Discover a place to learn and to embrace

Despite a different upbringing, I’ve wholeheartedly embraced the language, culture, and people I’ve encountered. China was home until I met my husband, now I have two homes. Yet, my identity as a Chinese person living and working in the United States has never wavered. When my daughter Abbey was born, I felt a pang of defeat for not being able to instill my mother tongue and our cultural heritage in her. I feared she might lose touch with that part of her heritage.

As an interracial family, we had hoped to offer Abbey a bilingual environment from birth, but it didn’t materialize as we had planned. I’ve come to realize that perhaps it’s me who’s losing the connection with our heritage.

In 2023, we enrolled Abbey in Chinese classes at the Greenville Chinese School, and in August of that year, I began teaching a conversation class there. Abbey, along with seven other children, became my students. The name “Ma2e3rj” incorporates the initials of all eight children.

Facing the unique challenges each family brings, I’ve embarked on various experiments with teaching styles and materials. Drawing from my previous experience with the Montessori philosophy, I laid the groundwork for the class. However, I continuously refine the structure and expectations to better suit the students’ needs. The singular aim of this class is to sustain their interest in learning the Chinese language and connecting with their heritage. In pursuit of this goal, families and teachers should collaborate closely to ensure alignment and support.

On this platform, I’ll share my teaching plans, weekly lesson summaries, and valuable resources. In return, I encourage your active involvement in your child’s learning journey both at home and in class. Your feedback and suggestions are always welcome!

– Wenxin