My daughter's first day at the Mom's Day Out Program - 2008
I finally filled out and turned in all the registration forms required for my daughter to enter Kindergarten this fall. After getting over the fact that she’s about to reach this humongous milestone, I also had to come to terms with the fact that she won’t be going to a dual language school — at least not for now.
I can’t lie. It was an extremely difficult decision to make, but at this time in our lives, I’m confident it’s the right one. I mean, I’d like nothing more than to send her to a dual language school which would not only guarantee her fluency in Spanish, but also her literacy in her mother tongue. Not to mention being surrounded by children from all different backgrounds and cultures. However, we’ve chosen to live in a city which doesn’t really offer the dual language options that others do. Therefore, we’re limited to only two schools, Denver Language School, and Denver Montclair International School.
The latter was never an option because it’s a private school and we simply can’t afford it, especially taking into consideration that Vanessa has a baby brother who will eventually enter school, too. You probably remember me writing about this school in particular because that’s where I sent Vanessa last summer for French camp when we first started our trilingual journey. Absolutely love the school but, sadly, it’s out of our league.
So that left us with Denver Language School, a dual language charter school which open its doors last fall. I’ve heard rave reviews about this school and if you visit their site, it really seems like a dream come true. But it’s far from our home, especially if you factor weather and rush hour traffic into the equation, and they have plans of eventually moving even further north. Plus, the school’s schedule doesn’t really jive with neither my husband’s nor my work schedule at all.
Now, I guess I could’ve looked at it as a sacrifice we have to make in order to make sure our daughter become not only bilingual, but also biliterate. However, I opted for also remembering that Vanessa will only be 5 years old and this is only Kindergarten.
In other words, I keep on telling myself this is only the beginning and she already has to get adjusted to the idea of going to school full-time for the first time in her life. I really can’t fathom waking her up at 6 a.m., almost two hours before her regular wake-up time, and have her get back home 12 hours later -since she’d have to stay in the after school program until I get off work and pick her up – when the elementary school in our neighborhood is just 2 1/2 blocks from our home! Her Daddy is already looking forward to walking her to school every single morning!
A small part of me still feels terrible about this decision, especially after visiting the website of the dual language charter school, but I keep on reminding myself that she’s just getting started with her schooling. So as much as I want her to become biliterate, until our current living situation changes OR until the public school system realizes the importance of bilingualism, it’ll be one more thing that’s left up to me!
How about you? What do you think? Am I crazy for not making the sacrifice? Are any of you making a similar sacrifice? Why? Why not?
She is so precious!
I love those cheeks.
I don’t think you’re crazy at all. I’m envious of people who have the time/money/proximity to send their children to dual language schools. It’s not an option for my children either. What it means is that I have to pick up the slack here at home and really make sure they are learning the language at home, (not just spoken, but reading/writing.) … I’m doing my best, and as parents in general, that’s all we can do!
Thanks, Tracy! Hopefully the government will eventually realize how much this type of programs are needed and how they need to be available for all. I think I forgot to mention that, even if we were to make the “sacrifice,” we’d still have to be chosen because the only way to get into the public school is through a lottery system. So it’s not even a given!
I’ll be teaching Vanessa to read – in Spanish, her mother tongue – before she enters Kinder in the fall and then I’ll have to make sure we find other ways to continue to make sure she becomes biliterate.
I don’t think you are doing anything wrong! It is what works best for your family and this time-
She has a solid foundation, you guys will keep talking to her in Spanish.. and besides. . like you mentioned.. this is just the beginning.
Suerte!!!
Gracias, Dorita! I know, I have to keep on telling myself that this is just the beginning. Who knows what the future will bring!
Te entiendo Rox. I don’t think you are crazy either. Also, remember you can enroll her in some other after school program that teaches Spanish later on, you are right, she is just starting and there are many years and possibilities to come that you are not aware of now. As long as you keep focused on it they will come!
Así mismo es, Dariela! There are not lot of options in terms of after school programs in Spanish, etc, but I’m sure we’ll figure it out!
I sympathize with your struggle, but know that ultimately you need to make the decision which works best for your family. I struggled with the decision to send my son to kindergarten for our local public school district’s brand new dual language immersion program or to go to the private Catholic school his two older siblings attended. It was a real dilemma for us because we loved the community and educational offerrings at the Catholic school and of course the convenience, but we saw the real value in educating our son to be bilingual and biliterate. We did choose the dual language approach and it has worked out for us, but it is often challenging to make the extra commute and juggle different academic calendars for all the kids. I think it’s a trade off though, because in order for our son to become biliterate while attending the Catholic school, it would have meant my husband and I, both working professionals, would have to put in a lot of extra hours on top of an already busy day. I wrote about our choice in my blog here:
http://lifewellblended.wordpress.com/2010/11/10/monolingual-mommybilingual-baby/
Good luck with your decision!
I’m so glad to hear it’s working out fine for your family, Diana! And thanks for sharing your link! (I think I left you a comment when you originally posted it!)
Luckily, both my husband and I are bilingual and our first language is Spanish, so I know we’ll be able to figure it out – at least at the beginning. In fact, I plan on teaching my daughter how to read in Spanish before she enters Kinder in the fall. We’ll see how that goes…
I’m more worried about later on because I was lucky enough to receive a bilingual education and I know first hand the benefits of that. My parents were bilingual, but they never taught us English, that was up to the private school we attended while we lived in Peru. I just thinks it sucks that we don’t have any more options available.
I love the pic. I am beginning to think that I may have to make a similar decision, but with mothers-day-out programs or a day care near our home. We obviously need MORE schools where bilingualism is a priority. Ijole!!!
