OT: bilingual preschool and costs

[kinntj]

I'm interested in sending my DD's to a bilingual immersion preschool starting this fall. This class will have Chinese taught in the morning for 2 1/2 hours and English in the afternoon (regular preschool) ran through the city. The program sounds very good and has done well in cities like Portland OR. They want to eventually open this up to K-6th grade, but no guarantees.

Now the question comes down to money...which I know you're all so good about on here.

The cost for this school is $350 a month just for the Chinese enrichment for 2 1/2 hours. It would cost $700 for the Chinese/English class which runs from 9 am - 3:30pm.

To try to make this work we have been thinking about how to make the payments or if we want to.
1. we put away about $700 into savings every month (per DH) so at least the $350 would only be 1/2 of that and for 3 years is not too bad.
2. the drive to this city is 20-25 minutes each way with a 2 year old. Makes it hard to go back and forth with only a 2 1/2 hour class.

What would you do if you were me and wanted to give this opportunity to your kids?

 

[Littlemotherhaywood]

That's a lot for preschool (Chinese immersion or not), but it sounds like a good program. Is your child three or four years old? I think a six hour preschool program sounds like a long time. Around here even the four/five programs are only three hours. Are they going to be teaching the same things in both sessions? Even if it's in Chinese, your child is still likely to "get" it and you may not need to enroll them in the English part. As far as how to afford it, I don't know about that. I know that preschool for my dd in a very reputable and good preschool was only $95 a month and included gymnastics, sign language, and kindermusik in the curriculum. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Edited because I just saw that your child is two. That's really young for a six hour program imo. Is the child normally in daycare or home with you? I think the best opportunity we can afford our children is ourselves. My dd went to one year of preschool and was always home with me and she entered Kindergarten a year early and is several levels ahead of her classmates on a variety of subjects. I didn't make every day about teaching, I just followed her interests and that led us to where she is.

 

[kinntj]

My DD is 3 almost 4 and she would get in one year. My youngest DD is 2 and still home with me and could go 2007 school year when she turns 3 and then she would go for 2 years.

Yes, the two teachers teach the same thing. It's not a structured class, it's more of a homeschooling setting. The kids will get on a topic and then see where the conversation leads them. Of course all in Chinese in the 1st class.

I was thinking the same on just doing the 2 1/2 hours and then have them learn some things at home with me the rest of the day.

I guess I worry too much.

 

[Littlemotherhaywood]

Okay, I am so blind. I can see in your siggy that you have two dd's, lol. I'm sorry. It's natural to worry. That's what us moms do Just follow your intuition and you can't go wrong.

 

[GracieA7]

There is an immersion school where I live that costs $520/month for 5 days a week for 5 hours per day. However, they also offer 2 or 3 day programs ($245 for 2, $335 for 3). You might want to ask the school if they offer options other than 5 days. That's a lot of driving!

One of my friends sent her DD to privatge school where she learned 2 foreign languages. Then she switched to public school a few years ago and has lost most of her skill in the languages since she does not use them regularly - so that's another point to consider.

After talking to her I decided not to send my 4-year old DS to the school, but found a church pre-school (where the teachers are actually degreed teachers with very low teacher turnover) that teaches some foreign language as part of their curriculum. It's $170 per month for 3 half-days per week and follows the 'regular' school calendar.

 

[Samar]

Quick question? Do you speak Chinese at home as well or are you putting her in the program so she can learn a new language?

Just asking before I add my .02 I am long winded some days

 

[kinntj]

My DH speaks just a teeny tiny bit of Mandarin, but not enough to always speak it in the home. Dh tends to pick up foreign languages quite easily, as me, It takes alot longer.

So we are generally sending her to learn a new language. This will be her heritage language, though. She is from China, so there's more to it then just a language out there for her to learn. She'll also be learning Chinese culture and writing as well.

Hope that helps before you reply.

 

[sk!mom]

I wouldn't pay so much for a pre-school. If she will not really be using the Chinese then I'm not sure that she will retain much.

 

[Webbie]

IMHO 2 is too young to be shipped off to pre-school all day long. We have become a society of overbooking our children. They need some down time and being in school everyday at age 2 they will never get that time.

 

[kinntj]

Ok, let me re word myself here.

I would only send DD's to this school when they hit 3 years of age. My 2 year old won't go next year. NO WAY! Could you imagine sending two kids at the same time to a preschool that costs that much? Not me.

Plus, I would most likely only do the 2 1/2 hour enrichment class and skip the English portion. She gets enough of that at home.

My 3 year old will be 4 next school year anyway, since her birthday is next month.

Sorry for not explaining it better in the OP.

 

[Samar]

My DH speaks just a teeny tiny bit of Mandarin, but not enough to always speak it in the home. Dh tends to pick up foreign languages quite easily, as me, It takes alot longer.

So we are generally sending her to learn a new language. This will be her heritage language, though. She is from China, so there's more to it then just a language out there for her to learn. She'll also be learning Chinese culture and writing as well.

Hope that helps before you reply.

Oh I think that's wonderful that you're doing it for cultural enrichment And for those posters who think it won't be useful, I do believe it's the most spoken language in the world. Also a business bonus too in the corporate world. Anyways, I think doing just the Chinese class for a few hours and skipping the English part is a good idea because you can just teach her the equivalent at home.

Hope she enjoys it!

 

[kinntj]

Thanks for the replies!