HS won't let DC switch language classes to an easier level

[Anonymous]

I posted earlier about my son feeling like he didnt have a good foundation for Spanish in Middle School. Hes currently in Spanish 4 as a freshman and has a high B but he says he often feels lost in the class and is making negative comments about not wanting to do Spanish beyond 2 years. The school i(head of the language department) s saying they won't switch him because he had all As in middle school Spanish and is doing fine now. DS has other challenging classes and is not complaining about the rigor or level of those classes *ap gov and advanced math). Is this a done deal and I can't switch him?

[Anonymous]

Make a stink to the school board, central office and principal.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know what your options are (maybe it is to drop Spanish for a different language) but I would try to make it work if it were me. The head of the dept made their decision and a high B at this stage is not bad.

Your kid sounds like they’re panicking about the idea of possibly not getting an A, and so should probably focus more on this subject.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know what your options are (maybe it is to drop Spanish for a different language) but I would try to make it work if it were me. The head of the dept made their decision and a high B at this stage is not bad.

Your kid sounds like they’re panicking about the idea of possibly not getting an A, and so should probably focus more on this subject.

Spanish four is hard without a textbook and support. Either drop down or get a tutor or both. I’d do both. They need at least two years in high school for college and five is even harder.

[Anonymous]

Have you stepped in to talk to the language department or is your child handling it on their own?

And one hand it’s good to be challenged and like somebody else suggested is he panicking cause he doesn’t have an a? Or does he truly not have a grasp of the language?

Maybe you can have a conference with the teacher and head of the department if you haven’t already. Don’t let too much time go by.

[Anonymous]

Which school? My kids both went to high schools with high Latino populations and they discovered that was a disadvantage in Spanish classes. A lot of the Latino kids who already know Spanish sign up for Spanish as their foreign language. So they felt really behind.

[Anonymous]

Op here? His grade just dropped to a low b

[Anonymous]

Personally my kid had no trouble in Spanish 4 or 5, and I'm the sort to get a tutor instead of switching classes.

BUT

I support your student's right to choose his own classes. I don't think the Principal is allowed to refuse you on the grounds you mentioned, unless the deadline to switch courses has already passed. If it has, then yes, it is at the school's discretion and you will need to insist.

[Anonymous]

Set up meeting or call with assistant principal assigned to you.

[Anonymous]

I think it's hard to make the case your kid is lost he's got a B in the class. But I do think the school should accommodate your son's request to slow down and drop to a lower course.

[Anonymous]

I would raise it to the principal and see what kind of response you get. The issue is not that they are getting a B. The issue is that the MS gave them A's even when they are not learning the material. My kid got straight A's in MS Spanish and their level of comprehension is awful. They don't know basic words, they can't put together sentences. And they said they were one of the best students in their MS classrooms.
Its stupid to push these kids along and advance them beyond their skills. MCPS stopped doing taht in math because they realized most kids weren't learning math. But for some reason they still do it in language-- let kids drop down if they are saying "I need more time to get this material." There are a large number of kids who graduate from MCPS with 5 years of a foreign language that they cannot in the least bit speak, read or understand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I posted earlier about my son feeling like he didnt have a good foundation for Spanish in Middle School. Hes currently in Spanish 4 as a freshman and has a high B but he says he often feels lost in the class and is making negative comments about not wanting to do Spanish beyond 2 years. The school i(head of the language department) s saying they won't switch him because he had all As in middle school Spanish and is doing fine now. DS has other challenging classes and is not complaining about the rigor or level of those classes *ap gov and advanced math). Is this a done deal and I can't switch him?

Contact your Assistant Principal explain situation they could help

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would raise it to the principal and see what kind of response you get. The issue is not that they are getting a B. The issue is that the MS gave them A's even when they are not learning the material. My kid got straight A's in MS Spanish and their level of comprehension is awful. They don't know basic words, they can't put together sentences. And they said they were one of the best students in their MS classrooms.
Its stupid to push these kids along and advance them beyond their skills. MCPS stopped doing taht in math because they realized most kids weren't learning math. But for some reason they still do it in language-- let kids drop down if they are saying "I need more time to get this material." There are a large number of kids who graduate from MCPS with 5 years of a foreign language that they cannot in the least bit speak, read or understand.

I posted this on the other thread, that I think the inability to comprehend the foreign language after years of study is an issue with how world language is taught in the US. When the student reaches level 3 or 4, OP’s kid’s experience of struggle is common. Not sure retaking 3 would do anything. That said, maybe change languages and stay at level 1 and 2.

[Anonymous]

OP, could your kid drop Spanish altogether and take maybe a tech requirement, health, or P3 instead? Or talk to the AP. If your kid is struggling, the dept head is not being reasonable.

[Anonymous]

Get a tutor for the rest of this year and then drop it completely next year. He can do 1 yr of ASL or 2 yrs of it and then he's ticked the "2 yrs in hs" box for FL