I’m really interested in how the kids do at school.  Mostly I’d like to know how the home side of an ESL (or in this case ASL – Arabic as a Second Language) is for a student.  So, I’m doing a little side research on that.  The kids are getting interviewed to see how things go.

Pre-questions:

Will:  He will be in the upper school. Will is excited.  He is however, NOT going to tell anyone that.  He keeps saying that “school is boring” and “I just want to go home.”  He did bounce right down the stairs this morning though.  When we got there, Dan took him in to put his backpack in the class and then he was a little lost in the courtyard.  We figured out what line he should stand in at line up time and directed him.  His homeroom teacher has beautiful English and said she would take care of him.

1. What are you most excited about?

After school playing with friends

2. What classes are you taking?

I am taking religion Arabic, English reading, English English, it art, it swimming, music

3. What are you worried about?

That I will be bored for 4 months with no friends.

4. What Arabic have you learned before you go?

Hal (half), wahehd (1), some other numbers, bidde hameen (I want bathroom)

5. What do you think you will do when you are there?

I’ll be counting down the seconds to get out of school.

Maggie: She will be in the lower school.  She has been counting down the days until school started.  She was SO excited.  Of course this morning when we put her uniform on her, the pants are 3 inches too long and the waist just BARELY buttoned.  She has swimming class today and there is no way that she will be able to button those by herself. <sigh>  I walked her in and put her backpack away also.  Then she bounced right on out and said bye!  She started walking around saying hello to people, the social butterfly that she is.

• What are you most excited about?

School What about it? Math

• What classes are you taking?

Swimming, IT, IT art, mathematics, global English, Arabic, religion

• What are you worried about?

nothing

• What Arabic have you learned before you go?

Maharban (hello), shukran (thank you)

• What do you think you will do when you are there?

I think I’ll go to gym, have fun, get a lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot lot of friends and I think all my classes are going to be the most exciting class.

Look later tonight or tomorrow for the update of what they said AFTER school!