OK, I will start this thread - Sela

[Anonymous]

^^ you may want to tell the anti-Semite accusers to shut up and that should help. Right now it sounds like the parents and boosters are whack and the school sucks, so rather than address that, they're on the attack accusing skeptics of being anti-Semitic. Lame and gross. Shame on them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^ you may want to tell the anti-Semite accusers to shut up and that should help. Right now it sounds like the parents and boosters are whack and the school sucks, so rather than address that, they're on the attack accusing skeptics of being anti-Semitic. Lame and gross. Shame on them.

Many of the anti-Sela comments on this this thread have been hostile and malicious, not skeptical.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:16:42. I understand what you are doing, and I think it is great to choose a school and back it. It is incredibly rude, however, to come in and laugh out loud at the the concerns that others who have been sorting through this system for some time raise.

My apologies that you were offended by my post. Actually, I feared being labeled the sock puppet since it's clear many DCUM'ers shun those who have something positive to say about SELA (hence my "lol"). It wasn't meant to belittle the DCUM struggle with sorting through the system for some time.

Now that I understand the significance of DCI.....

It seems like many posters feel that feeding into DCI is ideal. Are there any posters who don't care whether their language immersion school feeds into DCI or not? As someone who took Spanish from 6th grade through my last year of undergraduate school, I understand the importance of learning a language and being able to use it in "real life". Unfortunately, I can barely hold a conversation in Spanish now. I am nowhere as fluent as I used to be when I was younger. Of course, this is my fault for not keeping up with using Spanish as often as I did in school. So personally speaking, it is a great idea to have your school feed into DCI but really at the end of the day, what are your plans (or child's plans) with the language that they would have learned in school? Do I feel that having years of Spanish helped me to be where I am now? Not really. I could have easily used Rosetta Stone lol (not meant to be offensive at all).

Maybe my real question is, other than just learning another language because it's awesome to learn another language in gerneral, how much emphasis should we really put on language immersion schools? Why are they so important to you compared to other schools? Are they more important than schools that focus on STEM or the arts? Why do you feel that your children need to take Spanish or whatever language from the time they can talk through high school and beyond aside from the proven fact that learning another language can stimulate a child's development?

I guess I won't see any posts from real Sela parents after all. After everything I read since my post, I probably wouldn't admit that I was a Sela supporter either. Some (not all) of you guys on both sides of the discussion are something else! I guess even as adults we can't disagree without name calling and being insensitive.

Thanks again!

[Anonymous]

The reason you find Spanish not useful is because you don't use it! I'm just saying there is an inherent bias in your perspective. I learned Spanish (and two other languages) very late in life, really dug in, and use them every day. Languages have propelled me forward in my career. Now, if you want to be a scientist, engineer, etc. then STEM is another great option. I think the point here is to challenge our kids and open doors for them. Both languages and STEM can do that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^ you may want to tell the anti-Semite accusers to shut up and that should help. Right now it sounds like the parents and boosters are whack and the school sucks, so rather than address that, they're on the attack accusing skeptics of being anti-Semitic. Lame and gross. Shame on them.

You sound like you have a difficult time being civil. That's what's scary about the people who are so hostile to the school. It would be one thing if you asked reasonable questions or sounded skeptical. Instead, you sound enraged about their mere existence. Kind of like anti-semites.

If you don't like the school, don't go. If you're ambivalent, you could ask questions. You, however, seem to prefer breaking glass, and throwing bombs. You don't want the school to exist, but since it does you want anyone who supports it to shut up. Why not just round us up into a ghetto? Your tone speaks louder than your words.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The reason you find Spanish not useful is because you don't use it! I'm just saying there is an inherent bias in your perspective. I learned Spanish (and two other languages) very late in life, really dug in, and use them every day. Languages have propelled me forward in my career. Now, if you want to be a scientist, engineer, etc. then STEM is another great option. I think the point here is to challenge our kids and open doors for them. Both languages and STEM can do that.

