Making a Certain Language Mandatory?
I was recently in contact with Fordham Prep in New York. They have one of the most amazing language departments, offering seven different languages. After inquiring how they distribute their students across languages I found out that they require their students to take one year of Latin or Greek as freshmen and then let them free to take the language they desire. Check out their website, it is inspiring.
Now, this is a school that promotes the value of learning another language.I wish Loyola would be offering more than 3 languages in the near future. In fact I believe that everyone should be required to take Latin and Greek, just like they do at Fordham Prep.
ReplyDeleteThanks Amado for your comment. How do you see that being possible to do practically? Longer days? Two languages at a time for some? Summer language courses? How would it impact the language AP programs?
ReplyDeleteI completely disagree with longer days. Our students and faculty do not just come from around the corner I also cherish the early Friday dismissals because it gives me time to see and spend time with my son and not spend 30 minutes stuck in traffic when it can be done in 10 minutes. I also feel that short Fridays are a reward for someone who teaches in the classroom. LA traffic and public transportation is one of the worst in such modern cosmopolitan city. I have taught for 15 years. Those who never taught in the classroom or that do not teach in a classroom anymore it is easy for them to say or experiment with longer days and block schedules and theories. The fact of the matter is that those students who can do the work will do it and those students that can not, won't. I do see people who want longer days and block schedule can not even stay put in faculty meetings. In fact I have seen people sending texts and looking at the laptop or talking to his/her friend. The meetings are not even academic lectures. In college you pick classes and either start late or finish early. Some of our students work, take 3 to 6 AP Classes, Study hard for the SAT, plus we do community service, sports, help in a school activity(es). I think that students are burn down by the end of the school year and teachers are given more administrative work.In Mexico you go from 8 - 1:10. The rest of the day is for you what you wish, especially spending time with friends and family. In such spread out city such Los Angeles, it is not easy to say I will see you at this time without getting into traffic any day of the week.
ReplyDeleteCedric,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, thank you for all the work and research. I would be very disappointed if the people on top disregard our effort. Let me tell you a little bit of myself in order to understand why I support Latin and Greek or other language other than Spanish for some students; however, my support for a Spanish Native class is as strong as promoting Latin and Greek. In Mexican schools the instructions are very vigorous from math, to social sciences and from chemistry and physics to art and shop. In Mexican schools, they make you understand Spanish grammar even if you do not like it. When I was in secundaria (junior high) in Tijuana, I took English. I learned vocabulary words but even though I live in the border, people did not speak English. I listened to English music and sometimes American TV. When I came to the US in High School I took ESL and took the placement exam for Spanish. I score very high in Spanish. I was told I could either take AP Spanish or other language. I chose French. While learning English, I was learning French. I got to AP French Language and continued taking French classes in UCLA. I wish I could have taken more languages but that is me.In other words I always wanted to learn other languages because I hoped one day I could be a translator for the U.N. What i would like to see happening is to find out those students who have the talent to learn a language and that value learning other languages. I would also propose that since in science (Biology) and Philosophy, Latin and Greek should be included in the regular curriculum of our school. I am still trying to figure out when can this be applied. I have an idea how but before I say it let me think about it how I should put it. In regards to my Spanish Native students, they might speak Spanish or understand Spanish but they really need a lot of help with the language and they really need a lot of confidence. Even though these students come from families that speak Spanish but most of the time they need to be corrected. I would say that with my experience less that 10% speak it like a real native, in other words if they go to Mexico or Other Spanish speaking country they can tell no difference. Another important factor is that there are 4 regional dialects in Spanish yet within those 4 there are Northern and Southern Dialects. For example, a student whose family speak like a "Norteño" will have a of difficulties trying to do business with some one who is from Mexico City. People that speak like a "Norteño" are always mock and put down. Another example the difference between Central American Spanish and Mexican Spanish is a great difference and for the most part Central American Spanish is put down and though to be inferior. There are many other examples why a Spanish Native class for a Native Spanish student is very important. Is more than just speaking, but translating without false cognates, to identifying true Latin American Icons in art, television, theater and more. NOT George Lopez NOR Jennifer Lopez not even Cheech and Chong??? When it comes to reading, understanding and analyzing just like it is done in an English class. Some natives can speak it but have a hard problem with I just mentioned plus most of them out of the classroom the language spoken with their friends and most of the time with their families is English and NOT Spanish.
Jeffe,
ReplyDeleteWith all your respect. Wait until you get married and have children. The value of at least an extra hour with my son is priceless. Perhaps, I am sensitive to the matter of spending time with family. I also hear your sacrifices and the tremendous efforts you make to run Loyola's tech systems. I am very pleased to know that you understand us. Kudos for becoming a teacher. I think you would be a great teacher and colleague. Anyway, If I were to have the power I would extend school days to Saturdays and even Sundays and if it really meant to turn this country's education 360 degrees, I would also cut the sport's programs and just have regular P.E. Realistically, whatever language is chosen at Loyola, it should be taught by itself and must be part of the regular schedule. Therefore, Greek should be a separate language and NOT be combined with Latin as presumably it has been for many years. Now, in regards on how we can have students taking two languages. In my opinion, these students should have been selected in their freshman year to take two languages throughout their Loyola career. Perhaps by taking one language every other day. For Example Mon. Wed and Fri one language and Tues. and Thurs. the other language. Then the following week it changes and it rotates by itself on the following weeks. Students will still maintain contact with their teacher through technology. These student can work in their listening and speaking assignments. In fact, when a teacher assigns a reading the students can have the time to digest better what they just read and even post it our new version of Loyola's website that by the time they meet with their teacher the class would have a more meaningful discussion in the target language.
I am against anything that alters our present schedule. I taught block schedule before and it is a disaster. Unless you give students more time to rest between breaks. Like you do in college. You can not give 15 minutes of break or 45 minutes of lunch, by the time students go to the last class they are just tired wouldn't you. For God sakes I see my own colleagues not even paying attention after 5 or 10 minutes. Not to say that block schedule you see our students every other day. What I suggested is to continue the regular schedule and select students who show interest in learning two languages only. After teaching 15 years and many schedules and many students and many theories, I feel that Loyola's schedule is fine. And we should not change for the sake of changing and see what happens. This exactly what has happened with a lot schools in the las 10 year. They just want to experiment and change things and the only affected are the students. Why reinvent the wheel?
ReplyDeleteI will say I am anti-block schedule also.
ReplyDeleteBlock does not work in a language or a math classroom where the students require repetition and seeing them more frequently for shorter periods of time is much more beneficial. Trying to teach multiple concepts in a block and then expecting them to recall with any form of proficiency after not seeing them for a day or two is disastrous.
I realize block is well-suited to other subjects, but really believe it is not suited to language.