Mandarin Immersion, Not Just For Chinese Communities

When it comes to bringing second language education to the mainstream, California has some catching up to do compared to Utah!

Utah Dual Immersion Video

Several years ago the state of Utah decided to make learning a second language a priority for schools across the state. Since then, they have been continuing to open more and more public dual immersion programs in Chinese, English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish. Students of all backgrounds and various native language abilities in Utah are learning second languages starting at the elementary level. In addition to giving children a concrete skill that better prepares them for the global economy, language immersion affords many well studied and understood cognitive benefits, including improved higher order critical thinking, memory, and problem solving. (Bialystok, Fergus, I.M., & Luk 2012)

Despite the actual results of the proven benefits shown by dual immersion programs, misconceptions about bilingual education have caused the opposite to happen in California. In 1998, Proposition 227 was passed in a misguided effort to improve how English-learning students are taught in public schools. As a result, many bilingual programs were eliminated across the state. 

“A vast body of research indicates that Proposition 227's core assertion — that English immersion is more successful than bilingual education — is simply wrong, according to many education experts.” 

“In a 2008 review of more than 500 studies on English-language learners, Stanford University education professor Claude Goldenberg wrote that one major consistent finding was that learning to read in a child's first language boosts reading achievement in the second language.” (Watanabe, 2011, para. 10,11) 

The MI program at John Gill will be one of several in the region helping to turn around the misconceptions and bring the benefits of bilingual education to children of all backgrounds. 

Our school district administrators are using the research and insight gained from Utah's experience, several MI programs throughout the bay area, as well as its own experience administering a successful Spanish Immersion program for the past decade to build the best possible curriculum for the MI program at John Gill.  

We hope this program can help broaden the options for language education in Redwood City as well as celebrate the diversity of our community. 

This could be your student speaking Mandarin, by next year!

Chinese Immersion Program in Minnetonka Elementary Schools

Bialystok, E., Fergus, I.M. C., and Luk, G. (April 2012). Bilingualism: consequences for mind and brain. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Vol. 16, No. 4.

Attend an upcoming MI@JG Info Session: 

8:30am on Wednesday 12/3 - Tour followed by MI Program Overview
11:00am on Sunday 12/7 - MI Program Overview + Q&A
8:30am on Wednesday 12/10 - Tour followed by MI Program Overview

All info sessions are held at 
John Gill Elementary School

555 Ave Del Ora, Redwood City, CA 94062 

For instructions to register, see the MI Registration Guide for Fall 2015.

Calling All 4 to 7 Year Olds

School registration for the 2015-2016 academic year is going on now in Redwood City!

Starting next fall, there are 28 openings per class for 3 grade levels: Transitional Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and first grade.

Check out our step-by-step instructions for registering: 
MI Registration Guide for Fall of 2015

Got a question? See the FAQ page for answers.
 
If you missed the last Mandarin Immersion Program information session, not to worry. Another information session will be held in early December.

Sunday, Dec 7th
Mandarin Immersion Info Session
John Gill Elementary School 
Time TBA

Join our email list for updates and announcements.
Join the MIIRWC Parents Group if you are available now to work on projects and volunteer time to help get the program started.

Program Approved and School Registration Starts Soon

Firstly, a big thank you to all that attended the School Board meeting on Wednesday evening! Many families turned out to support the official vote to approve the Mandarin Immersion K-8 program. Thank you to all that stood up to speak to the board and share your interests and concerns. We're off to a great start!

Secondly, Transitional Kindergarten, Kindergarten and First Grade registration begins in early November. Below are some important dates to mark on your calendar and additional information about the program.

Tuesday, November 4th 
6PM - 7:30PM
Open House at John Gill Elementary School
555 Ave Del Ora, Redwood City, CA 94062 
- 6:00pm Campus Tour
- 7:00pm to 7:30pm Learn more details about the MI program from the school Principal and curriculum developers
- 7:30pm to 8:30pm Tentative MIIRWC Parents Group working session (meeting location to be confirmed)
- This is a good opportunity to meet the school administrators and future schoolmates' families
- Children are welcome and childcare is provided from 6-7:30pm (so if you are staying for the parents group working session it would be best for there be someone else to take your child home if he/she gets sleepy.)
- To attend the tour and more details on the meeting place visit the school website

Saturday, November 8th 
9AM-1PM
At your assigned Redwood City neighborhood school
Pre-Registration* for Kindergarten and Transitional Kindergarten

November 10th to January 9th
9AM-4PM, Mon-Fri
Redwood City School District Office 
750 Bradford Street, Redwood City
Priority Registration* for Kindergarten and Transitional Kindergarten

*Registering during Pre or Priority Registration ensures that you will find out your child's kindergarten placement or waitlist number by February 27, 2015

Cut-off Dates: Your child must be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2015 to register for kindergarten in 2015-16.  Students may register for Transitional Kindergarten (TK) if they turn 5 years old between September 2, 2015 and December 2, 2015.

