Mandarin immersion school, is it a good idea without learning Spanish? (Houston: magnet school, university)

[David Dollar]

Originally Posted by 14Bricks

And how my are SPANISH speaking? You people keep dodging the question why is learning spanish important besides its good when I go on vacation or talk to the yard man.

Many jobs in Houston require prospective employees to speak Spanish. I only speak English in meetings at work. Perhaps it isn't necessary for the bourgeois.

[Vicman]

It's not as extensive as in Miami, though. Miami is the hub of Latin American business, so a far greater share of the jobs require Spanish. It's to the point where one is at a huge disadvantage if he/she doesn't know Spanish.

Originally Posted by David Dollar

Many jobs in Houston require prospective employees to speak Spanish. I only speak English in meetings at work. Perhaps it isn't necessary for the bourgeois.

[Vicman]

Here's a fun fact, by the way.

You know how in the U.S. school systems are criticized for "teaching to the test" and neglecting the arts, enrichment, etc. in favor of STAAR/whatever. In the Mainland Chinese educational system, it's worse. The "gaokao" (college exam for Chinese students) is the ONLY factor for admission, so schools more or less teach to the test: Creative Thinking Is Too Often Absent From the Chinese Classroom | Seeing Red in China

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by Vicman

Here's a fun fact, by the way.

You know how in the U.S. school systems are criticized for "teaching to the test" and neglecting the arts, enrichment, etc. in favor of STAAR/whatever. In the Mainland Chinese educational system, it's worse. The "gaokao" (college exam for Chinese students) is the ONLY factor for admission, so schools more or less teach to the test: Creative Thinking Is Too Often Absent From the Chinese Classroom | Seeing Red in China

Whatever they are doing is better than what we are doing in the US,
90% of people getting a graduate degree in electrical engineering in my university were from India and China (That's a reason to learn chinese )

[LisaBrown713]

Originally Posted by Dopo

Whatever they are doing is better than what we are doing in the US,
90% of people getting a graduate degree in electrical engineering in my university were from India and China (That's a reason to learn chinese )

Good point.

[tstone]

Originally Posted by Dopo

Whatever they are doing is better than what we are doing in the US,
90% of people getting a graduate degree in electrical engineering in my university were from India and China (That's a reason to learn chinese )

Yet meanwhile the dude with a bachelors degree (or no degree) who speaks only English and has decades of experience is managing them.

[Glucorious]

Originally Posted by Dopo

Whatever they are doing is better than what we are doing in the US,
90% of people getting a graduate degree in electrical engineering in my university were from India and China (That's a reason to learn chinese )

Originally Posted by LisaBrown713

Good point.

How is that a "good point" ? 1.3 billion people live in China and they send a crap load of people to Universities around the world. That's the reason. Same with India. They simply have a much larger population to draw from.

http://www.engtrends.com/IEE/1005A.php

India isn't even on the list.

[pmmd]

Originally Posted by Vicman

Here's a fun fact, by the way.

You know how in the U.S. school systems are criticized for "teaching to the test" and neglecting the arts, enrichment, etc. in favor of STAAR/whatever. In the Mainland Chinese educational system, it's worse. The "gaokao" (college exam for Chinese students) is the ONLY factor for admission, so schools more or less teach to the test: Creative Thinking Is Too Often Absent From the Chinese Classroom | Seeing Red in China

I could care less about creative thinking if CRITICAL THINKING is an integral part of the curriculum. I would have no problem with students being taught to a test that relied upon skills that were academically relevant and would prepare students for life beyond high school. All children, not just a select few. Every child who passes through the public school system needs to learn to think, and understand above a 5th grade level, even cashiers at McDonalds.

Significant numbers of HCC students that graduate from Houston area not eligible for college level classes, instead they take high school level courses, again. What was the purpose of wasting my tax payer dollars, if theses same students will receive subsidized tuition at taxpayers expense once they enter the community college system. That is shameful and a blight on the public school system.

[pmmd]

Originally Posted by LisaBrown713

I agree that a younger brain will easily adapt to learning a multiple languages simultaneously if they are around it on a regular basis.

Was the child learning French and Mandarin at school or was your friend a native speaker? Do you know how old was the child when they started teaching the languages? Thanks

The child is a native English speaker, and was introduced to both languages at the age of three.

[pmmd]

Originally Posted by LisaBrown713

I totally agree with you on everything, But we can't afford private school in Houston. Plus I am Frugal and prefer to save all of that money for high school private and college. I advanced both of my kids a grade up through homeschool. So they are technically ahead a grade level and learning more than kids their age at schools in HISD. plus I can use that money for other things like Piano and Violin lessons that will also ignite new brain cells.

It was easier when I was reinforcing what my kids have already learned in school but when I saw there was a gap in what they were capable of learning plus the outrageous age requirement to start school then I had to take the wheel and homeschool. It was a sacrifice I had to make and I know I am sacrificing again if I send them to the Mandarin school but I do feel it is an opportunity they wouldn't have any other way. Hopefully the school won't be lacking education wise and the students will come from backgrounds that would put education first. Obviously they should being they are putting this foreign language first.

Thanks you for the links.

If you haven't any qualms with HISD, and think that the program and leadership are fine, go for it

This is a great opportunity, and as your child is 2nd grade or younger and you are willing to supplement their education at home, I think that you should give MCLIMS a chance.