Today in my piano class, 2 boys, 8 and 9.
The boy reminded me so much of Daniel, his quirky personality, his smile and his logic. Made me LOL never fail.
Anyways, while he was writing his work, he suddenly asked, "今天还是农历7月吗？”
I didn't register what he was asking, for children do not usually ask if it's still the 7th month of the Chinese calendar (ghost month).
The boy sitting opposite him replied bluntly, “不是，今天8月初一了咯。。。”
I broke out into LOL on the spot.
Then I realized what I've gotten myself into. From an English teacher, working with children from very diversed background, here, the children are very Chinese Chinese. I shall need some time to adjust to these...
Showing posts with label Conversations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Conversations. Show all posts
Last week in our kindergarten class, we learned about the lifecycle of a butterfly.
This week we talked about animal babies.
Me: What are baby dogs called?
Dan: I know I know, puppy!
Me: What about baby cats?
Dan: I know! Kitten!
By this time, Leah is getting very frustrated because she didn't get the answers first, being super duper competitive,
Me: What about butterflies?
Leah: Butter!
This week we talked about animal babies.
Me: What are baby dogs called?
Dan: I know I know, puppy!
Me: What about baby cats?
Dan: I know! Kitten!
By this time, Leah is getting very frustrated because she didn't get the answers first, being super duper competitive,
Me: What about butterflies?
Leah: Butter!
ChinChin
One morning, Brandon (3), came up to me and started his daily unique/random/interesting conversations.
Brandon: Teacher KC, do you know what is chinChin? (It sounded like some Chinese word but I had no idea what he's talking about)
Me: No, I don't know what is chinChin.
After like the 10th time asking me,
Brandon: Teacher KC, do you know what is chinChin?
Me: I don't know what is chinChin, but I know what is 青青河边草.
Brandon: Hahaha, 青青河边草? You say Mandarin. Hahaha you are so talkative.
Me: (o.O)?
Brandon: Teacher KC, do you know what is chinChin? (It sounded like some Chinese word but I had no idea what he's talking about)
Me: No, I don't know what is chinChin.
After like the 10th time asking me,
Brandon: Teacher KC, do you know what is chinChin?
Me: I don't know what is chinChin, but I know what is 青青河边草.
Brandon: Hahaha, 青青河边草? You say Mandarin. Hahaha you are so talkative.
Me: (o.O)?
사랑하니까
My Korean kids are gone back to Korea, either for holidays or for good.
Now there are 2 left. One who speaks fluently, and one 2 year old who is catching up on English very quickly. So I have nobody to practise my Korean with.
Yesterday the girl asked me why Eric wants to sit with me (coincidence). "Because Eric likes me," I said playfully. "Why?!" she insisted on a real explanation. "좋아해서" (because he likes), and she looked at me blankly (she has this language fixate-ness that I only speak English and not Mandarin or Korean or anything else, or she'll take a more than longer time to comprehend)
So I repeated with a stronger word, "사랑하니까" and she laughed in disbelief.
Today during lunch there was one seat left beside her so I sat down beside her.
"Why you sit with me?"
"사랑해서. 사랑하니까."
"no~" she shook her head.
"왜애애? 나 안사랑해?"
she shook her head even more.
"eeh" I shrugged it off.
This girl. *sigh*
Now there are 2 left. One who speaks fluently, and one 2 year old who is catching up on English very quickly. So I have nobody to practise my Korean with.
Yesterday the girl asked me why Eric wants to sit with me (coincidence). "Because Eric likes me," I said playfully. "Why?!" she insisted on a real explanation. "좋아해서" (because he likes), and she looked at me blankly (she has this language fixate-ness that I only speak English and not Mandarin or Korean or anything else, or she'll take a more than longer time to comprehend)
So I repeated with a stronger word, "사랑하니까" and she laughed in disbelief.
Today during lunch there was one seat left beside her so I sat down beside her.
"Why you sit with me?"
"사랑해서. 사랑하니까."
"no~" she shook her head.
"왜애애? 나 안사랑해?"
she shook her head even more.
"eeh" I shrugged it off.
This girl. *sigh*
I told you
Everyday after school I'd fetch the kiddos home in my white Magic School Bus (let me hear a hooray from those who know the cartoon!). A few days/weeks ago I got nagged by my new 3 year old dad...
