Hello Erich,
As usual, you are well versed in your understanding. Few things:
1. Knowing how completely immersed you are in education, I know that you must be also be aware of the following.
More important than all that discipline/structure/focus etc., music helps to develop the Neural Pathways -- it focuses on developing a more balanced brain development and it enhances the way that information travels. That's why they speak so highly of introducing Classical Music when the Mother is pregnant as well as in early childhood. As for African American children, their heritage is directly tied to the music and dance -- it is intrinsic to the culture from way back in Africa -- something that couldn't be eradicated if one tried, even by slavery -- and that needs to be included into the teaching method, especially for kids who are struggling -- the music will soothe their brain waves and settle them down enough to learn. So everyone understands, music is universally the ORIGNAL COMMON CORE LANGUAGE of all CULTURES.
2. You may be right about the simplicity of other languages but to a fresh brain, all language is a foreign language. Since English is a must, lets start with that. So you understand, contrary to what you think, English does have the same "musical" twang to it. Once again, all language is foreign language - but your differentiating of that is because of level of "familiarity".
Let me tell you why I know this -- I have been travelling throughout Canada and United States since I before I was 1 years old and allow me to add not by "Boat" or "Back Roads" but by airplane. While I am from Guyana -- formerly British Guyana - I was raised learning the "King's" English. While many Canadians who I came into contact with and all Americans spoke English, there was a different twang to it or as you would say -- very similar to musical sound. So, even though I really knew English, it was difficult for Me to understand "them" (at that time) and them to understand me, because I also spoke in a "patwah"/Caribbean Style English. I guess you would say that we were both speaking very "musically" to each other. End result - experience is the benefits of various types of education, environment, travel -- a cross-processing of overall life exposure.
Back to the solving the Problem at Hand at it inception -- We have a system of "daycare" where kids are given blocks, toys, crayons but not much time is spent on visual/audible/physical imprinting (educating) our kids. While so many like to share that the best learning years are between 0 - 5yrs, most of your children's brain is abused during that time --- most important learning moments are wasted. A transition from Daycare to Day-teach would be the first innovative shift that I would do to expose our kids to in order to align them with my daughter's exposure. So you know, before I had a child, I was determined to not waste her most formidable years and for the God in me, I am missing how DCPS and the GOVT. has missed that entire point in their implementation of change.
Imagine -- you have monitoring for underage drinking up to 21 but no monitoring for daycare for the most important -- our youth. Like most everything else, the focus of our govt. is inversed as to what is most important.
Before I address my what is being done in my household,
A. The language issue that I describe is specific to the many (I say many) under- achievers (low proficient) kids who will be attending this school and will be further behind if DCPS doesn't properly address the "low proficient" issues at hand in this Middle School just because DCPS wants to "Fluff" their approach. I don't window shop so I don't buy it. Remember -- I am only dealing with the MASS of kids who are low performers -- proficient in Math and English between 10 - 45% -- absolutely NOT ACCEPTABLE and should NOT be QUALIFIED TO TAKE FOREIGN LANGUAGE when knowledge of English and Math is at failing level -- that shows lack of focus on solution to the problem.
However, once again, my focus on her is more of the other things that I mentioned that are much more important - especially Math and English -- because these are core to everything that will be taught -- including reading the Foreign Language!!! As it stands, my daughter is on target to finish the equivalent of 3rd grade English and Math (Montg. Co. level) by her 5th birthday end of Feb 2014 -- at the most end of April. So you know her achievement thus far - she is doing subtraction (-4's) now and can read most of my email to you. Rest assured, Foreign Language has been the least of my concerns as for me as it is most important to understand what you are reading to love reading -- and she can't read directions for her English and Math if she doesn't learn her English!!
That being said - when I am having these discussions, I am solely focused on my target audience - kids who are underperforming. They don't really need foreign language until they get the full benefits of the other things I mentioned. Foreign language won't do them any good in JAIL and it is not on the SAT that is being used to get them into College. So you understand, no business would open in a predominantly Islamic populated area and sell PORK -- and that is what these fine folks who just like to hear themselves talk are wanting and same with DCPS -- amazing.
In closing, I am sure you have seen the commercial for High Jumping and how when they figured out the technique of jumping backwards, that they got over a much higher placed bar. Well, it is the same with my daughter -- everyday I am running the analytics of how to grow her and stretch the limits for a 4 year old way above even my high expectations.
Again, this discourse is why Catania should have you and I working with him to create a solution -- you can decipher the numbers all you want, but until you are able to create and implement the solution to fit the scenario, it means that you have only deciphered the numbers. It's is about teamwork.
