And so it begins. Talk to me about elementary schools.

[cleo29]

Jul 7, 2013 19:57:17 GMT -5 frlcb said:

Jul 7, 2013 19:56:12 GMT -5 cleo29 said:

That's where I grew up. I think The Key school is an immersion program, our neighbor's girls attended Key and loved it.

That is their school. It is an english/spanish immersion, so they do half the day in english, half in spanish, every day. They both speak/understand spanish fluently.

It sounds really neat.

[frlcb]

Jul 7, 2013 19:59:06 GMT -5 cleo29 said:

Jul 7, 2013 19:57:17 GMT -5 frlcb said:

That is their school. It is an english/spanish immersion, so they do half the day in english, half in spanish, every day. They both speak/understand spanish fluently.

It sounds really neat.

It is an awesome school! If dh could get a job up there I would move back up there and send my kids there, in a fantasy world

[keyslover]

I would like Spanish Immersion/Environmental/Montessori program

We have 1 more year before we have to decide, but started going through the process last year because of DD1's birthday (we decided against starting her this year) and it sucked. It sucks we are going to go through it again this year too.

For us, I like the immersion school better because we do not speak Spanish (high school if that counts) and I feel that we can help her with other areas (math, science, reading) if she needs outside help. We cannot teach her Spanish.

That being said, still no effing clue what we are going to choose come February when we have to put in for the school lottery.

Good luck!

[DotAndBuzz]

I'd put her in the neighborhood school, and get really pushy about speaking Spanish at home. Introduce her to Spanish language game sites, read the books from the Cheerio's boxes all.the.time in both languages (I do one line at a time so she hears full sentences/phrases and associates them with the English counterpart, instead of just drilling words). Pump her up about YAY! SPECIAL DADDY SPANISH TIME!!!!

But something else to consider - will you guys likely be in the same location (thus going to the same neighborhood school) when it comes time for her to go to school? She still has 2 years, right?

[Moe]

Spanish through your DH isn't going to happen, you know that.

At least not at a fluency level.

But it'll happen when she decides it's important/interesting to her. Who knows, that might come earlier than you think!

[gretchenindisguise]

DotAndBuzz we plan on staying within a square mile of where we are now. And if for some reason that doesn't happen, we'll stay in the district and all are pretty decent. She will start next year (fall 2014)

-Moe- I know. She has shown more interest and asks us what different words are in Spanish, etc. Her preschool teacher has really helped with this, but she's going to a new classroom Aug 1.

Sent from my DROIDX using proboards

[Moe]

Good, keep encouraging of course, but everything is based on habit. Trust me, while it's obviously not the same, DH has always been interested in learning more Spanish (especially when he goes to visit my family). He's taken classes, reads books, and is quite good, but fluent he isn't. Everyone always comments on why I don't speak to him in Spanish. Well duh, we met with English, and it's really awkward to change after you are comfortable with a language. Sucks, yes, but what can you do.

She will learn if you guys continually impress the need and importance. Just like science, math, cultures, empathy, and perfecting round house kicks. Just don't expect Mr Gretchen to ever speak to her regularly always in Spanish, that ship has sailed.

[mrsjuleshs]

You get to choose? Here it is only based on where you live. Dd went to 3 different elementary schools since it it growing so fast around here. I have just been lucky that they are all amazing schools. She even got the chance to take Spanish in kindergarten. She's really not looking forward to high school. It's ranked really high in the nation but the curriculum is super tough and usually the top 50% graduate with honors from all of the advanced placement classes which she won't be partaking. I would go with the school that offers the most programs

[cleo29]

So what are his reasons for not wanting to speak to her in Spanish? I may have missed this answer.

[gretchenindisguise]

Jul 7, 2013 21:04:01 GMT -5 cleo29 said:

So what are his reasons for not wanting to speak to her in Spanish? I may have missed this answer.

Laziness.

@mrsjules the only requirements for SI are living in the district. The neighborhood school is designated.

Sent from my DROIDX using proboards

[cleo29]

Jul 7, 2013 21:05:45 GMT -5 gretchenindisguise said:

Jul 7, 2013 21:04:01 GMT -5 cleo29 said:

So what are his reasons for not wanting to speak to her in Spanish? I may have missed this answer.

Laziness.

@mrsjules the only requirements for SI are living in the district. The neighborhood school is designated.

Sent from my DROIDX using proboards

So, his first instinct is not to speak in Spanish? or is he so used to speaking in English with you that that is what feels normal or comfortable?

[Moe]

Jul 7, 2013 21:09:24 GMT -5 cleo29 said:

Jul 7, 2013 21:05:45 GMT -5 gretchenindisguise said:

Laziness.

@mrsjules the only requirements for SI are living in the district. The neighborhood school is designated.

