Yu Ying v. Hearst?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You'd be a fool to give up on Yu Ying.

-a parent at a different immersion school.

Personally, I agree with you. However, immersion isn't for everyone. If a family doesn't have what it takes to support a particular kind of education, then perhaps they should consider something that makes it more likely for the student to succeed. A child's sense of success is of paramount importance in future endeavors.

That's very well said. So much so, it bears repeating. A child's sense of success is of paramount importance in future endeavors. Your task is to determine what's next to assist (you know this, of course).

You won the lottery, Congratulations! Now, don't waste your gift. Find a way to meet actual parents at both schools. Call the schools on Monday and ask for a PTA contact. Do not be discouraged or discombobulated if the school isn't used to handling your special request (also don't be demanding - they're busy and accommodating you is not their job, they're doing you a favor). Or, attend a school event. It's spring, which means event season is beginning. Find out if you can participate, there's no better way to meet the cohort of families your child will be immersed with. At the end of the day, with those choices you can't go too far wrong.

Last thought: I'll echo previous posters who said if you don't like YY, you can always move IB for Hearst, but it won't work the other way around. If you truly don't care about Chinese, then it's rather galling to deprive a family that dearly wants it. However, just because you don't care about Chinese doesn't mean your DC won't love it. More food for thought.

[Anonymous]

YY does differentiaton well. It starts with fluid groupings in PreK. My DC got in the 98th percentile on the ELA map test. But struggled so much with writing that DC has an IEP and one on one support during the writing block. YY is good with all of this, have seen it myself.

[Anonymous]

Go for YY. The people on this board telling you Hearst are the ones on the WL for YY

We are there. Very happy with the school, the teachers, the instructions.

Also: don't believe people who say that you have to hire a Chinese nanny or tutor or any additional thing. We don't speak Chinese at home. DC is doing just fine. YY has a support system if a kid falls behind in Chinese. There is a Chinese Homework class in the after-school program. There are tons of resources given by the school (games on ipad, reading programs online..) to help.

YY without any doubt.

[Anonymous]

I know people with kids at both schools, I'm not at either.

Your kid will be fine (and happy) at either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Congrats on having to fantastic options! Personally, I'd go with Yu Ying because the option for a second chance is unlikely. With regard to the immersion point, the laymen on here simply don't understand the benefits of second language fluency. There's tons of science to back up the superior brains of bilinguals. Really, it's a two second Google search. Americans are way behind getting this, but elsewhere it's a given that people will be bi and possibly trilingual. Honestly, it's exasperating reading opinions on here that are based on absolutely nothing. I'm a science person and the science supports that bilingualism is a fantastic thing. So, I'd go with that if that was an option. We happen to be in at a HRCS for Spanish and count our lucky stars. That said, it is truly a commitment and nothing to shrug your shoulders too. It's gut-wrenching when families need to move and there isn't a Chinese option at the new school. They've spent years investing in Chinese, only to have to give it up because life happens and people have to move, etc... Spanish has that challenge as well, but easier. Also, we do a lot of enrichment, which isn't cheap. Also, aftercare is expensive as well. I've heard that Yu Ying parents feel the need to invest in tutoring, Au Pairs, etc... Again, not cheap. I can't say whether that's valid and that stuff is actually needed, but speaking from experience with Spanish, my child would not be as good without all of the extras. She's perfectly fluent to the amazement of the large Latin American community we know and it's because we're very strict with it. For me as a mom, I'm constantly evaluating whether it's all too much, but that's me. I want a healthy happy kid more than anything, so if the language piece gets out of hand, I'll be choosing happiness if a choice was ever needed to be made!

Second language "fluency" from DC charter immersion without a native speaker in the home and a strong commitment to at least one adult in the home speaking only the target language to the children? Dream on. We're native Mandarin speakers who haven't been impressed with the Chinese of YY kids without a Chinese-speaking adult in the home, and we often speak Chinese to upper grades YY kids who've been in the school since PreK4.

I'd go with Hearst. We go with a JKLM and speak Chinese at home and writing/reading lessons on weekends. The reality is that our kids are ahead of almost the entire YY crowd in English, Chinese, math,you name it. There's happiness for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Congrats on having to fantastic options! Personally, I'd go with Yu Ying because the option for a second chance is unlikely. With regard to the immersion point, the laymen on here simply don't understand the benefits of second language fluency. There's tons of science to back up the superior brains of bilinguals. Really, it's a two second Google search. Americans are way behind getting this, but elsewhere it's a given that people will be bi and possibly trilingual. Honestly, it's exasperating reading opinions on here that are based on absolutely nothing. I'm a science person and the science supports that bilingualism is a fantastic thing. So, I'd go with that if that was an option. We happen to be in at a HRCS for Spanish and count our lucky stars. That said, it is truly a commitment and nothing to shrug your shoulders too. It's gut-wrenching when families need to move and there isn't a Chinese option at the new school. They've spent years investing in Chinese, only to have to give it up because life happens and people have to move, etc... Spanish has that challenge as well, but easier. Also, we do a lot of enrichment, which isn't cheap. Also, aftercare is expensive as well. I've heard that Yu Ying parents feel the need to invest in tutoring, Au Pairs, etc... Again, not cheap. I can't say whether that's valid and that stuff is actually needed, but speaking from experience with Spanish, my child would not be as good without all of the extras. She's perfectly fluent to the amazement of the large Latin American community we know and it's because we're very strict with it. For me as a mom, I'm constantly evaluating whether it's all too much, but that's me. I want a healthy happy kid more than anything, so if the language piece gets out of hand, I'll be choosing happiness if a choice was ever needed to be made!

