Salle H.'s Blog at WyzAnt.com

Why I have a web camera

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Salle H.

This is not going to happen today or tomorrow, but someday in the future, in order to save driving time, I might occasionally set up an experimental ESL lesson over the web. I used to Skype with friends, but I found out how dangerous that can be to my computer system, since Skype does not have its own network of servers to use. Because they do not, I found out, Skype uses computers of its members to carry the program, leaving me vulnerable for hacking AND, even more importantly, slowing my system down during Skype's busiest times.

Google, however, has the same VOIP, with their own servers, that will leave my system free for ME to use. I will download their program that is also free and ask that my target student do the same. Then with the same materials in front of us both, I can have a face-to-face training with a student from the comfort of my own home office and I will not be using gas and time for the commute. Sounds ideal, doesn't it? I can envision some problems, mostly technical, such as, what if my student's ability using a computer does not parallel mine -- as in they know more and use shortcuts I can't even imagine, or they have less knowledge than I do (hard to imagine that scenario). Or there is a power failure that impairs one or both computer systems. There are other problems that are just too hard to imagine. But these kinds of issues can be dealt with as they arise and solutions will present themselves, I'm sure.

One of the advantages of the WyzAnt system as it stands is the hands-on, face to actual face contact, so I would not want to use this as a permanent solution to rising gas prices, but if I were ill with a contagious disease, such as the flu, and there was a child at risk in my student's home, I can see this as a real advantage. So, I will continue to think about the reasons for and the reasons against using a web camera for WyzAnt students, and take steps to prepare myself for the future -- the far, far future.

Setting the Goals

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Salle H.

When I start to work with students, I want to learn who they are, find out what they (and their parents) want to achieve and create a trust between us. This process shouldn't take longer than one to three sessions. Then it's time to talk about their goals.

I suggest age-appropriate targets, such as, for children in 3rd to 5th grade something like: "response from school teacher is that progress has been made, reflected in grades and homework feedback." For the older students, they seem to be able to tell when they're doing better by feeling more confident about their work, speaking out in class, being able to edit their own writing, etc. But this needs to be stated up front so that they can measure their own progress.

Preschool students don't worry about that, but I council parents about what I would like to accomplish before they enter kindergarten -- that they can recognize and write all letters in uppercase and lowercase block print, spell and write their own name, recognize and write numbers and understand some pretty complex ideas about adding and subtracting recognizable things, know and draw different shapes and know "big, little & middle-sized." And be able to focus on one project for a period of time (from five to 15 minutes) while they can postpone the "fun" stuff.

No matter who the student is, it's necessary for both the tutor and the student to set up guidelines so that we know when I am not needed anymore.

The Tutor as a Playmate

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Salle H.

Most of my students are in elementary school. It seems that they all start out finding it difficult to focus on the task at hand. This is cross-cultural as I have some Asian American children and a British family and I worked with an Indian student for a while. I am concerned (what's new here?) with the lack of attention-span that seems to reflect and be a consequence of playing games and watching television.

When kids are "working" on something they love, like perfecting a slap shot or discussing their pets, focus can tune out everything else, but it's hard to get kids to love writing. When it's new, maybe, like the preschooler who is warming up to writing on the white board, each letter of his name a different color. That takes concentration. But why do they think that writing is "so boring?" Maybe they just haven't yet been bitten by the bug.

Okay, so I'm taking the short attention span, and whatever their favorite subject is (a sport, a pet, a favorite food) and have them think about how to describe that thing in a Haiku -- five syllables, seven syllables, five syllables. One boy loves all things "snake." This is one output:

I have a pet snake.
I watch her tongue go in/out.
Smelling tongue is great!