Interested in Distance Learning?

Do you want to study English at home?

With Distance Learning, you can study English at home using your smart phone, a laptop, or a dvd player.  For a list of some of the programs used in Distance Learning, look on the sidebar of this blog.

Every week or two weeks, Distance Learning students meet with a teacher at an appointment. The teacher gives them an assignment.  They do the assignment at home - with their smart phone, laptop or dvd player.  When they return, the teacher corrects their work and helps them practice and improve their English.

Distance Learning is by appointment.  Every Distance Learning student has a twenty minutes by appointment.   This is their special time for study and practice with the teacher.

Distance Learning is for everyone.  Some Distance Learning students cannot come to a regular ESL class.  They have young children or they work many hours at their job.  Other Distance Learning have a regular ESL class but they want extra homework or special practice with an ESL teacher.  Anyone can come to Distance Learning for help with ESL - English as a Second Language.

Like all ESL classes at San Mateo Adult School, Distance Learning is free.

To get started in Distance Learning, make an appointment.  Call 650 - 558 - 2128 to make an appointment.  If the teacher is busy and cannot answer, leave your name and telephone number.  The teacher will call you back and give you an appointment.

You can also stop by Room 29 to make an appointment.  If the teacher is busy helping a student, please be courteous and wait until the teacher is free.

You MUST have an appointment to begin.  The teacher will not give you an assignment until your first appointment.  At the first appointment, the teacher will help you fill out the registration form and ask you questions to assess your level, strengths, needs, and goals.

There are three teachers in Distance Learning:  Carolyn, Cynthia, and Jay.   All three teachers have worked in Distance Learning a long time and have a lot of experience.  Look on the upper right side of this blog for their schedule.

Teacher Carolyn loves to talk about current events, travel, and restaurants.

She is an expert at finding newspaper articles to meet students needs and interests.

She facilitates Lunch Bunch on Mondays and Fridays.

Teacher Jay also teaches the Passport to Employment Class

He knows a lot about writing resumes, job interviews, and finding a good job.

He has many connections to the local community.

Teacher Cynthia loves writing and pronunciation. 

She updates the school website and social media.  She used to teach Parent Ed.

She loves helping parents and grandparents find resources for family success.

She facilitates Lunch Bunch on Wednesdays and Break Bunch on Monday evenings.

Welcome to Distance Learning!

Distance Learning Schedule 

• Monday 8:30 am - 4 pm Carolyn
• Monday 5 pm - 9:30 pm Cynthia
• Tuesday 8:30 am - 5 pm Cynthia
• Tuesday 6:00 pm - 9 pm Jay
• Wednesday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm Cynthia
• Wednesday 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm Jay
• Thursday 8:30 am - 4 pm Carolyn
• Thursday 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm Jay
• Friday 8:30 am - 3 pm Carolyn

How To Use Distance Learning

Do you want to study English at home with Distance Learning?

Great!

How do you get started?

1.   Call 650 - 558 - 2121  and make an appointment

or

2.  Visit Room 29 and make an appointment.

What happens next?

1.   Come to your appointment!  Arrive on time.  You will have twenty minutes at your appointment.

2.   The teacher will register you.  Fill out the registration form.  Distance Learning is FREE, like all our ESL classes.

3.  The teacher will ask you questions about what you want to learn and your English skills.  Answer the questions.  Talk with the teacher.  The teacher will decide which program is right for you.

4.  The teacher will give a DVD and homework. 

5.  Make an appointment on the calendar for your return.

6.  Watch the DVD at home.  Do the homework.  Study and practice.

7.  Come to your return appointment.  The teacher will check and correct your homework.  The teacher will practice English with you and help you improve.  The teacher will give you another lesson.  You will make another return appointment.  Go home and watch the DVD at home.  Do the homework.  Study and practice.

8.  Repeat!

Here are the people who work in Distance Learning:

Teacher Carolyn works
Mondays: 8:30 am to 3 pm
Thursdays:  8:30 am to 4 pm
Friday:  8:30 am to 3 pm

Teacher Jay works
Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 5:30 to 9:30 pm.

Teacher Cynthia works
Monday evenings from 5 to 9:30 pm
Tuesdays 8:30 am to 5,
Wednesdays 8:30 to 4:30 pm

Here is Student Leader Daniel with Teacher Katherine - on the right!
Katherine works Tuesday evenings from 6 to 9 pm.

Toshio works in Room 28.
He takes care of all the CASAS testing.
He also helps students make appointments in Distance Learning.

We're Here and Ready to Help You!

Too busy to come to school?

Working too much to attend class every day?

Taking care of young children?

Or maybe you come to class every day but you want more?

We have the answer for you:

       Study at home with Distance Learning!

Watch a dvd and do homework in the comfort of your home.  Then bring your homework to school for correction, advice and practice with your teacher once every week or two weeks.

If you are already enrolled in an ESL class at San Mateo Adult School, Distance Learning is free.

If Distance Learning is your only class, the fee is $30 per semester.

Interested?

Call 650 - 558 - 2128 or stop by Room 28 to make an appointment to get started.

More About The New Fees

Do you feel confused about the new fees?

Do you wonder if you can still come to Distance Learning or take ESL classes?

