Chinese Summer School

Emma is losing her Chinese as quickly (or even more quickly) as she is learning English. I’m having a very difficult time getting her to speak Chinese with me. English is coming to her more naturally now. She really has to think before she remembers the words in Chinese. And most of the time it’s in Chinglish. It's funny how the first thing to go seems to be grammar. She would use Chinese in English word order. So sad… So, for the summer, I decided to put Evan and Emma in Chinese school in the morning, then they go to Montessori school in the afternoon. The summer session is just 8 weeks, one of which we’d be on vacation. I thought I could run over during my lunch hour to transport the kids from one school to the other. Not that I have high hopes that they would be fluent and be able to recite poems and use proverbs all the time. I was just hoping they would build a good foundation in the language.

Looking back, I am glad I made them do it. Not that it didn’t cause problems. Evan does not do well with changes. Chinese school used a more traditional setting, different from what he’s used to in Montessori school, but we thought it might be a good transition into full days of traditional class setting when they started public school. The Chinese school teachers were great with the kids, although they sure don't hold any punches when it comes to scolding the parents for one thing or another. 

They learned quite a bit over the summer. Evan can say a few sentences in Chinese now. And Emma has memorized this really long poem even though she has no idea what any of it means. They practiced writing several characters. I'm not sure how much they still remember or if they've given it all back to the teacher. 

First day of Chinese summer school

Writing Chinese characters

  

Here is Emma going on and on reciting the poem 弟子規入則孝.

There was a competition at the end of the summer. The teacher thought Emma had great potential to win it. Unfortunately, she came down with scarlet fever (strep throat) and didn’t do as well as she would have. That’s ok. Better luck next time. She’s got the loud voice for it.

This is the actual poem. It’s based on Confucius’s teaching on how one should behave in life as a person, a child, a brother or sister, a friend, etc. It is quite long.

Photo with the principal.

End of summer performance. It’s also to honor Chinese Father’s Day, which is August 8th. Grandma and Grandpa made their monkey tails. I helped too. I sewed the belly piece and the tail on their shirts. They both did really well. Emma is the loudest voice you hear. We were particularly pleasantly surprised by Evan’s participation. We were not sure how he was going to do, given he didn't want to participate during most practices and rehearsals.