KJ: Teacher I wanna go that way.
Me: Which way? I can't look at you, I'm driving. If you want to go right, say turn right, if you want to go straight, say go straight.
The next day, when we're near the junction...
KJ: Teacher, I want to turn right.
Me: I'm going straight today.
Nobody said a thing until about 5 minutes later, after I've dropped the girl off at her house. When I got into the car...
KJ: I told you...
Me: ??
KJ: We are going on the wrong way!
Me: We are going the wrong way?
KJ: Yeah! We should go the other way.
Me: We are not going the wrong way, we're going the right way.
KJ: Naw, I don't think so. I told you we have to turn the right way.
Me: This is the right way. Look, we're now turning to the traffic light, which we always do.
KJ: No, this is the wrong way. Now we need to turn the other way so so so I can go back to my home!
Me: This is not the wrong way. There is no right or wrong way. We can go to your mama's house now, it's the right way.
KJ: Oh, we can?
Me: Yeah.
KJ: Oh~ This is not the wrong way?
KJ: Teacher I wanna go that way.
Me: Which way? I can't look at you, I'm driving. If you want to go right, say turn right, if you want to go straight, say go straight.
The next day, when we're near the junction...
KJ: Teacher, I want to turn right.
Me: I'm going straight today.
Nobody said a thing until about 5 minutes later, after I've dropped the girl off at her house. When I got into the car...
KJ: I told you...
Me: ??
KJ: We are going on the wrong way!
Me: We are going the wrong way?
KJ: Yeah! We should go the other way.
Me: We are not going the wrong way, we're going the right way.
KJ: Naw, I don't think so. I told you we have to turn the right way.
Me: This is the right way. Look, we're now turning to the traffic light, which we always do.
KJ: No, this is the wrong way. Now we need to turn the other way so so so I can go back to my home!
Me: This is not the wrong way. There is no right or wrong way. We can go to your mama's house now, it's the right way.
KJ: Oh, we can?
Me: Yeah.
KJ: Oh~ This is not the wrong way?
Ache
Earache is back. Ever since the hilly drive up to Ipoh on Friday. The pressure build up went weird and stayed all the way past the mountains. Then it came on and off during the weekend trip. Today it started this sharp pain which led to a minor headache around noon.
I was driving when I felt the headache.
"Oh, my head hurts," I said while patting on the hurting part.
"Got red?" asked my concerned passenger, 3 year old KJ.
"Huh? No, it just hurts."
"Got mosticko bite you?"
"I don't think it's a mosquito bite, it just hurts."
"We have to find the mosticko! We better hurry!"
I was driving when I felt the headache.
"Oh, my head hurts," I said while patting on the hurting part.
"Got red?" asked my concerned passenger, 3 year old KJ.
"Huh? No, it just hurts."
"Got mosticko bite you?"
"I don't think it's a mosquito bite, it just hurts."
"We have to find the mosticko! We better hurry!"
Scare
Today in the car, Eric(2+) unbuckled KJ's (3+) seatbelt when we were stopping at Leah's(5) house.
KJ: Teacher!
Me: Hmm?
KJ: My seatbelt...
Me: (turn around to look)
Cut short. Eric unbuckled it, accidentally or purposely I didn't find out.
So I sent Leah down, while Eric looked like he would weep as he rubbed his face and eyes.
When I came back in Eric was looking fine again, and KJ said sternly:
"Teacher, you don't scare Eric."
Goodness. My kid is reprimanding me. =S
KJ: Teacher!
Me: Hmm?
KJ: My seatbelt...
Me: (turn around to look)
Cut short. Eric unbuckled it, accidentally or purposely I didn't find out.
So I sent Leah down, while Eric looked like he would weep as he rubbed his face and eyes.
When I came back in Eric was looking fine again, and KJ said sternly:
"Teacher, you don't scare Eric."
Goodness. My kid is reprimanding me. =S
I told you
3 year old KJ hopped onto my car, and after a short while, he requested for some songs.
"I want to sing the Wiggles (Australian Children band I think)"
I turned on the player, and it so happened that the track was sang by the Wiggles.
"I want to sing the Wiggles," he said.
"This is the Wiggles."