Well…lets keep writing….keep advocating. The changes will happen.
Yep, that’s the idea! Changes need to happen and the more we write about it and make others aware, the better off we are!
Rox I am in the same boat. For proximity and financial reason I would not be able to swing these schools at all. One encouraging note about being biliterate. Two seconds after Mikey learned how to read in Eng, he learned how to read in Spanish. She’ll probably learn in Eng first in school but the the transition ot reading in Spanish will be a snap. Also I’m totally serious about starting a spanish book club for kids. We should get together and work it out. I’m serious Sisi
OMG, Sisi! Let’s do it!! A Spanish book club! I love it! Plus, you’d be awesome at it and I can just be your helper and do everything you tell me! Let’s get together with AG when I come back from Peru and let’s make it happen!!!
I’m agonizing over the same thing right now…we’re in the middle of a ton of meetings about kindergarten for the boys. We can put their names in a lottery for the dual-language program in our area, but their home school has a great reputation and apparently has wonderful special education services. Surprisingly, I’m finding that that is my priority and am feeling less inclined to check out the dual language option. Even though I feel like I should, my heart’s not really in it. But for now, our priorities are what they are!
LOVE the picture of Vanessa, ¡qué preciosa!
You have to go with what your heart tells you. No one know what’s best for children like you do, Kim! The good thing is that we’re both bilingual which means we can do our part at home!
Thanks for the compliment. I can’t believe she was only 2 in that picture and that in a few months she’ll be 5 and going to Kinder! A dónde se va el tiempo?
Roxana, your post here really moved me. I was a bilingual administrator with several years of experience in the field and when the time came for my daughter to have the opportunity to enter a lottery at our district, I had reservations. I had reservations because I knew that she would have to commute a bit farther although not that much farther but I also knew that she would not have her close friends in our neighborhood to grow up with. I also chose to walk away from a career that I loved just in case she would not make it because I was prepared to work with her at home. Well, she made it and is in a dual language kindergarten classroom but the decision is somewhat bittersweet. Although she is learning the language and she seems to be progressing in all areas, there are so many things still wrong with the school especially the administrator who does not seem to support the program. After leaving my career, my dreams of being an involved parent have not been realized. And, so I guess, that is one of the “sacrifices” I had to make. There are others but I thought I’d share one. A bit off topic here, but, do you know what bugs me about this WHOLE THING??? That why do people like us HAVE to make this decision in the first place? I am so jealous of people who don’t want bilingualism for their child because they have no idea what a difficult and heart-wrenching decision you are having to make for your daughter. Roxanne, there was a hint of guilt in your decision and I totally empathize with you but I also suspect that you will do everything within your power to ensure that your daughter will be bilingual and she will want to become bilingual because she’ll want to share this special gift with you. Que Dios te bendiga en cualquier decision que hagas para tu creatura.
We are fortunate to be able to put Alex at Montclair. It is a sacrifice financially and the commute. It takes me 1/2 hour to get there and another 1/2 to get to work. But we are very happy with the school and have gotten used to the commute. Vanessa will be bilingual regardless if she goes or not. You have to do what is best for the family and that is all that matters, you are not depriving her of anything. Good Luck my friend.
Congrats on entering kindergarten. It seems like you are off to a good start, and your daughter will still be bilingual with or without the dual language school. I wrote my kids principal today just to ask that they add a Spanish teacher. They currently only have one, and the kids have less than 30 minutes of Spanish per week.
Anyway, I was told that this was unlikely due to budget constraints. Maybe overtime the district will emphasize world languages more.
It think it is avena. Depending from what country it will vary.
LOL — I just realized it was part of your blog regarding Oatmeal.
Roxana, I can totally relate to your experience. Last year my son Alex (9) tested for and was admitted to the English section of a program that would eventually set him on a course for a prestigious middle and high school experience here in France, with the possibility of an International BAC if you are familiar with the education system here in France. We were ecstatic, our son less so. He just couldn’t bare to leave his friends behind. The commute and logistics were very complicated. I have three children of my own and am a daycare mom to two others. My husband discouraged it. I went ahead because I had a good feeling about it. It turned out to be a catastrophe for more reasons than I’ll share here!!! I had an extremely uneasy feeling settle in my heart and was forced to make a very difficult choice. Putting my three children back in their old schools seemed ridiculous and impossible, but at the beginning of October that’s exactly what we did. The delicate balance and rhythm and well being of each member of our family was the priority and took precedence over the prestigious English section. I was sad to leave, but once I made the choice it felt good. Don’t regret your choice, I believe you made not only a good one, but the best for yourself and your family. I used to think like you did, don’t I just need to think of it as a sacrifice? But a sacrifice should never be at the expense of the well-being of the family. P.S. My own children are trilingual (Spanish, English, French) and I am also teaching Spanish and English to my two daycare children. I would love to have you come visit me at Busy as a Bee in Paris. Take care.
Roxana:
You totally did the right thing! And look at her! She’s bellisima and will have a blast at school. It is just kindergarten. As long as it’s a positive experience for her, one that will make her LIKE school, then it’s a huge success. The other school, what with the long hours away from home and loss of sleep might have made her HATE school, despite seeming so idyllic. She has her whole life to learn different languages, and you can keep teaching her yourself. You made the exact right choice, mama!
I just wanted to let you know that depending on where you live in Denver, there are several new dual language options. If you live east (since you mention Montclair) you might want to check out Aurora’s new dual language option. Also, you can put your daughter in a bilingual classroom and she will learn both. Unfortunately, at our school ( in DPS) this is only an option for Latinos. However, the good thing is that our students learn both from the beginning, although Spanish is emphasized early. Still not dual language, but maybe it’s an option at a school near you.