Chinese School Class Description Page

CAFAM Chinese School, Portland Maine

Class Description Page

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Temple of Heaven, Beijing China

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

Each child will be assigned to class according to age and/or school grade at time of registration and will remain in the class for the full year. The only movement between semesters is from Crickets to Peonies -- when a child turns 3 between terms.
We expect that each child will progress from year to year with his or her assigned class. Each class is identified by the name of a plant important in Chinese lore, and we hope that these names will not only give each class identity as a group, but also help the school administrators and parents track the classes as they advance through the school from year to year. Because students remain in these groups as they grow, children can rely on who will be in their classes from year to year, and the learning can happen on a continuum. Often, the same teacher will remain with a class from year to year, and this continuity enhances how much can be accomplished during the semesters.
If a parent would like a child to switch to a lower class, please speak with the teacher and parent coordinator for assistance.
Depending on enrollment, the school may combine or further divide classes.

INTRODUCTORY CLASSES

These early classes are great places to meet other families. The curriculum uses a child's everyday world to introduce and reinforce Mandarin. A supporting resource is the NiHao Little Friends videotape series, and families are encouraged to purchase a set for home. They are available at www.chinasprout.com. Children learn best by repetition, and the more they listen to Mandarin, the more they will get out of their experience at Chinese School.

CRICKETS
For toddlers, 18 months to almost 3 $60
9:30 - 10:45am
Joanna Jing Yu, teacher

Parent attends with child. The class is designed to expose families to simple Mandarin that can be used in the home during the child's daily routine. The class offers familiarity with spoken Chinese and prepares the child for the broader curriculum of the school. Emphasis is on play and making friends. Expect singing.
Our youngest class remains the CRICKET class as children pass through and graduate into their PLANT classes.

PEONIES
3 year olds $100
9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Shannon Lyons, teacher
Sophia Hsiang, teacher

Parent attends with child. Children will build upon and re-enforce their Mandarin vocabulary words, particularly focusing on material drawn from the NiHao Little Friends videotapes. They will become familiar with patterns of speech as they hear instructions given in Mandarin. The children will sing Chinese songs and play Chinese games along with other active forms of learning, including weekly age-appropriate art projects.

SNAPDRAGONS - “Goldfish flowers” – Jin yu hua
4 year-olds $100
9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Cicy Po, teacher

Parents may choose to transition out of the classroom. Children will build upon and re-enforce their Mandarin vocabulary words, particularly focusing on material drawn from the NiHao Little Friends videotapes. They will become familiar with patterns of speech as they hear instructions given in Mandarin. The children will sing in Mandarin, play Chinese games, and participate in other active forms of learning, including dance and weekly age-appropriate art projects. The class will have the opportunity to dance at the Chinese New Year Fair under the direction of Fan Luo.

UPPER CLASSES

Our curriculum is based on Chinese Made Easy for Kids (by Yamin Ma) and Chinese Made Easy (by Yamin Ma and Xinying Li). Parents will receive weekly e-mails describing classroom material covered that should make it easier to follow your child's progress - and supplement your child's study at home. Our teachers and volunteers are a very committed crew, but with so few Saturdays together, their efforts are strongly re-enforced by the CD. It's like Suzuki music: what children hear repeatedly, they absorb. Please note that an adult class following Chinese Made Easy is offered to help parents who want to learn themselves and to boost their child's efforts.
Books/Materials
Books are available for purchase and pick up on the first day of class. Please indicate on your registration form whether you need to purchase a book this year.

Books and Material costs (in 2008)
Chinese Made Easy for Kids Textbook and CD	$19.95
Chinese Made Easy for Kids Workbook	$12.95
Chinese Made Easy Textbook and CD	$29.95
Chinese Made Easy Workbook	$26.95

PERSIMMONS - Shi zi
Kindergarten $110
9:30 – 12 noon
Enyue Li, teacher

Parents will begin transition out of classroom, as the child is able to separate. Students will continue building and re-enforcing their Mandarin vocabulary. They will become familiar with patterns of speech as they hear instructions given in Mandarin. They will also experiment with calligraphy. The children will participate in Chinese games and other active forms of learning, including weekly age-appropriate art projects.
Dance will be continued with teacher Fan Luo, and the class will have the opportunity to dance at the Chinese New Year Fair.

PLUMS - Li zi
First grade $110
Phyllidia Ku-Ruth, teacher
9:30 to noon

Children will begin building on the base vocabulary and using sentence structure. They will be introduced to pinyin and to written characters. Tones will be emphasized. Through games, songs and listening to Chinese stories, children will improve their competency in communicating in Mandarin. They will also have a dance class each week with teacher Fan Luo, learn to write simple characters, and will do a variety of art and culture projects.

BAMBOO - Zhu
Second grade $110
9:30 – noon Wei-Hsing Wang, teacher

Students will continue to work on their conversational use of Mandarin. They will be introduced to pinyin and continue to practice writing characters. Through games, songs and listening to Chinese stories, children will improve their competency in communicating in Mandarin. They will also have a dance class each week and will begin brush-painting lessons.

