Anonymous
Post 09/16/2024 14:05     Subject: DCI vs Latin Cooper
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Above sounds wonderful, and maybe there's a good deal of truth in it for Spanish. But academic subjects aren't taught exclusively in target languages in the DCI middle school, because very few students could cope with the content if this were the case. Kids can't become fluent in languages simply by learning them at DCI or a DCI feeder, a fact that's lost on most UMC DCI parents. From what I can tell, very few DCI families send their children to weekend or summer language immersion programs, even when they can readily afford them. DCI families have other priorities, at off the Spanish track. If you want kick ass Higher Level IB Chinese, French of Arabic, head to Bethesda Chevy Chase, not DCI.


Please explain the section in bold.


Not the parent, but there’s a group of parents who wish the Chinese track were a lot more intense from YY all the way on up, and it’s possible the parent here is one of them.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2024 14:01     Subject: DCI vs Latin Cooper
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Above sounds wonderful, and maybe there's a good deal of truth in it for Spanish. But academic subjects aren't taught exclusively in target languages in the DCI middle school, because very few students could cope with the content if this were the case. Kids can't become fluent in languages simply by learning them at DCI or a DCI feeder, a fact that's lost on most UMC DCI parents. From what I can tell, very few DCI families send their children to weekend or summer language immersion programs, even when they can readily afford them. DCI families have other priorities, at off the Spanish track. If you want kick ass Higher Level IB Chinese, French of Arabic, head to Bethesda Chevy Chase, not DCI.

Why in whoever’s green earth would you want core subjects like math or physics taught in Chinese or French. It’s not like the exam is in those languages.
I mean how many teachers in the US would even be qualified to do it?


At DCI, kids take PE and social studies in target languages, not math or physics.


They teach math and physics in English even at universities abroad. It makes zero sense to take those courses in English.

When I interviewed at Bocconi they were very clear I would only have to teach in English (though there’s some expectation at most European universities that you will study for and pass a language exam at some point)
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2024 13:46     Subject: DCI vs Latin Cooper
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Above sounds wonderful, and maybe there's a good deal of truth in it for Spanish. But academic subjects aren't taught exclusively in target languages in the DCI middle school, because very few students could cope with the content if this were the case. Kids can't become fluent in languages simply by learning them at DCI or a DCI feeder, a fact that's lost on most UMC DCI parents. From what I can tell, very few DCI families send their children to weekend or summer language immersion programs, even when they can readily afford them. DCI families have other priorities, at off the Spanish track. If you want kick ass Higher Level IB Chinese, French of Arabic, head to Bethesda Chevy Chase, not DCI.

Why in whoever’s green earth would you want core subjects like math or physics taught in Chinese or French. It’s not like the exam is in those languages.
I mean how many teachers in the US would even be qualified to do it?


At DCI, kids take PE and social studies in target languages, not math or physics.



I’m the PP considering a move from DCI. In no other public school in the dmv do they take academic classes like social studies and electives in a foreign language at a middle school or high school level. That is true even at BCC, WL (Washington Lee), Richard Montgomery, McLean, Langley, and even TJ. I have seen the work my kids produce and it is excellent, and I’m a native speaker. I wasn’t too impressed with the feeder school but I am honestly very impressed with the quality of language classes and academic classes taught in a foreign language at DCI.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2024 13:37     Subject: DCI vs Latin Cooper
Anonymous wrote:Above sounds wonderful, and maybe there's a good deal of truth in it for Spanish. But academic subjects aren't taught exclusively in target languages in the DCI middle school, because very few students could cope with the content if this were the case. Kids can't become fluent in languages simply by learning them at DCI or a DCI feeder, a fact that's lost on most UMC DCI parents. From what I can tell, very few DCI families send their children to weekend or summer language immersion programs, even when they can readily afford them. DCI families have other priorities, at off the Spanish track. If you want kick ass Higher Level IB Chinese, French of Arabic, head to Bethesda Chevy Chase, not DCI.


Please explain the section in bold.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2024 13:34     Subject: Re:DCI vs Latin Cooper
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:According to the latest CAPE scores, half of DCI students are below grade level in reading and writing and 3/4 are below grade level in math.

