Deux mille sept
If you didn't already know, I am so excited for the boys to be in French Immersion at school. From parents of kids previously in this school, their experience was nothing less than exciting, thrilling and amazing at the progress of their children. I was always happy for them, albeit a little skeptical.
Well, you know how we all are "My kid is the BEST at...!!!!"
Anyway, the boys were a little nervous about going to school in "French". They asked, "Why do we have to do that? It's going to be hard. It's going to be boring."
French Immersion in our school bard in Quebec is 85% French, 15% English.
I respect their concerns, I honestly did. I never told them, but it was always agreed between the Hubs and myself that should the language barrier ever jeopardize their academics, we'd switch them to an English school if need be.
As English as an "English" school gets in our school board in Quebec is 50% English, 50% French.
To date, nearing the end of our third full week of French Immersion, there have been no complaints. In fact little T now refuses to say "Goodbye" and only says "Au revoir". And when little B plays with his animals, they are often heard saying "Oh OUI OUI!" to each other.
I love it.
FFfffffffffzzzzzzzzzzzzwwwwwwwwwwwwtttttttttt!!! (that's the sound of fast-forwarding the story)
This morning T was looking at the calendar. He says, "On this calendar, it is deux mille sept."
I am gobsmacked. I ask, as I was certain I didn't really hear what I thought I did, "Pardon?"
"Mommy, this calendar is deux mille sept."
I erupt in excitement, hi-fives all around, hooting and hollering my pride for him.
He says, "Mommy, what's that in English?"
Music to my ears.
Well, you know how we all are "My kid is the BEST at...!!!!"
Anyway, the boys were a little nervous about going to school in "French". They asked, "Why do we have to do that? It's going to be hard. It's going to be boring."
French Immersion in our school bard in Quebec is 85% French, 15% English.
I respect their concerns, I honestly did. I never told them, but it was always agreed between the Hubs and myself that should the language barrier ever jeopardize their academics, we'd switch them to an English school if need be.
As English as an "English" school gets in our school board in Quebec is 50% English, 50% French.
To date, nearing the end of our third full week of French Immersion, there have been no complaints. In fact little T now refuses to say "Goodbye" and only says "Au revoir". And when little B plays with his animals, they are often heard saying "Oh OUI OUI!" to each other.
I love it.
FFfffffffffzzzzzzzzzzzzwwwwwwwwwwwwtttttttttt!!! (that's the sound of fast-forwarding the story)
This morning T was looking at the calendar. He says, "On this calendar, it is deux mille sept."
I am gobsmacked. I ask, as I was certain I didn't really hear what I thought I did, "Pardon?"
"Mommy, this calendar is deux mille sept."
I erupt in excitement, hi-fives all around, hooting and hollering my pride for him.
He says, "Mommy, what's that in English?"
Music to my ears.
posted by nancy at 8:39 PM
10 Comments:
Oh how very cool!
One of my younger brothers was put into French immersion when he started school (I was jealous as I had wanted to be enrolled, but the program only began the year my brother started school). I remember thinking how neat it was that he could speak yet another language so well -- not that he gets much use from it these days out here in the west.
Bravo! Bravo!
Am so proud of them too!
Living in a household where four languages flow around, I can attest to the fact that its pure enrichment for the kids :)
Clever little boys you have over there... of course, I'm not surprised in the least.
We're in one-week English, one week French for now, but I'm not sure how much is sinking in. After a year, Tristan still doesn't speak French spontaneously, but does remember random words.
I think around Grade 4 we make the decision to go immersion or not... and I keep vaccilating on how I feel about it. I'll be watching your guys to see how it goes!
P.S. Now that I think about it, I don't know that Tristan would have recognized "deux mille sept" in ENGLISH, let alone French. Now I'm really impressed!!!
very cool! I'm with Dani - Sarah wouldn't have gotten it in English yet, let alone French. We do get a few spontaneous French words, though - like you, I'm stunned when I hear them!
Very cool! Way to go, Tristan!
By the way, how lucky are kids these days, who only have to learn "deux mille sept" and not "mille neuf cent quatre-vingt quatorze", or similar dates from the old millenium? The 1970s, 80s and 90s were ugly in French!
tripleblessings
High Five Boys...Your rockin'now!
I'm pleased at the amount of French Nathan is picking up this year. And his french teacher says he is soaking it up like a sponge.
Yeah to Bilingualism!
And more!
I had no idea that English school was 50/50. Was certainly not like that when I went to grade school.
Our boy is in a school (English school board, too) that states that their program is bilingual. In kindy, that means three days in English (with French class, of course) and two days in French.
I wish I could boast the same results. When we try to engage him in a French conversation, he still says, "Stop speaking that crazy language!" LOL
Kudos to your boys!
Out of my four kids, two are in school. One was in immersion but we had to pull her out after gr. 2. My son is in gr.2 now, and is still in immersion. But he asks all the time when can we switch to English. Very disappointing for me.
Yay that your guys are doing so well! We are still working on a lot of the basics here in English though. He has it in French, but not English. Which is the one downside to 85% French/15% English at school. Not sure yet what we'll do with him.
But definitely good luck to your boys!!
Nancy...I must confess in the choas here of grade 4 and 3 starting and kindergarten for Lily ( with kindercare in the afternoons-like childcare on the school premises with 20 other little buddies)....I have not had the chance to check your blog ;-(
I just read your post on the 28th of August....I do sooo miss my grandmother, who in many ways I was much closer to than my mother...she passed away in 200o when Victoria (named after my papa) was 18 months and Chloe Mary (nanny- Mary) 2 1/2 (Lily not even a speckle in our hearts yet...but named after my great nanny) Who I KNOW Nanny would also have loved oh so much....you are right it is not fair.
Tonight Victoria was all worried about death ( a common 8 year old fear) and I promised her that I honestly believe that great Nanny and great Papa are together and we will all be together again too.
AND I really do believe this...if we don't believe then what is the point ??
I know that your mom is smiling down on your boys and she is sooo darn proud of the great mom you are....just like she was! As I know that my nanny sends her love and watches over me and mine each and every day =) Love you!! CA
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