Skip to main content

Make way for Mandarin

Yesterday I had a chance to pull up a seat at a level one Chinese class in our Upper School. What a gift these students are receiving with master teaching and only five students in an interactive classroom environment. Within minutes it became clear that the vast majority of the experience would take place in Chinese. Students were asked to play card games, and collaborate together to respond to different kinds of grammatical construction.

At one point, I made the mistake of asking how everyone learned to write so many characters. Given my own faults, I wondered how scary it would be to write Chinese characters with sloppy handwriting. Without asking, I was suddenly being thrust in front of the class to be taught how to write characters by one of our students. Having created something that I was told was legitimate; I am now a true believer that anyone can learn how to write Chinese.

One myth that hovers around Chinese instruction is that it is just way too hard. In fact, I think this is a major reason our enrollment levels are still fairly small in the Upper School (larger numbers are making their way up through the Middle School). I am here to tell you that Mandarin at Berwick is fun. Really. People are playing games, taking trips to Chinatown, and laughing as they try to create inflections in their vocal tones that are entirely foreign. All the while, I believe these students are learning a marketable skill that might open some unexpected opportunities for them in the future.

       
I hope you might get a chance to visit one of these classes and have a go at “Go Fish” in Mandarin. You might be lucky enough to get the fly swatter for a day. However wacky the experience might strike you, there is one thing I know for sure: you will certainly learn something.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

E.T.

I don’t think everyone is aware that for this period between Thanksgiving and Winter break, grade levels within the Middle School temporarily re-organize themselves to offer interdisciplinary learning experiences to break up the regular routine of class. This year, I was asked to participate in the “Machine Pilot” aspect of the seventh grade effort to explore the concept of extra-terrestrial life (E.T.). Seventh graders are asked to consider who, out of anyone on the planet, they would choose to send into outer space to interact with alien life forms and why. Our students are told they can literally choose any person on the planet, and the focus need not necessarily be someone with experience in space travel. In fact, they are asked to envision a pre-programmed ship with one seat, leaving them to consider not just technical skills but who would we want to represent human kind in this first interaction. They research, create resumes, write persuasive cover letters and are ultimately as
Post a Comment
Read more

The Campus as Mission

Yesterday, I was fortunate to spend an entire day with our board in retreat to discuss the future of Berwick Academy. The day included strategic conversations about the future of financial aid, innovation, and our amazing campus. In considering the strengths of the Berwick campus, almost everyone spoke to the remarkable quality of our main quad, the blend of old and new buildings, and the incredible open space we have to support our programs. There is an aura of learning and support on this campus that is clearly bolstered by the physical space and buildings. This sense will only be strengthened by the addition of the new Wellness Center next year. Looking ahead, there are still improvements to be made. Certainly parking is a concern, and we continue to dream about new facilities that might make the Berwick experience even more special for our students. One of the key insights that emerged from these conversations was the way in which the physical campus needs to reflect the
Post a Comment
Read more

Sugar Shack

Late April always brings the excitement of the BPC benefit, and I want to encourage the community to attend on April 28 at the Sheraton in Portsmouth. Certainly it is a fun way to gather and celebrate what makes BA so special, but it is also true that the funds raised through BPC help move our school forward in such compelling ways. Just this week I was reminded of this reality after I was invited to offer feedback to Krysta Ibsen’s eighth grade science project. As many of you know, Krysta has become famous for her Sugar Shack projects, which teach our kids aspects of science and entrepreneurship through the practice of making maple syrup. Clearly this is an example of student directed learning, where kids get to pursue individual interests within the broader educational construct. What I have always loved about the event is that it changes every year, and this year Krysta charged the kids to propose a real model for a permanent Sugar Shack we might build on campus someday. Kids
Post a Comment
Read more