Teacher, Speak Chinese!

Kids get so excited when they find out I can kind of speak Chinese.  It's extremely cute and quite an ego boost.

We're not supposed to speak Chinese in class (well, the CT isn't supposed to and it filters down to us) but once in a while you just need it.  Usually I ask if anyone can translate what I'm trying to say and some smart kid does.  I have nodded enough in response that word has gotten out that I speak Chinese.

Usually kids just ask me to say something in Chinese, and I say something like "You're a naughty student" and they get excited and tell their friends.  Only after class, though!

A few girls in my one very cute class are always asking me to say something in Chinese.  I've started to be like, "I can't speak Chinese!  Who told you I can speak Chinese?" 

Tonight they asked me if I could write Chinese so I wrote "I can't write Chinese characters" on the whiteboard.  They like clapped their hands and said "Hao bang!  Ni zenme lihai!"  So great!  You're really smart!

I told them they were smarter because they can write hundreds of characters, and also speak really good English.  "But teacher," they said, "it's harder for you!"

Amen, kids.