Language Immersion Programs

[Anonymous]

DC drew a low number for one, a high number for the other, and went to the first.

What is considered a low number?

[Anonymous]

Yes, I would also like to know, what is considered a low number?

And does anyone know about the transportation to these immersion programs being cut?

[Anonymous]

Transportation is still on the table. If it is cut I imagine the wait list will move rapidly.

[Anonymous]

Yes, it would be difficult for MCPS to justify budget cuts in certain areas while still providing transportation for immersion programs to students who are out of boundary

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it would be difficult for MCPS to justify budget cuts in certain areas while still providing transportation for immersion programs to students who are out of boundary

Virtually all students in magnet programs (not just immersion) are out of boundary.

It would be difficult for MCPS to tout its magnet programs as what makes it special as a school system, while at the same time limiting access to those programs to only those students whose parents can transport them there.

MCPS's status as a top-notch school system is directly tied to its magnet programs. If it cuts transportation to them, it cuts its image. It is not just about the transportation.

[Anonymous]

Interesting, if transportation were cut. How many parents would find their own means of transporting their kids to and from school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting, if transportation were cut. How many parents would find their own means of transporting their kids to and from school?

Those who have flexible work schedules or who work at home. In other words, those with financial means.

I don't think MCPS will cut transport to magnets - it would be the beginning of the unravelling of its prized system.

[Anonymous]

Warning to OP: If your DC was a really early reader and is very smart, immersion can be the wrong choice. This was the case with my DC.

the problem is that the kids can't access the material the would normally access because of their language skills in the foreign language. So, for example, my DC who read middle school English books in first grade didn't have the vocabulary in the foreign language to read what interested him. And there's not a lot of extra material made available in the FL, so it's harder for teachers to differentiate.

My feeling is that immersion is for bright kids but not TOO bright, and not for kids with learning disabilities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Warning to OP: If your DC was a really early reader and is very smart, immersion can be the wrong choice. This was the case with my DC.

the problem is that the kids can't access the material the would normally access because of their language skills in the foreign language. So, for example, my DC who read middle school English books in first grade didn't have the vocabulary in the foreign language to read what interested him. And there's not a lot of extra material made available in the FL, so it's harder for teachers to differentiate.

My feeling is that immersion is for bright kids but not TOO bright, and not for kids with learning disabilities.

I couldn't disagree more. My very-bright kids (both of whom are now in magnet programs) did very well there and were very engaged - the fact that school was in the second language all day gave it an interesting and challenging twist that would not have been available to them in standard classrooms.

Once they learned to read, their reading in English far exceeding that in the second language.

I wouldn't hesitate to send a very-bright child to the immersion program. On the contrary, I think it's a good place for them.

[Anonymous]

PP here about very bright kids.

OK, it's not EVERY bright kid. Of course.

But if you have a kid who's reading at three -- I'm sorry, but that kid is most likely going to have some very special needs that immersion most likely won't be able to address. For my DC, not only did it not address those needs but actually limited the enrichment he was able to receive.

Again, if you have a child who wants to read Harry Potter as a kindergartner, that kid will most likely not be happy with the reading activities in the foreign language. And you can't easily skip them up a grade or two in content level, because they won't have the foreign-language ability for it. It can be a recipe for frustration.

It's not so bad in math, where vocabulary isn't so much of an issue. But I would strongly caution against viewing the magnet programs as a one-size-fits-all solution with kids who have a profound need for enriched content.

As a side note, I have another very bright child who's done really well in a foreign language magnet. But she doesn't have the same needs as her sibling.

If your child reads at 3 and reads complex material in K, be cautious. That's all I'm saying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here about very bright kids.

OK, it's not EVERY bright kid. Of course.

But if you have a kid who's reading at three -- I'm sorry, but that kid is most likely going to have some very special needs that immersion most likely won't be able to address. For my DC, not only did it not address those needs but actually limited the enrichment he was able to receive.

Again, if you have a child who wants to read Harry Potter as a kindergartner, that kid will most likely not be happy with the reading activities in the foreign language. And you can't easily skip them up a grade or two in content level, because they won't have the foreign-language ability for it. It can be a recipe for frustration.

It's not so bad in math, where vocabulary isn't so much of an issue. But I would strongly caution against viewing the magnet programs as a one-size-fits-all solution with kids who have a profound need for enriched content.

As a side note, I have another very bright child who's done really well in a foreign language magnet. But she doesn't have the same needs as her sibling.

If your child reads at 3 and reads complex material in K, be cautious. That's all I'm saying.

08:13 here. If you have a kid who is reading at three, and reading Harry Potter in kindergarten, his reading needs are not likely to be satisfied in any kindergarten, immersion or otherwise. He will need enrichment outside of school (as I assume you have done with your child). And eventually, he will likely need to be in a GT magnet.

One of my children was as precocious as yours sounds, and thrived in the immersion program (they both did). When I said they are both in magnets, I meant that that have gone on to competitive-admission magnets, i.e., thrived in the immersion program to the point of doing well enough to place into difficult-to-enter middle and high school programs.

[Anonymous]

I don't know why we are arguing about this. I'm not saying your kids aren't really smart or didn't do well in immersion. For goodness sakes.

The OP asked for advice, things to watch out for, etc., and indicated she had a precocious reader. I gave her a heads-up that I think is 100% valid.

I say this not to try to give the impression that kids in FL magnets aren't bright or even very bright. But it's easy to think that FL magnets are a solution to kids who need extra challenge -- and in many cases they aren't.

I know from my own experience and those of other parents that this is a common idea -- extra challenge through the second language. But it can work in the opposite sense, actually limiting the challenge the child has access to. That's the only point I was trying to make, and it's an important one that many parents don't think of in advance.

My child did go to the GT magnet and it is the right place for him. But his intellectual and emotional needs -- which were typical for a very gifted kid -- made his K through 3rd grade years very difficult and unhappy ones.

I'm not trying to say that kids in the magnet aren't smart -- as I said, my other child is there and thriving. But people need to know that it's not meant as a GT program per se, and it can present problems of its own.

[Anonymous]

OP again. Thanks for the useful advice from both of you. I have never had my OP tested. My guess is she is at least somewhat gifted, maybe highly gifted. She was doing 30 piece jigsaw puzzles by her second birthday, reads and writes very well, does simple multiplication in her head (without really knowing what it is), and has interests in very advanced materials (her favorite book is a text on human anatomy and her favorite video is Blue Planet).

Her personality is very strong, however, and we have actually had some problems with her at preschool. Challenging her was one of the reasons we entered her into the lottery. We felt our home school would not be the right place for her to get her first experience with school. I guess everyone will have a different experience with the immersion magnets, and we will have to wait and see. I think it is an exciting opportunity, and I hope she does well there. Maybe we will apply for the GT program in a few years if it turns out she is gifted.

[Anonymous]

A final piece of advice: have her tested early. It's really useful to know exactly what you are dealing with, and you can made educated decisions about her needs.

People tend to downplay the importance of appropriate education for gifted kids. Many schools don't like the designation, preferring to say "all kids are gifted" and such. But she may need special types of educational interventions just as much as a kid with learning disabilities (and I know! because I have both). The bottom line is, if you have a highly gifted child you must be her advocate, and that isn't always easy.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the advice. I agree that gifted children need special attention payed to their learning needs. Saying "all kids are gifted" is ridiculous. After all, what meaning would "gifted" have in that sentence? I do think many people expect them to perform well in any situation simply because they are smart, and that is not always the case for sure. Do you know how I would go about getting her tested? Should I take her to a private psychiatrist or is there other testing available? What would I then do with the results?