"No it's not, it's a duck song." (it was a song about ducks)
"The wiggles sang it," I said.
"The wiggles sang it?"
"Yeah, the wiggles sang it."
"I want 'the wiggles sang it'!" he exclaimed.
"No, I mean the wiggles sang this song."
"The wiggles sang it?" he repeated, tone indicating that he still thought that it was a song title.
Then the song ended and came another Wiggle song (thank goodness for that!)
"Oh, it's the Wiggles!" he was happy at last.
"I toldyou so." I told him.
"You toast me?"
"No, I said, I toldyou so."
"You, toast, me?"
"Told. I. Told. You. So. Told." I said really slow and clearly.
"Told? You told me?"
"Yeah, I told. You. So."
"I want to sing the Wiggles (Australian Children band I think)"
I turned on the player, and it so happened that the track was sang by the Wiggles.
"I want to sing the Wiggles," he said.
"This is the Wiggles."
"No it's not, it's a duck song." (it was a song about ducks)
"The wiggles sang it," I said.
"The wiggles sang it?"
"Yeah, the wiggles sang it."
"I want 'the wiggles sang it'!" he exclaimed.
"No, I mean the wiggles sang this song."
"The wiggles sang it?" he repeated, tone indicating that he still thought that it was a song title.
Then the song ended and came another Wiggle song (thank goodness for that!)
"Oh, it's the Wiggles!" he was happy at last.
"I toldyou so." I told him.
"You toast me?"
"No, I said, I toldyou so."
"You, toast, me?"
"Told. I. Told. You. So. Told." I said really slow and clearly.
"Told? You told me?"
"Yeah, I told. You. So."
Fruit Salad
with a class of 4 year olds, the teacher is trying to remind them of the book that they read last year.
Teacher: Do you remember the book about fruit salad we read?
KX: Yes~
Teacher: What do you need for your fruit salad?
(teacher expecting examples of fruits)
KX: plate!!
Teacher: Yes, we'll need a plate for the fruit salad. What other ingredients do we need?
(after some thought)
KX: eat!!!!!!
It's AMAZING!
On the car ride back home, conversation with 3 year old KJ
KJ: (suddenly and demandingly) I want to go back to my home!
Me: Where are we going now?
KJ: Going to my home.
Me: Hmm? Really? Don't you want to go to my house?
KJ: Where is your house teacher KC?
(After having explained to him that it's far across the sea and we'll need to take the big ferry etc etc, we passed by the road which the sea was in view as well as the peninsular)
Me: (Point out of the window) there! my house is over there!
KJ: Wow!!! How to cross it?
Me: We'll need to take the boat to cross it. We'll need to ride on the ferry to go across.
KJ: WHOA! That's amazing!!!!
It's the first time I've heard him use 'amazing' to describe something. So effortful to enunciate it yet so appropriate and cute. =)
Somekhing
I have this absolutely adorable 3 year old who seems to have a weeny problem pronouncing some sounds. Plus he can be so hilariously dramatic sometimes!
I was driving him back 2 days ago when suddenly,
KJ: Oh no~~~~ Somekhing gone!!!
Me: What? What's gone?
KJ: (low incomprehensible mumble)
Me: (pretending to have heard) Oh... where did it go?
KJ: It's in school!
KJ: Oh no~ I cannot pick it up!
Me: Oh no. What do you do now?
KJ: We must go back to the school!
KJ: Is left in the school!
Me: What is it that you left in school?
KJ: Somekhing! (more low mumbles)
Me: Is it your (toy) car?
KJ: No. It's ko-kor's (brother's) car.
Me: Oh, so is it your ko-kor's car?
KJ: No, it's in my bee bag.
Me: Is it your underwear?
KJ: No, it's in my pants.
Me: Is it your Eddy Elephant picture?
KJ: No, it's in my bag.
Me: Where did you leave it?
KJ: In the school!
Me: Where exactly? In the playground?
KJ: No~ it's inside!
Me: In the hall or in your class?
KJ: Yea!
Me: What is that?
KJ: It's somekhing!
Me: Oh... That's alright, we can go get it tomorrow. It will still be there.
KJ: OK...
Me: What is that that you left in the class?
KJ: somekhing. (more low mumbles)
Me: Huh? a box? Was it a box?