I don't think I said I didn't find Spanish useful. I was only making a point that I don't speak it now as much as I did in school. My use of the language now is medically based (not conversational) as many of my patients are native Spanish speakers. So yes, I do still speak Spanish now but I don't think learning it over 10 years while in school was any "better" than learning it as an adult like you. I agree with you that learning languages can open doors for our children. My question is why can't Hebrew be a part of this language conversation too you know? Someone posted the number of people who speak other languages and it seems that people only care about those select few. Do they open more doors?

Thanks for your perspective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The reason you find Spanish not useful is because you don't use it! I'm just saying there is an inherent bias in your perspective. I learned Spanish (and two other languages) very late in life, really dug in, and use them every day. Languages have propelled me forward in my career. Now, if you want to be a scientist, engineer, etc. then STEM is another great option. I think the point here is to challenge our kids and open doors for them. Both languages and STEM can do that.

I don't think I said I didn't find Spanish useful. I was only making a point that I don't speak it now as much as I did in school. My use of the language now is medically based (not conversational) as many of my patients are native Spanish speakers. So yes, I do still speak Spanish now but I don't think learning it over 10 years while in school was any "better" than learning it as an adult like you. I agree with you that learning languages can open doors for our children. My question is why can't Hebrew be a part of this language conversation too you know? Someone posted the number of people who speak other languages and it seems that people only care about those select few. Do they open more doors?

Thanks for your perspective.

I was thinking about this (and btw that was my first post on this thread...I just sort of read and roll my eyes usually). I think speaking Hebrew could open unexpected doors for kids - maybe develop an interest in the middle east, diplomacy, multi-culturalism, Arabic, history,...who knows...the list goes on. It will be interesting to track the Sela kids and see where they end up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The reason you find Spanish not useful is because you don't use it! I'm just saying there is an inherent bias in your perspective. I learned Spanish (and two other languages) very late in life, really dug in, and use them every day. Languages have propelled me forward in my career. Now, if you want to be a scientist, engineer, etc. then STEM is another great option. I think the point here is to challenge our kids and open doors for them. Both languages and STEM can do that.

I don't think I said I didn't find Spanish useful. I was only making a point that I don't speak it now as much as I did in school. My use of the language now is medically based (not conversational) as many of my patients are native Spanish speakers. So yes, I do still speak Spanish now but I don't think learning it over 10 years while in school was any "better" than learning it as an adult like you. I agree with you that learning languages can open doors for our children. My question is why can't Hebrew be a part of this language conversation too you know? Someone posted the number of people who speak other languages and it seems that people only care about those select few. Do they open more doors?

Thanks for your perspective.

Sorry to chim in another point on my own post .....maybe if I had chosen a career path that would have allowed me to use Spanish on a daily basis, learning it as I did would have proven beneficial. I never thought as a young adult that I needed to take Spanish to propel me into a career or life where I could use the language I learned. I liked Sela because they were learning something new not because I could see them speaking Hebrew fluently in their careers. I can't see that far into the future though and where Hebrew has its place (or not). I can barely see past my oldest starting Kindergarten

[Anonymous]

I was thinking about this (and btw that was my first post on this thread...I just sort of read and roll my eyes usually). I think speaking Hebrew could open unexpected doors for kids - maybe develop an interest in the middle east, diplomacy, multi-culturalism, Arabic, history,...who knows...the list goes on. It will be interesting to track the Sela kids and see where they end up.

These are really great points. I think some folks on DCUM only think about how a language will benefit their child in terms of career advancement or how "useful" it is in the global market. I am interested in this school and other language immersion programs because I want my child to be exposed to other cultures and languages. I guess some people who think Hebrew is not useful enough, just can't comprehend this.

[Anonymous]

I think that those who are focusing on Spanish as being useful to your DC's career are missing part of the picture. I think it can be a booster, but you aren't going to get a career out of being fluent in Spanish unless you do immigration work. Most educated people in Latin America study English so it isn't like there is a shortage of skilled people who are fluentl in Spanish and English. Because Spanish is such a widely spoken second language in the US, you aren't going to have difficulty finding someone who speaks both. Hell, Manassas and Hyattsville are full of people who are comfortably fluent in both English and Spanish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's sad about the newer posts of this thread is that instead of focusing on the challenges of the school, the Sela boosters are taking the cowardly and easy way by calling skeptics anti-Semetic. Seems really shallow and pathetic and certainly will give interested families pause to go elsewhere. Our children's education is the most important thing there is. Period. Being skeptical is not only appropriate, but the responsibility of good parents. Also, just because many people, Jewish people included, have expressed that Hebrew is self-limiting in numerous threads on DCUM doesn't make them anti-Semetic. It does, however, make Sela boosters seem desperate and lazy when they so quickly pull the race card in opposition to the criticism. If nothing else, this interaction leaves much to be desired with respect to meeting real Sela parents. I hope you all aren't represented by the boosters up-thread.

