So there is a High School parent meeting next Tuesday night. Yep, Dearra's going to be High School next year, yikes. She came home with a packet that had her classes (recommended) and a list of what's available. First thing I noticed, which I didn't know before is that the High School is in a different district than the elementary and middle school is. Huh? Weird, but OK whatever. That explains why the High School schedule is different even though the school district said all their schools would be on the same schedule. In addition to all the usual stuff, she's going to be taking Spanish, which she started in 7th grade. So I had a look at the Foreign Language choices. The district offers Spanish, French, German, Italian and Japanese. Hm, maybe Russian too, I don't remember. But every school doesn't offer every language. Dearra's high school only offers Spanish, French and Japanese. No German? What? The only school in the district that offers it is in Placerville, 20 miles off. Another little idea in my head about how the world should be all shot to hell by a High School course list. Hmph.
[question posted by dawnald]
responses and comments:
That is very strange that the high school is in a different district that the middle and elementary schools...but I guess it's not too big of a deal if the other high school(s) are already overpopulated. As far as the foreign language goes, I wouldn't make too big a deal out of it considering that she's already in Spanish...might as well continue with it...and to be honest, foreign language is minimal in priority when applying to college (like, requirements of anywhere from 0 to 3 credits at max)...If she started in 7th grade, she should meet those requirements easily. I personally only have 4 credits of French, and I've already gotten accepted at a top 20 school in the U.S. and am in the run for the full scholarship. It's not about what classes the school offers, it's about how your daughter makes the most of what she has available to her. Best of luck to her as she enters high school! :) [moneymaker92]
I think it holds a lot of value, but the educational system doesn't seem to. [dawnald]
Hey, D! Some students insist they MUST take a particular language, as an excuse to go to a school they want to attend instead of the one they're assigned to go to. Others take such courses in virtual school (online) to get the credits without changing schools. It's all a lot more confusing than it needs to be! [cobrateacher]
First I will check and see if she even has an interest. But great idea! [dawnald]
Well things have changed since I was in high school or even since my Grandchildren were there. [savypat]
Me too. They're going back to more math and more science, fewer elective, but not back to more emphasis on foreign languages. They're even requiring economics in 12th grade. Not as much history either, I don't like that. [dawnald]
hi dawnald reading your discussion reminded me when I went back to the U of Ca to get the last two years to get my BA I was assigned to a guidance Prof there ,. we got to talking about foreign languages as I had to have one more year, and he was telling me how he grew up speaking German and Austrian, and Russian as he and the other children all came from families from the corners of those countries which all almost border on each other. He told me that children absorb it so much faster than adults do, and we agreed we should have children taking foreign languages down in the lower grades here in the US and how we had never tried to make ourselves more bilingual when we should have. I ended up taking Latin of all things,but it worked out okay.yet that will not help me to master Spanish or any other language thats alive and kicking. I did take french and spanish in junior College and can still read spanish pretty well but speaking either of those forget it as I did not keep up with it as I should have. so am glad your daughter will be having to learn another language.We should all do that in the U S so we are not so isolated here. the world is fast shrinking due to all the technologies we now have. [Hatley]
Haha, then when China moves to the top, I'll be in a good position! Lol. Actually, about the whole Spanish thing in the U.S., I heard that as well...it's kinda scary..I guess I should've taken Spanish instead of French. >.< [moneymaker92]
Any chance she could take German by distance learning. In our state there are scads of little schools. Rather than offer all classes at all schools they get it set up so that a teacher can teach by web cam at all the schools from her or his one location. It would be nice if she had a chance at it if she wanted it. [GardenGerty]
or get the German relatives over here! :-) [dawnald]
German is very easy to learn. Anyone can learn it just from tapes. Learning at school is fun, sad to say German is not an option here. If I have a choice, I would rather take Japanese or French. With limited people who can speak those languages, people has better options for work. [polachicago]
lol...mein Deutsch ist lustig...lol [polachicago]
Can she be bussed in? Seems to me that they have to provide to one. what they provide to the others? How ya been? [debrakcarey]
Hooray, you got a job! That's wonderful! I will suggest it to her, but I'm not going to push too hard. She's like me, doesn't take too well to being pushed! [dawnald]
That is dumb that not all languages are offered at all the schools. When I was in high school the only foreign language offered was Spanish. My sister took French at the same school 10 years prior, but by the time I got there the school no longer offered it. [lilybug]
Probably it's not very popular, but boo... [dawnald]
JAPANESE? When I was in school it was Spanish, French and German... of course, that was a LONG time ago! I took a year of Latin, when I went back to public school, no Latin was offered, so I got out with out a foreign language. [ElicBxn]
