Check out the January 20 New York Times article ("Foreign Languages Fade In Class - Except Chinese") with some startling facts about districts making Chinese a priority over other languages, but also how 88% of American elementary schools offer Spanish.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/21/education/21chinese.html?hpw
NOTE: I DO NOT ADVOCATE ANY REDUCTION IN CURRENT WORLD LANGUAGES. All romance / Latin-based languages are critical and foster a student's learning and development.
As the ORCSD Strategic Plan takes shape, I hope that Chinese and greater foreign language offerings are part of that plan. Let's make ORCSD World Languages, World Class!
I wish the District would begin teaching foreign languages at an earlier grade level, perhaps even kindergarten. Children are much more able to learn a language at this age. Waiting until 7th grade to introduce language is antiquated education thinking and does nothing more for most middle school students than alienate them from the subject. But God forbid that we challenge the status quo, even if it would benefit our children and their ability to compete in a ever more global economy.
ReplyDeleteSo you are proposing that we add 2, maybe 4 (more?), full time elementary teaching positions? I believe in maximizing our children's educational experience but at what expense? Your article mentions "free" teachers from China, but honestly how realistic is that going to be?
ReplyDeleteI agree that there is no such thing as a "free lunch." Administrative/scheduling challenges are associated with adding additional language to the curricula as well. However, there is a program where Chinese teachers come to the US, live with a host family, and teach basically for free (or very little) in American schools.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we start with extra-curricular programs and build over time into a robust Mandarin offering? The Virtual Learning Academy could help supplement learning as well.
I am just curious, how many parents and students are interested in Mandarin instruction? This question must be addressed as well.
What chinese do you really need?
ReplyDeleteKung Pao Chicken
Spare ribs
Pork fried rice
usually gets the job down
PS In Durham, we prefer a vegan veitnamese cuisine based on gently harvested greens and root vegetables. All vegetabeles are prayed for and memoralized via drum circles, letters to fosters, and community mourning on the DUMP bulletin board.
WE should change the school logo to the "ORSD Tofu's"
Be leaders people!
Exposure to languages at an elementary level is critical for our children to be able to "communicate" and become active global citizens when the graduate college in 2022 and beyond. My first grader is now acquiring keyboard skills in his class (which was a "foreign" concept 10 years ago). Why not expose him to the basics of the 3 to 5 most popular languages of the world? Study abroad will be the norm in the high schools and colleges in the 2020s.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah! Well my first grader is acquiring sarcasim and a sense of humor watching you all interact and while most likely he will not be eligible to attend college he will be a great comedian, travel the world, and make more money than any of you. Note: I will also teach him to stash it off shore!
ReplyDeletePS No need to speak other languages if you are rich. They will bow to your $$
无知是幸福。
ReplyDelete达勒姆充满了势利小人
ReplyDelete- I can use google too! Although I wasn't exposed to keyboards in grade school. My parents did not allow me to touch the typewriter.
Is the moustache a great leader?
Yes___ No____
What Megan meant to write was "ignorance is Bliss"....I love google!
ReplyDeleteTo quote the infamous Chairman Mao:
ReplyDelete实事求是
Seek Truth from Facts!
Night, Night!
P.S. Ignorance is bliss cannot translate literally from English to Chinese. I did the best I could using my limited Chinese. No Google, pengyoumen!
Pen- go - huh?
ReplyDeleteVery bombastic!!!!
Bombastic use of pin yin and Chinese characters aside, I am honestly trying to have a constructive dialogue.
ReplyDeleteSo - reduce the budget and add programs?
ReplyDeleteWho's supporting which?
There are shades of gray.
ReplyDelete