Rob Ramson
Hi Rob,
Music should definitely be in the schools from pre-S through elementary and into middle school.
Like other subjects, music is a discipline with many different structures. Mastery requires focus, study, concentration, like any other discipline. If done creatively, it becomes another invitation to the world of knowledge.
Many kids need a very structured approach to reading in the early grades. That's the importance of phonics and phonemic awareness, sound to print correspondence; for many kids, it must be explicitly taught, because many English sounds lack consistent print correspondence, unlike languages like Spanish, Italian, German and French. Decoding instruction is insufficient by itself. It has to go hand in hand with exposure to different areas of knowledge, the Core Knowledge concept.
The multiple areas of knowledge that your daughter is exposed to and eager to learn are in great contrast to what large numbers of children entering school at K or 1 or even pre-K know. That's where the achievement gap starts or first becomes noticeable and expands from there on through the grades. The failure of DCPS to address that early gap or deficit by building a stable, well-prepared teacher corps, instead of intimidating teachers with top down control, allows the deficits and gaps to grow. And if a school has large numbers of students are not socialized to a learning environment, parents with children who are ready to learn look elsewhere: charters, west of the park or, in high school, application schools.
I don't get the impression that the chancellor, despite having taught Spanish for 2 or 3 years, really cares about foreign language instruction. It appears to be just another token response to parents. If she really cares about children learning and appreciates the importance of a foreign language, she will see to it that a sequence of levels is in place in middle school.
A foreign language is a discipline and learning to speak a language, which means learning sounds not found in English, is similar to learning music. As responsive and engaged in learning as you describe your daughter, I would say that she is a great candidate for starting a foreign language right now. The more she – or any child – is exposed to new areas of knowledge, the larger her/their mental learning base will be for acquiring and retaining more knowledge. There is no limit.
The thing about a foreign language is that it is more than anything else as close as one can get to the core of another culture. When I first saw the original foreign or world language standards put out by the foreing language teachers' association (I don't mean Common Core), I was surprised to see that one of the components of language learning was "culture." Making "culture" a foreign language standard, to me, misses the point that a foreign language IS culture, more than the trappings one usually associates with culture, music, dance, clothing, food, because language, when studied with interest, invites one into one or many cultures. Mastery of another language automatically brings in history, geography, biology, religion, philosophy, food, music, art, etc. At that level, it becomes a mirror of our own native language and culture. So, I say, let your daughter loose in a foreign language and I bet she'll have you following her very quickly!
By the way, I think you were thinking of the three basic SAT tests: Math, Critical Reading and Writing. There are also the SAT Subject tests, usually taken in the afternoon. They include US history, world history, chemistry, biology, etc. etc. And, many will be surprised at the number of SAT subject tests in foreign languages: French, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, German, Modern Hebrew, Japanese, Italian and Latin! http://sat.collegeboard.org/register/sat-subject-test-dates
Erich
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Rob
> To: Erich Martel
> Cc: concerned4DCPS@yahoogroups.com ; ward5@yahoogroups.com ; Ward 5 COE ; brookland_kids@yahoogroups.com ; Brookland groups ; Ward 5 Google Groups
> Sent: Saturday, June 08, 2013 11:34 AM
> Subject: Re: [ward5coe] Re: [concerned4DCPS] Brookland MS language instruction - Latin and Spanish - merits of studying another language
>
> Hello Erich,
>
> I wanted to support your thought process here and I also wanted to comment on the comment that was made by Shelagh B.
>
> "I would say that even if a student doesn't continue studying a foreign language through high school, the experience of learning another language is highly beneficial to one's intellectual development".
>
> Lots of things are highly beneficial to ones intellectual development but language is language when it comes to brain development and function. In addition, intellectual development needs to be prioritized. Lots of people get confused with the "garnish" more so than the actual food. Now, the following is my opinion and understand it is how I am raising my child --
>
> 1. Music is much more beneficial to intellectual development than foreign language -- and because this is a predominantly African American community, (please note that the African Culture, Hispanic culture, American Indian Culture, East Indian culture is coded to drums and rhythms) so music should be a focus.
>
> Just to share a recent experience -- I was at a end of year recital of a Sankofa Group that my Daughter is involved in where a 11 year old girl did a presentation of how kids learn and retain more with Music vs. Non Music environment. The Hypothesis was that a child would remember/retain more and her study proved that.
>
> 3. Playing Chess and other Board games are more beneficial to intellectual development, so that environment needs to be created. It helps tremendously with the processing aspect of the Brain.
