7 Secretos Escolares: Guia Familiar Para el Exito Escolar (7 Secrets of School Success: A Family Guide to School Success)

For a Latino student in the U.S., the odds are daunting: not only are these kids four times more likely to drop out of school, but if the family recently immigrated, the parents are often counting on the children to learn English and get a good job in America. But due to low or nonexistent English skills, parents often see schools and teachers as intimidating and therefore avoid the involvement that is absolutely crucial to their children's education. In this excellent Spanish-language video, a dramatization introduces viewers to Carlos Hernandez and Laura Garcia, who are falling behind in school, much to the frustration of their parents. Luckily, Oscar, the respected neighborhood shopkeeper, knows seven simple secrets of school success, which revolve around time-honored techniques for both students and parents, including setting up a home study environment and monitoring homework. Boasting good production values and realistic portrayals, this straightforward program makes it clear that limited English or knowledge of school subjects is no barrier to encouraging kids and parents to become invested in a team effort towards academic success. Highly recommended. Aud: E, I, J, H, P. (E. Gieschen)