Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Daisy Galvis, a Colombian-American actress living in North Hollywood, CA with her husband and two bilingual children.
I’m still reeling. My son was not chosen to attend the Immersion Spanish Program in Glendale. I toured Franklin Elementary school, which has an Immersion Language Program, back in 2010 and 2011 . The sight of kids speaking German, Italian, and Spanish just melted my heart on the spot. I knew this was where my son, Jones, would be attending kindergarten. There was no doubt in my mind this was the place for him.
My husband was on board. He knew how important it was for me to have our children speak Spanish. After all, I was raised in a Colombian, Spanish-only household and I’ve always felt so grateful to be able to speak, write and read Spanish….and very well, I might add. I know many people who are Latino, but do not speak the language. It’s perplexing to me. I go to auditions as a Latina and many of my fellow actors at the Hispanic auditions do not speak the language. It’s always interesting when a lady named Dolores Rodriguez does not speak a word of Spanish…kinda like when I first heard an Asian speak fluent Spanish in Miami. Who knew there was an influx of Chinese in Cuba? It reminds us that our way is not the only way. That’s the beauty of culture. And I want a lot of it for my children.
Even before I married my husband, I made sure he knew how important it was for my children to speak Spanish. I married a white guy from Michigan. How a Colombian girl from Miami met a guy from Michigan in Las Vegas is beyond me, but it was kismet. We meet wonderfully in the middle and to see him be the most amazing father brings tears to my eyes. The greatest gift I have ever given my kids is to have chosen such a wonderful man as their father. He tries so hard to understand my sadness at my son not being chosen into this school. It’s not enough for my kids to have Colombian blood. I need for them to speak the language, understand all the nuances and magic of the culture. It’s my culture, it’s their culture and I feel it’s my responsibility to pass it on.
It’s been difficult to verbalize my feelings. I’m realizing it’s not just about my son not getting accepted into a school, but also about the lengths that we will go to and how much we will do for our children. Another jolt of reality that I am a mom, like any other mom who would do anything to give her child every opportunity. I always knew I was tenacious for what I wanted. I was clueless as to the emotions that would surface when I wanted something for my child. It’s a new emotion and it surfaces quickly and cuts into my heart.
I’m back in the Boardroom in Glendale and the moderator tells us that if we are not accepted today — that there is still hope. There is a lot of shuffling and a spot might open up for my son in August or even September . September? That is 7 months away. Do they not know me or understand the anxiety I am feeling? I even went as far as to ask my sister to join me at the lottery. She has always had strange luck when we go to Vegas and since this is a lottery, maybe she’d bring some luck our way. I had two tarot card readers tell me in January that he would be accepted. And now Glendale is telling me I might have to wait in this anxious hell for 7 more months..and maybe not get in at all. Maybe I can get a refund from the tarot readers? Or is there still hope?
Now, I can understand what people mean when they say parenting is exhausting. It’s not just the physical exhaustion, it’s the emotional weight of it all on our shoulders. The fear, the expectation, the feeling that somehow I failed my son, somehow, because his Spanish wasn’t as fluent as I would have hoped. Rationally, I know better. But, sometimes I slip and feel guilty that I don’t have all the answers. I don’t know where he’ll be starting Kindergarten in 7 months.
Aren’t we as parents supposed to know where our children are heading? Isn’t it our job to lay down the groundwork? My husband comforts me by saying, “We are doing everything we can. No matter what, he will go to a good school.” I believe him. I have no other choice. But, I still hold out hope for my phone to ring, my caller i.d. to read, “Glendale Unified”, and for a sweet voice with a smile to tell me, “a space has opened up for your son in Immersion Spanish” All I have is Hope and Faith. Esperanza y Fe.
{Image by Mr. Conguito}
Your post really hit me hard. I totally understand your desire to pass on your culture, and I applaud you for it! My great grandparents immigrated to America, and my grandmother was raised speaking Spanish. My father also spoke the language, but didn’t pass it on to us, other than the occasional “What’s this word in Spanish?” games we used to play with him. It is very frustrating to know true bilingualism is impossible for me at this point because my father did not speak it at home (my grandparents lived on the other side of the country, so they couldn’t be a source for language). I am learning Spanish as a second language and trying to expose my own kids to it now, but I feel like it’s a major uphill battle I don’t know if I have any hope of winning.
I hope your son gets into the immersion school! Unfortunately, there isn’t even one we can apply for where we live. I wish our country would wake up and realize how important a second language is for our kids.
I got the call today and my son did get accepted into an Immersion school. It was our 3rd choice school. But, it is Spanish and I’m so relieved. Thank you for your support and concern.
Thanks for the suggestions. Luckily, we were accepted by an Immersion school this week. Thanks for taking the time to write to me. I appreciate it so much.
I agree, I feel like I was reading a post I wrote except my ending is a bit different. I live in Boston and my boys got lucky enough to get into 1 of the 4 dual language programs in the district. I felt so lucky! I am Colombian too and I had the same hope to provide Spanish for my two sons. Don’t give up, it really does make a huge difference to have them in this type of school and please don’t give up. My sons are now reading and writing in Spanish and ENglish and I love it. They still fight speaking a bit but a trip in the summer to Bogota fixes all that. Here are a couple of ideas:
1. Call the school all summer to make sure that who ever doesn’t respond they are coming they move you up on the wait list
2. Call in the first 3 weeks of schools as they have to wait three weeks before they can say a student is a no show
3. Apply to transfer during the year
4. Contact the parent group at the school they may be able to give you more insight and other ideas
Don’t give up! You will be glad you didn’t and our kids will be better prepared for their future!
