Anonymous wrote:Wow I’m so glad that I can send my kids to an immersion school. Not only is it a great fit for us, but it keeps out ignorant parents who don’t understand immersion or how the mind works.

- middle class non-white special needs parent who is so happy these idiots are scared of foreigners.

Anonymous wrote:Wow I’m so glad that I can send my kids to an immersion school. Not only is it a great fit for us, but it keeps out ignorant parents who don’t understand immersion or how the mind works.

- middle class non-white special needs parent who is so happy these idiots are scared of foreigners.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought the story was poorly done - I’m still not sure why low income families don’t want dual language. The only reason they gave was bc they don’t have time to help with homework, but I don’t speak Spanish and wouldn’t be able to help my kid with Spanish homework either. Seemed like wapo wanted to just debate the issue without proviiding all the facts.

Because if you are not at grade level in your native language and have poor test scores in English and Math, dual language is not a good fit. it's not like speaking two-languages brings advantages just by itself otherwise the local Latino students would overall be doing a lot better at DCPS, at most schools AA and Latino families are two subgroups that need more support. This argument is never clearly articulated when talking about the introduction of dual-language programs.

I’m the PP you responded to - this is very helpful, thank you! So is the issue that bc they aren’t up to grade level in English and math, dual language exacerbates the problem because they can’t concebtrate on the core subjects and parents also can’t help bc they don’t have time or speak the second language?

white high SES mom here. It's not only about the kids not being on grade level - it's that instruction in a different language just adds another complication and pretty big barrier between parents and teachers. My kid entered K not knowing how to read and write, and I'm glad I and his teachers could just focus in that without the added layer. Plus, I have serious doubts about the effectiveness of the immersion model. Our K teacher focused like a laser on Englisj literacy using her decades of experience and a research-based curriculum. She would not have been able to do that in an immersion model -- there would have simply been less time. Also, who are the immersion teachers? An immersion model means that the pool of effective, experienced teachers is smaller.

I think it’s perfectly within the normal range not to be reading before K. I would not hold back a kid from learning a foreign language for that reason.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought the story was poorly done - I’m still not sure why low income families don’t want dual language. The only reason they gave was bc they don’t have time to help with homework, but I don’t speak Spanish and wouldn’t be able to help my kid with Spanish homework either. Seemed like wapo wanted to just debate the issue without proviiding all the facts.

Because if you are not at grade level in your native language and have poor test scores in English and Math, dual language is not a good fit. it's not like speaking two-languages brings advantages just by itself otherwise the local Latino students would overall be doing a lot better at DCPS, at most schools AA and Latino families are two subgroups that need more support. This argument is never clearly articulated when talking about the introduction of dual-language programs.

I’m the PP you responded to - this is very helpful, thank you! So is the issue that bc they aren’t up to grade level in English and math, dual language exacerbates the problem because they can’t concebtrate on the core subjects and parents also can’t help bc they don’t have time or speak the second language?

white high SES mom here. It's not only about the kids not being on grade level - it's that instruction in a different language just adds another complication and pretty big barrier between parents and teachers. My kid entered K not knowing how to read and write, and I'm glad I and his teachers could just focus in that without the added layer. Plus, I have serious doubts about the effectiveness of the immersion model. Our K teacher focused like a laser on Englisj literacy using her decades of experience and a research-based curriculum. She would not have been able to do that in an immersion model -- there would have simply been less time. Also, who are the immersion teachers? An immersion model means that the pool of effective, experienced teachers is smaller.

I think it’s perfectly within the normal range not to be reading before K. I would not hold back a kid from learning a foreign language for that reason.

Even the data showing that most students do well in a dual language curriculum, and in some cases out perform their peers, shows that students in dual language will lag a bit in both ELA and spanish reading and writing until 5th grade, at which time they will catch up with their monolingual peers. It requires a leap of faith, and if you aren't sure you are going to stay in the model through the terminal grade of the school, you kid may have gaps or struggle a little.

I do agree with the PP re teh equity issue around students with disabilities; this is a big problem of neighborhood schools being all dual language, especially in DCPS. They do not do a good job at ALL, or supporting kdis with even minor disabilities who shuld be able to achieve biliteracy with appropriate, bilingual supports.

FWIW the dual language charters can't counsel out these students -- or divert them to their monolingual alternative schools -- the way DCPS can and does.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought the story was poorly done - I’m still not sure why low income families don’t want dual language. The only reason they gave was bc they don’t have time to help with homework, but I don’t speak Spanish and wouldn’t be able to help my kid with Spanish homework either. Seemed like wapo wanted to just debate the issue without proviiding all the facts.

Because if you are not at grade level in your native language and have poor test scores in English and Math, dual language is not a good fit. it's not like speaking two-languages brings advantages just by itself otherwise the local Latino students would overall be doing a lot better at DCPS, at most schools AA and Latino families are two subgroups that need more support. This argument is never clearly articulated when talking about the introduction of dual-language programs.

I’m the PP you responded to - this is very helpful, thank you! So is the issue that bc they aren’t up to grade level in English and math, dual language exacerbates the problem because they can’t concebtrate on the core subjects and parents also can’t help bc they don’t have time or speak the second language?

white high SES mom here. It's not only about the kids not being on grade level - it's that instruction in a different language just adds another complication and pretty big barrier between parents and teachers. My kid entered K not knowing how to read and write, and I'm glad I and his teachers could just focus in that without the added layer. Plus, I have serious doubts about the effectiveness of the immersion model. Our K teacher focused like a laser on Englisj literacy using her decades of experience and a research-based curriculum. She would not have been able to do that in an immersion model -- there would have simply been less time. Also, who are the immersion teachers? An immersion model means that the pool of effective, experienced teachers is smaller.

