The Exchange - National Committee on United States-China Relations

Jing Ye Si
Chen Jinfeng
During the Spring Festival, I introduced
the Chinese poem “Jing Ye Si”
(“Thoughts in the Silent Night”) to the
kids in Class 512. My purpose is to train
them good pronunciation and make the
kids to know a little about Chinese culture
and tradition by learning the poem.
Before class, I was a little worried if the
kids would be interested in the Chinese
poem and if they could understand it.
Yet I still wanted to have a try by giving
them a whole impression of the Chinese
poem.
First, I asked the kids to read the pinyin
(romanization). After I explained it, I
asked the kids to translate it into English.
I also asked them to copy the Chinese
characters and practice reading the
poem. To my surprise, they were so
interested in it and were active in practicing
it. <strong>The</strong>y could not only understand
very quickly, but also could find
the rhyme by themselves. <strong>The</strong>y were
so active that many of them volunteered
to come to the front and read and perform
it according to the meaning of the
poem.
In addition, I asked the kids to draw a
5th Grader Candace Isme’s “Jing Ye Si” project
picture to match the poem without showing
the picture that I had. I said to them:
“Boys and girls, I know you’re smart
and good at drawing, please read the
poem more, and draw a picture for the
poem.” I’m so glad and satisfied with
their projects. <strong>The</strong>y did an excellent job!
At least, I think. <strong>The</strong> more I get to know
the kids I am teaching and I have taught
in the U.S., the more I love them. I’m so
glad that the kids are getting more and
more interested in Chinese and China!
Thoughts in the Silent Night
by Li Bai
Before the bed on which I lie,
<strong>The</strong> moon shines upon the floor
like frost.
I raise my head to gaze at the
moon,
I lower it and think of my
village home.
Folk Fair in our School
Yu Xiaoyun
As our school is a multi-cultural school,
we had an annual folk fair last week. All
the teachers and students were
supposed to put on special ethnic
clothes. <strong>The</strong> whole school was in a
festive mood throughout the week. On
Wednesday morning a TV station came
to interview our principal and did a live
news report in the gym, where the walls
were full of quilts to show different
ethnic cultures. One of the biggest and
most beautiful quilts was a masterpiece
of all the children, with all the students’
and teachers’ signatures on it. In one
hallway were exhibits of handicrafts,
blankets, articles for daily use and
pictures, which displayed
characteristics of every continent.
On Thursday night the multipurpose
auditorium was crowded with parents,
teachers and students, watching a
performance in which a group of second
graders performed a Chinese folk dance
to the famous song of North Shanxi
called “Nanniwan.” It was directed by
me. <strong>The</strong>n I continued to sing an
American song of “Red River Valley”
in Chinese. <strong>The</strong> audience burst into
thunderous and prolonged applause.
After the performance many teachers
met me and said, “Excellent job.” “Very
nice singing,” “You’ve got a beautiful
voice!” <strong>The</strong> last thing we did was to
taste special foods cooked by staff
members and parents.
On Friday afternoon, a group named
Chinese Shaolin Boxing was invited to
our school and performed a Chinese
Lion Dance for all the teachers and
students. At the end of the
performance our principal was picked
out to play the head of the lion and I
played the tail. What unbelievable fun
it is! I’m still immersed in happy
memories even now.
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