>
> Fyi -- I am spending more time teaching music and chess to my child than foreign language. So you understand -- Sarah just turned 4 and is playing chess really well and reading music and playing the piano. Folks need to stop believing in popular belief and understand culture and actual brain development and thought process. So, yes while it is easier to retain foreign language (phonics) when learned at an early age -- learning foreign language is no different in Intellectual Development than learning English. Language is language as it relates to Intellectual Development -- I hope folks get that.
>
> Furthermore -- this belief system coincides with Home Schooling and not being social. Kids who were Home Schooled years ago who had social issues created a hardline default that homeschooled children lack social skills. Well, home schooling has taken on a much different approach and is much evolved while the misnomer is still being perpetuated.
>
> 4. While it is good to have foreign language in schools, I would like to strongly reiterate that we should look at the proficiency rates of the kids entering that school and understand where the focus should be placed. There are lots of games and other options in teaching Math, English, which are much more important to our kids success than "foreign language"; especially when they read, write and spell properly.
>
> 5. AGAIN -- Please understand that there is no foreign language on the SAT and the longer you wait to impose/imprint the foundations of Math and English by any means necessary, the worse it will be for kids. For kids who are struggling (underperforming) with English and Math, foreign language is not the answer. But I guess this line is going to be pushed because it just sounds good but has nothing to do with reality. And when the foreign language is introduced in lower performing schools, it should be Spanish and Latin.
>
> FYI - I focus much more on Reading and Math than I do English and Music and Chess (critical thinking) but definitely more on the those than everything else - except free space and play -- every child needs free space to create and play. Once the Brain is conditioned to learning, the child can pick up anything -- even as an adult.
>
> 6. Our kids are struggling with being over weigh and other health issues because of lack of exercise as well as the benefits of team sports/recreation. Playing sports especially in this underperforming environment will assist with development much more than Foreign Language.
>
> ----This Brookland Middle School is not being built with a Football/Soccer Field and Track which can host field hockey and other things. Kids need to participate in sports and exercise. Those Tennis Courts and Baseball field is limiting. Folks need to get the point across that this can be accommodated by investing in Underground Parking for both facilities, restructuring the layout of the tennis courts and Playground and including a Football/Soccer field and Track for a school which should be for 50+ years.
>
> 7. Truancy -- Here is an innovated choice -- coming to school to learn foreign language or coming to school to play games, music, sports and by chance get an education. Let's be real with our approach to where our kids are and how to best adapt to an evolved backlash of years of issues.
>
> Organized babysitting time is over -- We do not have the ability to bank on things like respect, upbringing, decency, dress code, etc. that offsets the backlash of being under-educated of the years prior to the mid 80's. Being under-educated and lacking being "human" (both Black and White - depending on geographical setting) does not fit well together; especially with the type of music and sexual marketing that is being forced upon our youth. ABSOLUTELY NOT A GOOD COMBINATION -- RECIPE FOR COMBUSTION!!!
>
> Furthermore, sitting in one space learning has to be looked into and adapted to.
>
> In closing, the definition of insanity -- keep doing the same thing and expecting a different result -- That's DCPS. If I were David Catania, I would look to include a few community folks on a higher level like Erich Martel who is clearly zoned into a certain aspect of this Education issue and me (Rob Ramson) who definitely thinks outside life's boxes. I am sure that there are many others but once again, if I were Catania, I would approach our kids education from a most critical of perspectives if Change is what he is looking for.
>
> Rob Ramson.
>
>
> Shelagh,
>
> You wrote:
>
>
>
> [[To respond to Erich Martel's and Harry Travis's comments, I would say that even if a student doesn't continue studying a foreign language through high school, the experience of learning another language is highly beneficial to one's intellectual development.]]
>
>
>
> I agree with the benefits people have described. If there is continuity, then the real benefits of studying or mastering a discipline will be achieved.
>
> Now here's the irony: There's all sorts of talk – for decades now – of aligning different subject areas, i.e. literature and history and "interdisciplinary" and "across the curriculum," etc. Where it's most important, however, continuity within a single subject/discipline, where mastery can be achieved, DCPS doesn't seem to have given much thought to it.
>
>
>
> Is DCPS just tossing something to Ward 5 that sounds good with no real commitment? If a student doesn't achieve entry level grade 6 mastery will he or she be automatically moved to the second, gr7 level? How will failure be dealt with? Is DCPS going to create a middle school version or credit recovery? Can a parent/student opt out of the ms foreign language requirement?
>
>
>
> Or will students be pushed along in the same way that poor readers and students who don't master grade level math/arithmetic are pushed along to the next level, thereby impeding the progress of the students who are on grade level?
