longest I've been away from my blog. It's nothing in particular that's been keeping me away: it's everything. I've been feeling pretty overwhelmed with all that needs to get done around here: the housework, the work-work, and the homework.

The homework is a big issue. I feel that the kids need lots of support that the educational system here just doesn't provide them with. Since it's our second year here and the kids speak hebrew most teachers believe they should be sailing along in school as well. It doesn't work that way, I'm a speech pathologist with a degree in Bilingual Education, I know. Just because a kid has mastered social language--the playground communication--doesn't mean they can listen to a lecture on science, history, math or even Torah and absorb the information. I spend half my life talking to teachers trying to explain this to them. The kids need adaptations. Some of the teachers are sensitive to this issue, others don't have a clue.

In the meantime, I am happy that I am able to understand their textbooks and am able to help them; many olim don't understand enough Hebrew to be able to do this. So I sit with them for a long time, I make summaries, I review with them, I test them. And they've been doing okay for the most part. But it's exhausting for me.

And I'm trying to figure out how to wean them so they could do this more independently at some point.

How many more days 'til summer vacation?

2 comments:

A Living Nadneyda said...

I know the feeling... I also checked out of blogville this past month (glad to be back, but oh, what a month). I can never figure out how to help my kids with HW, especially when I completely disagree with the assignment (what or how the kids are being told to do), or don't understand the teacher's methodology, as explained to me by my kids. Frustrating. But I'll keep trying, in the hope that something improves.

Hang in there... your kids appreciate it!

Anonymous said...

Welcome back to blogging. I hope you'll get the rest you need and deserve before the summer vacation although there is Pessach in between!
Hopefuly with time, you'll find your kids wil do well while nedding you less.