Second language "fluency" from DC charter immersion without a native speaker in the home and a strong commitment to at least one adult in the home speaking only the target language to the children? Dream on. We're native Mandarin speakers who haven't been impressed with the Chinese of YY kids without a Chinese-speaking adult in the home, and we often speak Chinese to upper grades YY kids who've been in the school since PreK4.

I'd go with Hearst. We go with a JKLM and speak Chinese at home and writing/reading lessons on weekends. The reality is that our kids are ahead of almost the entire YY crowd in English, Chinese, math,you name it. There's happiness for you.

I speak English without having native speaker English speaking parents. PP here whose kid is 3 grade levels ahead in English and Math. DS is at grade level in Chinese at YY which admittedly isn't the same as a third grader in China. We don't do tutors or any extra help and consider the Chinese he learns at YY a bonus. If he did not go to YY, he would know zero Chinese afterall. We visit China often and will be visiting China again this summer and are happy with the Chinese DS has learned at YY.

[Anonymous]

Hearst parent here -- I have a kid in lower grades, but have heard great things about the fourth and fifth grade academics. I would not pick YY over Hearst over concern over academic rigor. That said, there may be very good reasons for YY for your family. Do you have more than one child? Will a sibling preference down the road be a factor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
(And OP- remember that people will post on here with the intent of opening up a spot for themselves.)

This, a million times this. Which is why the only legit reason for posting your school choices on DCUM is to humble brag about them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have two YY kids that have done or are in the upper grades and another starting next year. Do you have specific questions or do you want a general impression?

Would love to hear your general impressions about the quality of teachers and curriculum, as well as whether YY does a good job meeting the academic needs of kids at all levels, both below and above grade level. At the Hearst open house I heard about how they tailor the instruction to the kid's needs and abilities (e.g., if the kid already knows how to tell time, she doesn't have to sit through the math unit on telling time and might go to the next grade up for math, or do pull-outs with a specialist). I know the class sizes in the upper grades at YY are quite small, so I assume they are well-situated to differentiate the instruction, but I'd like to get more concrete info on how they do that. And more generally, do you think the academic instruction suffers at all from being in Chinese? The principal was quite upfront in saying that kids do not graduate from YY "fluent" in Chinese, so what does that mean for kids being taught core subjects in a language they're not fluent in, esp. in a language that is so different from English?

I have 3 kids, one of whom is in the upper grades and another who has moved on to DCI. The upper grade child has an IEP and I really couldn't be more thrilled with the care, attention and differentiation he receives. He has required significant supports in writing (physically and also organizationally) so a few years ago we opted to give up some Chinese instruction time in the week to make it possible. Therefore, he is well behind his peers in Chinese (especially in writing Chinese), but he is at or above grade level in English reading, English writing, science (in English), etc. He is progressing or meeting his IEP goals as he grows. On the flip side, there are times when he is ahead in a particular math of UOI topic and they challenge him there, too. Neither of my kids have ever been bored or under-stimulated because no matter what they still need to learn it in Chinese, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:YY does differentiaton well. It starts with fluid groupings in PreK. My DC got in the 98th percentile on the ELA map test. But struggled so much with writing that DC has an IEP and one on one support during the writing block. YY is good with all of this, have seen it myself.

+1. My DC also scores high ELA but YY provides extensive supports for writing. The school is very current in "best practices", data collecting on student performance and providing supports when needed and teacher professional education and development. The admin really supports the teachers making it a great place to work. Happy teachers = happy students.

[Anonymous]

I don't get why this thread is already 3 pages long and why anyone is trying to sell OP on YY. As a parent who didn't even enter the lottery this year and who is happy where I am, if you have this many questions, I'd say go to Hearst which you seem to already feel is a school that meets your needs. If you have that many questions about YY, leave the spot to a family who wants it more than anything and who would jump in the moment they were offered. I agree with whoever said you've answered your own question by even asking and expressing so many doubts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
(And OP- remember that people will post on here with the intent of opening up a spot for themselves.)

This, a million times this. Which is why the only legit reason for posting your school choices on DCUM is to humble brag about them.

