Watching"The Kid From Big Apple" with the kids
It's the second day of August school holiday. The kids had been doing quite well or tried their best to accomplish their best in their studies on the normal day. Hence, we have chosen from worthwhile, meaningful Mandarin movie for the children to watch.
It was a new experience for me to watching the movie together with the kids. When you watch the movie with your peers or what.
I feel like "The Kid from Big Apple" is the just the right meaningful, generation-relationship-cultural bonding movie for them that it so relevant to them!
1. In terms of the cultural context: Although Sarah, the main female protagonist in the movie was from New York. However, both the character 'Sarah' and the kids in my working area are mostly banana. They knew less about Chinese culture (using chopstick, eating hokkien mee) and pursue the western ones in their life.
Then it was found out that Sarah actually speaks Chinese, but she is just reluctant to speak Mandarin. Just like the kids here, some of them born and raise in English-speaking family, but sent to Chinese primary school, hence some (large number) of them would prefer to speak English when they were at ease.
There is certainly a subjective issue to discuss.There is not absolute wrong or correct, only with teachers hope to immerse them in Chinese culture (Speaking Chinese,Writing Chinese, Thinking in Chinese),so that they would write well in Chinese essay as well as other Chinese-medium subjects since they study in Chinese school .
2. Somehow, watching together with children, I have time to answer some really curious questions from the kids. Like the scene where Sarah kept on pestering her Gong Gong, asking him the brand of the Handphone he has bought, and why he didn't ask his grand-daughter to teach him surf internet, social media.
Then I turned to one of the kids who sat beside me, asking him, did you pester your mom like that too. He just too cute and frank, answered, Yes, but she didn't pay a heed to me.
Hahaha, I could totally relate to that, being a teacher who have to handle many kids, I myself don't have so much time to answer too many .....of their curious questions...I mean the kids today, especially the younger ones, are so curious! They basically tell you anything under the sun, and ask you anything they are curious about.
Sorry lah, kids. Not that I don't want to answer your questions, but I have to pay attention to other relevant tasks too. I couldn't answer especially when time is tight, I know my answering could sharpen your thinking skill,but you know the more I answer you, we were getting far away from our topic/lesson of the day.
So I am glad that once in awhile, I could entertain your questions outside of the lesson time.
Sometimes, they were asking questions which I had been curious about when I was just like them, But I actually got no answer from anyone, because back then, being obedient and quiet are the great display of a child behaviour. (That's how I was trained).
Of course, I don't want the bad cycle of throwing-stone-into-the-sea phenomena (no feedback, no reflection or anything) to repeat. I see how my curious-self was being ignored, hence wouldn't want that to happen. I am sure you, if you used to receive the same chalk and talk traditional teacher-centered approach, with large class size could totally relate this part with your childhood memory.
I don't have any solid solution for now.I appreciate that their parents allow them to use google, but never abuse the advantage of internet. It just happened. and from time to time, we could entertain their questions, listen to their sharing whenever possible. However, during my journey of learning to implementing good classroom management, I need to be strict, and that include no going off-tangent.
3. The characters were so real! Do you spot any of the shadow of your character in the movie?
-The very mischievous articulated boy
-The mother who talks so loud, scolds her son, but love their son and never beat their son. (Verbally punishing only)
-The monkey see,monkey do (The part when Sarah, imitates her Gong Gong to eat half-boiled egg)
-举一反三的孩子 （其实心里是高兴他们勇于表达想法， 而且也很聪明）
-The generation who favour fast food,Mc Donald, Domino
4. At some time, I forgot which instance that made me feel like the kids today were quiet smart. They commented the character "Sarah" speaks weird English. To my ears,I found no problem to her American accent, but the children were so sensitive, (coupled with their born-and-raised speaking English) they were able to distinguish the difference in accent.
5. I also felt relieved that I had watched the movie prior watching with the kids. There were a few scenes that I would definitely shed tears if I only watched it for the first time, but we were watching together with them from standard 1 to standard 6, those elder ones, who understand the plots, the message better shed their tears at some sentimental parts.
6. It is also a great material to expose the Gen Z with the culture of Gen X. (thinking about "touch wood', using chopstick, no talking while eating, show them that our grandpa and grandmom used to keep their memories in boxes like biscuit box or moon cake box)
And the scene of the movie were mostly taken in Malaysia. There were Bukit Bintang, the old flat... Mc Donald, so it were a great cultural exposure to the children!
