I am a teacher in an inner city elementary school in G.R. Michigan with 87% Hispanic students. I am taking a grad class to get my ESL endorsement as I work with the kids that are functional in English but as a second language. (I admire their ability to know two languages as Spanish is the only class I ever fluncked was HS Spanish ) As a requirement for the class I have to do a case study of a non English culture and write a paper. Three of the teachers I work with are DR or have lived and worked there and 1 of my students is DR so guess what I chose as my subject. Anyway I need to ask some questions about the education system in the DR. I don't really know where to start and what to ask because I know so little about it. What I am looking for is information that will help me better understand my students and be a better teacher for them. The two DR teachers I know are married and yet very different. One uses more "American education techniques" while the other does more of what I assume is DR education techniques" Students do more memorizing. There is little group work and the classroom is very teacher directed. Can any of you give me any input? Even direction on what questions to ask? My students are rather poor. What educational epectations will the parents have that might be different than American parents. I already know that I get more respect from my DR parents than many teachers get from American parents and many expect teachers to use physical punishment and don't realize that is illegal in the US. What are some other cultural misconceptions that could arise? For those of you that are DR but learned English in American schools what was the hardest part? What linguistic mishaps occured. What words, sounds, or concepts were hardest? Did you have bilingual ed and learned to read in two languages or were put into an "into English" only program. What are your greatest regrets? Okay that is enough to start - Oh by the way I need you to PM with your Name, City and culutural heritage if I am to quote you in my paper. (Thanks the paper has to be 10 - 15 pages so keep the comments comming!!!!)