French Language Immersion School?

[BuddhaMama]

Hello! I was just curious if any families send their kids to a French language immersion school? We send both our daughters (kinder and 1st grade). It is an IB charter school in an urban neighborhood. Very unique for where we live. 

 

Just looking to hear other parents perspective on overall successes or struggles. Right now the school is working for us, but we're constantly re-evaluating. The school is only 5 years old and is by no means perfect.

 

We currently afterschool our girls-- math for our gifted 1st grader (school isn't able to match her needs) and English reading for both kiddos. We haven't really delved too far into English grammar or lang arts, but we'll probably start that this summer when we have more free time. 

 

[quelle.que.soit]

My stepson went to french immersion.  It was a small school and just starting out.  The down side is that the math was very poor there, and there was little attention paid to handwriting.  There were zero sports programs.  My husband had no problem handling teaching him math at home.
He is in his 20s now.  He is still friends with people from that school, and the French has helped him significantly career-wise.  Those students were together from kindergarten to 8th grade.

[Punks in Ontario]

My daughter did French Immersion until grade 9.  It is common where we live.  For her, it was a great experience.

 

One thing I've noticed with many young teaching grads is that the ones who have French are easily getting jobs whereas others are just not.  Keep in mind that this is Canada.

 

[Guest merylkatz]

HI,

 

I have 3 children - an 11 year old in 6th grade (6eme) and 6 year old twins in 1st grade (CP).  We also live in an urban area and all 3 of my children have attended the French immersion school since preschool.  All 3 are completely fluent in French.  We are American and do not speak any French.  All the kids do their homework at school in an after school etude class.  

 

For us and for our children the experience has overall been great.  There have been a few rough years and we also constantly re evaluate whether we will continue.  I can say for sure at this point my older daughter will continue through 8th grade (4eme) - she has been with many of the same classmates since preschool and this is great for her.  There is a high school and it offers the French Baccalaureate which I think would be wonderful if my children decided to continue on that path but each child may in time decide that is not their path.  

 

My younger ones accept this as school because they have an older sister doing it.  Somewhere around 3rd grade (CE2) we had a lot of difficulty with the system and how my older daughter was doing but we made it through and the hard work of that year has continued to pay off.  

 

My older daughter is beginning to talk to people about colleges and careers and is finding out now how amazing it is for her that she is bi-lingual.  She began Spanish this year in 6th grade and will have the choice of also starting Latin next year as an elective which she is excited about.  

 

I also like the fact that there is a completely different culture at the school from our everyday American culture.  We are American and I think it is nice for the kids to be exposed to a different way of life.  I feel like I'm walking into France each day when I go to pick up the kids.  Not that it's better or worse just different and I think it's good for kids to learn that differences exist.