Anonymous wrote:We moved to Kensington so that our children will be enrolled in the 2 way immersion program at OTES. Oldest starts next year and younger one the year after.

We prefer French, but Spanish is so easy they can learn that and also add in French later. I did this in high school. Spanish in 7-8-9-10-11 and French in 11-12. I ended getting a double minor in Spanish and French in college, including a year abroad for French and a semester abroad for Spanish.

Look for a house in one of the TWI schools and forget about the ridiculous lottery system My kids will be walking 3 blocks to school at OTES.

-- I forgot to mention -- there is a Multilingual Montessori preschool (Spanish-French- Italian) down the street. You can get a heed start!

So what is the plan for middle school for the kids at OTES? Newport Mill MS doesn't have a spanish immersion program. What is the county's plan to continue to support the language?

We moved to Kensington so that our children will be enrolled in the 2 way immersion program at OTES. Oldest starts next year and younger one the year after.

We prefer French, but Spanish is so easy they can learn that and also add in French later. I did this in high school. Spanish in 7-8-9-10-11 and French in 11-12. I ended getting a double minor in Spanish and French in college, including a year abroad for French and a semester abroad for Spanish.

Look for a house in one of the TWI schools and forget about the ridiculous lottery system My kids will be walking 3 blocks to school at OTES.

-- I forgot to mention -- there is a Multilingual Montessori preschool (Spanish-French- Italian) down the street. You can get a heed start!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

+1. And time and again MCPS leadership seems so baffled that they're not getting the student demographics they are looking for participating in these immersion programs. It's really only workable with a SAHP or if happen to live close to the school where your kid was accepted. The dual-immersion programs sound great and were we house hunting now we'd target somewhere in one of those, but it's a shame that there's such a disparity between the experience in immersion/dual immersion and kids that get no foreign language instruction at all until MS. I'd be curious to know what they are doing at Highland as a less-resource intensive option. Kids are such sponges for learning languages when they are younger and it's a shame more effort isn't putting into language instruction at the ES level.

I'm not sure from this comment whether you know that bussing is provided for immersion programs. Now, you might decide the bus ride doesn't work for your kid or your family, but it's there. So, I put my immersion kid in before-care at our home school, they put him on the bus to the immersion program and then take him off the bus at the end of the day. From my perspective as a WOH single parent, it's exactly the same as having him at our home school.

I thought availability of buses varies by program?

Also the stops- the buses don't necessarily stop at all nearby ESs, which would enable parents to put DCs in before/aftercare at the home school like PP describes. Definitely seems more feasible when that is the case.

I'd be interested to know more about that. I have a child in an immersion program and kids are coming from all over the district. Moreover, at least three other immersion buses stop at our hom elementary school. It has honestly been incredibly easy, and I'd be curious to hear from folks who were told their school didn't have a bus stop.

Anonymous wrote:How many public school systems offer foreign language in elementary? I think it’s definitely the exception rather than the rule.

Spanish isn't a foreign language. The United States is the second largest Spanish-speaking country in the world.

How many public school systems offer foreign language in elementary? I think it’s definitely the exception rather than the rule.

Anonymous wrote:I don't really see the wisdom of doing a once-a-week language study for students I don't think that would be enough for them to really develop enough mastery of a second language to surpass say Spanish 1 in secondary school

+1. I grew up with once-a-week Spanish throughout elementary school, and by the end of it I pretty much knew the Spanish words for numbers, months of the year, days of the week, colors, and some foods. And I knew how to sing Happy Birthday in Spanish.

Anonymous wrote:I don't really see the wisdom of doing a once-a-week language study for students I don't think that would be enough for them to really develop enough mastery of a second language to surpass say Spanish 1 in secondary school

I took weekly French lessons starting in fourth grade; the real benefit is a decent accent, with credit to my outstanding teacher. But otherwise, it doesn't do much. Two of my kids are in one of the county TWI programs and that's very worthwhile.

I don't really see the wisdom of doing a once-a-week language study for students I don't think that would be enough for them to really develop enough mastery of a second language to surpass say Spanish 1 in secondary school

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

+1. And time and again MCPS leadership seems so baffled that they're not getting the student demographics they are looking for participating in these immersion programs. It's really only workable with a SAHP or if happen to live close to the school where your kid was accepted. The dual-immersion programs sound great and were we house hunting now we'd target somewhere in one of those, but it's a shame that there's such a disparity between the experience in immersion/dual immersion and kids that get no foreign language instruction at all until MS. I'd be curious to know what they are doing at Highland as a less-resource intensive option. Kids are such sponges for learning languages when they are younger and it's a shame more effort isn't putting into language instruction at the ES level.

I'm not sure from this comment whether you know that bussing is provided for immersion programs. Now, you might decide the bus ride doesn't work for your kid or your family, but it's there. So, I put my immersion kid in before-care at our home school, they put him on the bus to the immersion program and then take him off the bus at the end of the day. From my perspective as a WOH single parent, it's exactly the same as having him at our home school.

I thought availability of buses varies by program?

Also the stops- the buses don't necessarily stop at all nearby ESs, which would enable parents to put DCs in before/aftercare at the home school like PP describes. Definitely seems more feasible when that is the case.

Anonymous wrote:Somebody tell me what you need an MCPS to be a bilingual teacher. What credentials, degrees?

CERTIFICATE LICENSE:
Meets Maryland state certification requirements in appropriate field of education.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and ABILITIES:
Knowledge of MCPS curriculum, techniques for integrating curriculum, MCPS policies, and effective instructional practices. Understanding of the teaching/learning process. Ability to provide instruction that reflects multiple perspectives and multicultural education. Ability to infuse technology into curriculum. Ability to work effectively with administrators, colleagues, central office and school based staff, students, parents and community. Excellent oral and written communication and human relations skills.Knowledge and application of the six performance standards that have been established for the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Teacher Professional Growth System (TPGS), and the Supporting Services (SEIU) Professional Growth System (SSPGS).

EDUCATION, TRAINING, and EXPERIENCE:
Bachelor's degree in applicable field of education from an accredited college or university.

Somebody tell me what you need an MCPS to be a bilingual teacher. What credentials, degrees?

Anonymous wrote:

+1. And time and again MCPS leadership seems so baffled that they're not getting the student demographics they are looking for participating in these immersion programs. It's really only workable with a SAHP or if happen to live close to the school where your kid was accepted. The dual-immersion programs sound great and were we house hunting now we'd target somewhere in one of those, but it's a shame that there's such a disparity between the experience in immersion/dual immersion and kids that get no foreign language instruction at all until MS. I'd be curious to know what they are doing at Highland as a less-resource intensive option. Kids are such sponges for learning languages when they are younger and it's a shame more effort isn't putting into language instruction at the ES level.

I'm not sure from this comment whether you know that bussing is provided for immersion programs. Now, you might decide the bus ride doesn't work for your kid or your family, but it's there. So, I put my immersion kid in before-care at our home school, they put him on the bus to the immersion program and then take him off the bus at the end of the day. From my perspective as a WOH single parent, it's exactly the same as having him at our home school.

I thought availability of buses varies by program?