KJ: YEAH!!!!!
(Having not seen any box of his all day...)
Me: What's in the box?
KJ: my toys
KJ: lots of toys
Me: There are lots of toys in your box. Where is it now?
KJ: at home~~~
Me: Oh, so they're all at home waiting for you now.
Just glad that he closed the topic, and it seemed he didn't leave anything, or somekhing in school. It's not cute written out here, but it's totally hilarious at that moment when he asked and answered in the utmost urgent and serious manner. And dramatic too. =)
Names
Ethan (3) has been really into Thomas the train. One day a few weeks ago he came to school and declared that his name is Thomas Lee.
He started insisting that he's Thomas Lee and nothing else. And the children quickly picked it up. One wanted to be a musketeer, one wanted to be Barbie, one wanted to be princess, one wanted to be Dora, it was a never ending battle trying to call out the right names all day long.
Then last week, 'Thomas' found new names, and he said, "My mummy is Emily, my daddy is Gordon." For those are Thomas train's friends' names. I told him Emily is Ezra's mother's name, and he was dumbfounded and unhappy. But the next day he told me there can be 2 Emily in our school.
Last week in class I gave out worksheets, and called out his name "Ethan" as written on the paper. "I'm Thomas." he insisted. And the other kids start to insist on their new names too. "I'm sorry, this paper here says Ethan and not Thomas, if you're Thomas you do not belong to this class you may leave now." He looked at me, pouted and gave it a deep thought. A short while later, "so are you Ethan or Thomas?" He quietly answered, "Ethan."
I talked to the mum and she said he calls the parents by their new names. Mum is Emily and Dad is Gordon Alex (Dad's name is Alex). Today he told me, "I got 3 Thomas trains at home. My Emily and Gordon gave it to me when I birthday."
Story
Our kids love stories, like really much. I'm trying to make it a deal to read a book everyday, so far the kids are enjoying it, be it the book read for the 1st time or 10th.
It's not the 1st time I've read it to my 2 year olds, in fact I've read it many many times. Today I decided to ask something else than usual. The picture as below:
After reading the text, I asked,
Me: So the little red hen found a grain. Do you think anyone's going to help? What's the dog doing?
KJ: It's sleeping!
Me: The dog is sleeping. What about the cat?
KJ: $%#^!@# is swinging!
Me: Yeah, the cat is swinging on the swing. What's the pig doing?
KJ: @&^%^#&%$@! in poo!
Me: The pig is rolling in poo?! *burst to laughter while the kids stare and the other crazily laughing teacher*
Selamat Pagi Terima Kasih
The kids always confuse between both phrases, maybe because they have the same number of phonemes in both words. So.
The other day the kid was trying to rush her way out of the class, I said, "Terima kasih Cate," and she quickly replied, "Terima sakit cikgu."
Voice (2)
Just a couple of days ago, I asked Edwin, "Do I sound different, or is it just me?" when he replied, "It's just you teacher, it's just you."
This morning my voice haven't recovered, I walked into the class with inability to raise my voice nor talk in my normal pitch. After a few conversations, Edwin popped the question.
This morning my voice haven't recovered, I walked into the class with inability to raise my voice nor talk in my normal pitch. After a few conversations, Edwin popped the question.
Edwin: Teacher, why did you change your voice?
Me: I didn't change my voice. I just have a sore throat.
Edwin: A sore throat?
Me: Well, not a real sore throat, cuz my throat is not sore...
Edwin: A 'kae' sore throat? (kae: the word for 'fake' in Hokkien)
Me: Kae?
Edwin: Do you have a kae sore throat? not a real one?
Me: LOL yeah.
The Joker
Walking on the road, the brother and I were talking about first names and last names, and middle names.
Him: You know I have a friend who has a Christian name, it makes his Chinese name the middle name.
Me: How?
Him: His first name is Joshua, last name is Lim, middle is Ee Wei, so becomes Joshua Ee Wei Lim.
Me: Ya, it's like that, same like Ivy and Andrew. Andrew Chi Kit Huang. By the way I know that friend of yours too.
Driver
Everyday the parents would park their cars and walk to the gate to fetch their child.
But for Kaylin (4), for most times for the past 4-5 months she's been here, it's her brother(8) who gets down the car to bring her to the car while the mother makes a U-turn.
