Chinese language programs link students to culture

POTOMAC, Md. — Ever since Beibei Sun moved to the United States to attend college, she knew she wanted to hold on to her Chinese roots.

Now that she has two children, she has found the best way to do that is by teaching them how to speak her first language.

Sun, who lives in Potomac, is one of many parents in the Montgomery County area who want their children to learn another language not only for future employment and travel opportunities, but also to keep their heritage alive.

“When you learn a new language, especially in Chinese, you have to learn where the words come from so you learn a lot about the Chinese culture,” Sun said.

Thirty-four percent of Montgomery County’s population is foreign-born. Of the seven districts that make up the county, two are more populated with Chinese-born people than any other nationality, according to a Capital News Service analysis...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/chinese-language-programs-link-students-to-culture/2017/09/15/34322318-9a44-11e7-af6a-6555caaeb8dc_story.html?utm_term=.7e59d139911b

Immersion Programs

Below is a letter written concerning the immersion programs that have been so successful in the county.  If students in Montgomery County are really being prepared for a global economy, then support for foreign language education should be at the top of the list.

Immersion Advocacy Document FINAL 2292012

Loiederman, Sligo & Maryvale Petition for programs

A. Mario Loiederman Middle School Petition:

We, the students of A. Mario Loiederman School for the Creative and Performing Arts, and our parents, support our school. Our program is unique and unmatched anywhere else in the County, and continues to produce creative and innovative students. We ask your support for Loiederman, and the Middle School Magnet Consortium of Loiederman, Parkland and Argyle.

Full petition at link:
Loiederman Petition - The Petition Site

Sligo Elementary and Maryvale Elementary Schools' Petition:

We, the undersigned, call on the Montgomery County Council to fully fund Superintendent Weast's Recommended FY2011 Operating Budget for Montgomery County Public Schools so as to preserve funding for French immersion programs at Maryvale and Sligo Creek Elementary Schools as well as immersion programs at other county schools, and articulation into middle school immersion and high school language programs. Specifically, we request that:
1) Busing for magnet programs continue. If buses are cut, the programs will not be open to all students in the county, only those with parents who can arrange transportation.
2) Funding for on-site program coordinators be maintained at current levels. Language immersion program coordinators do more than their job title reflects. Among other things they currently provide stop-gap support to students in need and enable teachers to teach effectively in an environment of limited instructional materials and language resources.
Thank you for maintaining the language immersion programs provided by Montgomery County Public Schools by fully funding the FY2011 MCPS Operating Budget request

Full petition at link:
Support immersion programs in Montgomery County - The Petition Site

The case of the missing half-time teacher

The case of the missing half-time teacher

...While looking over the MCPS web site one evening in January, my wife came across a “Q&A” exchange (between school board members and MCPS staff about the 2010 budget. Question 10 read: “Will the reduction of 8.7 elementary special program teacher positions impact the French Immersion classes at Sligo Creek Elementary School?” The answer — unbeknownst to the school administration until my wife told them about it — was yes, but don’t worry about it too much:

…the larger full immersion programs will each be allocated an additional 1.0 teacher to coordinate the program. Sligo Creek currently is allocated 1.5 extra teachers and .5 will be reduced for FY 2010. This reduction will not significantly impact what is provided to students.

My wife knew better. As sixth grade and a middle school, fully English curriculum approaches, the immersion curriculum takes steps to get its students up to speed in things they’ll be needing soon — specifically, a little help with writing and spelling in English. Since it’s vital that kids expect and get only French language from their regular teachers,** other teachers are needed to fill the English language need; through this year, this was a half time position — the only one she knew of connected to the immersion program. After weeks of questions, it proved this was in fact the cut envisioned by MCPS...

...While there’s quite a bit more to be said about the nontransparent, too clever by half modus operandi of Weast, the MCPS administration, and the Board of Education, that will need to wait for another post. Suffice it to say for now that while Weast’s data-driven approach is laudable — indeed, unavoidable — when it comes to identifying and addressing racial achievement differences that persist in Montgomery County, that’s not all there is to education. A “data-driven approach” won’t capture the data it doesn’t value, let alone evaluate those data...

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Related Parents' Coaltion blog posts here and here.