For step-by-step instructions for in and out-of-district residents, see the MI Registration Guide for Fall of 2015.
 
Most current information regarding the MIIRWC program:

John Gill Mandarin Immersion is from kindergarten to 5th grade. 
Kennedy Middle School will offer Mandarin Immersion classes from 6th to 8th grade.

There will be 1 class for kindergarten and 1 class for first grade to start. Should there be enough interest, they will open the program to 2 classes for each grade and possibly a Transitional Kindergarten class.

The percentage of Chinese - English instruction (i.e., the amount of time subjects are taught in Chinese or English) in each grade is the following:
K-1st grade: 80% Chinese, 20% English
2nd grade: 70% Chinese, 30% English
3rd grade: 60% Chinese, 40% English
4-5th grade: 50% Chinese, 50% English
6-8th grade: 20% Chinese, 80% English

This Mandarin Immersion program will teach simplified Chinese characters. Parents that are interested in supplementing the program with instruction in traditional Chinese characters may participate in the PTO to make that happen.

At this time, there is no Mandarin Immersion program after school. However, all students can sign up for John Gill's existing after school program. 

Parents interested in having an after school MI program, hiring teacher aides, enrichment programs (such as instruction in traditional Chinese characters, art/music/sports, or anything else beneficial to the students), etc. are encouraged to join the MIIRWC Parents Group. We are hoping to merge with the existing John Gill PTO ASAP to start working with the school to implement these supplemental programs by the start of class in Fall 2015.


Sign up to join the MIIRWC Parents Group!


 

Official Start for MIIRWC 号外号外，正式开始

Two important things you must attend THIS WEEK...

School Board Meeting: Official Vote for MIIRWC
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
6:45pm ~ 7:45pm
750 Bradford St., Redwood City
*Childcare is provided*

Show Your SUPPORT One big reason the school board wants to move forward with the MIIRWC program because the community, YOU, asked for it. This includes residents of San Carlos, Menlo Park, Belmont, Redwood Shores, and surrounding communities. Please, please, please find a way to stop by this meeting to show them that this community is ready and eager for the program to begin.

Put in Your 2 CENTS What do you want for the MIIRWC program? Transitional Kindergarten? After School Programs? Art and Music? Any attendee can come up to speak to the board. Just fill out a card when you arrive at meeting.

Here is Your Chance to Say THANK YOU Just about everyone we have come across in working on this project has told us that we have one of the most supportive, open-minded, forward-thinking school boards in the history of starting MI programs. Let's set the foundation for a meaningful long-lasting partnership as we work toward creating a fantastic MIIRWC program!


Kindergarten Information Meeting
Thursday, October 23, 2014
6pm to 8pm
McKinley Middle School Auditorium
400 Duane St., Redwood City
*Childcare is provided*

If you are interested in enrolling your child in Kindergarten or Transitional Kindergarten (TK) in Fall of 2015, attend this meeting for details on registration procedures and deadlines. (The school district will implement a Mandarin Immersion TK if there is sufficient enrollment.) Representatives and/or information will be provided for all the schools of choice, including the future MIIRWC program.

Kindergarten Cut-off Dates for 2015-16:
Your child must be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2015 to register for Kindergarten in 2015-16.  Students may register for Transitional Kindergarten (TK) if they turn 5 years old between September 2, 2015 and December 2, 2015.

This information and more details are available at the school district website.   

天时， 地利，人和 -- Right Time, Right Place, Right People

Almost a year ago, we started on this journey with the hopes of making available some form of a Mandarin language program in Redwood City. Since then, we have spent countless hours planning, writing, designing, emailing, researching, interviewing, sometimes even going door-to-door to reach out to the community. We have had many conversations, discussions, and meetings with parents, educators, administrators, and fellow MIP organizers throughout the Bay Area. In reward for this hard work, we really could not have asked for a better time and place for this group of talented and committed individuals to come together to make this project a reality. A perfect example of 天时 地利 人和.

At last Wednesday night's School Board meeting, the School Board gave its nod of approval to establish a K-8 (and maybe even K-12) Mandarin Immersion Program in Redwood City Public Schools! We are certainly on our way to making this real!

"Mandarin Two-Way Immersion Program" was second on the agenda that night. After presenting the benefits of bilingualism and recommendations on program implementation, curriculum, and admission, the School Board responded with a few questions and supportive comments. A dozen or so parents and children were in attendance and the lobby was abuzz with excitement afterward. With the School Board's approval, the Superintendent's office can now officially start planning and set a timeline to start a MIP in fall of 2015.

