Reply to Entering Oyster as Spanish-dominant -- Spanish proficiency test?

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Reply to "Entering Oyster as Spanish-dominant -- Spanish proficiency test?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote]
    Btw, I didn't say anything about Deal because I have heard Oyster parents compare the school to Deal. I think that Oyster is best for students whose priority is attending a top-notch immersion school (as it is for us). Deal may be best for students who are struggling with the Spanish immersion curriculum, or desire a larger school with more extracurricular activities.

OK, so now that we are through with validating my credentials as a bonafide Oyster parent we can talk about more important stuff. Like what in your view sets Oyster apart from LAMB? It can't just be the scores, because that can be correlated with the quality / SES level of students going to each school. [/quote]

Let me rephrase this last question since I am not interested in starting another pissing contest. What can we do at Oyster to make it better? Is there anything we can learn from other schools? How can we prevent having students struggle with Spanish leaving Oyster (as you or others always bring up)  ? Imagine if the same was said of math or English, that students leave because they can't keep up? Who is failing then, the students or the school?[/quote]

Thank you—this is a much more constructive question.  My answers address Oyster specifically, but my responses apply to most immersion schools.  I have friends with children in several DCPS and DCPCS, and this issue seems to be universal.

1.  Oyster does a pretty good job of offering Spanish language resources (i.e., free Spanish tutoring for struggling students, Yabla, the bilingual book fair, etc.).  However, I think that the school does a lousy job of emphasizing how important it is for English-speaking (ES) parents to support the language outside the home.  I can’t tell you how many ES parents I have encountered who think that they will drop their child off at Oyster in PK or K, and pick-up a fully bilingual and biliterate child in 8th grade.  Oyster does not tell parents that you must spend large amounts of time, energy and money to support the language outside of school or your child will probably struggle as they move up.  Sure, there are ES children who do just fine without outside support, but they are the exception, not the rule (and why risk it?).  Plus, those same children will probably do even better with additional support.  In the few years that I have been at Oyster, I personally know of four ES families that have left (before the 3rd grade) because their children were really having a hard time with Spanish, and they were beginning to hate school.  Every one of these parents, without exception, expressed surprise at the suggestion that they should do anything outside of school to support the language. 
 
2.  Oyster should have more instruction time in Spanish, especially in the primary grades.  Why is it that only Spanish language arts and math are in Spanish?  Why can’t science also be in Spanish?  There are 4 specials (library, music, art and P.E.), and at least 2 (preferably 3) of those specials should be exclusively in Spanish.  Three out of 4 of my child’s specials teachers (including the librarian) are native Spanish speakers or bilingual; so why does he only have 1½ specials in Spanish (library is half and half)?  These kids, especially the ES children need more exposure to the language, not less.

3.  Oyster should offer more Spanish language options in OCA.  Why are there only 2 or 3 Spanish options every quarter?  While the aftercare options, generally, are quite robust; they should have more variety in the target language.  I know that OCA is supposed to be conducted in Spanish every other day; however, I’m not sure how strictly that’s implemented.

Long story short:  I don’t think that Oyster is failing students who end up struggling in Spanish in the upper grades.  However, Oyster needs to do a much better job of informing ES parents of the Herculean task that lies ahead.  In addition, the school can and should do better to provide more instruction in the target language.  However, parents are ultimately responsible.  No one should care more about your child’s education than you.  I do not expect any school to bear the full responsibility for educating my children.   Any gaps that I detect are my responsibility to address; either with Oyster or with outside help.
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