Why don’t public schools require that math teachers from abroad demonstrate proficiency in speaking English? Schools should not hire foreigh teachers who cannot clearly communicate in English. It is hard enough to learn advanced math and science skills. Adding the burdern of listening to a teacher who cannot speak clear English can be overwhelming.
As a result, students suffer in multiple ways: They don’t learn the advanced math skills. Their self esteem suffers. They drop out of other math and science classes they might have pursued.
I overhead this at lunch yesterday. Hearing this, I turned and said that this happens in college as well as in high school.
I overheard a woman say:
“My daughter, a Junior at Mission High, is getting a A in Advanced Physics and an F in Intermediate Algebra. Because of the F, she cannot participate for the next grading perion on the softball team. There is no way she can raise the F to a decent grade. She cannot understand her math teacher. Her math teacher’s English is so poor that we got a tutor for her. She can learn the math from the tutor and get an A in Advanced Physics. But she cannot understand what her Algebra teacher says…. The school requires that she continue in the Math class …. We have enrolled her at Cabrillo College for the summer to learn the Algebra …
The young woman obviously is bright and capable of learning. To get an A in Advanced Physics she has to know the math. By having a tutor she has picked up the necessary math skills. But to be required to sit in a class she is failing because the teacher cannot communicate — the public school system is failing this young person. He self esteem may suffer. Her abilities to do sports will suffer.
All teachers in California — including substitutes — must pass a basic proficiency test in Math and English. It is a written test. Obviously, there should also be a test in speaking understandable English. Let the public speak up!
