J. L. Long Middle School in Lakewood (Dallas, Beverly Hills: buy, school district)

[dallas90210]

Lakewoods schools are ghetto and not rated so great - particularly the middle and high schools. When you tell people they are good, you are flat out lying to them. There is a reason people who can afford it send their kids to private school in that area. LOL

[Ramona72]

Originally Posted by Macbeth2003

Mandarin is a language that will be incredibly valuable to know.

I heard the same arguments for Japanese back in the late 80s/early 90s. I don't necessarily have a problem with Mandarin, but in terms of realistic practicality I know far more people who visit France and wish they had a working knowledge of French than people who visit their manufacturing plants in China. (And I AM very much in favor of Latin, but there is a shortage of teachers in that.)

There is also the question of how much realistically a middle school or high school student can learn of such a difficult language vs an easier language that would give greater fluency in the same time. It might be better for a student to become conversant or fluent in Spanish instead of a very superficial knowledge of Mandarin, which they could study with far greater intensity in college.

This just strikes me as a trendy PR choice that may not be the best use of resources. But if parents wanted it, that's fine. Did they survey Long parents and a demand for a Mandarin far outstripped other languages?

[Ramona72]

Originally Posted by Macbeth2003

For someone who doesn't live in Dallas, and hates it, and considers the Long/Woodrow area the ghetto, you sure spend a hell of a lot of time talking to insiders about it, researching it, posting about it. What feeds your desire to be an anti DISD, and old east Dallas/ Lakewood troll?

He's in a foreclosure in Forney. He can't afford a backyard shed in Lakewood. Don't mind him, he's just jealous.

[Macbeth2003]

Originally Posted by Ramona72

but in terms of realistic practicality I know far more people who visit France and wish they had a working knowledge of French than people who visit their manufacturing plants in China. (And I AM very much in favor of Latin, but there is a shortage of teachers in that.)

True, but a trip is an occasional thing, french is useless in a business environment. When my father lived in England and had to do business in France, business was almost always conducted in either English or German. The stagnation of French due to the relation son adopting new words rendered it impractical for international business, even when everyone in the room spoke it.

I agree Mandarin is probably too difficult a language to gain command of in Middle school, but If a student takes it in Middle school and through High school that is a 6 year background in it. Pretty good foundation.
As for surveying parents, I don't know. Sometimes it is good for a school to be in advance of parental wishes -bad as that might sound. Parental wishes in some districts would lead to not offering biology, or to teaching Spanish.
I remember a news story a few years back about some small district in Oklahoma dropping Spanish as it encouraged illegal immigration.
Still I suppose time will tell if this works out or not.

[Lakewooder]

I'm not privy to all the curriculum decisions but if you have questions I suggest you email the principal:dpetters@dallasisd.org

This is what IBO has to say: IB programmes are taught in English, French and Spanish

also "The IB publishes MYP curriculum documents in English, French, Spanish and Chinese"

[6am]

Originally Posted by Macbeth2003

Mandarin is a language that will be incredibly valuable to know.

couldn't agree more .
Two most populous countries can't be ignored. I believed English is a second official language taught in elementary school in India. In China, children are taught in Chinese and English is only a required subject for those attending colleges/university .

[jennifw]

Originally Posted by Macbeth2003

Mandarin is a language that will be incredibly valuable to know.

I agree with you, but my question remains if adding this program is the best use of resources at a school that already struggles with the academic ratings.

Originally Posted by Ramona72

There is also the question of how much realistically a middle school or high school student can learn of such a difficult language vs an easier language that would give greater fluency in the same time. It might be better for a student to become conversant or fluent in Spanish instead of a very superficial knowledge of Mandarin, which they could study with far greater intensity in college.

This just strikes me as a trendy PR choice that may not be the best use of resources. But if parents wanted it, that's fine. Did they survey Long parents and a demand for a Mandarin far outstripped other languages?

This is my question/thought also. Three years in middle school won't give the students a strong enough foundation to absorb it, in my opinion. If programs are combined with another high school at that level, how does that work? Are students bussed from one school to another? Does that mean a floating teacher between campuses? I guess the article in the Advocate leaves out a lot of details that might make this make more sense to me.

[Macbeth2003]

Originally Posted by jennifw

I agree with you, but my question remains if adding this program is the best use of resources at a school that already struggles with the academic ratings.

Ah, that may be a source of our differing opinions, I am - shall we say amply - on record as finding those academic ratings meaningless.

Originally Posted by jennifw

I guess the article in the Advocate leaves out a lot of details that might make this make more sense to me.

Yes, It would be nice to have more details on how the program is implemented overall.

[DFW_Mike]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

DFW_Mike: Is it your business in life to try to run down the schools in Lakewood? Obviously you don't understand a school that is not completely homogeneous.

Hey Woody.

"Business in life" is a interesting reference from a guy with 13,800 posts!

Please help me with the "not completely homogeneous" part. Lakewood schools seem to run ~ 70+% hispanic (my people!). Diversity?

While I have your attention. A brief review of the snapshots on this thread reveals quite a few white folks, even though they only represent about 15% of the school population. Just wanted to make sure it was an oversight. Ahem.

[debtex]

Originally Posted by dallas90210

Lakewoods schools are ghetto and not rated so great - particularly the middle and high schools. When you tell people they are good, you are flat out lying to them. There is a reason people who can afford it send their kids to private school in that area. LOL

To all the regulars - you know who you are. Please stop the bleeding on this. If you ignore Mike and 90210 (who are probably the same person) she/he/they will eventually get bored and move on. Until then, they are having fun stirring the pot, and ruining an otherwise lovely board.

Stop defending what doesn't need defending.