Here is more information about how the fees work:

1. The fee is for the Spring Semester which is from January 4, 2010 to May 1, 2010.

2. The $30 fee covers both Distance Learning and ESL classes and Citizenship classes and Computer classes for ESL students. It covers anything in the ESL section of the brochure.

You only have to pay ONE time to cover any ESL class the Adult School offers at any location (Poplar St., George Hall, Foster City, etc.), and Distance Learning.

3. If you take an ESL class, someone will come to your classroom to collect the fee. You do not have to go to the SMART Center to pay.

4. If you do not take an ESL class - if you only come to Distance Learning - then you need to pay at the Center. Go to your normal Distance Learning appointment and tell the teacher that you need to pay. He or she will help you.

5. If you do not have enough money to pay the fee, tell your teacher. Please come to class! Do not stop learning English! If you do not have enough money to pay, the school can help you.

Remember: If you have any questions about the fees, Distance Learning, or school, ask!

Everyone at the Adult School wants to help you learn English and succeed in the U.S. but if you do not know what your problem or question is, we cannot help you.

Help us to help you. Tell us your questions and concerns.

New Registration Fee for Adult School Classes

As we all know, there has been an economic crisis in California , the US , and the world.

The Adult School , like many schools and social programs, was hit by this. Funding was cut by 20% and the way the Adult School is funded was changed as well.

What is San Mateo Adult School doing about that?

Some classes were cut and we had a longer break this summer.

Now the Adult School has a new plan:

Charging a small registration fee to take classes will help keep the doors open to many classes.

What is a fee? A fee is small amount of money that you pay for a service.

How will that work?

Each program - ESL, Parent Ed, and the GED/ABE - will charge 30 dollars per semester.

If you pay 30 dollars for the ESL program, then you can take any class in the ESL program, including Distance Learning, for the whole semester. You can take as many classes as you want in the semester for the 30 dollar fee.

The only program that will be different is the Fifty Plus program. (For more information about the Fifty Plus program, visit the Fifty Plus section of the school website.)

How will paying the fee work?

If you are a new student on-site at the Adult School (789 E. Poplar), you can pay in the SMART Center (the big red building) when you register.

If you are a continuing student at the Adult School (789 E. Poplar), someone will come to your class and you can pay them.

If you take a class off-site (for example, in Foster City or San Bruno), someone from the Adult School will come at the beginning of the semester and collect the money from you. If you join the class later in the semester, you will pay the money directly to the teacher.

When will this start?

In January, at the start of the semester. The first day of classes is January 4, 2010.

Is there anything else I should know?

Yes! Keep your receipt! Your receipt shows that you paid. This is important.

You can read more about the new policy in this article from the San Francisco Examiner.

How To Get Started - And Where To Get Started

Do you want to get started?

First, you must decide where you want to study.

We have six locations:

The Main Campus - 789 E. Poplar Ave. - Room 28 - Monday through Saturday.
The schedule is posted on the upper right side of this blog.

San Bruno - St. Bruno's Church - Mondays and Tuesdays 12 pm - 4 pm. Teacher Cara Virapaeff.

San Bruno - Belle Aire Elementary School - Tuesdays and Thursdays 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm.
Teacher Glenn Cunliffe.

Burlingame - Community Gatepath - Monday 1:30 - 3:30 pm Teacher Tia Marlowe.

Foster City - St. Luke's - Monday 12:30 pm - 3:30 pm Teach Aleth Reilly.

San Mateo - George Hall Elementary School - Tuesdays and Thursdays 6 - 9 pm. Teacher Shari Deghi.


If you want to go to the Main Campus:

1. Call (650) 558 - 2128 for an appointment. Tell them you are a new student.

Or

2. Visit the Smart Center (the big red building) at the Adult School to register.


You can register:

Monday through Friday 8:30 am - 12 pm
Monday through Thursday 6:15 - 8:15 pm


When you visit the doctor or the dentist, you must make an appointment.

You must make an appointment if you want to visit Distance Learning, also.

After you register in the Smart Center (the big red building), you will walk over to Room 28 and make an appointment for your first visit.


If you want to go to the other locations, just go there when they are open.

The teacher will help you register and help you get started.


So what are you waiting for?

Come and start learning English today!

What is Distance Learning? And How Does It Work?

Distance Learning is a great way to study English at home.

Some people cannot come to ESL classes at the Adult School because they are busy, working a lot, taking care of children or older parents, or having health problems.

Distance Learning is a wonderful help for these people.

Other people can come to class but want to learn more English faster!

Distance Learning is a wonderful help for these people also. It is extra help, extra time with a teacher, extra learning.

How does it work?

You borrow a dvd or video and homework. You watch the program and do the homework.

You practice, practice, practice!

You meet with your teacher. The teacher corrects your work and helps you improve your English speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

Your teacher gives you a new dvd or video and new homework.

You make an appointment to return.

Then you go home and watch the new dvd or video and do the new homework and practice, practice, practice again!

Then you come to your appointment and meet with your teacher and...

Repeat!
Repeat!
Repeat!

As the old saying goes, "Practice makes perfect."

What does that mean?

When do you something many times, you get better at it!