Um, no no and no. I work in with both DCPS and PCSB, I know a lot about schools in DC and have kids in one. It is absurd and ridiculous to think that every person trying to dissuade someone from one school, or strongly steering someone towards another, does so only because they are on a waitlist and are trying to open up a spot. This is DC, there are a lot of people who know a lot about schools that are mentioned. Some of us say good things about one school or bad things about another simply because we've found them to be true and are answering a question that's been asked. Some of us truly have nothing to lose or gain by expressing an opinion, and I know from some of the comments I read that I'm not the only one that's true of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't get why this thread is already 3 pages long and why anyone is trying to sell OP on YY. As a parent who didn't even enter the lottery this year and who is happy where I am, if you have this many questions, I'd say go to Hearst which you seem to already feel is a school that meets your needs. If you have that many questions about YY, leave the spot to a family who wants it more than anything and who would jump in the moment they were offered. I agree with whoever said you've answered your own question by even asking and expressing so many doubts.

This is a great point. My children love YY and have absolutely thrived there. Our family has made friends, and though we're from an international background, I continue to appreciate how much it continues to broaden our world.

Having said that, I've also been privately heartbroken - more than once - for families whom I know that passionately wanted Yu Ying and didn't get in. Both families had really low WL numbers (high single digits or low teens) and never got in. Both had lived in China or had a Chinese parent. They wanted it so much, and would have been such amazing additions to the community. It's sad for all of us that students who could contribute so much in the classroom aren't allowed to improve the school for everyone's benefit.

If you don't really love and want the idea of a bilingual education, then maybe it's best to give it to someone who does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't get why this thread is already 3 pages long and why anyone is trying to sell OP on YY. As a parent who didn't even enter the lottery this year and who is happy where I am, if you have this many questions, I'd say go to Hearst which you seem to already feel is a school that meets your needs. If you have that many questions about YY, leave the spot to a family who wants it more than anything and who would jump in the moment they were offered. I agree with whoever said you've answered your own question by even asking and expressing so many doubts.

This is a great point. My children love YY and have absolutely thrived there. Our family has made friends, and though we're from an international background, I continue to appreciate how much it continues to broaden our world.

Having said that, I've also been privately heartbroken - more than once - for families whom I know that passionately wanted Yu Ying and didn't get in. Both families had really low WL numbers (high single digits or low teens) and never got in. Both had lived in China or had a Chinese parent. They wanted it so much, and would have been such amazing additions to the community. It's sad for all of us that students who could contribute so much in the classroom aren't allowed to improve the school for everyone's benefit.

If you don't really love and want the idea of a bilingual education, then maybe it's best to give it to someone who does.

.

I feel the exact same way. I find it devastating that so many families who would have been a wonderful addition are shut out. It bothers me when people put their much older child in an immersion setting when they have zero background in the language only to pull them out again when there are many families whose kid would have thrived there. I agree that they're allowed to do this, but it makes me feel for the child who lost a year of school and the lost opportunity for someone who would have been so happy for the spot. I know that's an unpopular position, but it does make me sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't get why this thread is already 3 pages long and why anyone is trying to sell OP on YY. As a parent who didn't even enter the lottery this year and who is happy where I am, if you have this many questions, I'd say go to Hearst which you seem to already feel is a school that meets your needs. If you have that many questions about YY, leave the spot to a family who wants it more than anything and who would jump in the moment they were offered. I agree with whoever said you've answered your own question by even asking and expressing so many doubts.

This is a great point. My children love YY and have absolutely thrived there. Our family has made friends, and though we're from an international background, I continue to appreciate how much it continues to broaden our world.

Having said that, I've also been privately heartbroken - more than once - for families whom I know that passionately wanted Yu Ying and didn't get in. Both families had really low WL numbers (high single digits or low teens) and never got in. Both had lived in China or had a Chinese parent. They wanted it so much, and would have been such amazing additions to the community. It's sad for all of us that students who could contribute so much in the classroom aren't allowed to improve the school for everyone's benefit.

If you don't really love and want the idea of a bilingual education, then maybe it's best to give it to someone who does.

.

I feel the exact same way. I find it devastating that so many families who would have been a wonderful addition are shut out. It bothers me when people put their much older child in an immersion setting when they have zero background in the language only to pull them out again when there are many families whose kid would have thrived there. I agree that they're allowed to do this, but it makes me feel for the child who lost a year of school and the lost opportunity for someone who would have been so happy for the spot. I know that's an unpopular position, but it does make me sad.

I'm one of the previous PPs, but I disagree with this point. If a family sincerely thinks it's a great choice for their child when they make the choice, I am not upset at all if they give it their best shot and it doesn't work out. As long as they were serious about trying to make it work, how can anyone be mad at them?

But the families who are ambivalent or have serious doubts when they accept - yeah, totally on the same page with you about that. Wish they'd just used their other option and left the slot to someone who was over the moon about the chance.