You're having a lot of trouble keeping in mind that not everyone who supports language immersion schools is a Sela booster. I have two children and we're at a different DCI feeder school. I see a lot of value in adding more languages to the DCI mix, and the more the better. If you don't care for Hebrew, then simply don't have your children take it. However a knee-jerk reaction against the option for others smells fishy.

Approximately the same number of people speak Hebrew as Finnish, though somehow I doubt we'd hear so many complaints about how "self-limiting" or "useless" Finnish is. That raises eyebrows.

NP, I am a parent of a child in a DCI feeder, and I do not see the value at this time of adding more languages. I am skeptical how DCI will handle Mandarin and French at a school that will be overwhelmingly dominated by Spanish. How will they support the three languages and fufill their charter. BTW--I would not support Finnish either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think that those who are focusing on Spanish as being useful to your DC's career are missing part of the picture. I think it can be a booster, but you aren't going to get a career out of being fluent in Spanish unless you do immigration work. Most educated people in Latin America study English so it isn't like there is a shortage of skilled people who are fluentl in Spanish and English. Because Spanish is such a widely spoken second language in the US, you aren't going to have difficulty finding someone who speaks both. Hell, Manassas and Hyattsville are full of people who are comfortably fluent in both English and Spanish.

Great point. Thanks for you perspective too. See, it's great that we can have civil conversations about this hot topic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I was thinking about this (and btw that was my first post on this thread...I just sort of read and roll my eyes usually). I think speaking Hebrew could open unexpected doors for kids - maybe develop an interest in the middle east, diplomacy, multi-culturalism, Arabic, history,...who knows...the list goes on. It will be interesting to track the Sela kids and see where they end up.

These are really great points. I think some folks on DCUM only think about how a language will benefit their child in terms of career advancement or how "useful" it is in the global market. I am interested in this school and other language immersion programs because I want my child to be exposed to other cultures and languages. I guess some people who think Hebrew is not useful enough, just can't comprehend this.

I agree with this perspective as well. I'm also interested to see where Sela kids end up in a few years too. More importantly, I'm interested the curriculum being taught and how well the kids perform academically. We all want what's best for our children and I'm no different. I guess I never really knew that some people believed that only learning certain languages were beneficial for kids versus learning any language in general **shrug**

Thanks for starting this thread. It has definitely shined a light on this topic and revealed the good (and ugly) opinions of others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^ you may want to tell the anti-Semite accusers to shut up and that should help. Right now it sounds like the parents and boosters are whack and the school sucks, so rather than address that, they're on the attack accusing skeptics of being anti-Semitic. Lame and gross. Shame on them.

Your mastery of rhetoric and the English lexicon is so ghastly, that it hurts my ears just to read what you spew.

[Anonymous]

I don't have a horse in that game, my kids attend a JMLK, but we are trilingual family. Before we came to the US my kids were learning a fourth language much more rare than Hebrew, they loved it and so did we.

I think it is great that a school like Sela exists. Just like learning piano, chess, going to museums, visiting other cities and countries, Hebrew might not be something you will use directly in your professional life (although it may end up being very useful). But without a doubt it is at least a cultural enrichment, great way to exercise the brain, develop abilities to learn other languages etc....Benefits are numerous.
And, just as important, life is not all about your future professional life.

I don't understand the aggressivity of some of the posters, they must have a very sad life.
Or maybe they could create their own charter instead of criticizing in such a non-consructive way the hard work of other people.

I hope the school will join DCI at some point, but I understand that for now it is already overwelming to put everything together for DCI.

Every language deserves respect, even if only 50 people speak it.