I'm sure funding has a lot to do with it! [dawnald]
It is a shame how schools differ in their course availability. When I moved here two years ago I was very happy at the fact that my daughter would actually be able to take electives that pertained to her future in medicine. There are other things that are not available to her though. One of those is her language choices. The only languages she can learn here is German,French,or Spanish. [JenInTN]
Sadly, if you really want a certain course and it's one that not everybody is taking, you may need to move schools to be able to study it. [dawnald]
Hi Dawn! That is a shame about the German, but she could choose to take in college as either a second major or as an elective--if she's not able to get it sooner. If she's interested that is. I guess that's another thing about this country that annoys me--they should make college bound class requirements the same in every state, I think. Then, it wouldn't matter what school they went to. I think they've cut back on language offerings (which is dumb) simply due to budget cuts. But, if the money that is supposed to go to education happens, then we may see some expansion of language classes, as there is a dire need of it, imho. I am surprised they are offering Japanese though. When I was in school they offered the Romance (Latin based) languages, Spanish, French, Italian. There was a German course offered, but I had French as a second major, so didn't have room for that. But, I do think it's a good language to learn, as someone else said--a lot of technology is in German, you have personal reasons why you think it should be offered--and German is the root of a lot of English words, as I'm sure you know, since you took German. I think it helps to understand our own language better, for that reason. Maybe if other parents are interested in having it available for their children--it can at least be considered by the school board, but there would have to be a fairly large group requesting it. Placerville is just far enough away, that they might consider duplicating it for the students at the high school where Dearra is supposed to go. It's worth a shot. [nyhollyjean]
Budget cuts didn't occur to me. But probably true. This year the elementary school cut back on music, field trips and some other things, and both schools cut back their hours on Wednesdays to save money. We'll see next year what her interest is. Right now her calendar is full. Yep, the states should get together and agree on one standard. Fat chance though! [dawnald]
20 miles off? That wouldn't be too convenient. So what's your option for Dearra? Or which elective would she like to choose then, since German language is not offered. How about Japanese? That can be cool. Or maybe just taking French and learning German language in her own time, outside school. Depends on what she wants. [zed_k4]
Is it just HER high school which is not in the same district? Are there multiple high schools? Do you get a choice? LOL! I'm stumped on the German issue.... stumped because my high school offered German. They offered German, French, and Spanish. I took French. My kids have both taken Spanish AND German. What I wish the high schools offered would be ASL. I would have taken 4 years of ASL. I can't remember enough French to save my life. I can understand some but I would murder it if I tried speaking. Is there any other place she could take German? Community center? Rosetta Stone? LOL! [mommyboo]
The elementary and middle schools are in one district and the high schools are in another. Kind of bizarre... I haven't checked into where she can take German. That's a discussion for next year or later... [dawnald]
i don't understand where your exactly coming from. i would of expected to hear something worse by the title of the discussion. that is odd they don't have german as a language though but i didn't have Japanese as a language at my high school. [elmiko]
Sorry, but the title was just an attention grabber. Evil Dawn. :-) Holly's probably right, budget cuts... [dawnald]
Both of my daughters took french.....such a beautiful language! My youngest daughter went on to be a teacher....but none of the French she had helped her out! She ended up in Arizona and before she could get her teaching certificate she had to take two years of Spanish!!! [jillhill]
I took a little French and some Russian, but the only language I learned well was German. Wish I had taken Spanish... [dawnald]
I inderstand i think why u would want dearra to learn german but i don't guess it's a language that is much used around here anyway. My son took french when he was in school which i thought he should take spannish which ere the only 2 that were offered. I doubt he has ever used french one time but sure he could have used spanish as there is many spanish speaking people here. it was his decision but doesn't mean mom agreed, lol. [ANTIQUELADY]
Maybe they will decide to learn on their on one of these days if it's offered to them. [ANTIQUELADY]
Hiya dawn Life just gets complicated doesn't it? Why don't all schools have the same things. Maybe it will come to a more varied choice one day where ALL languages will be available..through electronice learning, headphones and such. No need for teachers!! LOL Alice_in_webland [Alice_in_webland]
I meant academically. :-) Missed the dang meeting last night, a certain person's little tantrum drove it right out of my head. angry [dawnald]
Damn, where the heck is she going to be at next year? [libby2009]
Just try it next time. I liked it that way. [libby2009]
Goodness Dawn I have to say that is strange as here in the UK I know that all School teach German even when I was a Kid [gabs8513]
budget cuts, I'm guessing, plus German isn't as popular as it once was... [dawnald]