News

Friday, January 9, 2009

CBET computer and English classes for non-English speaking parents

New incentive: parent participation can result in a free computer

To support non-English speaking parent ability to participate in his/her child’s education, the Santa Barbara High School District is offering the Community-Based English Tutoring (CBET) program, targeting parents of junior and high school students. Now entering its second semester, the program organizers are offering a new incentive: parents who complete the computer class have an excellent chance to win a free computer as part of an end-of-semester drawing. Thirty refurbished computers have been donated to the program for this purpose by UCSB.

CBET English and computer classes address the needs of parents with varying levels of skill and the classes are structured to provide participants with the opportunity to practice and improve at their pace and level. Parents with limited English as well as those with conversational English are engaged in a comfortable dialogue that emphasizes better communication with children about their education.

According to CBET coordinator/teacher Ken Greenberg, “Many CBET parents enter the computer class without ever having touched a computer and they often voice frustration that they can’t discuss their children’s computer usage intelligently. The CBET program provides instruction on use of e-mail, web searches, drafting letters, avoiding computer viruses, trouble shooting when the computer has a problem, and most importantly, how to discuss the benefits and dangers associated with internet usage.”

As part of their instruction, parents enrolled in the CBET English classes are scheduled to attend UCSB’s “Spring Insight,” an April 2009 community outreach event.

CBET is accepting new parents for any of the following classes:

Basic Computer Class

Thursday, 9:15-11:15 a.m.
Santa Barbara High School, Room 35

Wednesday, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
San Marcos High School, Room B6

Thursday, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Dos Pueblos High School, Library

Multilevel English Class

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
9:15-11:00 a.m.
Santa Barbara High School, Staff Cafeteria

Thursday, 12:30-3:00 p.m.
San Marcos High School, Room E7

Monday, 7:00-10:00 p.m.
San Marcos High School, Room E7

Tuesday, 7:00-10:00 p.m.
Dos Pueblos High School, Room H30

For additional information, contact Ken Greenberg, CBET coordinator/teacher, at the Santa Barbara School Districts, (805) 963-4338, ext. 251.