LOTUS - Lian Hua
Third grade $110
9 a.m. - noon (note the new start time)
Takfoon Lillie Knight, Teacher

Children in this group will continue working on tones, pinyin and sentence patterns. They will expand their base of written characters. They will be using games, songs and artwork to enhance their learning. They will participate in a dance class, do cultural activities, and continue brush-painting lessons.

You Yi Qiao
Friendship Bridge
CULTURAL CENTER
Grades four and up $110

GINGER – Jiang: Fourth grade
ORCHIDS – Lan: Fifth & Sixth Grades
JASMINE - Mo Li Hua: Seventh grade and above

9 a.m. to noon

New this year, students in the fourth grade and up will design their morning at Chinese School through a new program called the You Yi Qiao Cultural Center. You Yi Qiao means Friendship Bridge, and this new program is all about flexibility so that busy young people can fit the school into their lives. The goal is to make the cultural center a welcoming environment where everyone can maintain important friendships yet feel no pressure to participate beyond one’s own interests and comfort zone. For one fee, students can do as many or as few classes as they wish, choosing between academic or conversational Mandarin classes, brush-painting studio time, and dance rehearsal, as well as various workshops on cultural topics. Leadership skills can be honed during weekly game time with the younger students. Volunteer positions in classrooms are also available upon approval for motivated middle-school students. Students who complete the year will also be eligible for the weekend trip to Cow Island. The Jesse building will become a sort of clubhouse where these older students can rotate safely among their choice of activities.

You Yi Qiao
Friendship Bridge
CULTURAL CENTER OFFERINGS:

Mandarin I

Teacher Qingmei Zheng will continue working through Chinese Made Easy for Kids. Her class will pick up the Ginger schedule from last year.

Mandarin II

Teacher Viveca Kwan will lead our most advanced students (those continuing from Orchid and Jasmine classes), using both Chinese Made Easy for Kids and materials she introduces.

Additional sessions may be added if enrollment warrants it.

Mandarin Enrichment

Students in Mandarin II may opt into this second session – to run consecutively with the first session. The class will explore Mandarin in entertaining ways – such as movies and music.

Brush-painting Studio

Each week, all morning, students will be able to drop into a friendly studio atmosphere, where Liz Wyman will have supplies and suggestions to keep the art flowing.

Chinese Dragon System of Universal Movement

A journey of self-discovery through non-competitive, nature-based martial arts taught by a black-sash instructor from Topsham’s Riverview Foundation.

See more about Riverview at their website: http://www.riverviewfoundation.org/index.html

Rocket Science

A three-week course in the Chinese innovation of rockets.
Scientist (and school dad) James Shields will help students have a hands-on experience with designing, building and shooting off their rockets. A demonstration will be held for younger students. Plans include a rocket cam to feed images onto our website.

Giant Origami

A two-week course in paper-folding. Mathematics professor Eva Szillery will travel down from Orono to lead students in creating huge origami models that will be the centerpiece of the school’s annual Book Fair on November 22.

Ping Pong

Ping pong master (and visiting teacher in Yarmouth) He Junping will share pointers on paddle moves with students. He is a sensation!

Scallion Pancakes Class

Cook-extraordinaire Karen Zuckerman brings her culinary talents to the school’s kitchen. On the menu…scallion pancakes. Come chop, knead and sizzle!

Lion Mask-Making

Students enrolled in the Lion Dance performance for the first time will need to include this class into their schedule. Each dancer will design and create his or her own mask. If there is room, non-dancers may opt in.

Inside the Beijing Olympics

Our Chinese pop-culture guru, Jasmine Fei Qu, brings us the Chinese perspective on the Beijing Olympics.

During the fall semester the class schedule is:

9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.

• Language courses with teachers Qingmei Zheng and Viveca Kwan
• Brush painting studio with Liz Wyman

9:45 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

• Mandarin enrichment with Viveca Kwan
• Workshop A with guest teacher
• Brush painting studio
• Dance for Ginger Class

10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

• Workshop A with guest teacher
• Workshop B with guest teacher
• Brush painting studio
• Dance for Jasmine Class

11:15 a.m. to 12 noon

• Leadership time with younger students
• Workshop B with guest teacher
• Brush painting studio
• Dance for Orchid Class

TENTATIVE Workshop Schedule

Surprises happen. Workshops may need to be shuffled for reasons yet anticipated. We will do our best to keep a very complicated system as simple to use as possible.

October 18:

Rocket Science 1 (First of three sessions)
Chinese Dragon martial arts (first of two)

October 25:

Rocket Science 2
Ping Pong with Master He

November 1:

Rocket Science 3
Giant Origami 1 (first of two)

November 8:

Chinese Dragon martial arts (second of two)
Lion Mask-Making 1 (first of two)

November 15:

Giant Origami 2
Learning to make Scallion Pancakes with Karen Zuckerman

November 22:

Behind the Beijing Olympics
Lion Mask-Making 2

For MAMA and BABA

9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Sally Ng, teacher
Here's a class for parents interested in learning to read and write Chinese characters and to practice speaking Mandarin. The curriculum will be based on Chinese Made Easy.