I am no Emily Dickenson, and I know nothing much about Chinese poetry. I only know it sounds beautiful when recited from heart, and one can practically relate a story with few words. That is fascinating in itself, and I want to pass that on to my children. Here is something you can try:

• decide on the format of the verses (is it a four-character phrase, a seven-character dual verses, a seven-character four verses?)
• relate to the child the structure of the verse. For example, in a seven-character verse, usually the first two-character will be a concept, the second two-character forms another, and then the next three will finish the story off.
• Decide on a theme. For this New Year, we wanted to write something about horse. So I asked the child to describe the animal. Some keywords that came to her mind: swift, gallop, eat grass peacefully, efficient
• Since we were writing a New Year blessing, it would need some wishes. So I asked the child what wish she may want for the new year. So these came up: peaceful family, finishing up tasks
• So now it’s just a matter of thinking up two-character and three-character concepts that can be placed by each other to make sense. The verses need not rhyme but should flow pleasingly when heard. So just keep thinking of words she knows, and you can suggest some if needed, but try to stay with what she comes up with.
• Write each concept out on cards and play around with the orders.
• Recite it out loud to each other until the verses sound great to her ears and makes meaning to the child.
• Don’t compare it with standard Chinese prose. Think of it as a child merely wanting to express herself using words in a beautiful way.

I once had a Chinese cook who can make wonderful Asian cuisines. One day, I wanted her to make some Western butter squash soup for me. I told her the exact instruction. Unfortunately, the final result was nothing but a Chinese-style squash soup which I couldn’t puree. The taste was just not what I had in mind either. Believe me, I tried to teach her again and again later, but after a few more failures, I concluded that there is just something impossible for a Chinese cook to change, especially when she’s set in her ways for years because that is her “core.”

Over the years, I have found it difficult to find one who possesses a high quality in ALL of the following:

1. Chinese language proficiency,
2. Knowledge of the Western culture enough to understand the audience’s way of life, i.e. the children of today’s modern society,
3. Proficiency in how children work and how to teach in general

Perhaps this is one of the major difficulties most Chinese language classes face in finding competent teachers to pass on the language. As the soup analogy goes, “core” of teaching styles is hard to break. Children are smart enough to notice the difference between one who is only proficient in the language and one who truly cares about them and their learning. Contrary to what most schools are seeking using the priorities above, it may be more effective to reverse the order. It is certainly possible that a teacher, who knows more how children works than how the language works, has a much higher chance of nurturing Chinese into the core of her students.