Faith Hope Love

For Summer School... Joyce enrolled both kids into a Mandarin Summer Camp.  I didn't do any research and have no idea what this camp does.  But c'mon.... SW didn't know English but he picked it up so quickly and efficiently.  How hard can it be??

First day... I go and pick them up.  The two of them ran towards me.  And said, "Bah-B.  好悶呀。 聽唔明佢講乜."   And the more they told me... the more doubt I had that this place is good for the kids.  How do they expect non-speakers to learn? By just sitting there??  You can't absorb a new language by sitting there and listening... you need to teach!!

Monday night... I had a long discussion with Joyce.  Maybe this isn't the right fit.  This is a Mandarin Summer School.  It isn't a summer school that teaches Mandarin.  She convinced me to give it a try, at least for a week.

The second day... when I picked them up... the kids were a bit happier.  There were some games today.  I stayed after and grilled the teacher.   After talking to her... she really settled me down.  There a couple of youth in there that translated.  She specifically said they don't teach pinyin or writing because it's meaningless for them in such a short period of time.  And kids will pick it up through conversation.

The part that took it over the top... was during my conversation with the teacher... SW actually responded and chimed in.  OMG.... he understood some of it.  And he can speak it well.

Day after day... the kids come back happier and happier.  They're looking forward to Chinese School.  Today... the teacher showed me a video recording of them reciting a poem on stage... in Mandarin!!  To my untrained ears, I thought SW had the better pronunciation.  But the teacher applauded NN for having the right inflection and also the proper attitude to strive to learn.

So proud of my kids.... they'll do just fine.  It's their dad who worries too much...