All dominican public schools

[palito de koko]

how many Americans and Canadians here understand elementary Spanish? why is the onus upon them to learn english? spanish is their language, so you go learn it if you want to communicate with them.

The friend of mine is austrian, speaks german, english and some basic french

Personally I speak well FIVE languages, amongst them spanish

I only said that there is something wrong with the school system if some many dominicans can only speak their own language. It shouldn't be like that.

 

[Aguaita29]

Actually when I was a kid, there was so much more quality in education, and you only went to school from 8 to 12 a.m.

I hope I end up being wrong, but I don?t see this extended shift as a solution. More time means nothing if it?s not used wisely. I?m afraid it?s going to be more of the same thing.

For example, many schools have English teachers that don?t know English. If a student tells them they?re saying something wrong, they?ll get bad grades. Then, what could be the benefit of getting more English time??

Anyway, I guess you have to start somewhere!

 

[RV429]

This is a very important topic and yes it may get screwed up in practice but they have to start somewhere. I've always hated the short school days. My kids get/got maybe an hour or two a day of instruction at best in the Public schools. Any improvement is welcome. Their Aunts and Uncles can't construct a correct written paragraph or spell and all of them went to public schools.

 

[AlterEgo]

I only said that there is something wrong with the school system if some many dominicans can only speak their own language. It shouldn't be like that.

I have to agree with the posters who said anyone living here should have some basic Spanish skills. I'm not fluent, but I could communicate in a medical situation.

And I disagree about judging schools by 2nd languages spoken by students. I know hundreds, maybe more, Americans who studied a foreign language for many years, and can't hold even the simplest conversation in that language. There's a big difference between a classroom and real life, and if you don't use a language in everyday life you lose it. [My mother's first language was Italian, but after her parents died she never spoke it again, and if you asked her how to say something in Italian, she drew a blank]

Who knows, maybe with a full day of classes they will add English classes to the curriculum.

 

[Criss Colon]

Twice as many students, same # of classrooms????
What a Great Idea!!!
Most schools have two shifts now, morning & afternoon.
So now they will all attend all day classes.
There is a shortage of classrooms, desks, EVERYTHING now.
This "Dog Won't Hunt"!!!!!!!!!
Besides, It's just another "Puff Piece" from the government.
It will never happen, but makes everyone "Feel Good".
30 years ago, and EVERY YEAR since, I have read how the "Electricity Problems" will now be "Solved".
"Danilo" just said it will be done by 2016!
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"Pichardo"tells us it's "Already Been Done"!!!!

 

[RV429]

"Twice as many students, same # of classrooms????
What a Great Idea!!!
Most schools have two shifts now, morning & afternoon.
So now they will all attend all day classes.
There is a shortage of classrooms, desks, EVERYTHING now."

For the first time in maybe 1,000 posts a cccc post that does have some sense to it. Class sizes are already way to large, if this causes larger classes the extra time may very will be diluted. They must come up with a plan to ensure this doesn't happen.

 

[caribmike]

Just heard that the private school where my son goes "Colegio Calasanz Pueblo Bavaro" will have full day classes from August on.
And yes, the former "afternoon shift" will be joined with the "day shift" which almost certainly mean bigger classes...

The cost per month will go down though but I don't care I don't want my kid in a class with 30+ students...

Guess it is time to send my son to another school from August on...

 

[caribmike]

And what happens to all the teachers what have second jobs to make ends meet? Will they be paid more when they have to work longer and can't do that second job anymore?

Guess this is the first time I do not like one of Danilo's ideas...

 

[dv8]

how many Americans and Canadians here understand elementary Spanish? why is the onus upon them to learn english? spanish is their language, so you go learn it if you want to communicate with them.

medical profession is one of the few where english is a MUST. the best and most comprehensive information on medicine is in english. while an older doctor might have learn from vast experience (which is not always the case) a younger doctor need theoretical knowledge. case studies, drug into, alternative treatments, all can me found on the internet in english, sometimes exclusively in english. to me a doctor who does not at least understand enough to be able to read in english is just not good.

i am fine with medical vocabulary in spanish after working in a pharmacy but when a polish friend with MA degree in spanish visited me she could not understand medical labels. english and spanish both have medical terms come from latin. it is not the case in polish. so i get that some people may need a translator/interpreter when talking medicine.

 

[rubio_higuey]

I don't want my kid in a class with 30+ students...

30 students per class is not that bad. In my country about 30 students is a norm (28-32) and they come out of public school system pretty smart. (Consider the fact, that private schools, for basic and secondary education, are virtually non-existent... there are some odd catholic or private schools, but basically schools must be non-profit. And with the transfer of school oversight from central ministry of education into regional school boards with regional government oversight during the last decade, most of them can not even be called private anymore ... so the "private" would be maybe a handful of "international" schools, but they usually do not even go by the country's official curriculum and you do not get graduation papers from the ministry of education..attendees must transfer grades/credits into their home country's school system).

 

[Chicagoan]

What will happen to places like The Dream Project, which take the kids for the other half of the day?

 

[the gorgon]

The friend of mine is austrian, speaks german, english and some basic french

Personally I speak well FIVE languages, amongst them spanish

I only said that there is something wrong with the school system if some many dominicans can only speak their own language. It shouldn't be like that.

you do have a point. something is just as bad as the American and Canadian systems, which produces tourists who can only say "una cerveza". at least the Europeans can defend themselves, somewhat.

