Comments on: On compromise and chinese school http://american-family.org/2006/09/12/on-compromise-and-chinese-school/ Tue, 22 May 2012 16:25:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: American Family » Chinese School San Sui (year three?) http://american-family.org/2006/09/12/on-compromise-and-chinese-school/comment-page-1/#comment-94480 American Family » Chinese School San Sui (year three?) Tue, 14 Oct 2008 03:13:13 +0000 http://american-family.org/2006/09/12/on-compromise-and-chinese-school/#comment-94480 [...] posts plugin, but if you are interested here they are:  Chinese school year one posts: one, two, three, four, five and six. Chinese school year two posts: one, [...] [...] posts plugin, but if you are interested here they are:  Chinese school year one posts: one, two, three, four, five and six. Chinese school year two posts: one, [...]

]]> By: American Family » Chinese school Year Deux http://american-family.org/2006/09/12/on-compromise-and-chinese-school/comment-page-1/#comment-52668 American Family » Chinese school Year Deux Mon, 27 Aug 2007 16:44:37 +0000 http://american-family.org/2006/09/12/on-compromise-and-chinese-school/#comment-52668 [...] A very predictable argument followed in which I reminded Mr. A that it is his fault that we mess with Chinese school in the first place.   I also reminded him that we had already revisited our committment Chinese school about a month ago when I filled out and sent in the registration form. [...] [...] A very predictable argument followed in which I reminded Mr. A that it is his fault that we mess with Chinese school in the first place.   I also reminded him that we had already revisited our committment Chinese school about a month ago when I filled out and sent in the registration form. [...]

]]> By: JessiCArloShirley http://american-family.org/2006/09/12/on-compromise-and-chinese-school/comment-page-1/#comment-38377 JessiCArloShirley Thu, 29 Mar 2007 23:11:15 +0000 http://american-family.org/2006/09/12/on-compromise-and-chinese-school/#comment-38377 I convinced my mom to let me quit Chinese school for three years. After those 3 years, my mom bribed me to go back to Chinese school for about 2 years. When those 2 years passed, I was enjoying going to Chinese school every week and was extremely passionate about learning. I'm on youtube listening to Chinese music and trying to sing along with the KTV songs uploaded and typing Chinese on forums now. Knowing Chinese is a wonderful gift, not just because it helps you connect with your external family, but because it makes you feel more connected with yourself. Also, if you do begin gaining interest in Chinese, those long years in school make everything seem worthwhile (though I never paid attention, so I'm sort of regretting it now..) I convinced my mom to let me quit Chinese school for three years. After those 3 years, my mom bribed me to go back to Chinese school for about 2 years. When those 2 years passed, I was enjoying going to Chinese school every week and was extremely passionate about learning. I’m on youtube listening to Chinese music and trying to sing along with the KTV songs uploaded and typing Chinese on forums now.

Knowing Chinese is a wonderful gift, not just because it helps you connect with your external family, but because it makes you feel more connected with yourself.
Also, if you do begin gaining interest in Chinese, those long years in school make everything seem worthwhile (though I never paid attention, so I’m sort of regretting it now..)

]]> By: Mimi http://american-family.org/2006/09/12/on-compromise-and-chinese-school/comment-page-1/#comment-3166 Mimi Mon, 18 Sep 2006 19:16:36 +0000 http://american-family.org/2006/09/12/on-compromise-and-chinese-school/#comment-3166 This was such an interesting post! I struggle with the bilingual thing on a daily basis. I grew up speaking Mandarin at home and had to endure Saturday morning Chinese school. I hate to say that I was lazy and an unmotivated student since I knew there was no immediate consequences to not knowing boh poh moh foh. I was more concerned about what was being served at the potluck lunch. That being said, I never regret being able to speak Mandarin. It has served me more than I deserve. It gives an intimacy between me and my parents that I didn't expect--especially coming out of a not so physically affectionate family. I've been able to help people who were lost. And I was able to build relationships with Chinese people in the strangest parts of the world--Nigeria for instance. Did I mention that I was lazy? My daughter spends most of her time during the work week with her nanny who speaks to her solely in Mandarin. I hope some of it is rubbing off. She can't really speak yet--she is only 17 mos. But when I come home, I fight the urge to speak English and try to inflect in more Chinese. But did I mention that I was lazy. So code switching is tough for this girl after a long day at the office. So what are forward thinking and Chinese proud parents to do? I had thought of sending her off to some place in China to struggle like I did when I was a teenager. But that seems like a difficult way. I'm hoping to learn good tips from other Chinese families though. This was such an interesting post! I struggle with the bilingual thing on a daily basis. I grew up speaking Mandarin at home and had to endure Saturday morning Chinese school. I hate to say that I was lazy and an unmotivated student since I knew there was no immediate consequences to not knowing boh poh moh foh. I was more concerned about what was being served at the potluck lunch.

That being said, I never regret being able to speak Mandarin. It has served me more than I deserve. It gives an intimacy between me and my parents that I didn’t expect–especially coming out of a not so physically affectionate family. I’ve been able to help people who were lost. And I was able to build relationships with Chinese people in the strangest parts of the world–Nigeria for instance.

Did I mention that I was lazy? My daughter spends most of her time during the work week with her nanny who speaks to her solely in Mandarin. I hope some of it is rubbing off. She can’t really speak yet–she is only 17 mos. But when I come home, I fight the urge to speak English and try to inflect in more Chinese. But did I mention that I was lazy. So code switching is tough for this girl after a long day at the office.

So what are forward thinking and Chinese proud parents to do? I had thought of sending her off to some place in China to struggle like I did when I was a teenager. But that seems like a difficult way.

I’m hoping to learn good tips from other Chinese families though.

]]> By: Margie http://american-family.org/2006/09/12/on-compromise-and-chinese-school/comment-page-1/#comment-3161 Margie Fri, 15 Sep 2006 21:36:18 +0000 http://american-family.org/2006/09/12/on-compromise-and-chinese-school/#comment-3161 My kids are Korean, both are in their teens. Neither speaks enough Korean to carry on a conversation, but both have learned at least a few words and phrases. Our son (who's 17) is interested in learning Japanese now, and our daughter is taking Chinese (after having gone through a Spanish immersion program through 7th grade). In their cases and in our community, neither has felt excluded from their Korean friends because they lack the language, because not all of their friends speak Korean either. I share this to maybe alleviate some of the fear that a lack of language translates into exclusion from our children's ethnic communities here. My kids are Korean, both are in their teens. Neither speaks enough Korean to carry on a conversation, but both have learned at least a few words and phrases. Our son (who’s 17) is interested in learning Japanese now, and our daughter is taking Chinese (after having gone through a Spanish immersion program through 7th grade).

In their cases and in our community, neither has felt excluded from their Korean friends because they lack the language, because not all of their friends speak Korean either. I share this to maybe alleviate some of the fear that a lack of language translates into exclusion from our children’s ethnic communities here.

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