Comments on: Taking Our Bilingual Parenting Revolution to The White House

By: Latism - Top Bloguera Retreat en Washington DC - Mamá Latina en Philly

Latism - Top Bloguera Retreat en Washington DC - Mamá Latina en Philly — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 02:45:25 +0000

[...] En esta sesión informativa se hablaron de los diversos trabajos y proyectos en los que el actual gobierno viene trabajando incluyendo a la comunidad Latina. Toda esta información se puede encontrar en http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/05/21/latismatthewh-latinas-activas-en-las-redes-sociales-visitan-la-casa-blanca POR UN PROGRAMA DUAL EN LAS ESCUELAS Las preguntas de las blogueras quizás pusieron en aprietos a algunos de los panelistas, como por ejemplo el que hizo Roxanna Soto, co-founder de SpanglishBaby. Roxanna y Ana Flores son vivas defensoras de la inclusión de programas duales en las escuelas a lo largo del pais, algo que en lo personal también me entusiasma por lo beneficioso que sería para nuestros hijos. Aqui en Los Estados Unidos son muy pocas las escuelas que ofrecen estos programas, aunque si hay una verdadera necesidad. La respuesta que se obtuvo no fue satisfactoria para los que queremos que nuestros hijos gocen de este beneficio, el gobierno sabe de la importancia de la inclusión de otros idiomas en el curriculo sobretodo ahora que vivimos en un mundo globalizado, lamentablemente todavia no hay proyectos para incluir estos programas duales, sino mas bien programas bilingues enfocados a mejorar el inglés de los niños que recien migran y que necesitan mejorar su inglés, esto es algo totalmente diferente a lo que es un programa dual. Como padres que queremos nuestros niños crezcan bilingues o multilingues no lo pensariamos dos veces si tuvieramos el acceso a estos programas. En el Perú, un pais que ha pasado por una etapa de dura crisis economica, el idioma ingles siempre se ha mantenido en las escuelas primarias y secundarias como segunda lengua. Por qué no se puede hacer algo similar aqui? * Si desea ver el video en inglés de la propuesta de Roxana Soto acerca de la educación dual puede verlo en su post “Talking Our Bilingual Parent Revolution” [...]

By: Foreign Languages To Be Taught in All UK Elementary Schools | Besos

Foreign Languages To Be Taught in All UK Elementary Schools | Besos — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:09:41 +0000

[...] Ceja, the chief of staff at the Office of the Undersecretary of the Department of Education. Her response left us saddened, yet reenergized, because there’s still not much understanding as to the urgency to develop [...]

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Wed, 30 May 2012 02:03:10 +0000

Well….que chevere for SpanglishBaby to be at the White House!!! I could go on and on about what Dual Language Programs need in order to be successful and numerous around the country, but I won’t bore you with those gorey opinions! I will add that in a former life, I used to be in charge of the Dual Language programs in DC and the hardest things to do was find certified teachers who spoke Spanish…because in a Dual Language Program, you must know your content (Elementary Ed, Math, Science, etc…)and be able to deliver it in Spanish, as well as have a few tricks of the trade up your sleeve considering your audience may be learning in a language other than his or her mother tongue.
Let me know the next time you are in my barrio and among other very entertaining things, I will take you to visit the best Dual Language Program in the country….Key Elementary School! Gladly, estaré a sus órdenes!

By: Adriana Pacheco

Adriana Pacheco — Mon, 28 May 2012 19:20:30 +0000

Thank you Ana and Roxana for all your hard work promoting our “bilingual parenting revolution.” Va a ser muy valioso para nuestras niñas y niños.

By: Beth Butler

Beth Butler — Sat, 26 May 2012 16:42:30 +0000

¡Excelente amigas mías! What a wonderful visit to Washington, D.C. you must have enjoyed. Thank you for voicing a major concern many of us share … and at the core of it all is truly the question of will our country ever invest in providing enough training to have enough qualified teachers to run dual immersion programs in our United States of America?

I have the answer, and unfortunately it’s NO. As a teacher who spent more than 15 years in this very red-tape and paperwork ridden profession that is so under-paid and under-appreciated I can tell you that, unless is there is a quick major overhaul of our education system all the way around, we will never in OUR lifetimes see dual immersion programs being offered on a much grander scale (much less for every family who wants it for their children).

I am not a pessimist – those of you who follow me and know me know that I am one of the most hopeful people you will ever meet. However, I am a realist, and the reality is that our country cannot even standardized the testing system across our states much less come to agreement on curriculum development and standardizing learning for our young children.

We all know that we need major, quick reform in the United States public school system, and the way in which your question was skirted around during that 5 minute video just goes to prove how very broken our system is.

Let me end this on a positive note – we as parents are our children’s first teachers and we know how to make a difference. Let us continue reading with our children EVERY day and giving them the sound foundation they need in the languages we have chosen for them to learn.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Sat, 26 May 2012 04:04:36 +0000

Gracias!!!

By: Roxana A. Soto

Roxana A. Soto — Thu, 24 May 2012 20:51:48 +0000

Suzanne, thanks for watching and for being a part of this movement from the moment you joined SpanglishBaby! I agree 100% with what you are saying. It seems like we all have a lot of work ahead of us if we want to change the way bilingualism is viewed in this country. But we’re totally up for it!

By: Roxana A. Soto

Roxana A. Soto — Thu, 24 May 2012 20:50:03 +0000

That’s great news!! Felicidades!!! I so wish we had options like these where we live
So, is the dual language option just a program within the elementary school? How exactly does that work?

By: Roxana A. Soto

Roxana A. Soto — Thu, 24 May 2012 20:42:34 +0000

Ali, thanks for bringing this up. It’s actually a hugely important issue and one of the reasons, in fact, why sadly some dual language immersion programs end up failing. I’m not really sure what the answer is, but the more bilingual children we’re able to graduate, the more there’s a possibility that at least some of them decide to become bilingual teachers themselves, no?

We definitely need more qualified teachers or else, the system will end up failing our children…

By: Kelly Tirman

Kelly Tirman — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:49:14 +0000

Based on my experience as someone who grew up never “really” learning Spanish because my family wanted to make sure I was “American” – I can’t imagine not raising my kids bilingual. This gift of language is the ONE thing I will not back down on. My oldest is almost three and is starting a Spanish immersion preschool in the fall. We are thrilled.