Hard pass.


This sounds dreadful, but the truth is that the half of DCI students working below grade level won't be in your kids' classes after 8th grade. They won't even be in most of your kid's classes in middle school, particularly if your student works above grade level in math and isn't on the beginner track for one of the target languages.



This has been our experience as well. If your kid is motivated and in the accelerated or double accelerated math or advance language courses, you won’t have those kids in your class. I think those kids find good support and remedial classes at dci too. But if you’re worried about those kids holding your kid back, you shouldn’t worry about that.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2024 13:33     Subject: DCI vs Latin Cooper
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Above sounds wonderful, and maybe there's a good deal of truth in it for Spanish. But academic subjects aren't taught exclusively in target languages in the DCI middle school, because very few students could cope with the content if this were the case. Kids can't become fluent in languages simply by learning them at DCI or a DCI feeder, a fact that's lost on most UMC DCI parents. From what I can tell, very few DCI families send their children to weekend or summer language immersion programs, even when they can readily afford them. DCI families have other priorities, at off the Spanish track. If you want kick ass Higher Level IB Chinese, French of Arabic, head to Bethesda Chevy Chase, not DCI.

Why in whoever’s green earth would you want core subjects like math or physics taught in Chinese or French. It’s not like the exam is in those languages.
I mean how many teachers in the US would even be qualified to do it?


Could not agree more. Most European universities teach science in English.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2024 13:32     Subject: DCI vs Latin Cooper
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Above sounds wonderful, and maybe there's a good deal of truth in it for Spanish. But academic subjects aren't taught exclusively in target languages in the DCI middle school, because very few students could cope with the content if this were the case. Kids can't become fluent in languages simply by learning them at DCI or a DCI feeder, a fact that's lost on most UMC DCI parents. From what I can tell, very few DCI families send their children to weekend or summer language immersion programs, even when they can readily afford them. DCI families have other priorities, at off the Spanish track. If you want kick ass Higher Level IB Chinese, French of Arabic, head to Bethesda Chevy Chase, not DCI.

Why in whoever’s green earth would you want core subjects like math or physics taught in Chinese or French. It’s not like the exam is in those languages.
I mean how many teachers in the US would even be qualified to do it?


At DCI, kids take PE and social studies in target languages, not math or physics.


They teach math and physics in English even at universities abroad. It makes zero sense to take those courses in English.


Meant to say, it makes ZERO sense to take those courses in languages other than English. English is the language of math and science even overseas. Also PE is taught in English. Please only offer informed opinions.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2024 13:31     Subject: DCI vs Latin Cooper
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Above sounds wonderful, and maybe there's a good deal of truth in it for Spanish. But academic subjects aren't taught exclusively in target languages in the DCI middle school, because very few students could cope with the content if this were the case. Kids can't become fluent in languages simply by learning them at DCI or a DCI feeder, a fact that's lost on most UMC DCI parents. From what I can tell, very few DCI families send their children to weekend or summer language immersion programs, even when they can readily afford them. DCI families have other priorities, at off the Spanish track. If you want kick ass Higher Level IB Chinese, French of Arabic, head to Bethesda Chevy Chase, not DCI.

Why in whoever’s green earth would you want core subjects like math or physics taught in Chinese or French. It’s not like the exam is in those languages.
I mean how many teachers in the US would even be qualified to do it?


At DCI, kids take PE and social studies in target languages, not math or physics.


They teach math and physics in English even at universities abroad. It makes zero sense to take those courses in English.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2024 13:30     Subject: DCI vs Latin Cooper
Anonymous wrote:Above sounds wonderful, and maybe there's a good deal of truth in it for Spanish. But academic subjects aren't taught exclusively in target languages in the DCI middle school, because very few students could cope with the content if this were the case. Kids can't become fluent in languages simply by learning them at DCI or a DCI feeder, a fact that's lost on most UMC DCI parents. From what I can tell, very few DCI families send their children to weekend or summer language immersion programs, even when they can readily afford them. DCI families have other priorities, at off the Spanish track. If you want kick ass Higher Level IB Chinese, French of Arabic, head to Bethesda Chevy Chase, not DCI.