>
>
>
> That's what most parents want to know. Those who don't care are not part of the conversation and are not going to provide the school with the adult home back-up that's necessary.
>
>
>
> Erich
>
>
>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Mary Lord
>> To: Concerned4DCPS List ; ward5@yahoogroups.com ; Ward 5 COE ; brookland_kids@yahoogroups.com ; Brookland groups
>> Sent: Thursday, May 30, 2013 7:02 PM
>> Subject: RE: [concerned4DCPS] Brookland MS language instruction - Latin and Spanish
>>
>>
>>
>> Interesting proposal - one that echoes a proposal to offer Latin to the middle and possibly to the elementary students at the School Without Walls @ Francis-Stevens school.
>>
>> The principal of Washington Latin spoke at last night's State Board of Education public meeting and was asked about the merits of teaching a 'dead language.' She noted that it developed a deeper understanding of our democratic traditions as well as abetter sense for the structure and grammar of English, and writing skills. The principal at School Without Walls notes that Latin also boosts vocabulary... I know it did mine! Indeed, the word education comes from the Latin e or ex ducare (to lead out).
>>
>> Mary
>>
>>
>> ________________________________
>> To: concerned4DCPS@yahoogroups.com; ward5@yahoogroups.com; ward5coe-members@googlegroups.com; brookland_kids@yahoogroups.com; brookland@yahoogroups.com
>> From: shelagh755@gmail.com
>> Date: Thu, 30 May 2013 18:45:52 -0400
>> Subject: [concerned4DCPS] Brookland MS language instruction - Latin and Spanish
>>
>>
>>
>> FYI - the latest proposal floating around DCPS regarding Brookland MS, to open in August 2014, is to teach Intro to Latin to all 6th graders at the school. 7th graders will have a choice of Latin or Spanish, which they will continue with into the 8th grade and beyond. Currently there are no plans to offer advanced courses for Spanish speakers.
>>
>> A lot of historical information about the development of Brookland MS can be found at http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/Parents+and+Community/Community+Initiatives/Ward+5+Great+Schools+Initiative.
>>
>> To respond to Erich Martel's and Harry Travis's comments, I would say that even if a student doesn't continue studying a foreign language through high school, the experience of learning another language is highly beneficial to one's intellectual development.
>>
>> Shelagh
>>
>> On Mon, May 20, 2013 at 11:05 AM, Harry Travis <travis.harry@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> For those new to DCPS and language instruction:
>>> It has long been hit-and-miss. Erich's comments were too subtle. Yes, with a good instructor a student may learn she can learn a second language, the same one or another after the first one becomes unavailable for continuation.
>>>
>>> But, mostly, DCPS record is an enormous waste of money and student time due to the lack of seriousness, and absent commitment to continuity.
>>>
>>> On Fri, May 17, 2013 at 3:14 PM, Erich Martel <ehmartel@starpower.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> It's important that the languages that will be offered are those that DCPS can reliably support into high school and ideally be supported by elementary schools that teach a foreign language and that feed into Brookland.
>>>> Chinese is fine, it there is a reliable articulation, so that students can pursue it at a more advanced level in high school.
>>>> The international advantage of Spanish is known. French is also important in West Africa, lingua franca West Africa, 2nd after English as a language of business and government.
>>>>
>>>> Erich
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> From: KPW
>>>>> To: concerned4DCPS@yahoogroups.com
>>>>> Sent: Friday, May 17, 2013 1:01 PM
>>>>> Subject: [concerned4DCPS] Fwd: [ward5] Brookland MS vs. DCI PCS language instruction
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: KPW <WKPW3@aol.com>
>>>>> To: ward5 <ward5@yahoogroups.com>
>>>>> Sent: Fri, May 17, 2013 12:30 pm
>>>>> Subject: Re: [ward5] Brookland MS vs. DCI PCS language instruction
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Thank you for this information. I hope Brookland will have languages like Chinese, Japanese, and whatever languages are in demand by government and businesses.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: Shelagh Bocoum <shelagh755@gmail.com>
>>>>> To: ward5 <ward5@yahoogroups.com>; ward5coe-members <ward5coe-members@googlegroups.com>; brookland_kids <brookland_kids@yahoogroups.com>; brookland <brookland@yahoogroups.com>
>>>>> Sent: Fri, May 17, 2013 12:26 pm
>>>>> Subject: [ward5] Brookland MS vs. DCI PCS language instruction
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Dear Ms. KPW and other neighbors,
>>>>>
>>>>> I am on committees for both planned schools, Brookland MS and DCI PCS, both of which are scheduled to open in August 2014. Brookland MS will immediately accept grades 6, 7, and 8, while DCI PCS (in Ward 4) will start with just grades 6 and 7.
