Anonymous
Post 09/15/2024 13:57     Subject: Re:Adjustment to Immersion programs
Are you sure immersion is the problem? PreK to public Kindergarten can be a drastic difference, with or without immersion
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2024 13:08     Subject: Adjustment to Immersion programs
This one's a no brainer, OP. What were you expecting? If you wanted immersion for your K kid, you should obviously have arranged for immersion beforehand, at a summer camp, with an au pair or Spanish speaking nanny, immersion daycare, whatever. You could have gone in with your eyes open.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2024 08:59     Subject: Adjustment to Immersion programs
I think he’ll likely adjust, but I went to immersion K myself (a perspective I don’t often hear on these boards) and had a very rough experience, lots of anxiety and fear. My parents switched me out after K. I actually felt what I would now describe as traumatized by that year and for years afterward in elementary would complain about it. My parents thought I was over dramatic, etc, but it was a very hard experience for me. I was an anxious child, perfectionistic, and liking to be in control, and i didn’t understand what was going on.
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2024 14:38     Subject: Adjustment to Immersion programs
Anonymous wrote:Could you imagine going to a place where you could not communicate with anyone? That is what the child feels. It is hard to feel comfortable when you have no idea what someone is saying to you. For my child it took about two months, and some days well into 4 months it was a struggle. Help embrace the learning at home so they can understand better and feel more comfortable.


This is a good point. I actually had this experience doing an adult immersion Arabic program where everyone lived in the same dorm and had to speak, read, listen to music and watch TV in Arabic only for 3 months. We had several people — adult academics and professionals — basically break down and storm out.

My kid started immersion Spanish in 2nd grade, and it was hard. He did Rosetta Stone eagerly every day after school, which in retrospect give some sense of how eager he was to get over not understanding anything. We also started speaking Spanish to him at home (we never had before) and I think having his parents speak really, really basic Spanish with gestures and no time pressure (no room full of other kids who already understood) seemed to help him. Maybe some play-based tutoring with a native speaker or a Spanish speaking nanny would help?
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2024 01:36     Subject: Re:Adjustment to Immersion programs
What did you decide to do? If you stayed did it get better? Any suggestions on what helped?

Did you pull the child? Was it an immediate change you noticed?
Anonymous
Post 11/07/2015 07:22     Subject: Adjustment to Immersion programs
Have you tried any ways at home to make Spanish fun and show you are on board? When my kids started I only let them watch cartoons in Spanish. Since they love tv, watching something in Spanish was a treat. Try YouTube kids. Or basho.
I also got a Spanish tutor on the weekend to play board games in Spanish with them.
Anonymous
Post 11/07/2015 07:19     Subject: Adjustment to Immersion programs
Does your kid know you are thinking of giving up at some point? We had a friend who switched his kid to a Spanish school and the boy cried everyday, but of course he knew his parents were "trying it out" and there was a chance he could go back to his old school. Parents were totally getting played. Ended up staying in Spanish but it was a lot more painful than it needed to be.
Anonymous
Post 11/06/2015 20:53     Subject: Adjustment to Immersion programs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:You do realize immigrant/non English dominant children go through this all the time?


Don't be insensitive. That may be true, but that doesn't make it okay that her kid is having a rough time.

+1 while it's fine to help others shift their perspective, when it comes to your own child, your own responsibility, what other kids go through is abstract. Your child crying about not wanting to go to school everyday is concrete. So thanks for the reminder, PP but try to show a little compassion.
Anonymous
Post 11/06/2015 17:46     Subject: Adjustment to Immersion programs
Anonymous wrote:You do realize immigrant/non English dominant children go through this all the time?


