Middle school electives - 3 years of band or a foreign language?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just know that colleges want to see at least 2 years of the same language *in high school*. So if they start a language in 6th grade they will need to either start a new language of take level 4 and 5/AP in HS and those are hard classes!

OK, you guys can stop fear-mongering with "hard language classes in high school". If your kid has done levels, 1, 2 and 3 in middle school, they'll be prepared to take 4 and 5, then AP(s)... or whatever the progression is, for certain languages like Latin, it's different. The problem is more that some language teachers aren't very good, and you don't know what you'll get from year to year. So if your kid ends up with a poor teacher one year, make sure to get a tutor so they're prepared for the next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid chose to do band in MS and wait until HS to do his language. It was fine, 4 years of language in HS is standard anyway. Also, my kid loved band so it was almost a no-brainer. And his musical dedication became a key part of his “sell” on college applications.
My one caveat is that if your child wants to apply to the RM IB program, they will need 2 years of language in MS. We didn’t know that going in, and wished someone had made that clear at the start of MS. My kid did IB at his home school which worked out great and was the right choice anyway.

Incorrect.

Only 1 year of middle school language is required for IB.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/rmhs/ib/magnet-application-information/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid chose to do band in MS and wait until HS to do his language. It was fine, 4 years of language in HS is standard anyway. Also, my kid loved band so it was almost a no-brainer. And his musical dedication became a key part of his “sell” on college applications.
My one caveat is that if your child wants to apply to the RM IB program, they will need 2 years of language in MS. We didn’t know that going in, and wished someone had made that clear at the start of MS. My kid did IB at his home school which worked out great and was the right choice anyway.

I don't understand. Why couldn't your kid do both band and a foreign language? Kids get 2 electives in middle school (3 for block scheduling schools).

[Anonymous]

Hi, is Estern the only MS with one elective? Do other magnet schools have 2 electives?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi, is Estern the only MS with one elective? Do other magnet schools have 2 electives?

Most magnet programs only have one elective because the other is taken up by a magnet class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi, is Estern the only MS with one elective? Do other magnet schools have 2 electives?

Doesn’t the Gen Ed program there have 2 electives? Magnet programs are different — kids are choosing to be there and part of the cost is an elective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi, is Estern the only MS with one elective? Do other magnet schools have 2 electives?

Most magnet programs only have one elective because the other is taken up by a magnet class.

I read from other post that Parkland/Loiederman/Argyle Middle School Magnet Consortium (MSMC) and TPMS have block schedule, so they can have more electives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi, is Estern the only MS with one elective? Do other magnet schools have 2 electives?

Most magnet programs only have one elective because the other is taken up by a magnet class.

I read from other post that Parkland/Loiederman/Argyle Middle School Magnet Consortium (MSMC) and TPMS have block schedule, so they can have more electives.

True for Loiederman: 3 electives, which is just terrific.

[Anonymous]

OP, have your kid do both band and a language. Why are you making them choose just one?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, have your kid do both band and a language. Why are you making them choose just one?

I’m not making them choose. They definitely want to take band. They would also like to take other art classes. And a foreign language. The choice is theirs, but I don’t think there is space for everything. Particularly if they have to take a tech class in middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, have your kid do both band and a language. Why are you making them choose just one?

I’m not making them choose. They definitely want to take band. They would also like to take other art classes. And a foreign language. The choice is theirs, but I don’t think there is space for everything. Particularly if they have to take a tech class in middle school.

Require the foreign language (which an IB school should already be required to do) and let them choose the last slot. See what is available after school — our school has jazz band and art club as options. And consider more prestigious options like PVYO and MCYO if your kid is serious.

[Anonymous]

There are a lot of middle schools in the county that don't offer level 3 on site - kids have to be bused to a nearby high school and then back to their MS to take it.

They won't tell you this when you register as a 6th grader, but check to see if your school consistently has a large enough cohort to offer level 3 on site. In my kid's school, only nine 8th graders registered for Spanish 3, so the only option was for them to go to the cluster high school for first period.

[Anonymous]

Can a kid who likes band but doesn't love it take only 1 or 2 years of band in MS (because they prefer other electives) and still be able to continue with band in high school if they want to? Do you have to be at a certain level of experience/skill to be in high school band?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can a kid who likes band but doesn't love it take only 1 or 2 years of band in MS (because they prefer other electives) and still be able to continue with band in high school if they want to? Do you have to be at a certain level of experience/skill to be in high school band?

You don't have to take band in MS to take band in HS. High schools generally have a concert band for anyone and then higher levels by audition. TBH I'm not sure how much fun concert band would be after not playing though unless they do a youth band or orchestra.

[Anonymous]

Wait, so you guys can start FL in 6th grade? And take Spanish 4 as a freshman?!