I just can't get over how you thought your kid could just waltz in to French 4 after taking a year off after French 3.

We are French, my kids go to the French Saturday School (they picked a different language in their MCPS schools), and I still make them read in French and do workbooks during the summer so they won't get summer brain drain!!!

Watch out for the deadline to drop a class and the deadline to change electives. It comes up fast. Have your senior reflect on whether she wants to stick with this class or drop down to French 3.

I don't think colleges will care either way, honestly. She's not at AP level, which is where students get noticed by admissions officers, so whether she graduates with level 3 or 4 really won't change anything. Might as well be less stressed and do level 3.

They did that with our Spanish.

Take Latin! Excellent prep for the SAT verbal.

She didn't take French in summer school?

Anonymous wrote:This really sounds like a school issue. I share OPs concern. Even if she didn’t take a year off, combining three years in one class sounds horrible.

+1.

OP, I have an update from my child's French 4, French 5, and AP French class. The teacher let them know they will have textbooks and will have assignments in the textbook according to their level. So, I think this is a positive sign and things will settle down as the year progresses. Hopefully, your child's teacher will also let them know how things will work if they are not already in the same class. Are there that many French 4, French 5, and AP French classes?

This really sounds like a school issue. I share OPs concern. Even if she didn’t take a year off, combining three years in one class sounds horrible.

I don't know why schools offer high French (or other language) classes when there aren't enough kids to take them. Just don't offer them, have kids take them at a community college or online if they really want to take them. It adds a huge burden to the school to try and offer a class for every single person who wants one. It's a public school - not a catering service!

And I found out today that my daughter's Intro to Russian class is combined with Russian 4 native level Russian. My DD who is basically learning the letters will be fine but I'd not be happy if she was a native level speaker having to sit through lectures on how to say hello.