One fine day, the brother got off the car and walked to the gate. The sister saw and ran to get her stuff (bag, bottle). While waiting, the brother had a very interesting 'conversation' with the other kids in the school, just checking him out.
3 year old Ethan asked the brother, with utmost sincere,
"你是 driver 吗？" (Are you the driver?)
But for Kaylin (4), for most times for the past 4-5 months she's been here, it's her brother(8) who gets down the car to bring her to the car while the mother makes a U-turn.
One fine day, the brother got off the car and walked to the gate. The sister saw and ran to get her stuff (bag, bottle). While waiting, the brother had a very interesting 'conversation' with the other kids in the school, just checking him out.
3 year old Ethan asked the brother, with utmost sincere,
"你是 driver 吗？" (Are you the driver?)
Mine and Yours
These days in the car with the 2 and a half year old KJ,
He would point out cars of the people he knows.
"Da Yee car! Da Yee car!"
"Teacher Kakus car ober there!"
"Teacher Angaa car! It went away~"
"Ooh, here comes car here comes car! Aaah!!!!"
For the past 1-2 weeks he's been noticing my car.
"Teacher KC car! Teacher KC car ober there!"
But then he learned the words "mine" and ownership. He would add 's to his name when it's his thing or he wants his turn. "Yohan's!" he would say.
One day he started, and it has then ever since be the same conversation for a few days now... Whenever he sees my car (same model same color) he'll go:
"Look! My car!"
I'd then reply, "Your car?"
"Yeah, your car!"
I'd say, "Yeah it's my car."
"My car."
He would point out cars of the people he knows.
"Da Yee car! Da Yee car!"
"Teacher Kakus car ober there!"
"Teacher Angaa car! It went away~"
"Ooh, here comes car here comes car! Aaah!!!!"
For the past 1-2 weeks he's been noticing my car.
"Teacher KC car! Teacher KC car ober there!"
But then he learned the words "mine" and ownership. He would add 's to his name when it's his thing or he wants his turn. "Yohan's!" he would say.
One day he started, and it has then ever since be the same conversation for a few days now... Whenever he sees my car (same model same color) he'll go:
"Look! My car!"
I'd then reply, "Your car?"
"Yeah, your car!"
I'd say, "Yeah it's my car."
"My car."
Pain and sadness
3 year old Ethan knocked his head in the afternoon, and his forehead swelled up. When the parent came to pick him up, the parent was informed about the incident. When the parent was putting on the shoes, the following conversation took place.
Parent: You knocked your head and it swelled up?
Ethan: Yea.
Parent: Did you cry?
Ethan: No, I didn't cry.
Parent: You didn't cry.
Ethan: I feel sad.
Parent: Oh, you didn't cry, but felt sad.
Ethan: Just a little bit sad.
Parent: You knocked your head and it swelled up?
Ethan: Yea.
Parent: Did you cry?
Ethan: No, I didn't cry.
Parent: You didn't cry.
Ethan: I feel sad.
Parent: Oh, you didn't cry, but felt sad.
Ethan: Just a little bit sad.
Mummmy~
I was doing something, coloring perhaps, when the kid turned to me and said, "So you bring this back and show it to your mummy."
Background note:
This is a bossy 4 year old who likes to instruct people around.
My mum went to the Special Olympics event in Greece.
So I told her, "My mummy is not at home."
She showed a really concered face, "Why?"
Me: My mummy went away, far far away.
She: Why?
Me: She wants to play with other children.
She: Why?
Me: Well, she'll be back tomorrow.
I forgot how the conversation ended or got diverted. But it's funny how I managed to make it sounded like my mum ran away to a far away place abandoning me for another kid. Not sure if the kid gets that idea. =)
Background note:
This is a bossy 4 year old who likes to instruct people around.
My mum went to the Special Olympics event in Greece.
So I told her, "My mummy is not at home."
She showed a really concered face, "Why?"
Me: My mummy went away, far far away.
She: Why?
Me: She wants to play with other children.
She: Why?
Me: Well, she'll be back tomorrow.
I forgot how the conversation ended or got diverted. But it's funny how I managed to make it sounded like my mum ran away to a far away place abandoning me for another kid. Not sure if the kid gets that idea. =)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)