Sent from my DROIDX using proboards

So, his first instinct is not to speak in Spanish? or is he so used to speaking in English with you that that is what feels normal or comfortable?

$10010101010101 says the latter.

[cleo29]

Jul 7, 2013 21:10:58 GMT -5 Moe said:

Jul 7, 2013 21:09:24 GMT -5 cleo29 said:

So, his first instinct is not to speak in Spanish? or is he so used to speaking in English with you that that is what feels normal or comfortable?

$10010101010101 says the latter.

Yeah, that is what I was guessing. My grandpa (my mom's dad) who immigrated here from Spain when he was 16/17 but did not speak Spanish at home because he really wanted to learn English. I think he spoke in Spanish with my Gram sometimes, his MIL who only spoke Spanish, etc, but that is not the situation here.

Kind of funny, but he would tell these jokes and would be cracking up (alone, I might add) after he told the punchline because people could not understand him well due to his heavy accent. lol  He was a sweet man.

[gretchenindisguise]

Jul 7, 2013 21:09:24 GMT -5 cleo29 said:

Jul 7, 2013 21:05:45 GMT -5 gretchenindisguise said:

Laziness.

@mrsjules the only requirements for SI are living in the district. The neighborhood school is designated.

Sent from my DROIDX using proboards

So, his first instinct is not to speak in Spanish? or is he so used to speaking in English with you that that is what feels normal or comfortable?

So used to speaking in English that its what feels normal and comfortable. I just call BS that we couldn't change that to a new normal. But I've pushed and it never sticks so whatevs.

Sent from my DROIDX using proboards

[cleo29]

Jul 7, 2013 21:17:32 GMT -5 gretchenindisguise said:

Jul 7, 2013 21:09:24 GMT -5 cleo29 said:

So, his first instinct is not to speak in Spanish? or is he so used to speaking in English with you that that is what feels normal or comfortable?

So used to speaking in English that its what feels normal and comfortable. I just call BS that we couldn't change that to a new normal. But I've pushed and it never sticks so whatevs.

Sent from my DROIDX using proboards

If you're fluent or pretty close, than just do it yourself. It sounds like she is interested and that is awesome.

[Moe]

My parents speak English (in that they're fully fluent). When they come here to visit, they speak to me in Spanish (duh) and to DH in English (except when mom is messing with DH). The switcharoo that happens naturally is quite spectacular (they to him in English, they to me in spanish, me to them in Spanish, to him in English,, back and forth. mostly because even of probably, for easiness sake, it would make sense that all of us speak English, speaking English to my mom feels as natural as me chatting naked in public. I guarantee that Mr Gretchen speaks spanish to his parents/family, but if he's always spoken to Gretchen in English, it would feel weird to switch. At least for me it is.

[cleo29]

Jul 7, 2013 21:22:23 GMT -5 Moe said:

My parents speak English (in that they're fully fluent). When they come here to visit, they speak to me in Spanish (duh) and to DH in English (except when mom is messing with DH). The switcharoo that happens naturally is quite spectacular (they to him in English, they to me in spanish, me to them in Spanish, to him in English,, back and forth. mostly because even of probably, for easiness sake, it would make sense that all of us speak English, speaking English to my mom feels as natural as me chatting naked in public. I guarantee that Mr Gretchen speaks spanish to his parents/family, but if he's always spoken to Gretchen in English, it would feel weird to switch. At least for me it is.

I get that, I guess I am just surprised he would not want to share the Spanish language with his daughter. That connection to where he is from, her family, etc.

I had a friend who spoke mostly Spanish with her mom.  She had two older brothers but for some reason with her, her mom decided to only speak to her in Spanish as a little girl (her dad was American, her mom of Ecuadorian decent). Anyway, it was neat to see them go back and forth and her switch it up. 

[gretchenindisguise]

Well H's parents speak zero English, so it's a requirement to speak to them in Spanish.

And it's just like Moe is saying - our courtship was in English, our marriage has been in English. Basically his entire life since he moved here at age 20 has been in English.

If you ask him if he wants L to be fluent in Spanish - his answer is unequivocally yes. He wants her to be able to speak it. He understands the advantages. Yada yada yada. He just won't pull up his bootstraps and just do it.

I think a large part is that he has this mental block of his parents never spoke to him in English, yet he learned English just fine when he started K in an American School. He has zero accent. You wouldn't know he was Spanish by looking or talking to him. So in his mind, it's not too late. In his mind, I think he thinks if she starts at 5 like he did, she'll be fine. Never mind what we all know that the earlier the better, the more routine the better. And that after 5 years, it'll be that much harder to change our current routine. But regardless. This is where I think he's at.

That we moved to a school district that has a Spanish Immersion school as part of the public school system is a damn miracle.