Parents Keep Asking the Wrong Questions at Open House

Open house moves fast.

Maybe you get ten minutes with each teacher. Maybe a little longer. Either way, by the time everyone sits down, introduces themselves, and gets settled, the conversation is almost over.

So parents try to make the most of it.

"How much homework do you give?"

"Do you offer extra credit?"

"Is this class hard?"

Those are fair questions.

They just aren't the questions I'd ask.

I'd want to know whether my child is actually in the right class.

That question is much harder to answer than looking at last year's report card.

When a parent tells me their child earned an A in Spanish, I don't automatically assume they're ready for the next course.

My first question is usually, "Where did they take Spanish?"

Middle school Spanish and high school Spanish can look very different. Even within the same school district, teachers emphasize different skills and set different expectations.

An A tells me a student was successful in one classroom.

It doesn't necessarily tell me what they can do in Spanish.

Can they understand spoken Spanish without translating every sentence into English?

Can they tell me what they did over the weekend without writing it down first?

Can they stay in Spanish for thirty seconds if someone asks a few follow-up questions?

Those answers tell me much more than a letter grade.

Another question I'd ask has nothing to do with school.

How much Spanish does your child hear when they aren't in Spanish class?

For most students, the answer is very little.

That's a problem.

Fifty minutes a day isn't enough to develop real proficiency in another language.

Language learning doesn't stop when class ends.

Students who make the most progress usually find ways to keep Spanish in their lives outside of school. They listen to music. They watch a series. They follow Spanish-speaking creators. They read articles about topics that interest them.

No, I don't think Duolingo is the answer.

Exposure to real Spanish used by real people has always been far more valuable.

One last thought.

Parents sometimes assume success in Spanish comes from more homework.

I don't.

I'd rather see ten minutes of meaningful exposure every day than another worksheet completed just to say it was done.

Homework has a purpose, but it's only one piece of language acquisition.

If you only have ten minutes with your child's Spanish teacher this year, don't spend all of them talking about homework or extra credit.

Spend them finding out whether your child is in the right class, what they'll actually be expected to do, and what your family can do to support language learning outside of school.

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Not sure whether your child is ready for AP Spanish or IB Spanish? Book a Free Spanish Readiness Check.

https://www.spanishthatclicks.com/free-readiness-check

I’ll evaluate your student’s current proficiency, discuss placement options, and help you determine whether they’re ready for the next level.

Jay Rowsey is an IB Spanish educator with 24+ years of experience, regularly invited to examine for the International Baccalaureate Organization, and the founder of Spanish That Clicks, where he coaches learners and supports Spanish teachers with resources built around real proficiency, not just good grades.