 

[the gorgon]

"Twice as many students, same # of classrooms????
What a Great Idea!!!
Most schools have two shifts now, morning & afternoon.
So now they will all attend all day classes.
There is a shortage of classrooms, desks, EVERYTHING now."

For the first time in maybe 1,000 posts a cccc post that does have some sense to it. Class sizes are already way to large, if this causes larger classes the extra time may very will be diluted. They must come up with a plan to ensure this doesn't happen.

yes, CCC does make a lot of sense regarding class sizes. a study was done regarding education in Latin America, and the cross country findings were that nearly 25% of the time that the teacher spends in the classroom is devoted to restoring order and discipline. it would be safe to say that bigger classes would tend to aggravate that problem.

 

[amp]

30 students per class is not that bad. In my country about 30 students is a norm (28-32) and they come out of public school system pretty smart. (Consider the fact, that private schools, for basic and secondary education, are virtually non-existent... there are some odd catholic or private schools, but basically schools must be non-profit. And with the transfer of school oversight from central ministry of education into regional school boards with regional government oversight during the last decade, most of them can not even be called private anymore ... so the "private" would be maybe a handful of "international" schools, but they usually do not even go by the country's official curriculum and you do not get graduation papers from the ministry of education..attendees must transfer grades/credits into their home country's school system).

30+ students in the DR is not the same, even at Da Vinci or De La Salle in Santiago. My step-daughter went to Padre Emiliano Tardiff for a few years and that school was terrible. When she went into the new school there were basic things I thought she knew that she didn't. She asked questions in class and would be brushed off. The level of education in this country is not at all where it needs to be even in private schools.

There is no accountability. If a parent is paying $2,000-$10,000/month for their kid's school and the teacher fails them, the parent is going to throw a **** storm. That is where the problem lies. If the kid isn't cutting it then they need to be failed.

 

[the gorgon]

30+ students in the DR is not the same, even at Da Vinci or De La Salle in Santiago. My step-daughter went to Padre Emiliano Tardiff for a few years and that school was terrible. When she went into the new school there were basic things I thought she knew that she didn't. She asked questions in class and would be brushed off. The level of education in this country is not at all where it needs to be even in private schools.

There is no accountability. If a parent is paying $2,000-$10,000/month for their kid's school and the teacher fails them, the parent is going to throw a **** storm. That is where the problem lies. If the kid isn't cutting it then they need to be failed.

amp, that is one of the blessings of the english caribbean education system. the final exams , GCE Ordinary Level, and Advanced level, are set by Cambridge University, and the test papers are graded there. you are just a number. so, even if your daddy owns 10 shopping malls, you have to pass on your own merits. my buddy's girlfriend here admits freely to having bought her final grade in mathematics.

 

[RV429]

I agree Gorgon. I've visited the local schools often to pick up my kids and their cousins and the current class size is way too high. The Teachers are already spending too much time keeping order. Doubling class size would be worse than bad.

yes, CCC does make a lot of sense regarding class sizes. a study was done regarding education in Latin America, and the cross country findings were that nearly 25% of the time that the teacher spends in the classroom is devoted to restoring order and discipline. it would be safe to say that bigger classes would tend to aggravate that problem.

 

[Mauricio]

And what happens to all the teachers what have second jobs to make ends meet? Will they be paid more when they have to work longer and can't do that second job anymore?

Guess this is the first time I do not like one of Danilo's ideas...

Yes, the teachers are paying by 'tanda'.

My parents in law own a private school, situated in a semi-marginal sector. About 600 students, low price, which also means low salaries (starting at 10,000 for the lower grades until probably 25,000 for the highest paid teacher (1 tanda). Several teachers have left to start teaching at public schools....and several came back crying they would prefer to work in the private school for less money than keep teaching in a public school.

Personally I prefer the private schools to stick with half day school, the other half day I will look for some additional classes they can take out of school: music, english, sport, chess, whatever...

 

[Criss Colon]

"Students come out of the school system, "PRETTY SMART"???????
WTF" R U talk'n 'Bout Willis"???????
They are illiterate, can make change for a "Peso",no barely nothing about Dominican history, let alone World history, THAT's a "Pretty Good Education"?????
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My daughter goes to "Colegio Arroyo Hondo".
7 am til 12:30.
BUT, after school programs, English, Art, Music,dance, sports, are after lunch,from 3 to 5pm.
They can select as many as they want, schedule permitting for free, just pay materials for some classes.
I pay 13,000 a month for each.
With books, uniforms, supplies, "Mirienda", and field trips, is a lot more.

 

[LindseyKaufman]

Of all Latin American countries, Dominican Republic primary school children scored lowest in reading and math in the SERCE (Second Regional Comparative Study in Education) conducted by Unesco (2013).

A longer school day is badly needed, but will be useless in producing results unless teachers are trained how to use the time effectively. School buildings are needed, but they are just buildings unless they are filled with text books for every child, a complete library, technology, and trained teachers who know and utilize pedagogy other than rote teaching.

Problems solving and higher level thinking skills are badly needed in this country. Any child taught by rote will not be able to function in the working world he will inherit. Technology skills are a must. How many public schools- other than the secondaries- have a computer lab? How many have a computer in the classroom? How many have back-up electricity to power the equipment? And how many have teachers who are competent to teach technology?

It takes more than the addition of hours to make a first world school system.

Lindsey

 

[rubio_higuey]

CCC pls reread. About "students coming out of public system pretty smart" was my post, don't know who is willis.
And I said "reread" because I was talking about my home country, not the DR.