It's Off To Work I Go...

Today was my first day of real work. As in, I get to go back. I taught five children between the ages of 3 and 6 for one hour. I am still alive but more importantly, so are they. It was actually fun. I introduced them to important things like Bugs and Daffy and taught them Old McDonald Had A Farm using pictures of farm animals. I think they liked it, because at the end of the class, they all ran out to their parents singing it. That felt good. I hope the parents liked me, they were all very friendly and respectful. One joined us so her little boy whom I have named Sam would not be afraid. He is only three, and cute as a button. All the children already have a small grasp of the language, some can count as high as thirty. They certainly were familiar with the farm animals as they yelled the names when I flashed the picture. When I finished the class they all ran out except Sam who was stil looking at the picture of a cat I still had up. He had been very quiet for most of the class. "Do you like the CAT?", I asked him. "CAT" he said, and then repeated the names of the animals as I cycled back through the pictures. Perfectly. Children have such a wonderful capacity for learning. They will pick up English faster than we will learn Chinese and we have almost three and a half years head start. I was a little lighter in my step as I walked to the bus stop. Maybe it was because I had work finally, even if just an hour, or maybe it was being with young minds. Whatever the reason, I look forward to returning after the Spring Festival.