Don't be insensitive. That may be true, but that doesn't make it okay that her kid is having a rough time.
Anonymous
Post 11/06/2015 16:51     Subject: Adjustment to Immersion programs
You do realize immigrant/non English dominant children go through this all the time?
Anonymous
Post 11/06/2015 16:13     Subject: Re:Adjustment to Immersion programs
Anonymous wrote:This is the in-boundary school. He isn't the only one who doesn't have a background in spanish but the others who aren't from spanish dominant homes were there for a year or two before. There is one other kid who also is brand new to spanish but according to his parents, he is enjoying the challenge. Thank you for your kind and thoughtful responses. I'm really at a loss of what else to do.


Don't all the immersion DCPS have an alternative school available for those who don't want dual language? I think, for example, the alternative to Oyster is Francis-Stevens.
Anonymous
Post 11/06/2015 16:00     Subject: Re:Adjustment to Immersion programs
This is the in-boundary school. He isn't the only one who doesn't have a background in spanish but the others who aren't from spanish dominant homes were there for a year or two before. There is one other kid who also is brand new to spanish but according to his parents, he is enjoying the challenge. Thank you for your kind and thoughtful responses. I'm really at a loss of what else to do.
Anonymous
Post 11/06/2015 15:52     Subject: Re:Adjustment to Immersion programs
Anonymous wrote:OP back. Thank you for all of the thoughtful responses.
I think the major adjustment is the spanish. He really likes the english parts of school (part of the day is english), the specials and recess and new friends. He also seems to like his teachers. He just gets extremely anxious that he doesn't understand a whole part of the day that is in spanish. The guidance counselor has said we should tell him that he doesn't know spanish yet.. but he will. I don't find that very helpful but we have tried. We have also been working with his teacher but she is so busy and overwhelmed. She has done things like given him a little extra time and tries to tell him ahead of time what they will be talking about but he is still really anxious about it. We have also talked to a guidance counselor from his old school that we really respect and tried strategies he suggested. However, 2 months in, he is still crying and begging us not to go. We're just not sure when to give up. At this point, I am not even sure where I could switch him to for this year.


OP, in our case this wasn't a big deal because kids realize many other kids are in the same boat, which helps reduce anxiety. Is your kid the only non-Spanish speaker in the whole classroom? If not, how are they (and their parents) dealing with it?
Anonymous
Post 11/06/2015 15:50     Subject: Re:Adjustment to Immersion programs
Anonymous wrote:OP back. Thank you for all of the thoughtful responses.
I think the major adjustment is the spanish. He really likes the english parts of school (part of the day is english), the specials and recess and new friends. He also seems to like his teachers. He just gets extremely anxious that he doesn't understand a whole part of the day that is in spanish. The guidance counselor has said we should tell him that he doesn't know spanish yet.. but he will. I don't find that very helpful but we have tried. We have also been working with his teacher but she is so busy and overwhelmed. She has done things like given him a little extra time and tries to tell him ahead of time what they will be talking about but he is still really anxious about it. We have also talked to a guidance counselor from his old school that we really respect and tried strategies he suggested. However, 2 months in, he is still crying and begging us not to go. We're just not sure when to give up. At this point, I am not even sure where I could switch him to for this year.


Is this your IB school? Is that an option?
Anonymous
Post 11/06/2015 14:50     Subject: Re:Adjustment to Immersion programs
OP back. Thank you for all of the thoughtful responses.
I think the major adjustment is the spanish. He really likes the english parts of school (part of the day is english), the specials and recess and new friends. He also seems to like his teachers. He just gets extremely anxious that he doesn't understand a whole part of the day that is in spanish. The guidance counselor has said we should tell him that he doesn't know spanish yet.. but he will. I don't find that very helpful but we have tried. We have also been working with his teacher but she is so busy and overwhelmed. She has done things like given him a little extra time and tries to tell him ahead of time what they will be talking about but he is still really anxious about it. We have also talked to a guidance counselor from his old school that we really respect and tried strategies he suggested. However, 2 months in, he is still crying and begging us not to go. We're just not sure when to give up. At this point, I am not even sure where I could switch him to for this year.