Student Expectations Worksheet

“How to be a __________________________”

(insert Host Family last name)

This form serves as a guide for how to be part of your family. Please take time to fill in all the details prior to your student arrival. Once your student is here, review and discuss the information with them. This should be a collaborative discussion with your student. There are sections throughout this worksheet for your student to comment and add information, which are highlighted in blue.

To ensure everyone understands the information on this document, your family and your student will discuss and sign this document within 7 days of the student’s arrival. ETC encourages you to keep this document out and visible (possibly on the refrigerator), especially during the first few weeks. When necessary, this form can be revised and serves as a “working document” as you navigate what works best for the family. Our goal is to prevent misunderstandings that are typically the result of a simple lack of communication or lack of information. The more details you include, the better!

Please provide a copy to your Local Coordinator and keep your LC updated any time there are revisions so they can continue to support you.

*If the student chooses to purchase lunch at school rather than bringing lunch, the student is responsible for paying for it.

It costs __________ to eat lunch at my school every day.

If purchasing school lunch, the student will need to pay for school lunch:

CIRCLE ONE: daily weekly will bring lunch other ______________

Grocery shopping is typically done:

CIRCLE ONE: daily weekly monthly on a specific day ______________

Where can your student keep purchased specialty food items?

(Student response) Would you like to make meals for your host family regularly? CIRCLE ONE: YES NO

CIRCLE ONE: Weekly 1x a Month special occasions I do not enjoy cooking

(Student response) What one meal would you like to prepare for your host family?

Family clean-up tasks related to food/meal responsibilities:

Acceptable location(s) to eat food (besides the kitchen or dining room):

Other rules for meals/snacks/groceries, etc.:

TIMES & LIMITS

ETC Terms of Participation state that students understand that “American families may impose more restrictions on me as a teenager than my natural family or than is common in my country. This may include being required to ask permission to go places and return home by a designated hour, referred to as ‘curfew’.” It also states that students will respect host family rules around time limits and usage of time in order to put greater emphasis on being involved with the host family. TIME

When we wake up

When we go to bed

Curfew

Bathroom (AM/PM)

Phone/Texting

TV

Other Electronics

COMMUNICATING WITH NPs and friends from home is limited to 60min/week.

PUNCTUALITY:

Our family prefers to:

 Arrive places early

 Be exactly on time

 A few minutes late is okay

Provide an example of what this looks like in your family. (ie: “We need to be ready to go by 5pm” means we need to be in the car at 5pm.)

Household Chores

All exchange students should have at least one assigned chore, so that they can contribute to their host family and help in maintaining their home. (ie: vacuuming, dusting, common area clean up, taking out the trash, emptying the dishwasher, etc.) CHORE

Household chores are tasks that each family member owns to help upkeep the home. Personal responsibilities are tasks that each person is expected to maintain on their own.

PERSONAL RESPOSIBILITIES & DAILY ROUTINES

List things here that the student is responsible for him/herself. (ie. Making their bed, cleaning their bathroom, cleaning up after a snack, putting their dishes in the dishwasher, etc.)

Laundry

Please show students how to use the appliances and how to wash clothes. You may need to show them more than once, as they may be learning this for the first time.

EXPECTATIONS:

Laundry is typically done on what day(s)?

Where should dirty laundry be kept?

Who is responsible for washing the clothing?

Who is responsible for ironing the clothing?

How often should bed sheets be washed?

Anything else that would be good to know about doing laundry in your home: _________________________________________________________________________________________

Church

We attend church (CIRCLE ONE): Yes No Sometimes

EXPECTATIONS:

How often is student expected to attend?

Will family allow student to attend his/her own church?

What are the alternatives, if the student prefers not to attend?

Television

Calmly communicate what is appropriate volume with your student, as needed.

EXPECTATIONS:

Appropriate times to watch TV

Inappropriate times to watch TV

How do we decide what to watch when all together?

Channels/programs that are prohibited

Purchasing movies or streaming services

Please list the streaming services available for the student to use on the TV:

Technology: Cell phones & social media

Term of Participation #28 & #29: ETC Students agree to “limit contact with Natural Parents and home country friends/relatives to one time per week, and for no longer than one hour” and “limit the time spent on my computer, cell phone and other electronic devices for non-academic use to avoid any interference with success in building a great relationship with host family and attending to my academic obligations while in the program…accept that if they are not able to comply with this requirement, ETC will enforce a 30 minute per day limit on non-academic electronic use.”

Students should follow ETC rules for phone usage. Students should switch their cell phone language to English to help with their language skills. Native language should be limited to 60min/week with friends and family from home. Students are reminded to make good choices when posting on social media.

