So we are looking into a language immersion school for Monkey next year because we aren't thrilled with our kindergarten option and he didn't test into the "gifted" (but really accelerated not gifted) school. Originally, I was turned off of the school because it's a Charter School. In my circle, Charter School=The Devil because when children go to the charter schools, the money that the government uses to pay for their education, is redirected from the public schools to the charter schools. There is a whole moral side to this that I now feel bad about. I am contributing to the decline in enrollment to the public schools and taking away the money that would follow my child through the public school system. I am not completely able to put all my feelings eloquently into words on the subject and therefore, I digress.
At this point in time, there are two language options: French and Spanish. I believe living in America that Spanish would be the most useful. I took French in high school and have never used it. I didn't even use it when I went to Canada to be perfectly honest. The French teachers at the school, and apparently the staff as well, all push for the French option. Their argument, French is spoken in more countries throughout the world than Spanish. Okay...that is true. French is spoken in more countries throughout the world and a heck of a lot of those countries are teeny tiny countries, and larger coutries, in Africa, a few countries in Europe, Canada (And who really counts Canada? I kid.), Haiti, then finally tiny remote islands in the Pacific ocean.
Spanish on the other hand is spoken throughout Central America and South America and by so many people throughout the United States. I wish that I took Spanish in high school. There have been so many instances when I could have interacted with people. The Scientist's friend in first grade's mom was from Ecuador and she wasn't comfortable enough to speak to me in English. His other classmate, J, I don't know where her family was from but again there was a language barrier and her mom only felt comfortable talking to the mom from Ecuador. In both instances, the most interaction we had was saying hello and smiling. Most conversations were stunted after that. Anyway, I decided that the Spanish option was the most practical since Mandarin isn't available yet.
Now, I would like to give a brief excerpt from my conversation with a staff member who was pushing the French option:
Enrollment Lady (EL): Have you decided which school?
Me: Yes, Spanish. I have no plans to move to the Great White North.
EL: Well, it would help with pronunciation of the street names. For instance, it isn't show-tow; it's Shuh-toh, and it's pah-pahn; not pay-pin.
Me:(thinking) It's not win-GARD-ium levi-OH-sah; it's win-GARD-ium levi-oh-SAH. Yes, we live in a French settled city. Yes, we pronounce the street names incorrectly. French is still a useless option in my opinion. It doesn't seem like a strong enough argument to learn a language just so you can pronounce the street name correctly. I've gone my entire life without people pronouncing my name correctly. I got over it by the end of high school.
I apologize if I've offended anyone by my lack of interest in using or learning French or in thinking that it is at all useful. I guess it's also obvious that the way these French speakers conduct themselves in promoting French just rubs me the WRONG way.
5 comments:
I laughed when I read this. Not only was I murmuring that to myself when I read the title (we are big Hermoine fans here)but then your comment about French just struck me as funny. Looking at pronouncing street names correctly in St. Louis could almost be a negative. And yeah.. people always spell/pronounce my name incorrectly... to the point that I legitimately don't care which way someone spells it.
Not to mention, the only time I really ever spent overseas was 10 days in Paris and I could go on a very lengthy rant about that.. but I won't. I love the French. They're a very proud people, they just really come across as being rude when people who are visiting their country don't even try to acclimate to their culture. Let's put it this way.. I spoke NO French, but my pleasant and humble demeanor in the face of a strange land was met with very helpful and friendly French people. My boyfriend, on the other hand, a cocky, arrogant person who took 4 years of French, had the worst time with getting attitude from people. So, my complete lack of French was met much more amicably than his cursory knowledge of French, but competing attitude. I loved France. I'm not sure he'd ever go back. *smile*
I'm sure I would love France as well, and would learn as much conversational French as possible if I ever went. My travel goals are as follows: Hawaii, Mexico, Italy, Spain, Japan. France...maybe someday, but I'd rather visit Italy and Spain first.
You know my thoughts on this. And seriously? "Your kid can pronounce street names correctly?" That's the BEST they could do for French? Did they also tell you that your kid would be RIDICULED BY EVERYONE for pronouncing the street names correctly? Geez.
He's so young, he can start with French and transfer to Spanish later. If he choses his own path, he's a little less likely to fight with you along the way....even if he's making a choice based on silly reasons.
@Jeannette E. Spaghetti-Rhonda frowns upon changing languages. So that may not be an option.
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