A HUGE thanks to everyone involved! Thank you for your continued support!

There is more work ahead of us to put a brand new program in place. The school district as well as our parent group have expressed mutual interest in working together as we move forward. We're looking to form sort of a "pre-" Parent Teacher Association to help the Superintendent's office in whatever way we can to make a great MIP for our students. We're calling it the Mandarin Immersion In Redwood City (MIIRWC) Parents Group. Please email if you are interested in joining!

Meeting with Superintendent on 中秋节

Hope everyone had some moon cake for 中秋节, Mid-Autumn Festival!

Another good reason to celebrate Monday, September 8th is because we had a very productive meeting with the superintendent, several staff, and members of our task force. After spending the last few months researching and writing, we submitted a proposal to the superintendent's office in late August. As it turns out the proposal was well received and the superintendent's office has already started working on it!

The plan is to get the school board's approval to start an elementary level Mandarin Immersion program in fall of 2015! 
Please support this program by coming to the School Board meeting on September 24th (see below) and sending emails to the board to share your story and thoughts. They read all the emails.

We met with Superintendent Jan Christensen, Deputy Superintendent John Baker, and Director of English Learner Services Linda Montes. The fact that the Superintendent is in support of the cause and has a plan in place is a huge step in the right direction. We are excited they will be suggesting the following plan to the board on September 24th.

LOCATION: Mandarin Immersion program will be sited at John Gill Elementary School, which has seen a decline in enrollment but is undergoing a revitalization process with the support of Innovate Public Schools.

GRADES: John Gill is K-5, but the district is committed to continue the MI program through 8th grade at John F Kennedy Middle School and possibly at the high school level through to the 12th grade! Currently, Woodside High School offers a Chinese language program. The hope is that other high schools in the district may offer Chinese classes in a few years.

CLASSES: 2 kindergarten and 2 first grade classes starting in fall of 2015. They may even consider a Transitional Kindergarten class for children born between September 2, 2010 - December 1, 2010 (inclusive) if there is sufficient demand.

CURRICULUM: Most likely the classes will be taught 50% in Mandarin and 50% in English to allow more non-native speaking students to join. Dr. Montes will continue her research by visiting other Bay Area Mandarin Immersion programs to determine the best curriculum model for this program.

ENROLLMENT: Redwood City residents will have priority. The remaining spaces will be by lottery for other district students.
 
TIMELINE: Assuming the board approves the plan, the timeline will be:

        Nov. 2014 - Student recruitment; Kindergarten registration

        Dec. 2014 - School of choice selection

        Feb. 2015 - Notification to families of placement

        Mar. 2015 - Teacher hiring

        April/May 2015 - Determination of curriculum, assessment methods

        June 2015 - Teachers attending the Immersion Conference

HOW YOU CAN HELP: The Task Force and other interested parents will work with the district on recruitment, teacher hiring, curriculum development, and other areas. Please provide any information you may have on affordable housing, because rental costs are a really big issue for teachers right now. Once your child is enrolled into the program, you can volunteer with fundraising through the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), which is a nonprofit organization formed by parents, teachers, and school staff. All funds that we raise would be earmarked for the Mandarin Immersion program, and could be used for hiring after school teachers and organizing enrichment programs such as art and dance, books for take home reading, etc.

Drs. Montes and Baker were instrumental in initiating and administering the successful Adelante Spanish Immersion School. Having them work on the MIP is incredibly helpful. We are very fortunate to have seasoned administrators to facilitate the complex process of starting a brand new program. We look forward to working together and making the program a success!

 
Next Event: Board of Education Regular Meeting
Date and Time: Wednesday September 24th at 7pm
Location: 750 Bradford Street, Redwood City

Dr. Baker will be presenting the plan on implementing the Mandarin Immersion Program to the Board, initializing the formal process of seeking board approval. They will try to place the MI presentation as the first item on the agenda. The final agenda will be posted on the Redwood City School District website a few days prior to the meeting (by September 22nd).

Please come to the meeting to learn more details and show your support!  NOTE: Children are welcome; just be sure that you or someone from your family can look after them.

We Made the News

WE MADE THE NEWS(letter)! 

In a recent school newsletter addressed to parents of John Gill Elementary School, the Superintendent made several announcements which included the following:

"A Mandarin Immersion strand at the school is also a possibility, as a group of parents in the community are asking for this program."

A "group of parents" -- that's us! Looks like we're headed in the right direction. Next step is presenting a proposal to the Superintendent in early September and then hopefully the school board soon after. Thanks for everyone's continued help and support. Let's keep this ball rolling!