ETC Terms of Participation states that “At all times while participating in the ETC program, students will be held responsible for the content of everything posted and linked to their profile on social media and networking sites, including statements, comments, photos, and videos. ETC strictly prohibits e-mails, text messages and other forms of electronic communications that are defamatory, obscene, offensive, harassing or intimidating.”

Rules around cell phones & social media EXPECTATIONS:

Appropriate times to use your phone (texting, internet, phone calls, & social media)

Inappropriate times to use your phone (texting, internet, phone calls, & social media)

Where are phones kept at night?

Inappropriate websites to visit Social Media posts limitations (ie: no location, no tagging, no photos with house #, etc).

Any additional guidelines/rules regarding technology use: __________________________________________________________________________________________

ACTIVITIES, FRIENDS, & DATING

Activities should be communicated with the host family ahead of time.

It is common in the US for families to require information about where you are, who you are with and what activities you are doing.

Students and families need to determine in advance how transportation for sporting events, school activities, shopping, etc. will be managed.

Guidelines for going out with friends:

How far in advance notice?

 Is same day notice okay?

 What if plans change?

Who can drive?

Host Family rules around other teens driving

Times HF is NOT available for transportation

Times HF is available for transportation

Taking public transportation

 Alone, okay?

EXPECTATIONS:

TO/FROM EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES – Complete with student

STUDENT ACTIVITY HOW TRANSPORTATION WILL BE PROVIDED:

DATING: Term of Participation #14: Students agree to respect their host family’s rules regarding dating.

ETC’s top priority is maintaining student safety and security throughout the duration of the program. ETC highly discourages dating and encourages students to refrain from putting themselves in intimate situations that could lead to possible infractions against host family and ETC rules.

DRESS, HYGIENE, & PRIVACY

Americans may dress more modestly than other nationalities. As a culture, we value hygiene and practice privacy. Please clearly explain what is culturally appropriate in America and in your home.

CLOTHING TO BE WORN…

Around the house

To bed

After a bath or shower

To church

In the swimming pool

Clothing NOT to be worn to school

How often should student shower/bathe?

Deodorant

When are doors kept

 Open

 Closed

 locked

When should I knock?

Rules around doors leading outside

Appropriate Clothing

Additional Expectations

Teenagers need privacy, so please explain to your student how this looks in your home. If necessary, instruct your children that your student’s room is absolutely OFF LIMITS to them, unless they are invited in by the student.

Any additional personal or cultural expectations that will help your student:

WHO PAYS?

Students are responsible for all personal items, school fees, school events, sports, clothing, entertainment, school lunches, personal public transportation (ie: bus & airfare), etc. Families are responsible for room and board. Sometimes there are “gray areas” such as snacks and special request groceries. Therefore, it is very important to make this clear as soon as your student arrives. If you choose “discuss each time” make sure this will not create an awkward situation. (Standing in line at McDonald’s is not the best time to discuss this!)

Before agreeing to travel together, define exactly what the student will be expected to pay for and include that on the Permission to Travel (PTR) form.

When we go out to eat

When we go to the movies

Admission fees

Special events/trips

Toiletries/laundry soap

Special or additional groceries

Transportation to activities

Personal products (hygiene products)

Activities with friends or host siblings

Independent Time

Independent time is necessary for EVERYONE, but it also looks different to everyone. Understanding that what you and your family members do to relax and/or recharge, may be very different from your student. Be aware that although the process to recharge varies, both result in more positive engagement.

Introverts tend to need a quiet space. This can look like:

 sitting in their room scrolling on their phone

 going for a walk

 reading a book

 being creative by themselves

Extroverts tend to need social interaction. This can look like:

 having conversations

 being out in nature

 shopping

 engaging in an activity/sport

Have each member of your family write down some activities that each of you enjoy doing to relax and recharge.

HOST FAMILY MEMBER

INDEPENDENT TIME (REST & RECHARGE) ACTIVITY

Your student can include activities that help them relax and recharge below and you, the host family, can indicate if the activity is appropriate in your home and community. Help your student find some things that they can do independently that they enjoy. For example, can they ride the bus alone, go to the mall, go to the park, or ride a bike?

Student Independen T Time Activities

Example: go for long distance runs daily in the neighborhood

IS THIS ALLOW ED?

IF NO, PLEASE PROVIDE AN ALTERNATE SOLUTION

DOES THIS WORK FOR YOU?

NO Our home runs along a busy main street and it’s unsafe. Transportation can be provided to a park with running trails 4 days a week and/or using the track at the high school.

YES, I’d like to go to the park trail on the weekends and 2 additional days during the week.

FAMILY TIME:

What activities would you like them to do with your family? For example, attend church youth group, go bike riding together, or read to younger siblings.

Activities you’d like to do as a family with student:

STUDENT RESPONSE: STUDENT’S HOPES/GOALS/EXPECTATIONS