Hello,
My heart goes out to you as well, as it was not that long ago that I came to this blog panicked that I had missed all of the deadlines to get my daughter into a good DL program. I had no idea that you almost need to start looking and searching and applying a year in advanced. I noticed in a previos post that you applied to John Muir, which is where I am also hoping my daughter gets into. So wishing you the best of Luck just remember….
Aim for the moon and if you fall short you will still land amongst the stars.
What you said about moms doing anything to give their children every opportunity really resonated with me. As moms, we just really want our kids to fulfill the potential that we see in them, and to equip them with everything possible to make them happy and whole. Knowing one’s roots, one’s culture is really important to shaping a sense of identity. I do hope the school will call!
I’m sorry about your disappointment. Consider checking out the newer Spanish Immersion program in west Pasadena at San Rafael Elementary. We love it! They have a long wait list for English speaking families but have a few spots for Spanish speakers and they allow you to permit in. Good Luck!
So sorry to hear your son didn’t get into the program ;( It is definitely hard trying to get the kind of education you would like for your children. One of the struggles I have encountered in trying to expose my daughter to three languages is that her Spanish daycare runs all year SO I am going to have to pay (which is still up for debate) an additional fee for French camp this summer.
Im curious (and I hope you don’t take this the wrong way—if you could hear the tone of my voice, body language etc etc you would see that Im being sincere and a question based on curiosity), do you have a better understanding as to why some people who have Latino names may not know Spanish or even not know it as well as others?
A lot of my friends don’t speak Spanish because their parents have had really bad experiences growing up speaking Spanish in the US or their parents (like mine) immigrated as teenagers and their “Spanish” education was interrupted…anyway….just a thought.
I really enjoyed reading your posting.
Suzanne
I can completely relate to your feelings. When I was trying to get my daughter into her school (Charter school – Spanish immersion with Mandarin as a 3rd language) I was beside myself, worried she would not get in. I felt the same passion you desribe in your article.
Don’t give up! I actually started my daughter in 1st grade, an entire year late (the program recommends starting in kindergarten). This happened because I did not know about the school when I enrolled her in kindergarten (of which the school happens to be 2 blocks from our house). I found out about it half way through her kindergarten year. I vowed to get her in somehow! I talked to other parents whose kids go there and pleaded with them to put in a good word for me. I also plead with the office staff to let me meet with the principal (who ulitimately makes the decision) because I figured that way, I wouldnt just be another name on the waiting list! I told them I would hire a tutor, anything and everything they recommended if they would take her. I went as far as to bring copies of my daughters report cards and letters of recommendation from her teachers.
I met with her and it worked! She commited to letting my daughter start a year late in kindergarten. I immediately hired a tutor and began working on her Spanish. She is now over half way through 1st grade and reading English AND Spanish at a 2nd grade level. It’s my opinion that starting her late, when she could confidently read and write English already – was actually an advantage.
Could this be an option for you? Starting the program a year late? Often times, as in my case, there is much less competitiion. Don’t give up as it will only make you look more devoted as time goes on!
I totally get this feeling. My son is only two years old but already I want to enroll him in the language immersion school, especially since the school is good. I think that he’ll absolutely get in, but then forget that there are other parents clamoring for their kids and fighting for their kids just as much.
I could have written your post a year ago! I also married a white guy from Michigan
but I am Latina from Michigan so we didn’t meet in Vegas, anyways…. I too tried everything….everything, pero TODO, to get my child into the first choice spanish immersion school here, we ended up being 65 on the waitlist, (! why the heck they even have a waitlist w/ 70 people I don’t know!) and I was still so hopeful, so fingers crossed, so say a silent prayer every single time the phone rang, and I held out hope until October, till finally it sank in that there really was no room. and I took it so personally and thought her life was ruined bc I was trying to speak spanish to her at home but it just wasn’t working and I needed a bilingual school to help. Well I was nearly in tears about it one day when my friend suggested the other bilingual school, also a public school but kind of on the not so great side of town, I had ruled it out bc of location, but I went to check it out and liked it. Mija started in January just after christmas break, and she’s learning so much! So, I’m so sorry for the stress that the waitlist is causing, I wish EVERY school in America taught languages! But I hope you either get called off the waitlist, and if you don’t, keep searching, your second choice might work out as wonderfully as mine did. Suerte amiga!!
I understand! I feel the most important thing about my kids’ education is the fact that they’re in dual-language. I’d do anything! We moved to an area and did all the right things…and he didn’t get in BUT was top 3 on the waiting list. By a miracle, he got in before the start of the year. (He got into Chinese or Japanese which would have been OK), but it’s the Spanish that we wanted, and finally got. I speak it (am not a native). It takes a lot of work. He’s in two outside Spanish classes, plus dual-language, and I speak it at home. It’s a big thing to become bilingual but truly takes time. I also married a guy from Michigan!
My younger sister, the middle child, and her husband have “decided” that knowing spanish isn’t important for their children. It breaks my heart to see their confused faces as we switch back and forth from english to spanish.
My youngest sister is determined that her son will know spanish. However, she’s learning that that’s harder than it sounds. I know she’s applying to dual language programs. I hope she has better luck.
Oh, no! It´s especially hard on the children when they grow up and they realize many in their family do speak a second language and communicate in it amongst each other and they don´t. I hope your youngest sister does get into the school she wants!
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