Translation Model

translation.rb

# pseudocode
# assuming message is set by the teacher, and isn't stored on a 1-1 message/parent basis
# but a 1 message - many parents basis

class Message < ActiveRecord::Base
  has_many :translations
  
  def translated_message(language_code='en')
    translation = translations.where(language_code: language_code).first
    if translation
      return translation
    else
      GoogleTranslate.conver(message)
    end
    
  end
end

class Translation < ActiveRecord::Base
  belongs_to :message
  
  validates :language_code, in: LANGUAGE_CODES
end

# So in the controller, we can just ask the message for the right text to send:
@message.translated_message(parent.language_code)

# I think we would also benefit from breaking out language codes into its own domain table,
# since there at max only a couple hundred of em. Then we can just point all the other models at these,
# and ask questions like, "give me all the messages in spanish" or whatever table points to it

class Language < ActiveRecord::Base
  # code
  # name
end

# might be a more standard setup for above domain table