>>>>>
>>>>> Brookland MS's language program will most likely not be language immersion. It will be a traditional foreign language class that meets for perhaps an hour a day. Exact scheduling is in the very early stages. Most incoming students will not have had prior foreign language instruction. DCPS is still mulling over which languages will be taught. They are thinking maybe Latin will be one of them, which will help students with vocabulary down the road. If Spanish is taught, I will suggest that advanced classes be offered for those who already speak Spanish. They are discussing a "language cafe" for the school (to be used by one class at a time) which will allow for fun and interactive role-playing in the target language.
>>>>>
>>>>> Regarding the planned DCI PCS (see article below), the charter board already approved Yu Ying's request to expand into the older grades, effectively granting approval to the planned DCI. However, the other four participating schools' requests will be the subject of a public hearing Monday night (click here for more details) May 20 at 6:30 at Carlos Rosario International PCS, 1100 Harvard St. NW. If you would like to have your name put on a list to speak at the public hearing on Monday evening, and/or if you have written comments to submit regarding this proposal, please contact Audrey Williams <awilliams@dcpc sb.org>. Presumably there will be some time for a free-flowing discussion, but there is a jam-packed agenda, so these are two ways to be sure your opinion will be heard.
>>>>>
>>>>> On Tuesday evening, May 21 at 6:30 p.m., there is the regularly scheduled meeting of the Ward Five Council on Education. The meeting will be held at the Lamond Riggs Library, 5401 South Dakota Ave NE. There will be a general presentation from the DC Public Charter School Board. There might be an opportunity to discuss both planned schools, Brookland MS and DCI PCS.
>>>>>
>>>>> Regards,
>>>>>
>>>>> Shelagh Bocoum
>>>>> Public Relations Officer
>>>>> Ward Five Council on Education
>>>>>
>>>>> On Fri, May 17, 2013 at 11:46 AM, KPW <WKPW3@aol.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Will the Brookland Middle School have a language immersion program?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>> From: KPW <WKPW3@aol.com>
>>>>>> To: ward5 <ward5@yahoogroups.com>
>>>>>> Sent: Fri, May 17, 2013 10:18 am
>>>>>> Subject: [ward5] Language immersion high school nears approval (Wash. Examiner)
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> http://washingtonexaminer.com/language-immersion-high-school-nears-approval/article/2529904
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Rachel Baye
>>>>>> Staff Writer - Education
>>>>>> The Washington Examiner
>>>>>> Email Author@rachelbayeRachel on FB
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Students who finish elementary school fluent in French, Spanish or Chinese could soon have the chance to sharpen their language skills at an International Baccalaureate middle and high school.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The proposed District of Columbia International School, or DCI, is the creation of five public charter elementary schools with language immersion programs in Spanish, French and Chinese. The new charter school would offer grades six through 12, eventually serving up to 1,600 students in the former Delano Hall of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Ward 4.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> If approved, the school would open in the fall of 2014 with roughly 200 seats in the sixth grade and 200 in the seventh grade, according to proposals submitted to the charter board.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Families of students in immersion programs at Washington Yu Ying, Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom, DC Bilingual, Latin American Montessori Bilingual and Mundo Verde public charter schools have been asking how the students can continue advancing their study of Chinese, French and Spanish, said Mary Shaffner, DCI Board of Trustees president and founding executive director of Yu Ying. As a result, leaders at each of these five "member schools" came up with DCI.
>>>>>> If those requests are approved, every student who completes elementary school at one of the schools would be guaranteed a seat at DCI. New students could apply through the charter lottery system to one of the member schools. For example, a student who wants to study French would apply to Elsie Whitlow Stokes at DCI, while a student who wants to study Chinese would apply to Washington Yu Ying at DCI.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> However, new students will not be able to join after the ninth grade, the schools' applications detail.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Even students who join from other schools before ninth grade will likely face some difficulties if they don't speak one of the three languages in the immersion programs offered, Shaffner said. "Content classes will be taught in the language, so it will be hard to learn social studies in Spanish if you don't speak Spanish."
>>>>>>
>>>>>> DC Public Schools also offers Spanish immersion programs at eight schools. However, the school system has not been part of the planning process for DCI, Shaffner said.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The idea of combining five elementary schools to create one upper school is unique -- not just to the District, but nationally, said Don Soifer, who sits on the charter board.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> "This high school is going to be a real valuable addition to the D.C. public charter school portfolio."
>>>>>>
>>>>>> rbaye@washingtonexaminer.com
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Harry Travis
>>>
>>
>>
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