All in all, I felt that I have chosen the right movie for them. A Chinese-medium movie with a little English dialogue.
It was a new experience for me to watching the movie together with the kids. When you watch the movie with your peers or what.
You relate the familiar scene with yourself. And it is something new that when you watch it with the kids, you found many shadows/characters of some of the students, their parents in the movie!
I feel like "The Kid from Big Apple" is the just the right meaningful, generation-relationship-cultural bonding movie for them that it so relevant to them!
1. In terms of the cultural context: Although Sarah, the main female protagonist in the movie was from New York. However, both the character 'Sarah' and the kids in my working area are mostly banana. They knew less about Chinese culture (using chopstick, eating hokkien mee) and pursue the western ones in their life.
Then it was found out that Sarah actually speaks Chinese, but she is just reluctant to speak Mandarin. Just like the kids here, some of them born and raise in English-speaking family, but sent to Chinese primary school, hence some (large number) of them would prefer to speak English when they were at ease.
There is certainly a subjective issue to discuss.There is not absolute wrong or correct, only with teachers hope to immerse them in Chinese culture (Speaking Chinese,Writing Chinese, Thinking in Chinese),so that they would write well in Chinese essay as well as other Chinese-medium subjects since they study in Chinese school .
2. Somehow, watching together with children, I have time to answer some really curious questions from the kids. Like the scene where Sarah kept on pestering her Gong Gong, asking him the brand of the Handphone he has bought, and why he didn't ask his grand-daughter to teach him surf internet, social media.
Then I turned to one of the kids who sat beside me, asking him, did you pester your mom like that too. He just too cute and frank, answered, Yes, but she didn't pay a heed to me.
Hahaha, I could totally relate to that, being a teacher who have to handle many kids, I myself don't have so much time to answer too many .....of their curious questions...I mean the kids today, especially the younger ones, are so curious! They basically tell you anything under the sun, and ask you anything they are curious about.
Sorry lah, kids. Not that I don't want to answer your questions, but I have to pay attention to other relevant tasks too. I couldn't answer especially when time is tight, I know my answering could sharpen your thinking skill,but you know the more I answer you, we were getting far away from our topic/lesson of the day.
So I am glad that once in awhile, I could entertain your questions outside of the lesson time.
Sometimes, they were asking questions which I had been curious about when I was just like them, But I actually got no answer from anyone, because back then, being obedient and quiet are the great display of a child behaviour. (That's how I was trained).
Of course, I don't want the bad cycle of throwing-stone-into-the-sea phenomena (no feedback, no reflection or anything) to repeat. I see how my curious-self was being ignored, hence wouldn't want that to happen. I am sure you, if you used to receive the same chalk and talk traditional teacher-centered approach, with large class size could totally relate this part with your childhood memory.
I don't have any solid solution for now.I appreciate that their parents allow them to use google, but never abuse the advantage of internet. It just happened. and from time to time, we could entertain their questions, listen to their sharing whenever possible. However, during my journey of learning to implementing good classroom management, I need to be strict, and that include no going off-tangent.
3. The characters were so real! Do you spot any of the shadow of your character in the movie?
-The very mischievous articulated boy
-The mother who talks so loud, scolds her son, but love their son and never beat their son. (Verbally punishing only)
-The monkey see,monkey do (The part when Sarah, imitates her Gong Gong to eat half-boiled egg)
-举一反三的孩子 （其实心里是高兴他们勇于表达想法， 而且也很聪明）
-The generation who favour fast food,Mc Donald, Domino
4. At some time, I forgot which instance that made me feel like the kids today were quiet smart. They commented the character "Sarah" speaks weird English. To my ears,I found no problem to her American accent, but the children were so sensitive, (coupled with their born-and-raised speaking English) they were able to distinguish the difference in accent.
5. I also felt relieved that I had watched the movie prior watching with the kids. There were a few scenes that I would definitely shed tears if I only watched it for the first time, but we were watching together with them from standard 1 to standard 6, those elder ones, who understand the plots, the message better shed their tears at some sentimental parts.
6. It is also a great material to expose the Gen Z with the culture of Gen X. (thinking about "touch wood', using chopstick, no talking while eating, show them that our grandpa and grandmom used to keep their memories in boxes like biscuit box or moon cake box)
And the scene of the movie were mostly taken in Malaysia. There were Bukit Bintang, the old flat... Mc Donald, so it were a great cultural exposure to the children!
All in all, I felt that I have chosen the right movie for them. A Chinese-medium movie with a little English dialogue.
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