What you’re missing is that there are academic courses taught in other languages. If you’re not able to take those courses because it’s too difficult for you, you can take them in English instead. So there is that sort of tracking at dci.

My kids don’t need weekend spanish courses because they’re quite fluent. We do travel extensively in francophone and Latin America countries- and I find most kids in the harder Spanish and French classes do the same.

I am so willing to listen to the reasons you think dci is a bad school, but you’re not offering any evidence aside from implying that the spanish track parents are lower class. Please explain, I’m here to learn.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2024 13:28     Subject: DCI vs Latin Cooper
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Above sounds wonderful, and maybe there's a good deal of truth in it for Spanish. But academic subjects aren't taught exclusively in target languages in the DCI middle school, because very few students could cope with the content if this were the case. Kids can't become fluent in languages simply by learning them at DCI or a DCI feeder, a fact that's lost on most UMC DCI parents. From what I can tell, very few DCI families send their children to weekend or summer language immersion programs, even when they can readily afford them. DCI families have other priorities, at off the Spanish track. If you want kick ass Higher Level IB Chinese, French of Arabic, head to Bethesda Chevy Chase, not DCI.

Why in whoever’s green earth would you want core subjects like math or physics taught in Chinese or French. It’s not like the exam is in those languages.
I mean how many teachers in the US would even be qualified to do it?


At DCI, kids take PE and social studies in target languages, not math or physics.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2024 12:53     Subject: DCI vs Latin Cooper
Anonymous wrote:Above sounds wonderful, and maybe there's a good deal of truth in it for Spanish. But academic subjects aren't taught exclusively in target languages in the DCI middle school, because very few students could cope with the content if this were the case. Kids can't become fluent in languages simply by learning them at DCI or a DCI feeder, a fact that's lost on most UMC DCI parents. From what I can tell, very few DCI families send their children to weekend or summer language immersion programs, even when they can readily afford them. DCI families have other priorities, at off the Spanish track. If you want kick ass Higher Level IB Chinese, French of Arabic, head to Bethesda Chevy Chase, not DCI.

Why in whoever’s green earth would you want core subjects like math or physics taught in Chinese or French. It’s not like the exam is in those languages.
I mean how many teachers in the US would even be qualified to do it?
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2024 12:51     Subject: Re:DCI vs Latin Cooper
Anonymous wrote:According to the latest CAPE scores, half of DCI students are below grade level in reading and writing and 3/4 are below grade level in math.

Hard pass.


This sounds dreadful, but the truth is that the half of DCI students working below grade level won't be in your kids' classes after 8th grade. They won't even be in most of your kid's classes in middle school, particularly if your student works above grade level in math and isn't on the beginner track for one of the target languages.

Anonymous
Post 09/16/2024 12:50     Subject: DCI vs Latin Cooper
Above sounds wonderful, and maybe there's a good deal of truth in it for Spanish. But academic subjects aren't taught exclusively in target languages in the DCI middle school, because very few students could cope with the content if this were the case. Kids can't become fluent in languages simply by learning them at DCI or a DCI feeder, a fact that's lost on most UMC DCI parents. From what I can tell, very few DCI families send their children to weekend or summer language immersion programs, even when they can readily afford them. DCI families have other priorities, at off the Spanish track. If you want kick ass Higher Level IB Chinese, French of Arabic, head to Bethesda Chevy Chase, not DCI.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2024 12:23     Subject: Re:DCI vs Latin Cooper
According to the latest CAPE scores, half of DCI students are below grade level in reading and writing and 3/4 are below grade level in math.

Hard pass.

Anonymous
Post 09/16/2024 12:15     Subject: Re:DCI vs Latin Cooper
Anonymous wrote:Either way, true fluency in all areas of a language or being multi-lingual are possible routes and optiins at DCI.

I would argue the path to true fluency is more defined and mapped, and more easily accomplished at DCI with the course offerings. PP above is correct. Once you have mastered actually learning the language, the focus is not per se on learning spanish. It’s actually learning other subjects exclusively in the language.


Yes I agree with this.