Mr E::: Chinese and Art

After sulking and feeling quite down in my previous post, today, who else but my dear Mr E made me feel so motivated in this homeschool journey.

Chinese

Well, I have been struggling with this big time!  I can’t seem to get Mr E interested or motivated.  I visited another fellow homeschool mum a few weeks ago, and recall seeing a reward chart and asking her about it.  Well, I implemented this on Mr E. 

Every new Chinese term he knows earn him a stamp.  If he knows and can even write, that earns him 2 stamps.  Every 10 stamps earn him an ice-cream.  20 stamps earn him a simple gift of his choice (my budget.)

This works!!!  In just this last 2 weeks, he has collected 14 stamps (got his ice-cream today), and can even recognise Chinese numerals from 1 to 12!  He got so motivated that he kept memorising the Chinese terms for flower, trees and grass for the whole day long today so that he can get 3 stamps at 1 go!

Well, some may not agree with reward system.  I am one who is careful about it.  But for Chinese, I really come to the end, and have no other choice. It works! So, why not?!

Art

Was on our way home from in-law’s place, and talking about what we can bring tomorrow so that he can be kept occupied while I will be busy baking the cookies.  I suggested his Sketch book and said he can draw all the trees, flowers, grasses, etc.  His reply enthusiastically:

“Yes!! I love drawing.”

Erm, this is coming from a boy who wasn’t that interested in drawing previously.  Why the sudden change?  Hee hee… will give the answer in my next post soon.

“Mr E, thank you so much.  You have no idea how much you have done to lift up my spirit.  Today, you have made all the tiredness seem so worth it!”

(Having said that, I still do need to try to do less.)

A Glimpse of Efforts Paid

Since Ethan’s birth, I had been placing little emphasize on Mandarin.  Not because I don’t want to, not because I dislike, its simply: I didn’t put in any effort.

I only started to do more about it since 4 months ago.  Everytime when planning the Chinese part of the school, I try to make it fun so that he will grow to like the language.  I do not expect him to love it, but at least, don’t hate it.

Today, when we were lunching at a coffee shop, he pointed at the shop name and said:

“Mummy, that is 大 .”

I was shock, surprise, happy, contented, delighted, proud, etc, etc… Everything that feels good.  Also praised him a lot, to encourage him.

Great! All the time and efforts put in to teach Chinese is worth it.  This is really a big encouragement for me to keep it going, that it is not too late, that I must not give up.

Thank God for wisdom, strength, guidance, and what happened today.

Phonics /p/ : Blending & Decoding

I’m proud of Ethan, extremely proud.  By the end of the week, he was able to read the decodable book.

With 2 consonents and 1 vowels learnt, this week was the first week when Ethan started learning to blend and decode words.  It wasn’t easy for him cos it was something that was very new.  But his strength in sounding the beginning and ending alpha, and his HF words helped made it easier.

I could also see that he was trying very very hard, and I’m proud of his efforts.  Even if he was not able to read the book, the efforts itself was commendable. 

By Friday, though slow, but he managed to reading the 8 pages book independently with little help.

“Well done Ethan.  Mummy is VERY proud of you, and I know you are also proud of yourself.  Most importantly, I know you tried.”