Yu Ying Lottery on Apr 7, anyone attend?

[Anonymous]

I am a yy parent with a childe without "special needs". However, my observation is that the curriculum is set up to reach children with a range of abilities, differentiated instruction does take place, children who need IEPs are getting them. Some of the above posters make it sound like the school only serves really smart kids, that is not my experience. My observation is that kids in the 1st & 2nd grade class who don't want to learn in Chinese are able to "turn off" on Chinese days. Those kids may need to change schools. But, I don't think it would have been possible to predict in advance of PreK entrance which children would "turn off". So be aware if you are offered a space at YY that it does not eventually work for every child (probably true for every school, but more so at YY).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a yy parent with a childe without "special needs". However, my observation is that the curriculum is set up to reach children with a range of abilities, differentiated instruction does take place, children who need IEPs are getting them. Some of the above posters make it sound like the school only serves really smart kids, that is not my experience. My observation is that kids in the 1st & 2nd grade class who don't want to learn in Chinese are able to "turn off" on Chinese days. Those kids may need to change schools. But, I don't think it would have been possible to predict in advance of PreK entrance which children would "turn off". So be aware if you are offered a space at YY that it does not eventually work for every child (probably true for every school, but more so at YY).

YY is developing a set of minimum expectations for literacy, etc. which the children have to meet (read a certain number of characters, etc.). If a student doesn't meet those expectations I don't see how they can get promoted to the next grade. At some point if a child isn't able and willing to learn Chinese, then he(she) really doesn't belong at the school. It's only going to get more complicated as the students learn to rely on their bilingualism to learn other subjects. For example, half of all math instruction takes place in Chinese, so if you're not speaking Chinese at a certain level then you're not learning math. Parents really need to take this into consideration when they consider enrolling their child at Yu Ying.

[Anonymous]

Has there been any movement on the K or 1st grade list?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has there been any movement on the K or 1st grade list?

I think a current student would have to drop out for either of those class lists to move.

[Anonymous]

I know of one student who is looking for another school in an upper grade, probably several will, but the wait list movement will be in June/July/Aug, maybe even Sept.

[Anonymous]

am a yy parent with a childe without "special needs". However, my observation is that the curriculum is set up to reach children with a range of abilities, differentiated instruction does take place, children who need IEPs are getting them. Some of the above posters make it sound like the school only serves really smart kids, that is not my experience. My observation is that kids in the 1st & 2nd grade class who don't want to learn in Chinese are able to "turn off" on Chinese days. Those kids may need to change schools. But, I don't think it would have been possible to predict in advance of PreK entrance which children would "turn off". So be aware if you are offered a space at YY that it does not eventually work for every child (probably true for every school, but more so at YY).

I'm interested in the comment that kids can "turn off" on the Chinese days. This sounds bad, and vey counterproductive. What is the strategy to deal with this? Fail the kids in Chinese if they don't make gains? Why did you say that this is an issue in the 1st and 2nd grades and not the PreK and K grades?

[Anonymous]

A lot of kids are resistant to learning/speaking/thinking in a language besides English. I notice that in our immersion school (not YY)-- even kids that already speak the language well resort to English when given half a chance. Even for kids who grew up speaking the language have to work harder when it's not in English. Not surprising. What we want for our kids ("it's a gift to speak a 2nd language!") doesn't always work the way we want it to for children. That said, you can probably still leave your kid in the school-- they'll grudgingly get with the program if pushed (and bribed... our school uses pizza parties and recognition programs to spur second language development and use).

[Anonymous]

I think it would be difficult to tune out at Yu Ying in Chinese. My DC, new to the school this year, tested badly in Chinese and was sent to a break out group for remediation. From my perspective, learning Chinese is taken seriously and the child's performance measured and tracked, just as it is done in English.

On playdates with other children from the class I have observed that children do speak to one another in half Chinese/half English, so I would also think that there is a sort of a peer pressure to learn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a yy parent with a childe without "special needs". However, my observation is that the curriculum is set up to reach children with a range of abilities, differentiated instruction does take place, children who need IEPs are getting them. Some of the above posters make it sound like the school only serves really smart kids, that is not my experience. My observation is that kids in the 1st & 2nd grade class who don't want to learn in Chinese are able to "turn off" on Chinese days. Those kids may need to change schools. But, I don't think it would have been possible to predict in advance of PreK entrance which children would "turn off". So be aware if you are offered a space at YY that it does not eventually work for every child (probably true for every school, but more so at YY).

How do you know that the kids are tuning out in the Chinses class? Parents are not allowed inthe Chinese class, unless you speak Chinese. Jut becuase you think a child is not paying attention, does not mean it is true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know of one student who is looking for another school in an upper grade, probably several will, but the wait list movement will be in June/July/Aug, maybe even Sept.

I think a Yu Ying version of an upper grade is rising 3rd (no incoming spots available) or rising 2nd (there is a waitlist in response to a few open spaces). Rising K and 1st don't have any open spaces at this time. If there are any families who are not planning to return from Pre-K to K or K to 1st, this is information they have not disclosed to the administration.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know of one student who is looking for another school in an upper grade, probably several will, but the wait list movement will be in June/July/Aug, maybe even Sept.

I think a Yu Ying version of an upper grade is rising 3rd (no incoming spots available) or rising 2nd (there is a waitlist in response to a few open spaces). Rising K and 1st don't have any open spaces at this time. If there are any families who are not planning to return from Pre-K to K or K to 1st, this is information they have not disclosed to the administration.

Whoops - not to mislead anyone. That's not official - it's just the playdate rumor mill.

[Anonymous]

Any info on Washington Yu Yings new location?

[Anonymous]

They submitted a proposal for the old Franklin school (downtown) and Walter Reed. Parents are really split on the Franklin proposal because it would be a lovely building for high school kids, but no playground, no place for drop off, and the only green space is the square across a very busy street to a place where homeless people congregate. I suppose the thought is that anything is better than nothing, but I know of a several families that would rethink things if that was the final location. Walter Reed would be much better in my opinion because of the space and access w/out downtown traffic. But both proposals are out there and it's in other people's hands to decide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They submitted a proposal for the old Franklin school (downtown) and Walter Reed. Parents are really split on the Franklin proposal because it would be a lovely building for high school kids, but no playground, no place for drop off, and the only green space is the square across a very busy street to a place where homeless people congregate. I suppose the thought is that anything is better than nothing, but I know of a several families that would rethink things if that was the final location. Walter Reed would be much better in my opinion because of the space and access w/out downtown traffic. But both proposals are out there and it's in other people's hands to decide.

Re Walter Reed: it seems like there's potential to put many of the most-famous charter schools in Ward 4--Haynes, Latin & Paul are already here, Cap City might move to the old Rabaut building at Blair & Kansas, now maybe Yu Ying. I live in Ward 4 so it's super-handy for me (or would be if my child could get into any of these great schools ), but I am a bit concerned that parents & kids from other wards will have a harder time.

[Anonymous]

Washington Latin is in temporary space, divided between 3 campuses. I'm not familiar with this school, but suspect they are looking for one or two permanent campuses, perhaps in other wards?