I think it’s perfectly within the normal range not to be reading before K. I would not hold back a kid from learning a foreign language for that reason.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought the story was poorly done - I’m still not sure why low income families don’t want dual language. The only reason they gave was bc they don’t have time to help with homework, but I don’t speak Spanish and wouldn’t be able to help my kid with Spanish homework either. Seemed like wapo wanted to just debate the issue without proviiding all the facts.

Because if you are not at grade level in your native language and have poor test scores in English and Math, dual language is not a good fit. it's not like speaking two-languages brings advantages just by itself otherwise the local Latino students would overall be doing a lot better at DCPS, at most schools AA and Latino families are two subgroups that need more support. This argument is never clearly articulated when talking about the introduction of dual-language programs.

I’m the PP you responded to - this is very helpful, thank you! So is the issue that bc they aren’t up to grade level in English and math, dual language exacerbates the problem because they can’t concebtrate on the core subjects and parents also can’t help bc they don’t have time or speak the second language?

white high SES mom here. It's not only about the kids not being on grade level - it's that instruction in a different language just adds another complication and pretty big barrier between parents and teachers. My kid entered K not knowing how to read and write, and I'm glad I and his teachers could just focus in that without the added layer. Plus, I have serious doubts about the effectiveness of the immersion model. Our K teacher focused like a laser on Englisj literacy using her decades of experience and a research-based curriculum. She would not have been able to do that in an immersion model -- there would have simply been less time. Also, who are the immersion teachers? An immersion model means that the pool of effective, experienced teachers is smaller.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thai article is very slanted and limited. We are high SES white family at Bruce Monroe. The school is majority Spanish dominant and low income. The school goes out of its way to serve low income Latinos. Are we having some growing pains? Yes but so are all gentrifying schools. the school has more slots for Spanish from kids thannenglish at the ECE leave to try to retain a 50/50 mix. No one is getting g pushed out, if anything high income parents are being kept out. Also, there are many black/ African Latinos who are Spanish dominant. So don’t just judge based on what you see people.

The article was about the situation at Tyler and Tyler only, and every parent from with experience has said there is at least some truth to what was reported.

Talk to Perry Stein and get her to write about your gripes at BM.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought the story was poorly done - I’m still not sure why low income families don’t want dual language. The only reason they gave was bc they don’t have time to help with homework, but I don’t speak Spanish and wouldn’t be able to help my kid with Spanish homework either. Seemed like wapo wanted to just debate the issue without proviiding all the facts.

Because if you are not at grade level in your native language and have poor test scores in English and Math, dual language is not a good fit. it's not like speaking two-languages brings advantages just by itself otherwise the local Latino students would overall be doing a lot better at DCPS, at most schools AA and Latino families are two subgroups that need more support. This argument is never clearly articulated when talking about the introduction of dual-language programs.

There are at least 50 peer reviewed studies that find that learning a second language improves performance in the first. The idea that poor children can't handle a second language is nonsense unsupported by research.

What has proven true all over the city is that putting a dual language program in a gentrified neighborhood tends to keep the middle class IB residents in the school, pushing out everyone else. This is why the city has had to introduce dual language lotteries. African American OOB residents who don't have a child at the school already lose access.

Anonymous wrote:Hey High SES white Parent from BM - are any of the low/lower SES black and brown parents or even the high SES black and brown parents expected to feel sorry for you at this particular moment in our country when everything is being turned back to the 1950s by our federal government? Are you attuned at all to what is happening in this country and the attack on black and brown people? Perhaps you support it - I don’t know. I suspect you can make a lot of choices because of the privilege of your white skin and your money - I know I can. Ultimately, you will make BM whatever you want it to be over time and the numbers of “others” will dwindle. We know this will happen - look at every dual-language/immersion program across the city. We know that families like yours flock to the programs BECAUSE it ultimately erects barriers for people or color, low-income people, kids with special needs, etc. At least my high SES white friends at such schools honest about this. As for me, I am not interested in any of it. My kids are doing great at their Title I non-immersion school. And I am not interested in drama.

Anonymous wrote:Thai article is very slanted and limited. We are high SES white family at Bruce Monroe. The school is majority Spanish dominant and low income. The school goes out of its way to serve low income Latinos. Are we having some growing pains? Yes but so are all gentrifying schools. the school has more slots for Spanish from kids thannenglish at the ECE leave to try to retain a 50/50 mix. No one is getting g pushed out, if anything high income parents are being kept out. Also, there are many black/ African Latinos who are Spanish dominant. So don’t just judge based on what you see people.

Anonymous wrote:Thai article is very slanted and limited. We are high SES white family at Bruce Monroe. The school is majority Spanish dominant and low income. The school goes out of its way to serve low income Latinos. Are we having some growing pains? Yes but so are all gentrifying schools. the school has more slots for Spanish from kids thannenglish at the ECE leave to try to retain a 50/50 mix. No one is getting g pushed out, if anything high income parents are being kept out. Also, there are many black/ African Latinos who are Spanish dominant. So don’t just judge based on what you see people.