Total Immersion

We went to our first toddler Chinese class today. We picked up DP from work on the way there, mainly so I would have some backup in a new place; she won't go every week. There were only 3 kiddos in the class--our two and then this very blond white girl with whom I could only describe as a Chinese nanny in addition to her very proper, upperclass Connecticut white grandmother in tow. I think there is supposed to be one other child.

The "Lao Shi," or teacher, spoke almost completely in Mandarin, using props and pointing to encourage the kids. First we talked about panda bears, "xiong mao," even making little stick puppets to wave as we sang our panda song to the tune of "Frere Jacques." The teacher acted it out, but it was only afterwards that DP told me we were singing something like "Panda Bear, Panda Bear, walk, walk, walk, walk, has black ears and a black tail, doesn't it look strange?" There was a stuffed panda, and we said "ni hao" (hello) and shook hands, practicing "ni hao" with each other, the Lao Shi, and the panda. We also tossed a ball back and forth and said hello. Then we learned about "xiao mao," or little cat and petted the stuffed one, saying "ni hao." There was also a kitten song, but I don't remember the tune or the words.

Which is why it is children, not full grown adults, who should learn languages!

Our kids were pretty quiet, actually quite shy and unresponsive. DD quietly whispered "ni hao" and "xai jian," or goodbye, a few times. Not DS, who by the end of it was, I think, so overwhelmed and exhausted (we'd been up since 5--they're getting ready for the time change--ugh--and no, it's not our idea) that he would just say no when Lao Shi would try to get him to talk. But then, it took us weeks to warm up to our library music teacher. In our defense, the little blonde girl, even though she seemed to recognize more Chinese, was trying to get out the door before we were!

All in all, I really liked the class. I am having trouble remembering the correct pronounciations of the few words we learned today (mainly because I was trying so hard to remember what certain words meant), but enjoyed hearing the teacher speak non-stop in Mandarin. I still don't hear the different tones, but maybe that will come in time. DP thinks so. And of course, it certainly will for the kiddos.

Which is the whole idea.

Xai jian!